To Protect and Serve?

I've been pulled over twice in as many months for no front plate. Before that I'd NEVER been pulled over for it. Seems that the oregon cops are really cracking down lately.

 

I have drove by so many in vancouver and had no problems yet....knock on wood. I dont want to put no ugly plate on the front of my car either. I agree with you,theres much better things he could be doing.

 

So, here in Washington, plenty of vehicles don't need license plates on the front....one would be a motorcycle, the other would be a classic car with the collector's plate. So, what is the purpose of making you stick a front plate on our cars which really weren't designed to have them? I have an idea.....REVENUE. One more year and I can get the stupid collector's plate for my 78...until then, I'll chance it.

 

I got pulled over for having what looked like a "flat tire" once in High School. I told the cop I was on my way to Les Schwab to get it fixed and he accused me of doing this on purpose so I could get out of my first couple classes. He then followed me to Les Schwab, and then asked the people at the counter how long it would be. They said an hour and half, so he freaking took me to school in his freaking cop car, with me sitting on the freaking plastic bench in the back....

...and Anthony, this was all in Enumclaw, so please, feel free to share your Enumclaw cop stories if you have any.

-Colin

 

Yep -- license plates make nice big flat target/reflectors for them to aim their laser guns at. One interesting thought I had the other day would be to mount it at an angle -- downwards, upwards, to the side -- I figure that 15 degrees would *drastically* decrease the distance that the laser would be able to read the speed. Would love to test the theory out ....

 

I got hit with a laser with NO front plate on the car. Yes he still got a reading and Yes he ticketed me for a supposed 61 in a 50. Yes he was sitting just past where it changed from 60 to 50. Only after giving me the ticket and asking whether my V-1 went off (it did but I was just lucky enough to be in the front of the pack!) did he mention that I had no front plate. He told me to get it on there, which I just seem to keep forgetting to do.

I have heard that there is a provision for cars that are not designed for front plates or where it will interfere with the car functioning properly...such as blocking part of the radiator on a car with an already reputedly suspect cooling system! Seems we've had this discussion before though....

By the way Michael, I agree you do have a beautiful car!!

 

My thought was that the front of a typical car has enough perpendicular surface for the laser to reflect the light to the origin, so having no license plate would still allow a speed measurement to be taken. But, cops are trained to use the license plate because it is the most reflective and typically nice and perpendicular. If you deliberately mounted it on a sufficient angle though, I would suspect that not enough light would be reflected to the origin to be able to take a speed measurement. The cop would possibly realize something was wrong, and adjust the aim to a different part of the car, but that would give you 3 or more seconds to slow down (and a laser warning if you were using a detector). I think though that pardoxically this would only be effective at closer distances because as soon as you get far enough away, the laser spreads out over a wide enough area (1000 feet distance equates to a 4ft wide beam) that even if aimed directly at the center of a license plate would cover several feet around that area, enough area to pick up some perpendicular reflective surface presumably. But, in such a case that light energy would be already at an angle, so would be very unlikely to reflect back to the origin....

 

RCW 46.16.240
Attachment of plates to vehicles — Violations enumerated.

The vehicle license number plates shall be attached conspicuously at the front and rear of each vehicle for which the same are issued and in such a manner that they can be plainly seen and read at all times. However, if only one license number plate is legally issued for any vehicle such plate shall be conspicuously attached to the rear of such vehicle. Each vehicle license number plate shall be placed or hung in a horizontal position at a distance of not more than four feet from the ground and shall be kept clean so as to be plainly seen and read at all times. In cases where the body construction of the vehicle is such that compliance with this section is impossible, permission to deviate therefrom may be granted by the state patrol. It shall be unlawful to display upon the front or rear of any vehicle, vehicle license number plate or plates other than those furnished by the director for such vehicle or to display upon any vehicle any vehicle license number plate or plates which have been in any manner changed, altered, disfigured or have become illegible. License plate frames may be used on vehicle license number plates only if the frames do not obscure license tabs or identifying letters or numbers on the plates and the plates can be plainly seen and read at all times. It is unlawful to use any holders, frames, or any materials that in any manner change, alter, or make the vehicle license number plates illegible. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any vehicle unless there shall be displayed thereon valid vehicle license number plates attached as herein provided.

 

I was on my way back from the cottage, an I am stopped at a red light. There on the right of the intersection is a cop, he turns left and makes an effort to make a U turn to pull me over.
This is what he says, 'you people with these kinds of cars think you can drive without a front plate'
To top it off, it turns out, one of the couples in the Ferrari club works with the same Jerk. As they roll ther eyes.
(105.00 for the ticket)

Second time, I was on my way to a client, in my SUV, the cop pulls a U turn, follows me to a gas station, pulls up behind me and asks, were is your front plate.
It just so happens, I had a cars wash, the other day and I have it right here. So I open the back grab the plate, show it to the officer, he does his checking and replies. This plate doesn't belong to this vehicle. OH,OH. I look again, I have two, give him the second one, He smiles and says, are you sure this is the the one? Yes..... this plate is for my last leased vehicle.

He let me go, have a good day.

 

From my single experience, I would say that an angle helps. The front plate on my 308 is angled back at the bottom (the plate is parallel to the grill). I got lasered at about 2000'. I had just entered the highway and accelerating. Probably just about 10 over the speed limit when hit. Backed off the accelerator. Then when I got closer, he hit me again. If there had been a good reading the first time, I would have just been pulled over. A 308 doesn't have a very flat shiny surface towards the front with the headlights stowed, so the license plate would be a prime target.

I just renewed the license for the last time as it is a '78. Next year I'll register it on '78 restored plates (actually plate) and will only have a rear one.

 

I think we need to attack this front license plate problem from another angle. OIL!!! What if we proved that having that big, flat, wind blocking, gas mileage reducing plate on the front of the millions of cars on the road was helping the terrorists via oil sales. Then it would be terrorism vs revenue........ never mind, revenue wins again.

 

That sucks Mike!


idea. Tape a front plate to the bump. Go to court with pictures and tell the judge your front plate is on. You will not be lying as it truely is one just taped on. Go home remove the plate. Ticket...dropped

 

I would put in a few dollars for Bail money.... Especially after the "No it's not mine it's Mansfields" comment!!! Nice.....

 

By the way, thank you RushDriven for posting the actual law. I wonder how many exemptions the WSP issues each year? One? It's amazing how BAD the front plate looks on some of our cars. Just YUCK.....remember, it is better to look good than be legal.

 

A retracting plate would be fun in a "pulled over for no plate" scenario. Deploy the plate and say "Huh? It's right there on the front."

 

I've seen and read this RCW before. Does the Washington State Patrol publish a list of exempt from front plate vehicles? I called and asked once, and was given the run around.

 

I have not had a plate on the front in two years. I moved from Northwest to Happy Valley a few months ago and now have been pulled over several times in the past few weeks over the plate issue.

I have it sitting on the passenger side dashboard currently, in plain site, but it appears there is a renewed vigor to catch people for this one lately. Finally I got a fix it ticket for it, its the same 97 dollars. Even though its not a fix it ticket, the officer said the court clerks can dismiss it if I take care of it before the court date.

 

You're welcome for posting it. I'm an attorney and see this all the time. I've been told that they have never granted the exemption. I saw 5 troopers in court one day and struck up a conversation with a few of them. I showed one a picture of my 512 TR and the fact that it has fog lights, brake cooling ducts and a radiator behind the grill. Seemed to me a perfect candidate for an exemption. I gave one my card and asker her to follow up with me as I just wanted to know who to ask or where to file for the exemption. Guess what - I haven't heard back from her.

I thought there was supposed to be an initiative regarding the front plate issue, but don't recall seeing it on the ballot. Also, remember we used to have to use front tabs and now we don't saving the state millions of dollars? I heard the same thing was going to happen, but then the State Patrol stepped in and told the legislature that the best place to aim their new laser speed measuring devices is the front plate. Think of all the revenue they get from tickets.....

 

No such list that I know of. And as I posted above, I don't think they have granted an exemption.

 

Nice having a lawyer on F-chat.

 

It's a $77 fix it ticket...big deal.

I have over 10 of them. I take in photoshop'd photo's of the plates on the car....and they drop the ticket.

 

ROFLMAO.