Who has dealt with NO FRONT PLATE laws? | FerrariChat

Who has dealt with NO FRONT PLATE laws?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by Wyo550, Apr 27, 2005.

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  1. Wyo550

    Wyo550 Karting
    BANNED

    Feb 9, 2005
    61
    Laramie
    Full Name:
    John
    Today, I got pulled over in Laramie by a HP for not having a front license plate on my 550. I got a warning, but was sternly told by "Daddy" that if he ever sees me again, I'm going to get a ticket. So, I'm now facing $50 fines (and the gunbelt, cuffs, scratch-the-leather consent to search the vehicle BS) each time this ambivalent hardass (or another like him) decide to do the "it's the law" lecture.
    One thing he did mention was that four years ago he pulled over a BMW with no front plates and that driver had an "Exemption" from the Wyo Department of Transportation-- so he didn't need a front plate. I'm checking on this tomorrow in Cheyenne.
    QUESTION:
    Regardless of Ferrari model or state that you live in, what experiences have you had with there not being a front plate on your car? Has anyone here ever obtained an exemption from their DMV or other state authority--NOT to need a front plate? Thanks. John
     
  2. Aureus

    Aureus Formula 3

    No such thing as an exemption in CA so far as I know.

    In California its a 'fix-it' ticket. So that means you cruise around with no front plate, if a cop ever decides to give you one you show up at the Police Department with the plate on and pay a measly fee and go home, take the license plate off and repeat.
     
  3. Wyo550

    Wyo550 Karting
    BANNED

    Feb 9, 2005
    61
    Laramie
    Full Name:
    John
    Does Ferrari make a license plate frame for your model or did you screw the plates to your front bumper? I'm sick at the thought of drilling holes in my 550's bumper just to satisfy this law!
     
  4. speedball

    speedball Formula Junior

    Mar 29, 2004
    268
    Pasadena Area
    Full Name:
    Scot Anderson
    I have never seen a front plate on a 550 ..... but you would think all US DOT legal vehicles must have a factory mount ... or at least one that's available from the dealer. My 550 doesn't have a front plate ... and I have no idea how you would mount one without damaging the bumper .... unless you made a special bracket that bolts under the car.
     
  5. SrfCity

    SrfCity F1 World Champ

    #5 SrfCity, Apr 27, 2005
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  6. Ike

    Ike F1 Rookie

    Nov 4, 2003
    3,543
    Back when I was active in the Miata community most people would put their plate in the trunk. When they got pulled over they would say that they were waiting for the dealer to get the bracket in. Many people got off with warnings with that story.
     
  7. WDR328

    WDR328 Formula 3

    Dec 11, 2003
    1,476
    The Bugscuffle Inn
    Full Name:
    D. Rose
    If Wyoming issues two plates (like they do in Texas) then it is incumbent on you to have both plates on the car. I asked the dept. of motor vehicles when I registered my 512M why are you giving me two plates when it is clear that I cannot use but one. Her response was, "its the law" I have driven in this state for years without a front plate and have never been ticketed (knock on wood) but I am clearly outside the law and as far as I can determine there is no exemption. I suspect your "copper" was a little shy on his/her quota and you did your part to fill it. There is no way to mount plates to the front--I appreciate your dilemma, but I am not sure there is a definitive answer. There is no exemption in Texas. As a post script, I bought a Viper from a dealer and when it was delivered it did not have the front tag mounted, but was on the passenger seat. I asked them about it and they said if you get stopped have them (the cops) call us. Never got stopped, never had to make the call.
     
  8. Wyo550

    Wyo550 Karting
    BANNED

    Feb 9, 2005
    61
    Laramie
    Full Name:
    John
  9. W00dEar

    W00dEar F1 Rookie
    BANNED

    Feb 24, 2004
    3,592
    LI, NY
    Full Name:
    Chris
    Pay to play.
    In NY it is a $90 fine for not having a plate.
    You either put a plate on, or pay the $90 every time. Everyone I know pay to play.
     
  10. Wyo550

    Wyo550 Karting
    BANNED

    Feb 9, 2005
    61
    Laramie
    Full Name:
    John
    This clown can't even write a complete sentence or make sense of the ones he scribbles. And elsewhere he calls people *******. A real contributor!
     
  11. BlindBoy921

    BlindBoy921 Rookie

    May 23, 2004
    23
    What an amazing attitude you have Wyo550.

    If we're lucky, maybe all Ferrari owners can be as generious, humble and down to earth as you.

    Thank you for being a shining becon for the Ferrari Chat community and a patron saint in the eyes of all.
     
  12. Wyo550

    Wyo550 Karting
    BANNED

    Feb 9, 2005
    61
    Laramie
    Full Name:
    John
    ====================================================
    Let me guess, you're another kid with nothing but attitude to spew as a form of "sharing"?
    How nice!
    Yea, I have an attitude when someone calls me a ****** on a public forum, just because I posted a thread.
    And thank you, also for contributing nothing to this discussion.
    Your spelling of BECON is wrong. It's beacon

    Do you know anybody at school who's Dad drives a Ferrari? And does Daddy have a front plate? Hmmmmmm???????
     
  13. Aureus

    Aureus Formula 3

    If you want to try and pull age, wealth and class you might want to act your age, have some class and show some restraint. Eh?

    But basically you’ll have to 'pay to play' if you want your 550 to remain looking good or bite the bullet and figure out how to get the plate mounted and be driving a bugs bunny around.
     
  14. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

    Apr 26, 2003
    13,477
    Never home
    Full Name:
    Dr. Dumb Ass
    Mount it on the undertray.

    Make the cop crawl on the ground to see it.

    Tell him "that's where it said to put it in the shop manual."
     
  15. LittleBro

    LittleBro Formula 3

    Jul 7, 2004
    1,790
    Herts, UK
    Full Name:
    Woody
    #15 LittleBro, Apr 27, 2005
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Ladies,

    Before this breaks out into a virtual fist fight, can I drag the thread back on to topic?

    In the UK, you have to have a front plate on ALL cars, including Ferrari's etc. Attached is a pic I nicked of a dealers site for reference, apologies if this offends any laws/copyrights etc.

    I dont think it looks too bad.

    All the best
    Jamie
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  16. Dane

    Dane Formula 3
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 25, 2002
    1,512
    Good call.

    Perhaps, checking exactly where the plate must be is an idea. It may only be necessary to have it visible from the front. i.e dash mounted as another, I believe, stated. My suggestion is to check your states' DMV web-site and print the applicable law, if necessary.
     
  17. DGS

    DGS Six Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    May 27, 2003
    60,052
    MidTN
    Full Name:
    DGS
    There's a point. They don't object to my folding the registration to make it fit in the wallet.
    Why should they object to folding the plate to make it fit on the car? :p

    FMoW is McGuyvering up a front bracket for my 328 as we speak. (Or in some cases, bicker).
    In MA, I had it tie-wrapped to the grill. Further south, I want it out of the airflow.

    And if the parking garage ramp folds the lower edge -- plates are subject to parking lot "dings", just like the rest of the car. ;)
    (It's either that, or I "cross-drill" ventillation holes through it.)
     
  18. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    Jamie,
    You Brits are lucky....your plates are short and wide. They look much better than the ones we have in the U.S.!

    Birdman
     
  19. sjb509

    sjb509 Guest

    The theory of issuing two plates was told to me by an HP that states that issue two plates want to see the plate number from both the front and the back. He told me some people would take the two plates and illegally put it on another car if they didn't enforce having both plates. This was as I was receiving a ticket for missing the front plate on my car, even though I had it under the passenger seat. $60 fine.

    If I had expired plates the fine was only a $55 fine. Logical?
     
  20. whart

    whart F1 Veteran
    Honorary

    Dec 5, 2001
    6,485
    Grandview NY
    Full Name:
    Herr Prof.
    NY has a front and back plate requirement, and while i only got stopped once soley on the pretext of no front plate in the Ferraris (ie, the other times it was alleged "speed" plus "by the way, no front plate"), it was always a weakness that left you open to being pulled over. For some reason, the absence of a front plate on my GT2 drove the cops wild, and i got pulled over several times in succession (one state cop, who pulled me over about 5 miles further down the same highway as his brother, got met with- "Sorry Trooper, i already got a ticket a few miles back on the front plate, but since this is a limited access highway, i have not had an opportunity to fix that in the intervening 5 minutes" -To which he responded "No, I'm pulling you over for speeding.") Anyway, i finally broke down and stuck a front plate on the Porsche. It looked hideous.
    I've had several discussions with NY DMV representatives about this, including whether they could make special "Euro" type plates -long and narrow- out of that same material that they use to "wrap" advertising on vans. I suggested that they charge us enthusiasts a premium for the privilege, but short of an act of government, or a letter from the Governor (he frequents one restaurant i go to occasionally, but i'd hate to make him choke on his aged porterhouse), i can't see any change in the law here.
    I am not running a front plate on the 6.0, because i cannot bear the thought of drilling into the body. Obviously, I run a risk in doing so.
     
  21. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,396
    Texas!
    The solution in simple. Go down to Kinkos or whatever and make a dozen color copies of your front plate, then have them laminated.

    You can then velcro the plate on the front bumper. When it eventually flies off, put another one on.

    I never had to argue the point. But, if questioned, my story was going to be that there is no statute prohibiting a paper facsimile plate. In other words, where does it say in the statute that the plate must be made by cons out of metal. I don't know if this would hold up, but that was going to be my story.

    Dr "Who is missing more than his front plate" Who
     
  22. AJS328

    AJS328 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Apr 23, 2003
    7,520
    New Jersey
    Full Name:
    Augustine Staino
    The old "My bracket is on it's way from Italy" excuse worked for me the one time I've been pulled over.
     
  23. sandersja

    sandersja Formula Junior

    Jan 16, 2003
    367
    Portland OR
    Full Name:
    John Sanders
    Wyoming cops seem to take these stupid laws seriously.
    They even stopped me to try and enforce a *Colorado* front plate requirement on my CO-registered car.

    Oh, and being literally 5 mph over going downhill on the interstate with a 30 mph tailwind. Pigs.
     
  24. sjb509

    sjb509 Guest

    This gives me an idea. Maybe someone could make out a receipt detailing the purchase of a front numberplate bracket from a fictitious specialist vendor. The receipt clearly states the part is on back order. Carry that and the other plate in your car at all times. Update the "purchase date" on the receipt every so often.

    When pulled over, just shrug your shoulders and tell them how hard it is to get parts for your car.
     
  25. Fred2

    Fred2 F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 2, 2005
    16,967
    nj
    I'm thinking of putting one on the 328 in a manner similar to the one used by Sport Bikes, where they put the plate inside the rear fender, in front of the back tire.
    Possible locations are behind the grill, and under the front air dam. NFW am I drilling holes in the front bumper.
     

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