no front license plate in T.O...is it worth the hassle?

The Situation:

My 355 has no front license plate.

The Dilema:

I dont want them, I feel they make a substantial difference to the look of the car...and not in a good way! There is also the issue of drilling holes into the front facia for the mounting bracket...brutal.
It is the law, however, and by not following it I can forsee some potential crapola down the road.

The Question:

Im sure Im not the only one in this boat...so what are your experiences in this matter?
Do you guys feel our cops are strict or loose in enforcing (through warnings/tickets) this particular infringement. Do you find these type of tickets come by themselves?...or tacked on as an afterthought when you are ticketed for speeding/some other driving violation.
Is it considered a moving violation? or more like an administative violation,like not having your insurance slip with you.
Do these types of tickets have an insurance impact like other offenses? With all due respect to anyone in the insurance buisness...it wouldnt surprise me at all if it did,LOL.

Would really appreciate anyone elses take/experiences/information on this topic, especially in the Toronto area. What kind of car you drive doesnt really matter...but curious if it makes a difference if its an exotic/classic, especially to the boys in blue.

Thanks,

Goldy

 

Goldy,

My personal experience with Metro traffic cops is that they are a$$holes to the core. I have yet to meet one that I could respect. This is not to say I've been mistreated by Metro cops, but every single one I've met has been arrogant and clearly not interested in public safety.

However, I'll graciously take a ticket from a 905 cop any day. The only ticket (speeding, of course) on my record is from a Durham Regional that I got on the way to Mosport. It was a actually a pleasant experience and I'm ready to do it again.

I don't believe the tickets will affect your insurance rates, but I'm not certain. Tickets are only $105, the last time I was near one.

If you're driving your 355 more than a couple of times a week in the city, I'll bet you a pint that you'll receive at least one ticket for no front plate from a Metro cop before Labour Day. I'll bet a second pint for Metro's finest making it an unpleasant experience for you. They won't be interested in the car, they'll resent it.

Cheers,

Brian

 

I hope I can offer a suggestion. This actually worked and who knows, maybe it can work in this case as well.

I'm an avid snowmobiler, and for years, I would buy really cool sleds with funky graphics all over the paint job on the cowl and hood of the sled.

The law stated that you had to place the ministry issued license stickers on either side of the cowling and meet certain restrictions on the exact placement of those stickers on the cowl. Just look at the back of your renewal license sticker that you get from the ministry to see what I mean.

Anyway, lots of us wanted to place customized stylish numbers on the cowl instead of the unsightly numbered stickers issued from the ministry. These numbers look great with all the funky graphics of the cowl and hood, and look wayyyyyy better then the ministry issued stickers. Time and time again, we were nailed by the OPP for infractions to this law.

Finally, we snowmobilers were all fed up, and approaced the Minister of Transportation about this. At the time the late Al Palidini was the minister in Mike Harris' government. It took some lobbying, but in the end, we won!!

The ministry issued stickers are still available of course, but are not required. While numbers must be applied to the sled, customized license numbers can now be legally applied to the cowls of all sleds in Ontario if desired. And believe me, it was very desired!

So now, we don't have unsightly ministry applied stickers to have to deal with anymore. Our sleds that were meant to look really cool can stay that way with customized numbers.

Now as for the front place isssue, it's a bit differerent where we are requesting that a front plate is not required such as the case in Quebec. Perhaps we can lobby to the current transportation minister Harinder Takhar, and plead our case.

You just never know.

Best,

Joel

 

Most of the guys from the Viper Club have the same problem. One guy said that after he got stopped once, the officer put out a bulletin to look for any cars without front plates. I personally think that this law is stupid because the plates look so bad on the front of the cars. One guy had a snap on front plate holder for his SRT, i'm not too sure if there is something like that available for the 355.
Best of luck!

Lucas

 

I've been driving around my Ferrari for almost 4 years without a front plate. I was only hasseled once (given a 78 dollar ticket). The reason the officer gave me was becuase he couldn't get a radar signature off my car. So he pulled me over to invesigate why. Turns out, the cops focus their radar guns on the licence plates of cars because it's the flatest suface. My car not having one on the front resulted in the radar being absobed by the radiator, thus a blank gun)) So now I make sure I don't have one. I have not had a speeding ticket yet from a trap, so I guess it's my radar jammer. And I know I have been speeding through traps before and I have never been stopped.

 

I saw a 360 in Toronto once with a "Replica" plate that was actually a decal placed on the front bumper. It looked exactly like a plate but it kept the form of the bumper. Don't know if it is legal but at least while driving it looks like you have a plate.

 

I'd say put some money aside in a fund and if you don't spend it be glad, otherwise just pay the tickets if they ever come, and don't let it get you ruffled.

If you choose to mount a plate consider bending it to suit. I have never had trouble on my Jag because it's all there, and from the front it looks pretty straight, but from the side it's pretty bent.

It's been said you guys are getting pulled over, are the cops actually turning around for you, or checking you in their rear view mirrors when in front of you?

Best !
Wes
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I would have to say just add the plate and It gives them one less thing to have an excuse. A ferrari is already loud enough, and there are enough people out there that are jealous as it is. Why give the OPP a reason to make an example.

i.e, 125km on the 401 by a Yukon will probably not get pulled over. 105 in a TR will definitely get pulled over.

 

if there is one thing i have to agree upon here is that the Metro Police put the hole in *******

 

You might want to try stickers ... or perhaps put your plate inside, on the passenger (or driver) sunvisor ...

Just a suggestion...

 

I know the car with the decal. He even went so far as to have it made of reflective material, like the REAL one. He got busted for using it.

 

PROBLEM SOLVED

OK, to start off, nobody hates a front plate more than me. I've been lucky I guess. In my town I have never been pulled over for it, only been ticketed when it's sitting which is only like $15, so no big deal. But for you guys not so furtunate I did some work on the problem this weekend and this is what I came up with.

The principal I came up with is "Reduce" "Tone Down" and "Hide".

Do this:
1-Get a custom plate. It will annoy you less if it's a custom plate up front to begin with.
2-On the 328 example shown below, begin by bending the plate as shown on the cardboard mockup, if you intend to mount it on the spoiler.
3-Then put electrical tape accross the top and bottom covering as much plate as you think you can get away with. This is of course subjective, and you can begin by taping a lot, then if there's still trouble reduce the coverage incrementally.
4-Finish by wraping the whole perimeter with electrical tape. This will reduce the overall size including width by 1/4".
5-Using long fine bolts, fasten the plate through the spoiler as shown below.
6-Finally, get some tinted plexiglass like they sell with those plate frame packages, and bend it the same way and stick it on with Goop. This will tone the whiteness down.

I think if you do this you will be ignored.

I have also posted another picture if you were to cover or trim the plate and mount it over the grill. It's more integrated in the design, and I imagine enough air will get in under the bumper anyway. I think it doesn't look that bad.

Hope this helps.

Wes
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Thanks for all the innovative solutions and comments regarding this issue.

Ive decided to bite the bullet and get them installed...they werent as bad as I thought, but I'd be lying if I said I was happy about it.

In the end, I agreed with Big red...why give them yet another reason to hassle you.

They should charge us for the priveledge...sort of like a vanity plated, if they are really hurting for the money...but, I digress.

Thanks again,

Goldy

 

I have no front plate for 7 years and no ticket, here's how (by accident!):

Vanity plates, one got stolen. I could not replace it at the time because I was required to hand in the existing plate and change the number so that there would "not be multiple sets in circulation". Dumb I thought so I left without getting another plate.

Sothe plate is on record as stolen, I just mention that it was stolen to the cop and no ticket. After that first time I have never been asked again even when receiving other tickets. Must be on file somehow?

Fast forward....

The original steel plate was rusty and I ordered up 2 new plates with no trouble about the stolen/missing plate (weird I thought) and without the need to turn in the old plates (rules changed?).

Weird, huh?

Jason Polzer

 

For those of you who are adamant about not having front plates I would suggest registering the car in Quebec. No front plates are required, plus insurance is cheaper. I'll be doing that soon eventhough I live in Ontario. You will be required to get a Quebec drivers licence as well. Furthermore, Quebec does not require an emissions test.

 

That seems like a good idea were it not for the slogan on those plates: "Quebec. Committed to the breakup of Canada".
Might not go over well in other parts of the country.

Just kidding!

Best!
Wes

 

Reviving an old thread to see if anyone has any new solutions and to find out if anyone knows where you can get one of those stickers made up that looks like a plate. I don't mind paying the fine, it's the hassle of getting stopped and wasting time that bothers me, especially if you're in a rush to get somewhere.

 

I was pulled recently...I used to give a **** but now I dont bother.

In the Bentley I passed a cop coming from opposite direction in slow moving traffic - I could see him clock the missing number plate- he looked ok with it at this point - but then as he got to the side of the car he looked over - my window was down - he literally did a double take on me and decided to swing around.

I had just had one side of my head shaved.

I think he thought such a person doesnt drive a B. 8)

 

FoO provides an option of 3M tape/velco for front plate installations. This at the very least, prevents the dreaded "hole drilling" into the front bumper.

 

my business partner piled up so many tickets with his car... that he eventually got a summons to court for it
so we contacted this guy ( Larry http://www.moweraxle.com/licenseplatebrackets.html)
and this is how it came out
for anyone interested, message me.
and it is fully removable and does not flap around or touch the bumper ion any way
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I use a a similar "tow hook" solution that used on the AM above. Looks better on the AM than on my Maser presumably because of the placement of the tow hook receptacle on the AM. Cost: US $35 through Dynamic Technology Group www.dynatechgroup.com

Downside: a bit ugly. Upsides: legal, no holes drilled, removable, acts as early warning system for speed bumps!
Jon
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A client had a 355 gts(first ferrari I ever sold actually) and he had it mounted BEHIND the front grill of the 355 bumper, it was noticeable if you looked directly at it and he would tell cop's that's where it's supposed to be mounted, this way no drilling into the bumper.

 

how many tickets did he get to get a summons?

also what were the courts preparing to do to enforce his compliance? There are no demerit points associated with it?

 

Donnie... I believe he had 4, and they were going to Suspend his License, not sure on the time frame, but because of the no demerit points, it falls into other categories.
and just to make it clear, we aren't talking about someone in their 20's or 30's either.
He is over 50, and every excuse in the book did not work

installation of these pieces are tricky, but since I have taken it on and off about 5 times now, I know the right tools to use and doesn't take as long anymore


Also, my NSX plate is mounted another way as well, since it did not (thankfully) come with a front plate mounted to it. We were able to mount it to existing slots under the front bumper near the grill and it has not moved since
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I use a plastic copy of my front plate and display it on my dash when driving,so far no problems..