Eliminate Front License Plate in Texas

The new/newer laser radar setup's can pickout an individual car within a pack/group of car's. Just because one is 'going with the flow' yet still exceeding the speed limit does that not mean they are not speeding? A two-sided argument which will most likely to be lost by the offender if the proper step's are were taken by the officer.

I constantly see stupid crap when a simple 'cruise control' could be set, remember 'Ignorance of ther Law is not an excuse'.

 

i was just implying that an aluminum bodied care could skirt the front license plate law, because the car itself was reflective.

 

Dis comes up every time the Bozos on the Colorado meet. Hasnt' happen yet. Aint gonna happen.

So here's whut you need to do. Go down to Kinkos with your front plate and git mucho color copies made. Then take them some place and get plastic put over dem. Next, can you say, "Duct tape is my friend?"

I've had some troopers git a good laugh over this. Frankly, they have never wrote me up. In fact, I generally get a "speed discount" for "great reaction" times. God bless Valentine.

Dale

 

By Michael Graczyk

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: 11:20 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010
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Texas drivers must display license plates on the front bumpers of their vehicles, the state's top criminal court ruled Wednesday while upholding the conviction of a man sent to prison for 60 years on a drug charge.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in a split decision said it's not good enough to display a plate somewhere toward the front of the car or truck, such as inside the front windshield.

The case involves a man pulled over in Lubbock four years ago because his plate was wedged between the dashboard and the windshield. An officer subsequently found Tawin Spence had about a half-pound of cocaine stuffed in his pants.

Spence appealed, saying his plate clearly was visible, that he shouldn't have been stopped and that the drug evidence used to convict him of possession with intent to deliver cocaine was obtained improperly.

The ruling resolves conflicting opinions from lower courts.

 

Old news but worthy of a repost. Obey your state laws or pay the penalty, whats so hard? Makes me wonder about the mentality of certain people just because they drive a Ferrari or other exotic and think they are above the written law, now that makes me sad.

 

Texas police officers may use any articulable good faith belief that a violation of the law is occurring to establish reasonable suspicion to make a traffic stop. A "flickering" license plate light has used at least once.

Sometimes, these violations may seem like a mere pretext just to make a stop, but if the police officer can articulate a violation, that will be sufficient in Texas. The officer may thereafter establish probable cause for an arrest based on an unrelated violation.

I have always believed there are a lot of things law enforcement officers can do, but there are a lot fewer things that law enforcement officers should do. Each officer must establish their own temperament as to the balance between the two. Some are very aggressive, some are more tolerant. Discretion and discernment should be considered virtues.

The authority granted to a police officer is an awesome power.

 

I think we are just banging our heads Jerry for the simple fact that we Texas Peace Officers are a small majority and will always be rediculed in some small way but thats ok right? Who's the first person they call, us!

So in summary when your in Texas make sure you have a front license plate or you will be stopped eventually, not meaning you will be given a ticket ok, so please check the state reg's when traveling out of state and drive safe ok. We only want drivers to respect others on the road and too respect the power of life or death that they hold at 10-2.

That way I can see some familiar faces at a C&C meet, please don't worry about the small things ok peep's, best.

tex

 

The problem, back when I had a Maranello, was that there was no place to put a plate. Plus, it was a bad idea to cover up the air flow. Don't ask me how I know this.

Dale

 

As long as not having a front plate is not considered a moving violation in Texas, I will not have a front plate on my 430 or my Gallardo. I'll just pay the fine and continue to go without. I haven't had a front plate on the cars I drive for the last 12 years. In those 12 years I've been pulled over 4 times, and given a ticket 2 times. So I'm averaging one stop every 3 years and one ticket every 6 years. I'll just consider the fine to be the very small price to pay for not having a front plate.

 

Just don't have a few pounds of coke jammed in your pants!!

See?

That guy was using the lame "I jammed it in here on my dashboard" line....

Didn't work so well, in retrospect.....TEK screws are the answer.... just sink 'em right thru the hood....on a new Ferrari it really can't accelerate depreciation THAT much.....

 

LOL - OUCH! ! ! !

Sad, but true.

 

Sorry, but I wholeheartedly disagree. This is a "cop out" - sorry for the pun - that gives enforcers of any law a blank check to release themselves of any need to defend the law itself of reasonableness, constitutionality (muni, state, or Federal), or morality. At a time in our history before the incorporation of sovereign states, men were governed by nature's law first, and to an extent, the King's law (what could reach across the Atlantic). When the shackles of the King's law fomented in the people (less oppressive and taxing than even today's US laws and tax system), through a Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention, and came up with a document that was a LIMITATION on governance, and, thereby, law itself. This is not to say we were lawless, but that is how it was. It was a time in which man was free, and could carry the entire text of the Constitution in his pocket, and could likely recite all the various, and few, laws that were attached to his township, or possibly, colony/state. These days, where the world is more complicated, and there is seemingly endless abuse of power in all levels of government and law enforcement, it is utterly ridiculous to think that everyone should be cognizant of every law which they are subject to.

Pray tell, can YOU recite verbatim what happens to be on page 1,617 of the 1,990 page HR 3962 Health Care Act (now declared UNConstitutional, BTW)? Or, would you agree with Pelosi in that it MUST be PASSED in order to find out what is in it? Seems to me the writers of the law are ignorant of what the laws says when they vote to make it law, and they have taken a sworn oath of office to uphold the Constitution, yet insist that the law is Constitutional even though they haven't read it and do not know what is in it. Something is WRONG here.

There are literally MILLIONS of pages of legislation just at the Federal level, which, my friend, ARE laws, yet you, nor anyone else can say that they are not ignorant of what they are. What about Presidential Executive Orders, which are an unchecked power and an adjudication from the Oval office, which is unConstitutional? Do you know what the thousands of PEO's consist of?

Are you, as a peace officer, not "aiding and abetting" or, working in accomplice to those in which you "let off" for minor offenses? Should you not be held to the same account as a civi who does the same? Why is it that the enforcers have all the ability to determine what is reasonable to "let slide" and what to enforce? Are you somehow more qualified or better equipped to make the decision in every situation from the outside rather than the person IN the situation? Does this not in some way violate "equal 'protection' under the law"? I could go on...

I didn't realize that there was still such a plethora of mounted police.....that's a pretty high horse you sit atop. Guess it's a good thing you painfully underpaid (who isn't), overworked (who isn't), PUBLIC sector employees have a union to ensure that you can be paid with defined benefits packages LONG after you retire (at an early age), whilst I'll be working my tail off contributing to a defined CONTRIBUTION plan, which will likely lose a great deal of it's value in purchasing power, with lost value in a system wherein Social Security - which I've paid in to my entire life - has collapsed as another failed Socialist system, until I'm 80. Then again, I'm in gold, so it won't be TOO bad for me. I've got loads of good friends that are cops, and I thought about becoming one myself, but you exhibit exactly the mentality I did not wish to be associated with. THAT, my friend, is sad.

Oh, another thought about calling you "first". Therein lies the irony of it, if you teach people that they can always rely on someone else, over time, they will ALWAYS rely on someone else. This is the reason why there is such an entitlement mentality in our society.

 

We are talking about the displaying of a front license plate only and if you don't like it then sobeit but it is the law in Texas, case closed. I'll offer you the link instead of all the typing that would be involved out of my 'Texas Criminal and Traffic Law' manual. Your reply was rediculously long and unnecessary, chip on shoulder???


http://law.onecle.com/texas/transportation/502.404.00.html

 

Just pointing out the hypocrisy and inconsistency in the attitude of "the law"...better?

From YOUR position, when you make statements as you have above, and, "ignorance of the law is no excuse", you are speaking in mere platitudes which are intended to silence all other argument and debate. Thanks for linking the law, as if it were so difficult to find.

In this debate and thread, it is easy enough to read between the lines in that your clarity of position is held in utter contempt for the remainder of those posting. YOU, my friend, may just have a chip on your shoulder...it is you, after all, that has taken a job in exercising control, real or perceived.

 

I was just pointing out the facts you don't have to like them and I know plenty of people with your opinion/attitude but that does not make them or you right. I got into law enforcement because I believe when rules are setforth they must be adhered too no matter what. Make sure you have a front plate when passing through my neck of the wood's ok.

ps,
I standby the law and you standby your opinion which one do you think will holdup in court?? You don't even live in Texas so I'm curious as too why your so bent and broken over our laws??

 

??HUH??


Come on Tex I know you know better than this and I'm sure that you know what officer discretion is, why it is an important factor in our duties and the problems it can present when misused. That is what T.B. is getting at and wants you to understand. Though it may not be "popular" with many LEO's, we have a duty to explain to the public why we take the action we take. While there are some instances where the "It's the law plain and simple" line may work, there are many more where a greater explanation of our action (or inaction) is not only completely warranted, but should be expected. Look, I know you are relatively new to L.E. and have to learn some of these lessons yourself through experience and trial/error. Take some advice from a guy who has been around this business for a while, in various capacities, the very nature of our work dictates that we must be flexible. If you see everything as "your way or the highway" when dealing with people, be them victims, witnesses, suspects, or the general public, you are either going to be not very long for this profession, or be miserable until the day you retire. One of the best quotes I ever remember hearing about police work was from the old Adam-12 series "Trust me, the only thing black and white about this job is the car".

 

Damn I never said I would not be flexible I was just stating the law. I don't like to write a book I just keep it simple and short so please carry on without me from here on out.

 

Sure ya did:

The hypocrisy noted was not only in general but also from your earlier posts when you stated that you might use discretion. I guess it depends on what kind of day you're having?

The "purpose" of this thread, I thought, was to see if the law could be overturned. All the posters here were attempting to do was:

1. Get the law changed (yeah, we as citizens, CAN still do that through our elected's) as we, even us simple homo sapiens, know that laws can sometimes be unjust. Instead of showing leniency or sympathy you're showing arrogance.

2. Engage in a bit of civil disobedience for a law they (we) think is unjust, or, just plain dumb. Ever hear of a "victim-less crime"? Sheesh.

The reason I wound up posting here is b/c I'm in Texas A LOT, and like to keep apprised of events and so on. I was curious about this because I always had the impression that Texas was a place which always has had a healthy disrespect for authority, and like I said, I had at one time considered becoming a cop there. Guess it's a good thing I didn't.

 

Oh, BTW, in every "joke" there is truth. You're "location" says a lot.

 

TB,

I think your spot on with regards to most of this, but keep in mind that tmr2 is relatively new to law enforcement and as such has yet to develop a complete understanding of his new job. Like many of the fresh out of the academy guys I trained over the years, he is still learning about the practical application of his training. At the same time his tendency to fall back on authority or "the letter of the law", rather than articulation or debate when explaining/defending his actions is rooted more in his inexperience rather than ignorance or a disdain for individual rights. Having worked as a training officer and supervisor in law enforcement for many years I can tell you this is a common trait in newer officers and one that, with proper training and supervision often disappears as they gain a better understanding of their job.

 

Very fair points. I guess we all (me) can take ourselves too seriously sometimes. No ill will or grudges intended. My hope in all this is that it will help us all garner a better understanding of where each of us is "coming from", whilst keeping us intellectually honest in the process.

 

I liked the way one officer stressed it to me, when I once pulled the 'loose plate' out.

"The State stamps out two, they want you to install two......"

It was so simple and humourously presented I went ahead and TEK screwed the thing on.....had to hunt down the Pontiac mounting block for it too!!

Money out of my pocket, but a stop these days can set you back $200 easy.

 

I consider the cost of my driving indiscretions just a specially assessed road tax.

I got a ticket for 77 in a 65 construction zone(very remote) several months ago. Cost $218 and 90 days deferred adjudication/probation.

Typically, I figure most people only get caught for speeding about .1% of the time they actually drive over the speed limit. It just seems like we get caught when we least suspect it, or think we least deserve it. I think it averages out.

I was driving in east Texas on I-20 over Christmas this year, the second car of three in a row. The DPS pulled over the first and third. Lucky me.

Last summer I went on a weekend BMW drive in the Hill Country. Fast driving all weekend. Sunday night coming home, I came into one of those small town city limit sign speed zones about five miles out of town and got stopped for speeding. Bummer

DRG

 

Nice to see someone that SHOULD be above this childishness take the bait & stoop to another's level. You don't paint cops in a good light when you do this...especially making veiled threats against this person on a PUBLIC FORUM.

Yeah, HE better have a front plate when he visits your area...but your drinking buddy/brother-in-law/college roommate/neighbor has nothing to worry about, right? Nice going.

"Rules set forth" (ie: laws), when done so under the guise of an ulterior motive (ie: solely as Revenue generation), should not be taken so seriously. Notice I did not say they should be ignored, just take them with a dose of common sense.

 

It’s pretty easy. Laws are made or created sometimes well and sometimes bad. Police just enforce the laws our politicians create. So don’t shoot the messenger, eg police, create a campaign, to eliminate the front plate in the State Legislature. Mind you I wouldn’t come at it changing this “for Ferrari people”. I would come at it from a cost reduction standpoint. Same amount of tax less cost.

Many states don’t have a front plate. It’s not a necessity. It doesn’t improve safety, etc. If anything, the front plate is used as a revenue producer for red light cameras, but they aren’t “liked” anymore as the companies running them were found to have adjusted the yellow light to take less time, hence more red light fines.

If the people on here are serious, I could help get this going in the State Legislature, but it will take time and money to get this done.