i got pulled over today for not having a front plate. over the past 3+ years i've done almost 30K miles in p-cars and f-cars that didn't have front plates. this is the first time i've been pulled over. the officer was very cool and wanted to know if i had it in the car (i always do - in the trunk - he believed me - didn't need to see it). he didn't give me a ticket or anything, but wanted to let me know, effectively, that the registry is cracking down on people without front plates and i should expect to get pulled over more often as this directive gets implemented. i explained the cost of replacing the front bumper if i drilled it to take a plate - he TOTALLY agreed that it would be a silly thing to do, which was amusing. so has anybody else experienced this in MA? anybody know if/why/whether they're cracking down on front plates now? doody. PS: does anyone know the logic argument to this law? i guess if you're breaking the law it's possible that nobody will see the back of your car - only the front, so this allows law enforcemetn and witnesses to have a better chance to ID the car? PPS: my understanding is that if you still have an old green plate instead of the new red plate, that the rule is that you do NOT have to have a front plate with a green plate. is that so? if so, how does that fit with the above logic (assuming there is some)?
Back only Green plates were grandfathered when we went to two plates. I had one on a past car and it was stolen but they would not replace with green was told anyone turning in a green will be issued the red ones. If they do start enforcing, that will suck I have also been driving different cars for the last 4 years with only a back plate and have never had a problem. time to borrow some green nail polish from my wife and do a little touch up
The logic (though I don't agree with it) is, the Registry issues you two plates and if one's missing they assume it's on another car. Yes, I know you need a sticker, but they are obtainable.
that's it? i might have it on another car? i think then i'll just put it up on the rear deck behind my seat - then when the officer walks up to me he'll see the second plate. so it has nothing to do with public safety or or for-real crime prevention or anything like that. annoying. doody
Also, it is the summer (travel) season and that means more law enforcement (I'm seeing a greater number of speed traps than usual) thus an increased probability of getting pulled over for any kind of infraction. Along the same lines, with their "click or ticket" campaign plus the high profile of the DNC coming up, I wouldn't doubt that we see more of the boys in blue. Papa G
I always believed it was a convenient law in the event they wanted to pull you over on suspicion of a crime. No front plate is also a way for them to write you up if you have no seat belt on. I also won't drill into my bumper, so I; 1. Use 3M tape for the inspection; works perfect 2. On the rare occasion I take the car out, I make the plate visible inside the windshield. NH is stricter, (and bored) so I always watch out. I travel between both states, so if I have my MA plated car in NH, they lay off of me. If I take my NH car out for a car show in Boston, I am ok. I also have never had an issue when I am a bit on the expired side with my inspection. Most cops won't know what color defines what year from a distance. I have seen some scofflaws in Mass running 10 yr.old inspection stickers with NH plates. That's pushing it, especially for those who don't even have a legit address in NH(insurance optional state!!) I kind of juggle the rules between both states. I think I have seen dealers with some device where they can tack a dealer plate to a window- and I don't think it was with suction cups. Though that would be easy on the inside, while it would block some of the view on the pass.side.
Many times, the front plate is used as a radar point for police detectors as it provides a flat surface for the radar to bounce off of and get a good reading with. I also do not run a front plate (although it is in the car all the time) and have not had any problems yet (knock on wood). Hopefully this is just a summer crackdown.
Due to having no front plate If I go out for dinner or anywhere else I might have a drink or two I always drive my other car, Do not want to give police any reason to pull me over. There has definitely been a noticeable change with these new laws about pulling you over for no reason, My step Daughter who is 19 has been pulled over twice in the last two weeks just for a looksy. My small town is aggressively going after teens driving under the influence and seat belt violations and she tells me same has happened to her friends. Maybe we should all start writing our reps about issuing some new sort of plate for our high end cars. They have all sorts of special plates here like, The Red Sox, Bruins, and now they are doing a Patriots one. I would be more than willing to pay an extra hundred for registration if I could go to one plate. Am sure many others would also. Our state is so cash starved could be a good source of revenue and could use the money for things like safe driving programs or buy new Radar guns.
Sorry to crash thread, but there seems to be a lot of this going on all over US . In Europe, we HAVE to have front plate fixed on. Some people have stickers , others bike style plates.See thread below; http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23469
Doody My understanding it is primarily an extra way for your car to be id'd, the police beleive it helps. as others have said they will certainly use it as probable cause to pull you over, not necesarily to give you a ticket but to run your id etc. I doubt the main intent for the two plates is to create a reason to pull people over because for 99.8% of the people they could care less if they have to have 1 or 2 plates on their car. Some people have started petitions on trying to over turn the 2 plate rule but they have generally failed
I've been pulled over 3 times in recent memory twice in my modded 97 Maxima and once in the Tr. All 3 times(all Staties) just wanted to make sure I knew the law and that the plate wasn't either lost or stolen. I've found that I just needed to explain that the car didn't come with the facility to mount a plate without hacking up the car. Same thing with inspection. I couldn't get a sticker w/o producing the other plate. I just went home and got it. Didn't have to mount it just showed it. What cracks me up is that the local police don't seem to give a crap. And if this is such a 'crack down' when why are they not citing people and just letting them go. It's BS. One time the cop asked more ques about the mods to my Max than about me. I think it just gives a bored state cop something do. Kenny K.
This is such a bunch of crap. The car is registered. If they pull you over they can see the plate on the back. They always pull you over from behind because those are the rules. (Safer for the cop). This is definitely just a great way to get to pull people over for no valid reason. We have missing children, rapes, murder, etc. and the police are out on the highway using a radar gun to hand out speeding tickets and pull people over for not wearing a seatbelt or not having a front license plate. It's nothing but a means to make money. (Sorry for the rant!) I'm glad to hear that the cops aren't being nazis about it. I keep mine in the trunk. There is no place to mount a front plate on my ancient 308 and when the car was designed, nobody used front plates. If I attach it to the grille, it blocks air to cool the radiator and I refuse to do that. Unfortunately, I need it to get inspected so I have to rig up a temporary solution, get it inspected, then remove it. In fact, I just rigged it up this morning so I can get it inspected this afternoon. Such a hassle. So far I have not been pulled over for the lack of a front plate. Birdman
ive had mine off for a few months now ever since i put my new grille on. im just waiting for the day i get pulled over about it. i think having one on kills the look of a car. and how important can it be if some people are still allowed to not have a front plate.
When I did a bunch of Police ride-a-longs they explained the chief value of front plates are when they cruise the bar parking lots they can run the plate numbers for outstanding warrents no matter how the car is parked. They were of little use when moving at anything above parking lot speed. They can run a plate in less than 5 sec and the whole history of the registered owner pops up on the computer screen including driving records, arrest records, open warrents, license to carry etc etc.
I wonder what percentage of registered vehicles are parked at bar parking lots on any given day or night ? Infinitesimally small would be my guess. Apparently my guess is way off the mark if law enforcement can persuade the legislature to mandate 2 plates when one is sufficient execpt of course in bar parking lots. I find it hard to believe(but then again considering absurdity of this law I don't find it hard to believe) that that was the best they could come up with on the spot without time to think of a more legitimate or more reasonable explanation of the law enforcement or cost justification of 2 plates per vehicle. It's a joke IMHO. Kenny K.
My father-in-law got pulled over in Shrewsbury Ma. for driving the TR (he owned it prior to me three years ago) with one plate and they gave him a ticket. The officer insisted that it be hardmounted and not just cable ties.
I zip tied mine to the grille for inspection last year and the guy wouldn't go for it. He said the law is that it must be "rigidly" mounted with screws. I made some metal clips that clamp around the grille and hold the plate for the 5 mile drive to the inspection station and back. Then I take it off! If the guy doesn't notice the zip ties, you can get away with it! My inspection yesterday was hilarious. The guy takes one look at the Ferrari as I drive it into the bay, then looks at the registration. "This thing is a '77?" "Yes" "Everything work on it?" "Sure does" That was it. He put my info in the machine and gave me a sticker. No emissions test is a good thing!!
I don't have a front license plate either... What kind of a ticket is it? Does anyone know if such tickets affect insurance? - Jon
i'm pretty sure it's a "points" ticket. just like an expired inspection sticker is a "points" ticket. anybody know for 100% certain? doody.
Although I dont know for sure, I gotta doubt that considering the lack of citations. Perhaps Mr Henderson can shed some light on the seriousness of this grievous offense. Drawn and quartered ? Shackles and chains ? Public humiliation ? Isolation ? Beheading perhaps ? Kenny K.
In NJ it is not a points ticket but neither is an inspection ticket, how can a no front plate be indicative of unsafe driving?? I ususally do the zip tie thing for inspection, never an issue.
I have done an exhausted search and come empty on if it is a point violation. My guess is it is a 2 pointer same as an expired sticker. I also use to do the zip tie thingy with my M3. Now I will just bring my new car back to dealership every year and they will get me a sticker without having to attach my plate.
It appears to be a $35 ticket. Could not find definitive info, but all "Minor Traffic Violations" are 2 points. Each point supposedly adds approx. 5% a year to insurance premiums for 5-6 years. Anyone have more info, esp on points? The schedule of points - 211 CMR 134 (Code Of Massachusetts Regulations) supposedly contains further detail. I have pasted in various links below - Jon It is a $35 ticket per p10 of this: http://www.mass.gov/courts/courtsandjudges/courts/districtcourt/cmviassess.pdf Mass Insurance Manual http://www.aib.org/PPInfo/2001PPManual/2001PPManual.PDF More Links: http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/traffic.html http://www.motorists.com/ma/tic.html http://www.faqfarm.com/Insurance/Auto/Rate/ http://www.speedingticketdefense.com/
