Roush California & front plates?

THX 138 · Nov 16, 2006

My Saleen has the front plate on it, holes drilled in the bumper and everything. How have others been harassed without the plate? I noticed that ever since they put in the photo red light cameras they started inforcing the front plate law whereas my dads '68 Jeep and my sisters '89 Firebird Formula didn't have an issue wit no front plate for years and years.

Jonsey · Nov 16, 2006

I have it so I have not been harrassed.

00s281sc368 · Nov 16, 2006

Don't have it for the last 6 years, never got a ticket

129saleen · Nov 17, 2006

I just pulled over a couple days ago for this...

This was my 5th time and they have all been warnings..

deezbluballz · Nov 17, 2006

Been pulled over four times. I finally got a $90.00 ticket. I have it wedged in bumper opening now.

JLM · Nov 17, 2006

I drove my car daily for 5 years and never got hassled. Never had the front plate on.

I did get a fix-it ticket one time for no plate. I was parked at LAX, with the car cover on, and one of the Airport cops pulled up the cover and got me for no front plate. He must have known Saleens don't usually run with front plates and decided to write up an easy ticket.

Larry
97-0183

SVT Saleen · Nov 17, 2006

Never displayed a front plate & still don't. I can't even remember where my
2nd plates are currently stored.

Apollo 13 · Nov 18, 2006

My 99 had the license plate mounted to the core support, where the intercooler would be on a supercharged car.

Jim D. · Nov 19, 2006

I've been driving in So. Cal. for over 25 years and never got pulled over for no front plate... nor written-up... my "style" was to not have them... and the threat of a "fix it" ticket never slowed me down.

However, I have been pulled over for lots of other things... most notably, expired tags. And oddly, even though I have gotten written-up for many things, I never got written-up for the absence of the front plate. I will say it's been since about 1998 since I had a "close encounter of the bad kind," but I had quite a few in the '80s and '90s.

For those who aren't familiar with California laws, our annual renewal stickers are on the back plate only.

We all know they just need an excuse to pull you over to interrupt you to where you're going in a hurry... which these days is excuse enough for me to leave the plate on my daily driver SVT Contour (which came from out-of-state and the plateholder is firmly attached).

Now on a a nice car, like a Saleen, I'd avoid the front plate like the plague, and lots of friends do, too.

Generally, I think they don't stare at the front of the vehicle, and generally they haven't seemed to worry about a front plate much until the cameras started getting installed... at least in those cities that have them.

If you're doing something that attracts attention, they'll probably find some other reason besides the front plate to pull you over... that's been my experience.

However, if you're doing something that attracts attention and someone's looking for an additional excuse to pull you over... be willing to take that gamble.

THX 138 · Nov 19, 2006

Jim D. said:
I've been driving in So. Cal. for over 25 years and never got pulled over for no front plate... nor written-up... my "style" was to not have them... and the threat of a "fix it" ticket never slowed me down.

However, I have been pulled over for lots of other things... most notably, expired tags. And oddly, even though I have gotten written-up for many things, I never got written-up for the absence of the front plate. I will say it's been since about 1998 since I had a "close encounter of the bad kind," but I had quite a few in the '80s and '90s.

For those who aren't familiar with California laws, our annual renewal stickers are on the back plate only.

We all know they just need an excuse to pull you over to interrupt you to where you're going in a hurry... which these days is excuse enough for me to leave the plate on my daily driver SVT Contour (which came from out-of-state and the plateholder is firmly attached).

Now on a a nice car, like a Saleen, I'd avoid the front plate like the plague, and lots of friends do, too.

Generally, I think they don't stare at the front of the vehicle, and generally they haven't seemed to worry about a front plate much until the cameras started getting installed... at least in those cities that have them.

If you're doing something that attracts attention, they'll probably find some other reason besides the front plate to pull you over... that's been my experience.

However, if you're doing something that attracts attention and someone's looking for an additional excuse to pull you over... be willing to take that gamble.

I don't think they can pull you over for it but get it as a secondary violation like tint or if you get a parking ticked they'll add it on.

Jim D. · Nov 20, 2006

THX 138 said:
I don't think they can pull you over for it but get it as a secondary violation like tint or if you get a parking ticked they'll add it on.

From the California DMV website:

Front License Plate Bracket

11713.17. (a) Following the retail sale or lease of a motor vehicle for which the department issues two license plates, a dealer may not deliver the motor vehicle unless either of the following occurs:

(1) The motor vehicle is equipped with a bracket or other means of securing a front license plate.

(2) The dealer obtains a signed written acknowledgment from the person taking delivery of the motor vehicle acknowledging both of the following:

(A) The person expressly refused installation of a bracket or other means of securing the front license plate.

(B) The person understands that California law requires a license plate to be displayed from and securely fastened to the front of the motor vehicle and that the hardware necessary to securely fasten the front plate is available from the dealer.

(b) A manufacturer or distributor may not sell or distribute in this state a new motor vehicle for which the department issues two license plates, unless that motor vehicle is equipped or provided with a bracket or other means of securing the license plates.
Added Sec. 1, Ch. 365, Stats. 2004. Effective January 1, 2005.

~~~~~~~~

Display of License Plates

5200. (a) When two license plates are issued by the department for use upon a vehicle, they shall be attached to the vehicle for which they were issued, one in the front and the other in the rear.

~~~~~~~~

Some information on the CHP website indicates a missing front license plate is among the most commonly-written offenses among "hot rodders," but I'll speculate it's still pretty low on the list of sole reasons to pull one over.

Maybe someone from the law community will chime in.

elburrito99 · Nov 20, 2006

I drove in L.A. with no front plate for 6+ years and then LAPD pulled over in Playa Del Rey one day for nothing other than having no front plate on my '95 GT. It was complete BS, since I was doing all of 25 mph. I had no points or accidents and had nothing else they could write me up for, so they gave me a fix-it ticket.

Certain towns are real aggressive with photo tickets for red lights, speeding, etc. (Hawthorne and Beverly Hills come immediately to mind). I've found that cops in those towns seem more likely to pull you over for no front plate.

07 GT/CS · Feb 10, 2007

In California, as Jim D. stated, you are mandated to have a front plate. Can you be pulled over for not having one? Yes you can. Can you get a ticket? Yes you can. And, it used to be a "fix-it ticket" didn't cost you anything other than a signature from a qualified authority in order to clear the ticket. Now, you are going to pay a small fine even after you get it signed off. And again, as Jim D. stated, if an officer wants to pull you over, and you don't have a front plate, you are going to be fair game. It's a gimme for the officer. On the other hand, many people run without them and never get pulled over. Much of it is predicated on where you live or drive, what time of day it is, what you are doing at the time the cop sees you, how you drive, etc. I also noticed I just resurrected a very old thread. I have been researching the site as a new member for information and I didn't notice that this question was ages old.

player4lifeov · Feb 10, 2007

elburrito99 said:
I drove in L.A. with no front plate for 6+ years and then LAPD pulled over in Playa Del Rey one day for nothing other than having no front plate on my '95 GT. It was complete BS, since I was doing all of 25 mph. I had no points or accidents and had nothing else they could write me up for, so they gave me a fix-it ticket.

Certain towns are real aggressive with photo tickets for red lights, speeding, etc. (Hawthorne and Beverly Hills come immediately to mind). I've found that cops in those towns seem more likely to pull you over for no front plate.

i live in Hawthorne!!

bill89saleen304 · Feb 11, 2007

Front Plate

My Car is 18 yrs. old and has never had, a front plate installed, I used to have it on the dash for a while, but thats ugly, then it layed in the hatch area for a quite a while, and now I think it's hanging on the wall in my garage.
We have a law here in Washington that requires them also, but I have never be hasseled, or pulled over for it, but that doesn't mean it won't happen someday!
I quess I'll keep hoping for the best.

See Ya Bill

haneymotorsport · Feb 11, 2007

Times have really changed. I never ran a front plate or a rear one that matter(most of the time) for years in So Cal. I really never had a problem. Got a warning when pulled over for something else. Thats one of the perks about AZ, no front plates!

Casey

saleen137 · Feb 12, 2007

I've received two ticket for no front license plate one on my Saleen and one on the Lightning. It's crap but I don't plan on driving without that front plate. It hurt to drill holes into the bumper but I had to show a police officer so he can sign off on my ticket. The lightning I just zip tied it to the bottom grill and they never told me anything about that.

Saleen87-65 · Feb 12, 2007

eh that sucks...I would hate to have to drill holes in a saleen bumper especially. Not to mention front plates make the front end fugly

07 S281 SC #284 · Feb 15, 2007

New Saleen owner (Jan 31, 2007), New to the site- Have no front plate and no plans to install one.....I can't find it in my heart to drill holes in that beautiful front bumper. I will display it on the dashboard..........Wish me luck!!!!

07 GT/CS · Feb 17, 2007

Putting the plate on the dash still gets you a ticket though.

5201 CVC. License plates shall at all times be securely fastened to the
vehicle for which they are issued so as to prevent the plates from
swinging, shall be mounted in a position so as to be clearly visible,
and shall be maintained in a condition so as to be clearly legible.
The rear license plate shall be mounted not less than 12 inches nor
more than 60 inches from the ground, and the front license plate
shall be mounted not more than 60 inches from the ground.

Putting it on the dash usually means it isn't "mounted" or "securely fastened", isn't "clearly visible", and legibility is questionable.

Roush California & front plates?

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