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.
Roush California & front plates?
- Thread starter THX 138
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Jonsey
New Member
00s281sc368
New Member
129saleen
New Member
I just pulled over a couple days ago for this...
This was my 5th time and they have all been warnings..
This was my 5th time and they have all been warnings..
deezbluballz
Member
Been pulled over four times. I finally got a $90.00 ticket. I have it wedged in bumper opening now.
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
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
New Member
- Aug 10, 2005
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Never displayed a front plate & still don't. I can't even remember where my
2nd plates are currently stored.
2nd plates are currently stored.
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.
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 said:
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
Member
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.
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.
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
New Member
bill89saleen304
Member
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
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
New Member
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
Casey
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. 
07 S281 SC #284
New Member
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!!!!
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.
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.
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