A&Q about Lotus
Q:
Drove for nearly a year with no front plate, the dealer plates on the back and window registration. Too many red-light cams in West L.A.
No problems.
A:
I have a front plate that mounts using blackwatchracing.com's bracket....it is worth every cent.
Though, I prefer keeping the plate in my trunk, but I do mount it when driving certain roads...like through Culver City....and leave it on for weeks at a time.
I have gotten front plate tickets before in SoCal and prefer to avoid them. The small fine is not the problem, it is the wasteful use of my time going to the "fix-it" appointment, and spare time I do not have much of...have not yet figured out how to print more time!
A:
no front plate on any vehicle i have had, bought or sold in california in the past 6 years. no tickets, hassled twice.
once i had the plate in the glove box, once i had it doubled up underneath the rear plate so i wouldnt loose it somewhere. when i demonstated i at least had the plate, they were happy.
guess they were more concerned about it being on a stolen car than being on my car...
A:
I've gotten tickets for no front plate with my Miata in El Segundo, LAX at the CHP check stations they have up occasionally, while parked in Santa Monica, and in Weschester. That's 4 times if your scoring at home. It's a fix it ticket where you need to go to the court house and have a officer come out and certify that the car has the plate then go pay the ticket, major pain in the arse. Needless to say I now have velcro on the front plate area and keep the plate in the trunk and slap it on if I'm parking or driving through an area where I've had a problem before. So far no tickets in the Elise.
A:
Here's an example of a European-style plate from www.licenseplates.tv. I intentionally put it a little lower and forward of the clam to serve as an emergency curb sensor (which works, if you'll notice the dent in the plate).
I haven't been pulled over yet, so I don't know I'll be called on it if/when that happens.
A:
nice, those are the encouraging words i'm looking for!!
A:
Originally Posted by eliseum
I was pulled over for a number of velocity-related infractions by a motor cop in L.A. but he was extraordinarily cool about everything. He was a car nut and showed me pics of his 427 Cobra on his camera phone.
He said, "Normally, I don't give these tickets to the nicer cars, but since you were driving he way you were driving, I've gotta give you a ticket for something, right?"
He handed me a ticket with no moving violations - only a equipment violation for no front plate.
He pointed out that all I have to do is zip-tie my front plate to the grill, take it to the local Sheriff's station and have them sign off on it. Then go home hand take it back off.
Seriously, that's what he said! I told you he was cool!
99% of the stuff you worry about never happens. Don't sweat not having a front plate - who knows, it may get you OUT of a ticket!!!
nice, those are the encouraging words i'm looking for!
A:
so now my question is, what happens when you get stopped for a moving violoation and you don't have any plates 1 year after you've registered the car???
A:
I ordered specialty plates, so I never put the first set on. The specialty plates took months to arrive. I just never got around to putting them on.
If I had been pulled over, I'm sure I would have concocted some sort of explanation.
A:
Originally Posted by dk10438
so now my question is, what happens when you get stopped for a moving violoation and you don't have any plates 1 year after you've registered the car???
you get a fix it ticket, put the plates on and take it for inspection.
that and gnomes stole the plates.
A:
so let me get this straight, you can drive around in a car with no plates on and its just a fix it ticket, plus whatever moving violation that caused you to get stopped?? why would anyone ever put plates on their car then?
Originally Posted by charliex
you get a fix it ticket, put the plates on and take it for inspection.
that and gnomes stole the plates.
A:
I lived in the Bay Area for 8 years with no front plate. Got one speeding ticket with no mention of the missing plate.
One parking ticket (2" too far from curb) in SF with no mention of the missing plate.
A:
Originally Posted by dk10438
so let me get this straight, you can drive around in a car with no plates on and its just a fix it ticket, plus whatever moving violation that caused you to get stopped?? why would anyone ever put plates on their car then?
i dunno where you live but around here on the la freeways i see tags that expired 4 years ago, plateless beaters, red smog stickers that are years old, cars with smashed up bumpers, missing hoods, headlights hanging off, limo tints all the way around (including the windshield)
same as when the security guards at home depot and frys ask to search your bags for stolen gear when you leave the store, you don't have to do it, they won't ban you from the store, or detain you, but they queue up and do it anyway, window tints i asked a cop about it, he said its a $20 fixit so just do it and pay up if caught.
which i guess is the same as a speeding ticket too, you do it, you get caught, you pay either to get out of it, or pay the penalty and get points, or as some people do drive in the car pool lane with one driver since is not a moving violation in CA, so long as you don't cross the white lines.
heck some people are even driving around in cars that aren't or never were road legal.
msot modified cars are also illegal, never seems to stop many people.
A:
Originally Posted by charliex
you get a fix it ticket, put the plates on and take it for inspection.
that and gnomes stole the plates.
Wrong. Thats how it used to be, it changed. I was parked facing out instead of facing in in a city parking lot in Glendale. I got a $35 ticket for facing the wrong way and a $35 ticket for no front plate. No fix it at all, no inspection at all, just send the money. The most silly part is that the car was my Honda Civic. The only reason the plate was off was I noticed a missing screw so I had removed it to avoid losing the plate till I bought another screw.
Steve
A:
you got screwed
is there star shield covering the lower front flat section where the plate would go?
A:
Originally Posted by Sownman
Wrong. Thats how it used to be, it changed. I was parked facing out instead of facing in in a city parking lot in Glendale. I got a $35 ticket for facing the wrong way and a $35 ticket for no front plate. No fix it at all, no inspection at all, just send the money. The most silly part is that the car was my Honda Civic. The only reason the plate was off was I noticed a missing screw so I had removed it to avoid losing the plate till I bought another screw.
Steve
One of my elise owning friends just had to go in for a plate inspection two weeks ago. If i recall correctly hes not the only one.
A:
Originally Posted by dk10438
hi,
i recently bot an elise. the previous owner actually had the temporary registration sticker on the windshield (for a 1.5 years) and no plates on either the front or the back. what im wondering is what are other peoples experience with having a rear plate but no front plate? im thinking of just putting on the rear. i know that if you go anywhere lax your going to get a ticket. has anyone had a problem in socal with no front plate?? does anyone know what the penalty is for not having plates mounted?
16,000 k and 15 months in NorCal/Bay Area. No problems so far, even after being pulled over once for speeding
A:
So .. if this isnt an entirely daft question ... how are you suppose to attach the standard Calif plate to the front of the car?
A:
Usually the dealer gives you a bracket with the car. You are supposed to drill some holes in to attach it. Once attached, it will extend below the car (where it will get knocked off), or up covering part of the air intake, or both. The dealer should offer to install the bracket for you when you buy the car.
A:
Thanks - they didnt, but I'm sure they will if I ask. Doesnt sound awfully tempting though - maybe I'll see how bad Berkeley need the revenue first.