A&Q about Lotus
Q:
I put it on because I hate meter maids with a passion and do not want to give them any reason for fining me. It sure does look ugly though.
A:
Originally Posted by foosh
I think you missed the point. The questioner was asking about having a Euro-style plate made with your actual state tag number as we did in the pictures above. You were running a plate number not registered in your name, of course that's illegal.
Right, my Euro-shaped plate matches my numbers (and by coincidence, the state color scheme).
Originally Posted by foosh
There's nothing in our state motor vehicle code that addresses this,
Stop reading now if you want to maintain your innocence.
MD Transportation Code 13-410(a)(1)(ii) says that cars get two plates, and 13-411(a) says that when two plates are issued, one must be mounted on the front and the other on the back. The problem for us is that we're not mounting the state-issued front plate. In our favor 13-410(b)(1)(i) and (ii), which I believe are instructions to the MVA for the design of official plates, say that the required plate content is the state (an abbreviation is explicitly allowed) and the number. Our fake plates do meet these guidelines, so we're at least within the spirit of the law.
A:
Originally Posted by foosh
Hey Dodge..........when did you do this? I did exactly the same thing including the plate from www.licenseplates.tv
I know -- I got the idea from one of your postings
I used a simpler system. I just bought a blank metal license plate, bent it 90 deg. and affixed it to the underside of the clam with velcro.
I replaced the double-stick tape in my diagram with velcro last week so that I could more easily remove the plate (without removing the brackets) for some track sessions.
I then zip tied the top to the tow hook.
That would make me nervous. I managed to knock the plate off no less than three times last weekend due to steep parking lot entrances. If it were hard-fastened, I'd be worried about it getting pinned between the street and clam and breaking/bending something.
Not that I didn't manage to scar the clam anyway . Two track days with no damage and a careless entry into a gas station on the way home finally got one of my chins. It was a real bastard of a parking lot -- once I was in it I had to find a way out, and even the smoothest exit still tore the plate off (again). BEWARE CHARLES TOWN VA.
A:
i have not been bothered yet about it.
A:
Originally Posted by dododge
I know -- I got the idea from one of your postings
I replaced the double-stick tape in my diagram with velcro last week so that I could more easily remove the plate (without removing the brackets) for some track sessions.
That would make me nervous. I managed to knock the plate off no less than three times last weekend due to steep parking lot entrances. If it were hard-fastened, I'd be worried about it getting pinned between the street and clam and breaking/bending something.
Not that I didn't manage to scar the clam anyway . Two track days with no damage and a careless entry into a gas station on the way home finally got one of my chins. It was a real bastard of a parking lot -- once I was in it I had to find a way out, and even the smoothest exit still tore the plate off (again). BEWARE CHARLES TOWN VA.
Dodge, I made sure I mounted mine so it does not hang below the fascia lip. The bottom of the plate is level with "skid pad". Glad your interpretation of the vehicle code meets the same "spirit test" mine did.
A:
back in 1986 I bot a BMW. I didn't want a front plate so I started counting on coming traffic for those with or without plates. After about several weeks of this informal poll I concluded about one out of five cars did not have a front plate.
Sure it is illegal, so is drinking beer on the beach in CA. Kinda reminds me of a CHP I was talking with one day. I asked what they were going to do with everyone driving 80+ on the freeway? His response "Which one do I give the ticket to?" Same with the missing front plate. When 20% of the people ignor the law is the law enforceable or is it just a random event (when a ticket is issued)?
If you give a cop an excuse to pull you over you may get a ticket for front plate too.
As far as the camera photos of illegal driving (speeding and red lights) I think it is bounty hunting as a private company is involved in issuing the tickets and is compensated based on how many are issued.
Personally I have been lucky and have no tickets for the last almost 20 years now. My advice is if you want to drive fast do it at the track.
have fun
Nick
A:
First ticket for not having a front plate on the Lotus today - with love from Berkeley; please call again.
Oddly though, the car seems to be immune from parking tickets (and its now got to the point that I'm actively trying to get one) - so guess I can't complain to much.
A:
For LA's South Bay folks, RED ALERT!
I drive behind LAX twice each weekday (am and pm) on Pershing Avenue. The biker cops are spotting (no handheld devices being used) and pulling people over, and the vehicles all lack front plates. This is a recent development.
Also, Culver City biker cops remain very active along Sepulveda, a favorite commuter path, giving tickets for no front plates!
A:
Originally Posted by aanon4
First ticket for not having a front plate on the Lotus today - with love from Berkeley; please call again.
Oddly though, the car seems to be immune from parking tickets (and its now got to the point that I'm actively trying to get one) - so guess I can't complain to much.
Were you parked or did you get pulled over and where abouts.
Thanks
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Parked on Walnut between Vine and Cedar. I don't have a permit to park there but so far this is the only ticket in the last 2 months of doing this.
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My wife got busted two days ago in the Cooper S. Cop gave an ultimatum ... take a ticket for doing 35 in a 25, OR take a fix-it ticket for having no front plate. Easy choice.
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got a warning last night. and i saw a thousand cops out tonight. i guess it shall go back on again. *sigh*, it was a good couple weeks of plateless wonder.
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I attended a defensive driver training class recently put on by the state of California. The instructor mentioned that all international airports are cracking down on cars without a front plate. They have cameras to spot offenders and they cruise the parking lots to issue citations. All this in the name of homeland security (obviously, terrorists are too stupid to put the front plate on their car, so this is an easy way to catch them).
I received a ticket a few months ago at LAX with my Miata. No inspection required to show that you fixed the problem, you simply mail $25 to cover the fine.
My Elise is approaching it's 2-year anniversary and I've not received any citations for the lack of a front plate in 27,000 miles of happy motoring.
I did get 2 fix-it tickets while driving the Miata in the past few years - those required going in for an inspection ($10) and mailing the certificate showing that the problem had been fixed to the court ($10-15).
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I went the vinyl sticker route. I was pulling out into some traffic and got stuck angled sideway waiting for a car to move and there was a bike cop about 10ft from the front of the car just stairing at it while I sat there waiting, He looked up at my and laughed. Not sure what to think of it but I ddin't get a ticket so I guess that was good. haha.
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I am thinking of doing the same thing with vinyl stickers, but maybe match the California colors, white back with blue characters. I would hope that if the characters were the same size as the license plate, and the same colors, and visible that you could argue in court that it is a valid display of your assigned license number. But probably not grrrr
A:
Originally Posted by aanon4
Oddly though, the car seems to be immune from parking tickets (and its now got to the point that I'm actively trying to get one) - so guess I can't complain to much.
I've had a hard time getting parking tickets too. I didn't put a plate on till a few months ago, which was 2 years after getting the car. But since working for BMCD I have learned that the registration sticker you get with your new car doesn't have an expiration date. This means that you don't need to have any plates on if you have this sticker in your window. I saved mine just in case I want to be an outlaw again.
A:
Originally Posted by AgentTripleX
I've had a hard time getting parking tickets too. I didn't put a plate on till a few months ago, which was 2 years after getting the car. But since working for BMCD I have learned that the registration sticker you get with your new car doesn't have an expiration date. This means that you don't need to have any plates on if you have this sticker in your window. I saved mine just in case I want to be an outlaw again.
Do those sickers only come with new cars? Or, if I register my AZ Elise, would I get a temporary sticker too?
A:
Wow good to know about the temp window sticker! I left my south bay sticker in the front window with that idea in mind but I figured it had an expiration once the plates were issued. Thanks for that info ! Now that sucker is going to stay on there till it turns yellow and erodes
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Is there a simple way of getting the vinyl stickers?
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Originally Posted by delise
Wow good to know about the temp window sticker! I left my south bay sticker in the front window with that idea in mind but I figured it had an expiration once the plates were issued. Thanks for that info ! Now that sucker is going to stay on there till it turns yellow and erodes
You should see Serebo1's. It's pretty faded.