Why do I see so many cars from CA with only one

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CT requires a front plate, but it's never really enforced unless a cop is looking for an excuse to pull you over. I see cars without front plates all the time. All of my vehicles have their front plates installed though.
 
CA requires front plates for most vehicles but I don't know how different it is than the other 30 states that require them. I've spent time in the Midwest and in other states that require two plates and I've noticed the same thing.

Personally, I don't find CA law enforcement more zealous than other places regarding this issue. In fact, you've gotta feel that this might be a bigger issue to revenue for a smaller municipality even though the requirement is more geared toward red light cameras and places with higher crime rates.

There's 38 million people in California and depending on where you live and the attitude of LE, you might not be stopped for a considerable period of time. Of course, when that eventually happens, then the "don't they have anything better to do?" attitude pops up.
 
Cops near where I live stopped a car for no front plate. Searched the car and found drugs. Funny thing is the car was from Pennsylvania, which does not have front plates. Now that's probable cause.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: horse123
I'd better get my butt back to 2nd grade social studies.


yeah, do that. i bet they teach how to get along with others.

LOL!


Horse-Are you a transplant or native? Remember Minnesota nice!
 
If you were into anything illegal and its transport etc required a car, why would you not have a front plate and check other obvious stuff, like lights, weekly?

I get it, they don't catch the smart ones.
 
A front plate is legally required in California.

Sort of.

Some areas enforce it strongly, but it's all about revenue. You'll get a ticket in San Francisco for parking with only a rear plate. But having no plates at all is perfectly fine, as long you have fed the meter or have a handicapped placard.

The higher income the town, the less likely they are to enforce the front plate law. Half the cars in downtown Palo Alto are missing the front plate (or both).

As long as the car looks somewhat new, the police assume that the plates haven't been issued yet. Steve Jobs famously never had license plates. After a year or two he just bought a new car. Considering that a red light photo ticket will cost over $500, sometimes almost $1K, this might be a rational economic decision.
 
Originally Posted By: UncleS2
In Texas, front and rear license plates are required.


This is true, however, I see many vehicles, perhaps 25% that do not mount the front plate. Getting pulled over for the plate alone is rare, but it'll cost you $200. Plus, as an earlier poster stated, why give police an excuse to pull you over?
 
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: horse123
I'd better get my butt back to 2nd grade social studies.


yeah, do that. i bet they teach how to get along with others.


+1

I think everyone else understood your point.
 
yep, different states have different laws...
here's an odd one from Indiana, that stumps everyone I've ever asked here in Ohio.

in IN, it is Illegal to back into/pull though a parking space, so that your car is facing outward, and you can just pull straight out, not back out.(I don't know how often this law is enforced, but last i checked it was still on the books)
Why?
Indiana only issues the rear plate.

why does this stump Ohioans? we are a mandatory 2 plate state.
 
I asked the BMV (HQ) in Ohio why they require two plates. The response: "Because we have always done it that way."

Ok, so why am I not surprised?
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Originally Posted By: Doog
I asked the BMV (HQ) in Ohio why they require two plates. The response: "Because we have always done it that way."

Ok, so why am I not surprised?
21.gif



Probably because they want the vehicle, the tags and the driver's mug all in one photo.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
They say the laser speed detectors really like the reflective stuff on front plates.

What blows my mind is you get six months after purchase of a new car in cali to put any sort of plate on it.


The grace period is actually only 90 days, because the DMV may be very slow.
 
We're issued two plates here.
I've driven some cars for years with only a rear plate and have never heard a word about it from any officer.
A lot of folks here put some stupid made-up vanity plate on the front of their cars, something like "BMW" or "IM4UK".
The cops don't seem to care.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
What got me is I rented a camaro in nevada, wearing only a rear plate. Every other nevada car I saw had two.

I thought, pfft, it's a rental, it's gotta be legal, and I have a good excuse.

Long story short, NV law states you must have a front plate unless it's inconvenient, ugly, or there's nowhere to put it.
In which case nobody fropm New York ought to have to mount one of theirs in front. Orange and blue? Bleah! When I was down at Ft. Benning I had a southern Poooliceman tell me I was lucky my plate looked a lot looked a Georgia plate, "cause we can see them New Yawkers a mile away".
 
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Originally Posted By: Lapham3
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: horse123
I'd better get my butt back to 2nd grade social studies.


yeah, do that. i bet they teach how to get along with others.

LOL!


Horse-Are you a transplant or native? Remember Minnesota nice!


I was born into a mildly psychologically abusive mother and a dad who didn't care enough to punish me when he probably should have sometimes. I'm trying to get out of here. A few more months.

I wonder what the meanest states are.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/06/travel/us-unfriendliest-friendliest-cities/ http://www.delsjourney.com/close-ups/us/best_worst/best_and_worst_states.htm
 
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Only once something was said to me, by a military cop when I had just parked. I usually combat park (backing into the spot) and he asked if I could park so he could see my back plates - what!.. I have both plates. We'll that's when I found out either lost the front plate or someone took it. Anyway he asked so I complied and turned it around. Guess he wanted to drive down the lane and see the plates/stickers. Nothing was said after that even when I combat parked.
 
I used to always back into parking spots. I have no idea what happened to that. I guess one day I just became lazy.
 
In California your car doesn't need a front tag or a grill as long as you have a chicken or a rooster.

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