[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Damn Front License plate (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 5/11/2009 7:11:23 PM EDT
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I was taking my wife out for her Mothers Day Dinner on Sunday, and look up in the mirror to see the flashing DPS lights behind me. Instant panic....I look at my speed, and I am right on the limit, seat belts are all on, daytime, so no lights out or anything...
So I pull to the side of the highway (This is on I-20 heading East by Terrel). I pull out my DL and CHL, hands on the wheel when he walks up. He states his name and tells me he stopped me because I did not have a front Lic. Plate on the vehicle. DAMN!!! I moved here from Forida about 8-months ago, which doesn't use front plates, and the vehicle had no bracket for it. I had the plate in my center console. I explained this to him, and he asked for my ID, I handed him the DL and CHL He takes a quick look at it, and asks if I am armed today. "Yes sir I am". OK, thanks for telling me, he says. Hands me back the CHL, and goes back to his vehicle. Comes back a few minutes later, gives me a warning for the plate, and wishes my wife a Happy Mothers Day, and sends me on my way. Very polite trooper. As he walks away, he comments on my BFL in the rear window and my McCain/Palin sticker still in my window. So if that trooper is a member here, thanks for the courtesy, and the plate is affixed on the vehicle now. 
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I like are big ugly windshield stickers. Easy to spot when they are expired.
Infact I took two wanted felons off the street today because they were in a car with febuary 2008 registration sticker. Driver wanted for Felony possession of controlled substance and homicide. Passenger wanted for Felony Possession of controlled substance. Both are being picked up by their respective states where the crimes were committed. |
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i don't have a front license plate and have been stopped twice by DPS and gotten warnings. only dps enforces it for the most part, i've never been hassled by city cops or even had it as an add on to a speeding ticket. This - no front plate for 14 years now, stopped twice by DPS for it and given warnings both times. Second stop was asked by the trooper: "you some kind of gun nut or something?" due to my Beretta hat and Knesek guns tshirt... |
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i don't have a front license plate and have been stopped twice by DPS and gotten warnings. only dps enforces it for the most part, i've never been hassled by city cops or even had it as an add on to a speeding ticket. This - no front plate for 14 years now, stopped twice by DPS for it and given warnings both times. Second stop was asked by the trooper: "you some kind of gun nut or something?" due to my Beretta hat and Knesek guns tshirt... I also do not have a front plate on one of my three vehicles. I am not going to have holes drilled into the bumper just to attach a license plate. |
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So what you guys are saying is that we can ignore the laws we don't like? If you guys have that much of a problem with front plates, write you legislators and get rid of the requirement. Sure we could, but civil disobedience is so much cooler... ETA - if I ever get a ticket for this offense, I will consider the fine a tax for the privilege to not have a front plate |
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My Blazer came from a state without front plates, so I've been trying to find a way to get legal without breaking the bank.
Finding a front plate bracket (used) is near impossible, because when there is any accident, that cheapo plastic bracket is the first thing to make contact and.... CRUNCH!!! I've taken to keeping it legal with the plate displated up on an angle on the passenger side of the tucked into the dip on the front part of the dashboard. Yes, that is indeed "Living the High Life!!!!" BIGGER_HAMMER 
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I was taking my wife out for her Mothers Day Dinner on Sunday, and look up in the mirror to see the flashing DPS lights behind me. Instant panic....I look at my speed, and I am right on the limit, seat belts are all on, daytime, so no lights out or anything... So I pull to the side of the highway (This is on I-20 heading East by Terrel). I pull out my DL and CHL, hands on the wheel when he walks up. He states his name and tells me he stopped me because I did not have a front Lic. Plate on the vehicle. DAMN!!! I moved here from Forida about 8-months ago, which doesn't use front plates, and the vehicle had no bracket for it. I had the plate in my center console. I explained this to him, and he asked for my ID, I handed him the DL and CHL He takes a quick look at it, and asks if I am armed today. "Yes sir I am". OK, thanks for telling me, he says. Hands me back the CHL, and goes back to his vehicle. Comes back a few minutes later, gives me a warning for the plate, and wishes my wife a Happy Mothers Day, and sends me on my way. Very polite trooper. As he walks away, he comments on my BFL in the rear window and my McCain/Palin sticker still in my window. So if that trooper is a member here, thanks for the courtesy, and the plate is affixed on the vehicle now.
You will find the vast majority of State Police in Texas are good folks. |
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My Blazer came from a state without front plates, so I've been trying to find a way to get legal without breaking the bank. Finding a front plate bracket (used) is near impossible, because when there is any accident, that cheapo plastic bracket is the first thing to make contact and.... CRUNCH!!! I've taken to keeping it legal with the plate displated up on an angle on the passenger side of the tucked into the dip on the front part of the dashboard. Yes, that is indeed "Living the High Life!!!!" BIGGER_HAMMER If you want to keep it legal, your dashboard does not count. Two plates, one at the front and one at the rear of the vehicle. Just saying. |
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So what you guys are saying is that we can ignore the laws we don't like? If you guys have that much of a problem with front plates, write you legislators and get rid of the requirement. Sure we could, but civil disobedience is so much cooler... ETA - if I ever get a ticket for this offense, I will consider the fine a tax for the privilege to not have a front plate I'm sure Ghandi would laud your efforts... eta- forgot the 
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No mounting bracket on the front of my 05 Mustang GT either.
Been pulled over because he said, "it looked like you made that turn a little fast." no ticket. Been pulled over because he said, "Your high lights are on in town." Even though it was only the factory fog lights, got a warning ticket for high lights. Had a cop pull a gun out and point it at me because "he was going too fast and was going to hit another officer." Was never actually stopped or given any kind of warning, but that was the response I got when I called 911 and then filed the complaint in person with IA. I am apparently a menace to society, without a front license plate. Mustang GT = Cop Magnet I can barely wait to get rid of it. |
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No mounting bracket on the front of my 05 Mustang GT either. Been pulled over because he said, "it looked like you made that turn a little fast." no ticket. Been pulled over because he said, "Your high lights are on in town." Even though it was only the factory fog lights, got a warning ticket for high lights. Had a cop pull a gun out and point it at me because "he was going too fast and was going to hit another officer." Was never actually stopped or given any kind of warning, but that was the response I got when I called 911 and then filed the complaint in person with IA. I am apparently a menace to society, without a front license plate. Mustang GT = Cop Magnet I can barely wait to get rid of it. <––––got a ticket once (IN UNIFORM but POV) for driving with my high beams on...think the cop (very old, very bald man) was upset because they were shining off his chrome dome....asked me why I had them on when I knew better....told him one of the lights was burned out, so it was high-beams or 1 headlight.....he counters with 'well, I could write you a citation for that too'....'no you can't, both lights were on when you stopped me, and I'm going to keep the high beams on until I get home to change the bulb'....got a nasty-gram from the LT for that..
eta- it was also a Mustang GT, 93 'vert... |
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i don't have a front license plate and have been stopped twice by DPS and gotten warnings. only dps enforces it for the most part, i've never been hassled by city cops or even had it as an add on to a speeding ticket. Richardson nailed me for that a few years ago, let off with a warning. |
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i don't have a front license plate and have been stopped twice by DPS and gotten warnings. only dps enforces it for the most part, i've never been hassled by city cops or even had it as an add on to a speeding ticket. Richardson nailed me for that a few years ago, let off with a warning. It's not a priority or anything, just something else when you want to fill all three lines or when you're fishing......honestly, I could understand an argument either way, whether it is needed or not...but the Great State says we have to have 'em, so we have to have 'em... |
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My Blazer came from a state without front plates, so I've been trying to find a way to get legal without breaking the bank. Finding a front plate bracket (used) is near impossible, because when there is any accident, that cheapo plastic bracket is the first thing to make contact and.... CRUNCH!!! I've taken to keeping it legal with the plate displated up on an angle on the passenger side of the tucked into the dip on the front part of the dashboard. Yes, that is indeed "Living the High Life!!!!" BIGGER_HAMMER If you want to keep it legal, your dashboard does not count. Two plates, one at the front and one at the rear of the vehicle. Just saying. Meh. I just roll out some big tears, and flash some titties. Works just as well. TRG |
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First off, I think its an idiotic requirement.
Second, I'm glad the officer had a good attitude. DPS guys are usually cool. 3rd, TRG: the better half and I, and various freinds have tried several add-on plate frames in an effort to pacify a local DPS officer, including those that you can conceal when you have that desire (usually because it made the cars look goofy). I eventually just screwed mine on my corvette in an effort to KISS. IIRC correctly, the wife still has some kind of apparatus on hers. Take a look in the parts catalogs - but be prepared to do some experimenting. |
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I used to have a 1996 Impala SS that had been a Texas car from the initial sale and it never had a front plate or even a bracket. Never was pulled over for it, or even mentioned when I was pulled over for speeding.
We moved to MO, which also requires a front plate, and was pulled over within the first month. |
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Quoted: Sharp piece of metal, head level inside the car. Hope you dont have an accident that sends it airborne....Quoted: My Blazer came from a state without front plates, so I've been trying to find a way to get legal without breaking the bank. Finding a front plate bracket (used) is near impossible, because when there is any accident, that cheapo plastic bracket is the first thing to make contact and.... CRUNCH!!! I've taken to keeping it legal with the plate displated up on an angle on the passenger side of the tucked into the dip on the front part of the dashboard. Yes, that is indeed "Living the High Life!!!!" BIGGER_HAMMER If you want to keep it legal, your dashboard does not count. Two plates, one at the front and one at the rear of the vehicle. Just saying. |
I went 7 years w/out one and then mentioned it on here and was pulled over within 1 week. 
I don't have a spot for one on my car (which is a somewhat rare vehicle) I'll take the warnings and/or tickets, but will not drill holes in my bumper 
That being said, the law does state that 2 plates must be displayed if issued, but I do not recall it saying that they must be on the front and rear. Please correct me if i'm wrong. |
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I bought my Jetta from a private seller in Louisiana, and there was no front plate bracket. I suppose I could drill holes for one, but meh. I've been driving with no front plate in that car for over a year and around 12k miles, city of Houston and rural areas, and have never even been pulled over. I'll probably install it if I ever get a ticket for it.
Also drove my Mustang for around a year with no front plate. Never pulled over there either. Yeah, I think it's kinda dumb, but not nearly as dumb as the @#$%^*&# inspections. Now there's a real load of BS. Like we really need to have some guy make sure our lights and turn signals work every year. And it's like searching for the holy grail trying to find someplace that does inspections during hours other than 9-5 on weekdays - you know, some of us have jobs here. My home state of Florida dumped inspections like a decade ago, and good riddance. When will Texas get a clue? |
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Ok, this happened a LONG time ago but it still pisses me off to this day...
Back in 1995, while I was working for Rockwall County SO as a Detention Officer, I was pulled over in Plano while taking my then fiance, now wife, to her classes at UTD. I was not speeding, in fact, several cars were passing me but I was pulled over. The officer told me it was for no front plate. The car was a 1994 Pontiac Firebird Formula and I told him it was like that when I bought the car at the dealership there in Plano. Well, the officer didn't care and he didn't use the stop as PC for a fishing trip, just asked me where I was going and then wrote me a ticket. I was shocked and I told him so, especially since about a week prior I had two DPS Troopers, one of them a rather high ranking member, and a couple of Deputies, looking at my car in the lot admiring it. Not a one mentioned it not having a front licence plate. The only thing they asked was how fast I had driven it and if they could drive it. I ended up paying the fine and taking the car to the dealership where they drilled holes in the "nose" and mounted the front licence plate bracket. 
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I went 7 years w/out one and then mentioned it on here and was pulled over within 1 week.
I don't have a spot for one on my car (which is a somewhat rare vehicle) I'll take the warnings and/or tickets, but will not drill holes in my bumper
That being said, the law does state that 2 plates must be displayed if issued, but I do not recall it saying that they must be on the front and rear. Please correct me if i'm wrong. You're wrong Sec. 502.404. OPERATION OF VEHICLE WITHOUT LICENSE PLATE OR REGISTRATION INSIGNIA. (a) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a passenger car or commercial motor vehicle that does not display two license plates, at the front and rear of the vehicle, that have been: (1) assigned by the department for the period; or (2) validated by a registration insignia issued by the department that establishes that the vehicle is registered for the period. ... |
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I went 7 years w/out one and then mentioned it on here and was pulled over within 1 week.
I don't have a spot for one on my car (which is a somewhat rare vehicle) I'll take the warnings and/or tickets, but will not drill holes in my bumper
That being said, the law does state that 2 plates must be displayed if issued, but I do not recall it saying that they must be on the front and rear. Please correct me if i'm wrong. Since there's no front mount on my vehicle and the car is more than 10 yrs old, I drilled on fiberglass front fender and mount it. |
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Sharp piece of metal, head level inside the car. Hope you dont have an accident that sends it airborne....
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My Blazer came from a state without front plates, so I've been trying to find a way to get legal without breaking the bank. Finding a front plate bracket (used) is near impossible, because when there is any accident, that cheapo plastic bracket is the first thing to make contact and.... CRUNCH!!! I've taken to keeping it legal with the plate displated up on an angle on the passenger side of the tucked into the dip on the front part of the dashboard. Yes, that is indeed "Living the High Life!!!!" BIGGER_HAMMER If you want to keep it legal, your dashboard does not count. Two plates, one at the front and one at the rear of the vehicle. Just saying. Jeff is a gambler. |
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First off, I think its an idiotic requirement. Second, I'm glad the officer had a good attitude. DPS guys are usually cool. 3rd, TRG: the better half and I, and various freinds have tried several add-on plate frames in an effort to pacify a local DPS officer, including those that you can conceal when you have that desire (usually because it made the cars look goofy). I eventually just screwed mine on my corvette in an effort to KISS. IIRC correctly, the wife still has some kind of apparatus on hers. Take a look in the parts catalogs - but be prepared to do some experimenting. I'm VERY surprised you put screws in the front of your vette to pacify anyone. You must be mellowing with age. My truck has been rolling without a front plate since that fateful night when HKpre86 and I were at your farm and it was removed courtesy of the beavers. |
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So what you guys are saying is that we can ignore the laws we don't like? If you guys have that much of a problem with front plates, write you legislators and get rid of the requirement. Sure we could, but civil disobedience is so much cooler... ETA - if I ever get a ticket for this offense, I will consider the fine a tax for the privilege to not have a front plate What is the fine? |
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So what you guys are saying is that we can ignore the laws we don't like? If you guys have that much of a problem with front plates, write you legislators and get rid of the requirement. Sure we could, but civil disobedience is so much cooler... ETA - if I ever get a ticket for this offense, I will consider the fine a tax for the privilege to not have a front plate What is the fine? It's either a $150 or $250 donation to the State...can't remember which..if anyone has an old citation somewhere, there is a schedule of fines on the back... |
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Damn, it's costing me $119 today to have my front bumper repainted because some dingleberry at Walmart decided to bump park in front of me. Now I may have to drill holes in it to mount a plate.
It may be time to go full redneck tactical and put a police pushbar on the front, screw the license plate on that. Anyone know where I can get a pushbar for an 05 Mustang? All the new Mustang police cars I've seen don't have a bar. The only one I've seen is on the Transformers movie Mustang Barricade, and that one's probably just fabbed on there for show. |
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So what you guys are saying is that we can ignore the laws we don't like? If you guys have that much of a problem with front plates, write you legislators and get rid of the requirement. Sure we could, but civil disobedience is so much cooler... ETA - if I ever get a ticket for this offense, I will consider the fine a tax for the privilege to not have a front plate What is the fine? It's either a $150 or $250 donation to the State...can't remember which..if anyone has an old citation somewhere, there is a schedule of fines on the back... the fine is max of $200.00 Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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When I brought my horse trailer from Oklahoma all you had to do then was put your SSN accross the back in block letters. No tag required. Texas will jam you for every stinking' trailer you put on the road.  I hope that is something other than Social Security Number.
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isn't it usually a fix it ticket unless you really piss them off? something like $35. No such thing as a fix it ticket in Texas. Isn't expired state inspection a fix it ticket if it was less than x number of days expired and you show the court proof of renewal? Isn't that considered a fix it ticket? Also burned out bulbs I thought qualified as well. |