But like most people say police have better things to do than pull over everyone with a missing plate.[/QUOTE]


Except in my town?

 

I have wanted to put my plates on upside down in an act of civil disobediance for years now. I think I could get away with it too…

When they charge you with a violation they MUST prove which code you are violating… and if you read carefully I don’t think they could get any of these to apply:


§ 502.409.

(1) through (5) clearly don’t apply.

(6) applies to “attached illuminated device or sticker,
decal, emblem, or other insignia”

(7) applies to “coatings, coverings, or protective materials.”

 

Good luck! If you do it take pictures and keep us posted.

 

yea, we still need two plates, but I asked my dealer not to drill holes in my front bumper, so i don't have a front license plate holder its in the trunk. I don't understand why we need 2 plates 99.9% of the time when you are pulled over the cop is behind you, what he is going to walk in front of your car to read the plate when he can already see it from behind????

 

i am just going to keep it in the car with me...say my liense plate holder was crushed from someone backing into it..lol

 

Well, it depends! I talked with this off duty Dallas police officer who came over and was admiring my car in a parking lot where he was working off duty. He said his son had a Suby and wanted to know "what mods I had on it"! Pretty cool. So, I started asking him about the front plate thing. He said of course it was stupid, and of course they look retarded...but he said it all depends. He spoke of one officer in the DPD that for years did nothing but pull over people near white rock lake who didn't have a front plate. He said he used that to "initiate contact" and that he used to find tons of warrants on people that way. Also, if you are acting stupid or street racing he said that a lot of times they tack that on so they can increase the fine. Also remember that liscense plate frames are technically illegal in the state of Texas (most anyway), because you cannot have the frame covering ANY part of the plate including the little Texas logo. As far as the plate in the window...it's debatable but the cops I've talked to say that it's illegal due to #5 below. Remember that no part of the plate can be obscured so propping it up will cover some of the bottom, and cops can argue that they couldn't read the plate because of angle and glare.


already posted but:

§ 502.409. WRONG, FICTITIOUS, ALTERED, OR OBSCURED
LICENSE[0] PLATE[0]. (a) A person commits an offense if the person
attaches to or displays[0] on a motor vehicle a number plate[0] or
registration insignia that:
(1) is assigned to a different motor vehicle;
(2) is assigned to the vehicle under any other motor
vehicle law other than by the department;
(3) is assigned for a registration period other than
the registration period in effect;
(4) is fictitious;
(5) has letters, numbers, or other identification
marks that because of blurring or reflective matter are not plainly
visible at all times during daylight;
(6) has an attached illuminated device or sticker,
decal, emblem, or other insignia that is not authorized by law and
that interferes with the readability of the letters or numbers on
the plate[0] or the name of the state in which the vehicle is
registered; or
(7) has a coating, covering, or protective material
that:
(A) distorts angular visibility or
detectability; or
(B) alters or obscures the letters or numbers on
the plate[0], the color of the plate[0], or another original design
feature of the plate[0].
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (f), an offense under
Subsection (a) is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more
than $200, unless it is shown at the trial of the offense that the
owner knowingly altered or made illegible the letters, numbers, and
other identification marks, in which case the offense is a Class B
misdemeanor.

 

Just on the subject someone stole my plates off my car today while i was at the gym so i had to go over to the registration places and pay $11 for new ones. And $3 over at AutoZone for some new tabs for the back one. They weren't vanity plates or anything either....Oh well.

 

man the only think i don't like about driving in texas. I hate the front plate