Front license plates - do we really need 'em?

[NorCalAthlete]

New car designs continually lend the impression that the designers had no intention of planning around a front license plate, despite a front plate being required in 30+ states and many countries.

Thing is though...do we really need to have that as a requirement? After all, motorcycles don't have front plates, and the fronts are designed without a plate in mind as well.

As best I can tell the only function a front plate serves is for tickets and revenue generation for not having one. It can be used by license plate scanners to repo cars, or for intelligence gathering purposes, but compared with rear plate only it's a negligible improvement in the grand scheme of things it can apparently be up to 1/3 of toll revenue. That being said, $23 million seems like a drop in the bucket compared to the overall city budget.

What say BARF? No more front license plate requirements on cars? Or nah we need them for the rare case when an asshat rear ends us and runs and the front plate falls off at the scene?

 

[CABilly]

Front plate laws are right up there with front tinted window laws - easy PC to stop a car if you want and free money on demand whenever you want.

 

[gixxerjeff]

Front plate laws are right up there with front tinted window laws - easy PC to stop a car if you want and free money on demand whenever you want.

That comparison is ridiculous.
There are several justified and obvious safety reasons against front window tinting.

 

[CABilly]

That comparison is ridiculous.
There are several justified and obvious safety reasons against front window tinting.

Leave California and it isn’t the bloodbath they make you think it would be throughout the Southwest. Somehow society remains intact.

 

[RRR70]

Revenue. State wants to make sure that you are easily tracked.

 

[Wolf]

Revenue. State wants to make sure that you are easily tracked.

:wow

 

[dravnx]

In my early riding career, a driver merged into me. I didn't go down but I had to chase him into a parking lot. I parked in front of him and started taking off my helmet. He started backing away to leave so I ran up to his car and ripped his front license plate off the bumper. He took off and I called 911. CHP showed up, ran the plate and told me he was a dirt bag with many violations and contacts with LEO. CHP told me that without any injuries or damage beyond a scrape on my crash bar, the DA won't prosecute. So yeah, a front license plate should be required.
I don't see what the point of the poll is though. Are you going to petition the governor or something with your results if we vote no front plate?

 

[m0t0_ryder]

I don't see what the point of the poll is though.

I think a lot of the polls get votes from people who want to register an opinion without debating the subject. (you know... no reply, just vote the poll)

 

[RRR70]

:wow

Ever heard of license plate readers?

 

[bojangle]

New car designs continually lend the impression that the designers had no intention of planning around a front license plate, despite a front plate being required in 30+ states and many countries.

Thing is though...do we really need to have that as a requirement? After all, motorcycles don't have front plates, and the fronts are designed without a plate in mind as well.

As best I can tell the only function a front plate serves is for tickets and revenue generation for not having one. It can be used by license plate scanners to repo cars, or for intelligence gathering purposes, but compared with rear plate only it's a negligible improvement in the grand scheme of things it can apparently be up to 1/3 of toll revenue. That being said, $23 million seems like a drop in the bucket compared to the overall city budget.

What say BARF? No more front license plate requirements on cars? Or nah we need them for the rare case when an asshat rear ends us and runs and the front plate falls off at the scene?

I've seen this several times on hit and run cases. Might just help find you that drunk dinner while he's still drunk, plus identify the person, or at least the vehicle, responsible for an insurance claim.

 

[wazzuFreddo]

I've seen this several times on hit and run cases. Might just help find you that drunk dinner while he's still drunk, plus identify the person, or at least the vehicle, responsible for an insurance claim.

hit and run guy that hit us only had "Fletcher Jones - Fremont" paper tags on the front and back of his Benz.

I hope he blew the engine on his new POS E-Class with the radiator pouring and the front fascia hanging off the car.

 

[GAJ]

Been here since 1984 from Florida, never run a front plate.

Got 2 fix it tickets in all that time with 2 cars.

Put on front plate, go to Police Station to have fix it ticket signed off, return home, return front plate to resting place in garage.

 

[gixxerjeff]

Leave California and it isn’t the bloodbath they make you think it would be throughout the Southwest. Somehow society remains intact.

:rolleyes
More drama in your response than fact, as usual.
It has nothing to do with what "they may make" me think. I don't appreciate wondering if the driver sees me as I approach at speed on my moto anymore than a LEO appreciates the guessing game of what's going on behind door #1 during a traffic stop.....but that is and has been another thread.
I do agree that front plates have become relatively unnecessary, or are at least enforced that way.

 

[yelow748]

uummm ,, a very important question...

What kind of BACON ?

 

[Dubbington]

I always thought front plants in order to be useful should be printed backwards so I can read the plate of some jackass tailgating me.

 

[Johndicezx9]

About 2 years there was a local guy that was riding his moto when someone hit him hard enough to take off his leg. As he was laying in the roadway, the driver decided to run, leaving him bleeding in the street. What the young woman that hit him didn't know was her front license plate was left at the scene.

As for people that tint windows before the B pillar, they need a good beatdown! :teeth

 

[GAJ]

uummm ,, a very important question...

What kind of BACON ?

In March I was in New Orleans and had Praline Bacon at Elizabeths.

:wow

It was fantastic as were the grits, eggs, biscuit, and huge glass of freshly squeezed OJ.

https://www.elizabethsrestaurantnola.com/

 

[Wolf]

Ever heard of license plate readers?

Location Services on your smart phone along with cookies in your browser are capturing WAY more data than any license plate reader ever could.

 

[CDONA]

Isn't a front plate used by LEO as a radar/lidar target, due to all the plastic/carbon fiber used in current auto production?

Calif will never be as cool as Az.
Have you seen any sunbaked plates from Az? Color has faded and the graphics disappear.

 

[thepretender]

I should have voted for bacon. I can think of nothing that bacon could not improve.