Will you use a front plate or hope you don't get pulled over??

[NicolasB]

Living in NY state has it's downfalls (plenty!), but one that I really dislike is the requirement of a front plate. On my trucks I don't care, but on a car like the Emira or an M4, it makes a huge aesthetic change. On the wife's Tesla we just went ahead and stuck it on since it's a daily. I am considering leaving it off the Emira and hoping I don't get bothered. I don't even know what the ticket would cost ($ and points-wise).

What will you folks be doing when it comes to this "dilemma" ?

- Nick

 

[PaulP]

I moved to a state that didn’t require but when I lived in a state that did I just took my chances. 0% chance of a front plate On this car!

 

[TXEMIRA]

2 cars. No front plates.
Don’t drive a lot though.
Under 500 miles a month.

Texas. Custom plates. Love the “risk”.

Don’t want to put holes in either one.

 

[NicolasB]

I probably will not put much for miles on it either; just going to be my fun car for good weather only, etc. But, I could go drive 5 miles and encounter a state trooper, so I don't know. I've seen those setups where you can have a very easily removeable plate, I think it's called stow & show or something. If I got pulled over I could just tell the cop that I forgot that I had it off while detailing the car, or while at a car-meet with friends and then just pop it right on while he was there?

I have a Class A commercial license and no tickets/points in the last 15 years at all, so I am trying to keep it that squeaky-clean

 

[TXEMIRA]

My go-to is the truth.

“Officer, this bumper is custom, and I’m still waiting on the dealer who is behind on getting some other parts. So I have the second plate right here and I barely drive this thing. Please let me know if you’d like me to wire-tie it and consider it done.” - Jeep

“Officer, this is a pretty rare car. When I picked it up I was told there may only be a few hundred in the US. I just didn’t want to put more holes in it. So I have the second plate right here and I barely drive this thing. Please let me know if there are other solutions on the market that would work best and consider it done.” - Evora

Truth

 

[Magma]

My state requires them. Guess I'm just a rebel running plateless.

 

[EspritGuy]

Living in NY state has it's downfalls (plenty!), but one that I really dislike is the requirement of a front plate. On my trucks I don't care, but on a car like the Emira or an M4, it makes a huge aesthetic change. On the wife's Tesla we just went ahead and stuck it on since it's a daily. I am considering leaving it off the Emira and hoping I don't get bothered. I don't even know what the ticket would cost ($ and points-wise).

What will you folks be doing when it comes to this "dilemma" ?

- Nick

If you get stopped it won't be about the front plate rule; it's to eyeball the Emira and ask you for details. Many cops are Car guys.

 

[mr_joshua]

Living in NY state has it's downfalls (plenty!), but one that I really dislike is the requirement of a front plate. On my trucks I don't care, but on a car like the Emira or an M4, it makes a huge aesthetic change. On the wife's Tesla we just went ahead and stuck it on since it's a daily. I am considering leaving it off the Emira and hoping I don't get bothered. I don't even know what the ticket would cost ($ and points-wise).

What will you folks be doing when it comes to this "dilemma" ?

- Nick

I'm in NY as well.. on my Tacoma (similar to another poster) I don't care and put the plate on the front. On my E450 Coupe.. that's a big nope. We've had the car for well over six months but only do local weekend driving (half of which is in NJ). My understanding is that you likely won't be pulled over just for a missing plate as it's not a moving violation. But if you are pulled over and don't have your plate, you'll get dinged and of course it'll probably raise an uncomfortable conversation with the trooper.

Now.. rolling around in a bright yellow exoctic Lotus (which might as well have a neon sign for police) - I think the scrutiny around plates (or lack thereof) could be a little higher. I'll probably try to go without but at a minimum keep the front plate on the dash (though I know that doesn't satisfy the law at all).

 

[ADC]

I don't think police in the UK have very lenient attitude towards not showing a front plate (somebody please correct me if I'm wrong), and the fines are up to £1000... as much as it galls me to spoil the look of that front end, I can't see myself having the balls to go "naked" . Putting it in the dash just feels dumb (looks awful and still doesn't satisfy Mr Plod)

Sadly, I don't think there is such a thing as a "low profile" plate here (the absolute minimum based on the specs is 101mm - 79mm characters and 11mm margin top and bottom), and your options for colour on the front are white, white, or white (you can't even try to disguise it against the grille with white/silver lettering on a black plate any more). Sigh.

 

[NicolasB]

I'm in NY as well.. on my Tacoma (similar to another poster) I don't care and put the plate on the front. On my E450 Coupe.. that's a big nope. We've had the car for well over six months but only do local weekend driving (half of which is in NJ). My understanding is that you likely won't be pulled over just for a missing plate as it's not a moving violation. But if you are pulled over and don't have your plate, you'll get dinged and of course it'll probably raise an uncomfortable conversation with the trooper.

Now.. rolling around in a bright yellow exoctic Lotus (which might as well have a neon sign for police) - I think the scrutiny around plates (or lack thereof) could be a little higher. I'll probably try to go without but at a minimum keep the front plate on the dash (though I know that doesn't satisfy the law at all).

Sometimes having it in the windshield just reminds them that you don't have it up front, where as they might not have noticed it missing otherwise...

 

[NicolasB]

I am thinking I may have to do this...

 

[TXEMIRA]

Sometimes having it in the windshield just reminds them that you don't have it up front, where as they might no have noticed it missing otherwise...

I agree. It’s in the vehicle.

For the Evora I purposely keep it in the back “boot” so the officer will focus more on the engine view.

 

[ADC]

I am thinking I may have to do this...

These retractable doohickies caught my interest a while back... but I wonder what unspeakable damage you'd have to do to install it on the Emira.

 

[ADC]

Short of motorised magic, I could probably get on board with something like this (an Emira-specific version obviously), depending on what the factory mount is like over here (the one in the China pictures thread is horrifying!!)

STO N SHO 2017-2019 Lotus Evora 400

I might eventually pluck up the nerve to keep it in the boot, and go with the "oops, forgot to put it back on" defence the first time I got pulled for it. Maybe.

 

[NicolasB]

Short of motorised magic, I could probably get on board with something like this (an Emira-specific version obviously), depending on what the factory mount is like over here (the one in the China pictures thread is horrifying!!)

STO N SHO 2017-2019 Lotus Evora 400

I might eventually pluck up the nerve to keep it in the boot, and go with the "oops, forgot to put it back on" defence the first time I got pulled for it. Maybe.

Yeah, the other one above also comes in a manual one, so no messy wiring, etc. That's what I would do. Electric one is super James Bond-like.

 

[ksegg]

I live in Georgia, which doesn't require a front plate. In fact, new cars aren't even sold with front plate brackets here.

When you register your car here for the first time, you only get ONE plate, not two.

I love it.

 

[SJR202]

I don't think police in the UK have very lenient attitude towards not showing a front plate (somebody please correct me if I'm wrong), and the fines are up to £1000... as much as it galls me to spoil the look of that front end, I can't see myself having the balls to go "naked" . Putting it in the dash just feels dumb (looks awful and still doesn't satisfy Mr Plod)

Sadly, I don't think there is such a thing as a "low profile" plate here (the absolute minimum based on the specs is 101mm - 79mm characters and 11mm margin top and bottom), and your options for colour on the front are white, white, or white (you can't even try to disguise it against the grille with white/silver lettering on a black plate any more). Sigh.

Yep, for the UK while you might get a producer to put the plate on in the best case, full on fine etc are more common due to the amount of ANPR / front facing camera's you are basically avoiding without a front plate.

When I had Elise's 2001-2007 then I always took them off and pretty sure it saved me a speeding fine, but didnt get any trouble for it, the standard pre determined excuse was to have a broken plate in the boot and say you just caught it on a kerb and it ripped off - will get it fixed asap

To the American friends, whenever I see a car without the front plate it looks so much better, especially sports cars, they look how the designer intended and so much nicer.

 

[TomE]

I don't think police in the UK have very lenient attitude towards not showing a front plate (somebody please correct me if I'm wrong), and the fines are up to £1000... as much as it galls me to spoil the look of that front end, I can't see myself having the balls to go "naked" . Putting it in the dash just feels dumb (looks awful and still doesn't satisfy Mr Plod)

Sadly, I don't think there is such a thing as a "low profile" plate here (the absolute minimum based on the specs is 101mm - 79mm characters and 11mm margin top and bottom), and your options for colour on the front are white, white, or white (you can't even try to disguise it against the grille with white/silver lettering on a black plate any more). Sigh.

It varies a lot in the UK. I know a lot of Elise/Exige owners using 3/4 or 1/2 size plates and usually get away with it. It came up on another forum a while back and one person said the police had told them they weren't bothered about 3/4 size but 1/2 was too small and probably would get stopped/fined.

I also know some owners have used the stick on plates on the bonnet (hood), which is less obtrusive but I think looks odd. Technically it's illegal, but I've not heard of anyone having issues.

I've got a 5-character registration on my Evora and originally had a trimmed down plate - correct font and character size but minimum allowable border. I actually found it slightly odd and reverted to a standard plate.

For the Emira I've got a choice of a standard 7-character registration that's Emira-related, or another 5-character one that's car-related but not Emira-specific. Thinking I'll probably go with the shorter one and try a trimmed down plate. The rear plate will be standard and hence yet another different shade of yellow!

 

[ksegg]

Yep, for the UK while you might get a producer to put the plate on in the best case, full on fine etc are more common due to the amount of ANPR / front facing camera's you are basically avoiding without a front plate.

When I had Elise's 2001-2007 then I always took them off and pretty sure it saved me a speeding fine, but didnt get any trouble for it, the standard pre determined excuse was to have a broken plate in the boot and say you just caught it on a kerb and it ripped off - will get it fixed asap

To the American friends, whenever I see a car without the front plate it looks so much better, especially sports cars, they look how the designer intended and so much nicer.

As a New Yorker, I've received my fair share of "no front plate" tickets by NYPD. Even had a cop yell in my face once "WHERE IS YOUR FRONT PLATE, SIR? YOU THINK THE RULES DON'T APPLY TO YOU EH?" Wrote me the ticket and threw it in my face.

Lovely.

I refuse to put a front plate on my car, as it completely ruins the front end of a car, imo. That and I also refuse to drill any holes into my car to serve an otherwise inane and draconian law.

Moving to a State with a no front plate requirement was a breath of fresh air.

 

[NickR]

I did the stow and show on my F-Type, got stopped once.