Stopped, but not ticketed. Technically, one must display both front and rear plates in Texas but in 25 years I've never had a front plate ('cause they're ugly on any car) and have never been stopped. in fact, I've been pulled over and even ticketed for other reasons (in my younger days, not now, of course 
) and the lack of a front plate wasn't ever an issue during those incidents.
Yesterday, however, we were southbound on I-35 in between Dallas and Waco and a state trooper was parked on the shoulder. He wasn't using radar or laser so we think he was just on scarecrow duty, getting cars to slow down en masse, just for having seen him. We were only going 5 mph over anyway, which in Texas means we were going slower than average.
After we passed, he pulled out and pulled us over. His first words were "did this car not come with a front plate?" I explained that due to the design of the car, mounting the front plate would require either drilling holes in the front of the car or kludging together some sort of non-drilled solution. He looked at the front of the car and agreed that there was no clear place for a plate. He said, "I'll be right back. I'm just going to write up a warning for this. There will be no penalty."
A few minutes later he returned with the attached written warning.
My guess is he saw a $$$ car and was using the absence of the front plate as probable cause for the stop so he could go fishing a little. One never knows when something simple like a missing front plate can uncover the career boosting bust of the century.
) and the lack of a front plate wasn't ever an issue during those incidents.Yesterday, however, we were southbound on I-35 in between Dallas and Waco and a state trooper was parked on the shoulder. He wasn't using radar or laser so we think he was just on scarecrow duty, getting cars to slow down en masse, just for having seen him. We were only going 5 mph over anyway, which in Texas means we were going slower than average.
After we passed, he pulled out and pulled us over. His first words were "did this car not come with a front plate?" I explained that due to the design of the car, mounting the front plate would require either drilling holes in the front of the car or kludging together some sort of non-drilled solution. He looked at the front of the car and agreed that there was no clear place for a plate. He said, "I'll be right back. I'm just going to write up a warning for this. There will be no penalty."
A few minutes later he returned with the attached written warning.
My guess is he saw a $$$ car and was using the absence of the front plate as probable cause for the stop so he could go fishing a little. One never knows when something simple like a missing front plate can uncover the career boosting bust of the century.
