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roblab
Active Member
Hi. I live in Napa Valley, CA, and I have not used a front plate for 20 years. The law requires a front plate. At this time, fully ten percent of all cars in CA do not have a front plate mounted.
A few weeks ago I was driving south on I-5. My eye was attracted by a Highway Patrol driving on the far side of the northbound lanes about a hundred yards ahead of me. He was swerving into the fast lane, and then plowed quickly across the median, cutting into the southbound fast lane with lights ablaze.
I had been driving in a cluster of vehicles, doing just over the limit. We all slowed down to 75, and I pulled into the slow lane. The officer pulled in behind me. I pulled over. After a little patter, he commented that I had no front plate mounted. I agreed, and mentioned that ten percent of all cars in CA have no front plate mounted. He then stated something to the effect that, "Well, most Teslas..." and when he saw me coming, he checked the front. Bingo.
Outside of the fact that there were probably several dozen cars with no front plate driving past us while we had our discussion, no attention was paid to them. He decided to write me a warning. On the back of the ticket is a little list of "Ten ways you can drive to survive", which include things like "Do not tailgate", "Maintain a safe speed", "Signal for lane changes", etc. At no time was I driving in a dangerous or unsafe manner. At the same time, the officer was cutting across lanes of traffic, roaring across the median, and pulling into fast lane traffic from the median.
The Front License Plate law is no longer necessary, yet is used to harass drivers or to give excuse for profiling. I have tried to get some kind of action to get this law removed, yet no one seems to care.
I put a front plate on my car, for about three days. It was so ugly, I removed it.
A few weeks ago I was driving south on I-5. My eye was attracted by a Highway Patrol driving on the far side of the northbound lanes about a hundred yards ahead of me. He was swerving into the fast lane, and then plowed quickly across the median, cutting into the southbound fast lane with lights ablaze.
I had been driving in a cluster of vehicles, doing just over the limit. We all slowed down to 75, and I pulled into the slow lane. The officer pulled in behind me. I pulled over. After a little patter, he commented that I had no front plate mounted. I agreed, and mentioned that ten percent of all cars in CA have no front plate mounted. He then stated something to the effect that, "Well, most Teslas..." and when he saw me coming, he checked the front. Bingo.
Outside of the fact that there were probably several dozen cars with no front plate driving past us while we had our discussion, no attention was paid to them. He decided to write me a warning. On the back of the ticket is a little list of "Ten ways you can drive to survive", which include things like "Do not tailgate", "Maintain a safe speed", "Signal for lane changes", etc. At no time was I driving in a dangerous or unsafe manner. At the same time, the officer was cutting across lanes of traffic, roaring across the median, and pulling into fast lane traffic from the median.
The Front License Plate law is no longer necessary, yet is used to harass drivers or to give excuse for profiling. I have tried to get some kind of action to get this law removed, yet no one seems to care.
I put a front plate on my car, for about three days. It was so ugly, I removed it.
brucet999
Active Member
I did not mount the front plate on my S, but for sake of those cities known for their meter maids ticketing for lack of front plate (LAX, downtown LA, Santa Monica, etc.) I have mounted magnets behind the nosecone and on the Tesla front plate bracket so I can pop it on when needed and easily remove it again without any defacing holes.
I don't know whether it is possible in "refresh" Teslas to gain access for mounting magnets in the nose.
I don't know whether it is possible in "refresh" Teslas to gain access for mounting magnets in the nose.
dhcp
Member
I don't run one either (SF Bay Area) and when i was at a norcal SC with a dozen cars in it, only a single model x had one, nobody else did.
Years ago when I was parked in the San Jose airport for a few days I came back to find a ticket waiting for me. I thought that was pretty slimey.
Years ago when I was parked in the San Jose airport for a few days I came back to find a ticket waiting for me. I thought that was pretty slimey.
I just want to be clear: you are saying that on the I5 a CHP reversed direction by making a U-turn across the median solely for the purpose of pulling you over because you had no front plate? No other reason?
If that is what you are saying, I am very surprised. As you pointed out, a significant fraction of all cars in California have no front plate (including my Roadster).
NikeWings
Active Member
polymathic
Member
I'm in CA, and moved from PA where only one plate is required. Never put the CA front plate on, and eventually 5 years after moving I was pulled over in SF and given a warning. If it's an issue every 5 years, I may just not bother putting one on my MX. I live where Teslas are a dime a dozen (every time I head out, I see at least two Teslas at the same time), and few have front plates. Surely, it can't be that heavily enforced. As long as you park in garages at work and at home, chances of a ticket seem slim.
aesculus
Still Trying to Figure This All Out
I am using one of these:
Torklift Central | The Law - Tesla Model X Front License Plate Bracket (Auto Pilot Compatible) x7340
Torklift Central | The Law - Tesla Model X Front License Plate Bracket (Auto Pilot Compatible) x7340
RIZE
Member
Yep we do have a plate. We got it with the plate installed and why even bother? It's just a license plate.
It's a $25 fixit ticket in California. I have never been pulled over for it, but a parking enforcement officer gave me one just recently after driving without one for 2.5 years. I can't be bothered to put it on every time I park somewhere and take it off again so it stays on for now.
dhcp
Member
I live here too and tell people that Teslas are.like Camarys out here in Silicon Valley - they are literally everywhere, we have dozens in our lots at work, no exaggeration. I was in meeting last week with 15 or so people and it turned out three of us had Teslas.
When I'm out In parts east or the Midwest I forget they are practically unicorns out there.
Merrill
Merrill
No plate on my Model X but put a plate on the S because it makes the nose cone look better. Never had a front plate on my Jaguar XKE and no tickets.
wbhokie
Member
Yeah required in VA, but usually they are pretty relaxed about it. If you go into DC though, you get ticketed the moment you park without one... they are hawks.
