Front License Plate

[Sawyer8888]

Where is the radar located in the bumper?

Where is the front radar on HW2 cars located?

 

[ilovemycoffee]

Where is the front radar on HW2 cars located?

Is this the same in the Model 3?

 

[Zaphod]

Is this the same in the Model 3?

One would assume, that yes it is the same. And I would say that is pretty safe assumption.

 

[gregincal]

Simple: money

How Many States Require Front License Plates? | News from Cars.com

"A second plate makes it easier to photograph those who run stop signs and red lights, don't pay tolls or drive out of unattended pay garages and parking lots without paying. That adds up to millions of dollars in cost savings and millions more in additional revenue collected."

"If you have two plates and then go down to one, the production costs go down, but it's by cents. We're not even talking about a dollar level, and the price is passed on to the customer. It's not like it's costing the state money because the plate cost is being passed on."​

If that's the case they could make even more money by having a front license plate violation be an actual ticket instead of a fix-it ticket.

 

[kort677]

I care about the appearance and it bothers me that we have to have it displayed when there really isn't a good reason for it. In what way does having a license plate make driving a car safer?

Am I wrong assuming that you feel that your sense of vanity outweighs your obligation to have a front plate on your car and complying with the established laws?

 

[kort677]

If that's the case they could make even more money by having a front license plate violation be an actual ticket instead of a fix-it ticket.

I think the official response from authorities would be that summonses are not about revenue generation, they are used as a way to enforce compliance with the laws.

 

[gambit48]

If that's the case they could make even more money by having a front license plate violation be an actual ticket instead of a fix-it ticket.

I believe there's an option to do that in California. I know I've gotten an "uncorrectable" tint ticket before.

 

[chronopc]

Am I wrong assuming that you feel that your sense of vanity outweighs your obligation to have a front plate on your car and complying with the established laws?

It's a dumb law that's not consistently enforced. So yeah, I'm going to ignore it. Can you tell me how a license plate in the front makes driving any more safe?

Just because something is a law doesn't mean it makes sense or provide any value.

 

[gregincal]

I think the official response from authorities would be that summonses are not about revenue generation, they are used as a way to enforce compliance with the laws.

But clearly they are failing in enforcing compliance.

 

[kort677]

Tesla was prohibited from removing the license plate holder on the MS - leaving that up to the new owner. This may still be the case. The Model 3 may have been crash tested without the license plate holder and therefore it may be delivered without the holder being attached.

who prohibited tesla from removing the front plate holder?
while my experience is not vast, I do know that many other manufacturers do not automatically install front plate holders on the cars that they build. I do know for a fact that MB ships the cars sans front plate holders and the dealerships install them as necessary or on request from the purchaser. I walked on an MB because the dealership installed the front plate holder, I'm in FLA which doesn't require a front plate, and I bought an identical car from a dealership that did not install a front plate holder. I felt bad for the salesperson who lost the sale but that unnecessary plate holder and the holes made to install it was a deal breaker.

 

[T34ME]

Am I wrong assuming that you feel that your sense of vanity outweighs your obligation to have a front plate on your car and complying with the established laws?

@kort677 I understand what you are saying and I agree with you in principle, but have you ever exceeded the speed limit because you have a "good excuse"? Also in Florida it is illegal for unmarried couples to live together. It is also illegal in Florida to use a computer in an Internet cafe. The bottom line is that some laws just don't make sense.

 

[kort677]

@kort677 I understand what you are saying and I agree with you in principle, but have you ever exceeded the speed limit because you have a "good excuse"? Also in Florida it is illegal for unmarried couples to live together. It is also illegal in Florida to use a computer in an Internet cafe. The bottom line is that some laws just don't make sense.

does the fact that some laws don't make sense to you give you a carte blanche excuse to ignore those laws? In Fla it is now illegal to discharge your firearm in a residential area, so if I shoot a dangerous snake I am breaking the law, when the police arrive I just claim that the firearm discharge law is not applicable to me because I disagree with the law? The proper way to deal with laws that you do not agree with is to first do a lot of hard work organizing people who share your view of the law, get some politicians on board, convince a majority of the legislature to change the "bad" law. sadly this procedure has been upended by judges who feel that they are able to legislate from the bench, maybe you could find a friendly judge to rule the law "bad" by judicial fiat. regardless of all that IMHO non compliance is not the way to go. YMMV

 

[chronopc]

who prohibited tesla from removing the front plate holder?
while my experience is not vast, I do know that many other manufacturers do not automatically install front plate holders on the cars that they build. I do know for a fact that MB ships the cars sans front plate holders and the dealerships install them as necessary or on request from the purchaser. I walked on an MB because the dealership installed the front plate holder, I'm in FLA which doesn't require a front plate, and I bought an identical car from a dealership that did not install a front plate holder. I felt bad for the salesperson who lost the sale but that unnecessary plate holder and the holes made to install it was a deal breaker.

So why do you have a problem with me saying the law is dumb and I prefer not to have the front license plate? Tesla doesn't doesn't seem to be pre-installing it on the Model 3.

 

[chronopc]

does the fact that some laws don't make sense to you give you a carte blanche excuse to ignore those laws? In Fla it is now illegal to discharge your firearm in a residential area, so if I shoot a dangerous snake I am breaking the law, when the police arrive I just claim that the firearm discharge law is not applicable to me because I disagree with the law? The proper way to deal with laws that you do not agree with is to first do a lot of hard work organizing people who share your view of the law, get some politicians on board, convince a majority of the legislature to change the "bad" law. sadly this procedure has been upended by judges who feel that they are able to legislate from the bench, maybe you could find a friendly judge to rule the law "bad" by judicial fiat. regardless of all that IMHO non compliance is not the way to go. YMMV

If you read the thread no one is saying there won't be any consequences. People have shared that they got fix it ticket and for me I'm willing to risk getting those fix it tickets because the law is rarely enforced.

 

[Sawyer8888]

who prohibited tesla from removing the front plate holder?

I asked my SC and Freemont several times prior to delivery of my MS to take off the license plate holder and I received the same response each time:

"The car was crash tested with the license plate holder attached, so regulations say it has to be delivered to the customer with it. We cannot remove it for you."
​

Once again, not exactly the best forethought by Tesla. Fortunately there are no visible holes after the removal. However it's still an immediate inconvenience for those of us who would prefer it not be there.

Front License Plate Standard Now? | Tesla

 

[T34ME]

does the fact that some laws don't make sense to you give you a carte blanche excuse to ignore those laws? In Fla it is now illegal to discharge your firearm in a residential area, so if I shoot a dangerous snake I am breaking the law, when the police arrive I just claim that the firearm discharge law is not applicable to me because I disagree with the law? The proper way to deal with laws that you do not agree with is to first do a lot of hard work organizing people who share your view of the law, get some politicians on board, convince a majority of the legislature to change the "bad" law. sadly this procedure has been upended by judges who feel that they are able to legislate from the bench, maybe you could find a friendly judge to rule the law "bad" by judicial fiat. regardless of all that IMHO non compliance is not the way to go. YMMV

@kort677 have you ever exceeded the speed limit?

If you drive your Model 3 to Texas or Virginia, will you put a Florida license plate on the front of your car because it is the law there?

 

[Unbeliever]

Out of curiosity, if you live in, and register in, a state that doesn't require front plates but drive through Cali, will they still ticket you?

Sort of, yeah.

The reason for the "sort of" is that the actual California Code is that if you're issued two plates, you display both plates, if you're issued one, you display one. Since California issues two plates, it's a no-brainer that a CA registered car needs both plates.

However, if you're in a state that issues two plates, but doesn't require two plates be displayed, that's where you get in ticket-jeopardy if the LEO knows your state issues two plates. Nevada, for example, is one such state. Bordering California, and CA LEOs are likely to know NV issues 2 plates, and many of my NV friends have gotten bitten by the front plate issue driving through California.

--Carlos V.

 

[kort677]

@kort677 have you ever exceeded the speed limit?

If you drive your Model 3 to Texas or Virginia, will you put a Florida license plate on the front of your car because it is the law there?

wrong, It is not the law in TX or VA for my FLA registered vehicle to have a front tag. FWIW: my son drove his car for four years while in school in TX with his FLA registered vehicle and never was there any question of his legality in doing it. for 6 months upon purchase of my first tesla it had only a rear NJ tag on it because the car was in FLA the entire time and FLA does not require a front tag on a vehicle.

 

[kort677]

I asked my SC and Freemont several times prior to delivery of my MS to take off the license plate holder and I received the same response each time:

"The car was crash tested with the license plate holder attached, so regulations say it has to be delivered to the customer with it. We cannot remove it for you."
​

that is an internal tesla regulation and done to be in compliance with any state's laws.

 

[T34ME]

wrong, It is not the law in TX or VA for my FLA registered vehicle to have a front tag. FWIW: my son drove his car for four years while in school in TX with his FLA registered vehicle and never was there any question of his legality in doing it. for 6 months upon purchase of my first tesla it had only a rear NJ tag on it because the car was in FLA the entire time and FLA does not require a front tag on a vehicle.

Well there you have it! If a Florida plated car doesn't need a front plate in Texas, then why does a Texas plated car need one in Texas? It just goes to show that the front plate law is not needed for safety, identification, revenue collection or any other reason, otherwise the Florida car would need a front plate too. That's like saying the Florida plated car can drive the maximum speed limit allowed in Florida regardless of what the maximum speed limit is in any State you might be passing through.

@kort677 have you ever exceeded the posted speed limit anywhere? I know I have although I generally drive the posted speed limit. Why don't you answer my question?