Wife's ticket in Leaf

[adric22]

My wife called me this morning and she was sort of upset. She was driving the Leaf this morning and got pulled over by a motorcycle cop in Arlington, TX for speeding. She was doing 60 in a 45 zone. I knew she liked to speed, but I didn't know she had a habit of breaking the speed limit that badly. Anyway, apparently the cop was annoyed that she handed him her concealed handgun license, since she apparently forgot to bring her gun and I guess the cop was annoyed having to process it or something when it turned out she wasn't armed. But then he got onto her because after 2 years we have never installed the front license plate. So she got a citation for that too. I had been told this was no longer required in Texas. However, after doing some google searching today, I can't seem to confirm or deny that. I see lots of people saying it is and isn't required. However, the cop did say if we put the plate on and took it down to the courthouse, they'd dismiss that citation. Now I have to find the bracket and plate. I think I kept them somewhere. I just hate to think of drilling holes in the body of the car. Anyway, to top it off the cop made some comment about it being the first speeding ticket he'd given to an electric car or something because he thought they were slow.

Anyway, does anyone know for sure on the front license plate thing?

 

[DeaneG]

Sorry, I can't help with your license plate question. But I can verify that the Leaf is still accelerating at 85mph .

 

[Boourns]

As far as I know it is still required. There was a bill this legislative session to abolish that requirement, but it was sent to committee to die: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=83R&Bill=HB657

Edit: Apparently there were two such bills, but both were sent to committee. Here is the other: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=83R&Bill=HB557

 

[TonyWilliams]

Use carpet tape to hold the plate on for the police inspection. Then, take it off.

Go down to the dealer and "borrow" one of the plate brackets for an hour or so.

 

[smkettner]

Anyway, does anyone know for sure on the front license plate thing?

Google the listed vehicle code.

 

[jhm614]

edit: D'oh -- I had posted bad link here, pointing to the law antique vehichles!


edit: where did she get ticket? I want to make sure I'm paying attention....

J.

 

[jeremyz]

The front plate is "required", but I've been driving one of my cars for 6 years without one. I even got pulled over once and didn't get a ticket for not having it. I would say that it's basically a bonus ticket and you would almost certainly not be pulled over just for not having a front license plate.

 

[Boourns]

Here is the relevant code:

Sec. 504.943. OPERATION OF VEHICLE WITHOUT LICENSE PLATE. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway, during a registration period, a motor vehicle that does not display two license plates that:
(1) have been assigned by the department for the period; and
(2) comply with department rules regarding the placement of license plates.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a road tractor, motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer that does not display a license plate that:
(1) has been assigned by the department for the period; and
(2) complies with department rules regarding the placement of license plates.
(c) This section does not apply to a dealer operating a vehicle as provided by law.
(d) A court may dismiss a charge brought under Subsection (a)(1) if the defendant:
(1) remedies the defect before the defendant's first court appearance; and
(2) pays an administrative fee not to exceed $10.

 

[EVDRIVER]

I use double sided tape and just stick the plate to my bumper for the many fixit tickets I get, they seem to get me out of other violations and it holds until I leave the police sub station.

 

[ebill3]

Sorry for the tickets, and sorry to go OT.

:lol: The last time my daughter was stopped for speeding, she made sure her carry permit showed when she got out her license. The state policeman's comment was something to the effect that he liked a woman that carried, and then followed a discussion of what weapon to get for his lady friend. No ticket.

 

[Bicster]

I once had a Houston cop U-turn for the specific reason of giving me a ticket for not having a front plate. I think the fine was a lot more than ten bucks, but that was about 16 years ago.

What's absurd is that if you stand on a busy street and tally cars going by, at least 30% don't have the front plate. For high-end vehicles the ratio is much higher.

If the front plate requirement is really going away this year, that's the best news I've heard all day.

 

[Bicster]

Ouch! I believe that the law is scheduled to change to one rear plate on 9/1/13.

www.statues.legis.state.tx.us: Look at Section 504.502 item h:
(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a vehicle issued license plates under Subsection (a) shall be required to attach and display only one license plate on the rear of the vehicle.


edit: where did she get ticket? I want to make sure I'm paying attention....

J.

Where do you see that anything is scheduled to change on 9/1/13? That looks like the current code.

 

[Nubo]

I use double sided tape and just stick the plate to my bumper for the many fixit tickets I get, they seem to get me out of other violations and it holds until I leave the police sub station.

Sounds like you might want to switch to Velcro


I went for many years here in CA without a (required) front plate on a Miata, and then an RX-8. Too pretty for front plates. With the LEAF I don't mind.

 

[hill]

As a guy who has achieved an average 5miles/kWh at the wall since taking delivery during the 1st 4 months of U.S. delivery, I can ask the question;
The Leaf can do 60mph?!?

Now, I HAVE been pulled over on the way to work twice ... same area. Apparently, when you drive 25 in a 35 zone at 4am, they presume you're DWI

:lol:


.

 

[TomT]

Yep, it is very common for drunks to drive well under the limit...

Now, I HAVE been pulled over on the way to work twice ... same area. Apparently, when you drive 25 in a 35 zone at 4am, they presume you're DWI.

 

[RegGuheert]

Yep, it is very common for drunks to drive well under the limit...

Now, I HAVE been pulled over on the way to work twice ... same area. Apparently, when you drive 25 in a 35 zone at 4am, they presume you're DWI.

I wonder how slowly drunk EV drivers go... :shock:

 

[LEAFfan]

As a guy who has achieved an average 5miles/kWh at the wall since taking delivery during the 1st 4 months of U.S. delivery, I can ask the question;
The Leaf can do 60mph?!?

Now, I HAVE been pulled over on the way to work twice ... same area. Apparently, when you drive 25 in a 35 zone at 4am, they presume you're DWI
:lol:
.

Yep, when I set the record on Memorial Day, I drove 25 in a 45. One local cop followed me, and I thought he might pull me over. But I had a big yellow sign on the lower back window telling what I was doing plus my flashers were on so he stopped tailing my car and drove around me.

 

[thankyouOB]

wow, a regulation that the Texas legislature actually likes; unless you count all those safety rules on abortion clinics.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

My wife called me this morning and she was sort of upset. She was driving the Leaf this morning and got pulled over by a motorcycle cop in Arlington, TX for speeding. She was doing 60 in a 45 zone. I knew she liked to speed, but I didn't know she had a habit of breaking the speed limit that badly. Anyway, apparently the cop was annoyed that she handed him her concealed handgun license, since she apparently forgot to bring her gun and I guess the cop was annoyed having to process it or something when it turned out she wasn't armed. But then he got onto her because after 2 years we have never installed the front license plate. So she got a citation for that too. I had been told this was no longer required in Texas. However, after doing some google searching today, I can't seem to confirm or deny that. I see lots of people saying it is and isn't required. However, the cop did say if we put the plate on and took it down to the courthouse, they'd dismiss that citation. Now I have to find the bracket and plate. I think I kept them somewhere. I just hate to think of drilling holes in the body of the car. Anyway, to top it off the cop made some comment about it being the first speeding ticket he'd given to an electric car or something because he thought they were slow.

Anyway, does anyone know for sure on the front license plate thing?

the cop was obviously in a bad mood. the plate is required in WA but have driven since Nov 2007 in two different cars without one. I have even had a few cops mention it to me but one stated "I wont be the first to ticket an EV for something like that!"

 

[Geraldk]

This is what I did:
http://geraldkirchner.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/IMG_3632__08115_zoom.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

it's right in the the charging door.