In the local jurisdictions a favorite excuse for making a stop is a plate frame that obstructs the expiration stickers or the county name on a tag. The dealers have stopped giving tag frames because of it.
Nitramjr you posted while I was typing my post up.

 

I leave my hitch in all the time, it comes out through the step on the bumper and is actually a pain to install and remove since the pin is up in behind the bumper.

 

I saw the same show on TruTv Network. I though man that's some BS. I live in Mississippi and the Judge and the Cop probably has a ball mounted on their bumper. A camera and quick stroll around the court house parking lot would get me out of that ticket, however I don't think any cop around here would issue a ticket for a ball on the bumper. He would get heckled out of the court house.

 

My son was pulled over several times because of no license plate light all the same cop our local yocal. He finally told him he was tired of the harrassment his old pickup looked good partial restoration was never equipt with it and either write the ticket so we can go to court or at least show him a law where it had to be updated. long story short the pu outlasted the cop.

 

just thought of another thing of my truck i just thought about... is my the way my bumper is, and the way my place sits on the rear, not only does the ball hitch over up part of the plate, but also the top of my bumper goes over the top of the bottom of the of the plate... but this is how i bought my ford truck... and this is how my ford truck will remain until i decide to get crazy with it... but that wont be until i decide to start some customizing stuff until then, its staying how it is...

 

You'd think he would have learned.......

 

but he WAS in cali.

isn't it a law or somethin out there what says you don't learn your lesson till ya get 3 tickets for the same thing??

 

FYI: The aftermarket accessory clear plastic lenses that fit over the license plates are illegal in CA.

CA requires two license plates. If y'all don't have a front license plate, and you get stopped by the polizei, you'll get a "correction" citation.

 

That is correct. thats why I carry my front plate in the cab so if get pulled over I can just put it on. I have to say that in the last eight years my F-350 has not had a front plate. Just a american flag plate. And I have never been pulled over for it. Watch, having said that, I will.

 

Just another one of the joys that comes along with living in Cali. I suppose that's the risk you take though, a bumper ball is just one more thing they can pull you over for in their quest to rid our streets of "drugs" (AKA making their quota)

I think some of you folks who've lived on the coast your entire life would probably freak out if you seen some of the vehicles that are considered legal to operate on the roads out here in the midwest.

Back to the license plate thing. My 86 F150 is my daily driver. No front plate on it, just a confederate battle flag. Not only do I have two trailer ***** blocking the rear plate, but this time of year the plate is buried in the snow that is sitting on the step portion of the rear bumper. During the summer months the entire back side of the truck is covered in gravel dust so the plate remains unreadable then as well. Been driving it like that for close to six years and haven't heard a thing from the cops about it.

We use to call that "rollin' stealth" back in the high school days. As long as you had a common vehicle you could get away with plenty of things because no one could report your license plate number.

 

I'm sure that's part of it

Maybe that's the other part. To keep people from "getting away" with things.

If I need to get a license number, I'd like to be able to see it.

 

thats why they enforce plate laws here also Steve.

it's funny though, in a small town setting, plates ain't that important, cause the cops know the locals, and rarely look at the plates.

i tried explaining that to a big city friend, and to prove it, i took the plates off my truck, and drove all over town with him in the passenger seat. i passed at least 10 different cops, waving to all of them in return for the wave at me. not one noticed i had no plates on the truck.

 

Arizona is going to start enforcing the obstructed plate law this year, it the ARIZONA on the top of the plate is obstructed it is $135.00 plus court cost. knowing that Arizona is close to receivership this looks like another way of making money to keep the state afloat.

 

So in other words, it is a completely voluntary tax. I'd rather they raise funds this way then taxing the hell out of everyone.

 

I'm pretty sure they will do both. Arizona has been californiaized for a while.
When someone runs with their tailgate down it is hard to see their tag would that be considered illegal.
In Alaska on heavy trucks the law says the sticker must be on the back tag but the dot wants you to put it on the front one so they can see it when you pull in the scale so what do you do.