mig1980

Good morning everyone. Yesterday I was in San Francisco for work. I parked on the street and when I came out I have a $114 ticket for not having a front license plate.

In all if my years owning a car, I have never had this happen but I guess there is always a first time for everything. The ticket does state that I can get it signed off by a CA police officer or a staff member of the DMV for a reduced fee.

I was thinking of mounting the front temporarily. This is on my daily commuter and has no holes or brackets on the front bumper. What would you guys suggest I use to do this? Has anyone been successful in getting the ticket signed off?

Any input would help.

Homer3D

I don't have a front plate on my Corvette and I probably never will. I do not know of any temporary front mounts, but you could always just make one. Take your plate, some double sided tape and stick to your bumper. Find a cop and get it signed off. Then remove the plate and tape. Might need goo gone to remove some of the tape residue. Problem solved.

383vett

I got one years ago. I think getting it signed off brings it down to $13 or $23 or whatever. Any police department can do this for you. As mentioned, double sided tape could work. A forum memeber makes a disappearing plate mechanism for a c6. Do a search.

Zoxxo

First, take that $114 and divide it by the number of years you got away with it. Yeah. :-)

Second, if you attach the thing in a manner that is easily seen to be non-permanent, a good inspector will refuse to sign it off.

My trick on my old MR2 (when this happened to me) was to attach the top mounting holes on the license plate to a 90 degree bent "angle iron" of relatively thin sheet metal (see "hobby shop".) Then I used "mega-velcro" to attach the sheet metal piece to the inside upper lip of the grill opening. This made a strong enough mounting to even drive it at 75 mph if needed, while still being easily removed (and reattached if necessary.) And even a "thorough" inspector won't have trouble with it as it's "really on there."

Z//

mig1980

This is a great idea but how do I remove the tape from the car after the fact without damaging the paint?

Cygnus

Parking enforcement seems more concerned with front license plates. Lots of tickets happening lately.

Nosferatu333

I got one years ago in san Francisco to. Cop told me it was because of the cameras. Can enforce the tickets on camera if the front license plate is not on. So SF is very strict on it. I avoid SF in the vette anyway. That citys roads are a disaster.

TerryL

If I park on a public street I place my 'spare' plate in my front window.

Homer3D

You can still get a ticket for that. Just FYI.

From the DMV's website....

Zoxxo

Oddly enough, I've never had my paint damaged by this. On the other hand, I expect my car's front end to take some damage regardless It is a car, afterall) so I don't really obsess over these things.

If I was concerned about it I'd use the magic 3M "sticky remover" stuff (think a Department of Defense version of Goo Gone ) and spend a little time working it under the fasteners.

The fasteners I use for this are "3M Dual Lock" 1" wide. This is not "velcro" but small mushroom-shaped "hooks" that catch on the other part's mushroom-shaped hooks. Very strong.

Z//

Boomer111

The only front plate ticket I have received was while parking in SF also.

Their is a system out that mounts centered in the opening to the radiator. It consists of a flat wedge shaped piece of aluminum that mounts under the top lip with double back tape. There are two screws attached to the plate that will allow the license plate with another "L" bracket attached will mount flush with the outside of the opening.

Take the unscrew the plate and nothing to see with the mounting hardware being up underneath the opening.

Look up Top Flight Productions License Plate holder, it comes with several different options. I have the basice one and the tape has held for 4 years now, mostly with the plate off though.

I did the "Show And Go" too but did not like the off center mounting and the plate got damaged when retracted.

Top Flight used to be a sponsor I think but not sure anymore?

Kingspoke

I got one in the City a few months ago when I parked by E63. It's only a $10 ticket with a sign off. It's the law, and beside S.F. is hard up for some revenue!

I have no plans of putting a front plate on any car I own, but I won't be parking in the City, when the meter checkers are out either!

Make sure you send in the ticket certified mail!

la-rue

could put a few strips of blue painters tape on your car, then stick the double sided tape on to that. the blue painters tape will pull up easier than the double sided tape and leave no residue. none of the tape should be showing though, must look like its actually mounted in a proper way. I've gotten a few of these tickets now, each time has been around SF, but with my T/A it's just a matter of taking off the plate cover like the C5's. You can get any officer or police station to sign off on it. Easiest to just stick the plate on the car, drive to your local police station, walk inside and show them your citation and tell them it has been corrected. they'll get someone to come out and look at it, and sign off.

ptroxx

Here ya go.....


http://www.ebay.com/itm/C5-AND-C6-CO...-/180986813645

mig1980

I'm trying to find a way to make it as visibly certain as possible that the plate is properly mounted (i.e. mounting screws showing, etc). Any more input is greatly appreciated. The bracket in the above post looks good but it is very pricey. I think my car has a tow hook slot in the front. Have you guys seen any tow hook plate holders at a decent price?

Kingspoke

Ptroxx, thanks! Pretty cool alternative, especially if you are in an area where 5200V.C. is really enforced. Very reasonably priced.

bearphoto

Dont forget that most police and sheriffs stations will charge you a sign off fee (which is b.s.). CHP will sign tixs off at no charge. So go there and park in their sign off parking stalls where they can see it from their front desk. Most likely they wont go outside and actually inspect it but if they do just make sure it is securely attached in a temporary manner.

FastGhost

A few years ago I got a no front plate ticket in Napa. I went to my city PD office and they refused to sign it off saying I had to take it to the city where I got the ticket
So back to Napa. Parked the car where it could be seen from inside and you are correct..the officer looked out the window and said he could see it and signed it off.
Then he told me to mail in $8.00 to the traffic enforcment in Long Beach. That's right Long Beach, because the parking enforement was contracted out of Long Beach...BTW the ticket at that time was $38.00.

Grzldvt1

Got one up in Tahoe from a CHP, and I drilled holes in the mount, in close approximation to the bars fro the grill and used some very large zip ties, and really cranked them down so the mount was very tight.
Took it in the CHP was very cool, e put his hand on the plate it didn't move he was good.
Almost the entire time he kept saying over and over "how ugly the front plate looked."
I still have the front plate mount if anyone needs one.

LS9Drew

Or you could just make friends with a cop and have him sign it off lol