TreknMazda

Has anyone in the Metro area been stopped for not having a front tag? Especially interested if someone has been stopped in an adjacent jursidiction (ex. VA plates, but DC pulls you over)

What happened? Warning? Ticket? Was it the only reason you were stopped?

The more I look at pictures of the RX8 the less likely it is I want a tag on the front. I'm not sure where it is going to be 'officially' mounted.

Currently, on my RX7 I have minimized the effect a little by using a black plate frame and smoke colored plate cover. But it still disrupts the look of the front end.

kwolfman

I share your same idea. I live in Maryland and I'm giving a lot of thought to not putting the front plate on.

I suspect it is considered a "minor" offense. Not one the cops can pull you over for. If they pull you over for some other reason (speeding in a hot new sports car), they can probably tack on an additional fine for not displaying the front tag. (Like the way they handled seat belts)

I've been watching other cars on the road and trying to get some idea about how many cars don't have the front plates on. My current estimate is 1:20 cars don't have it. I'm excluding cars from other states which don't require it.

I'm planning to keep watching until my Rx8 comes in. I'll decide then what I will do.

Elara

Well, at least in Virginia, especiall in NoVA, you're just asking for it if you don't have a front plate on. It's not like the current seatbelt law where they can only call you on it if they've pulled you over for something else. They see you, they'll pull you over in a heartbeat. However, I don't know what DC thinks about the matter.

TreknMazda

Well, having gone without a Virginia front tag since August I finally got a ticket exactly where I thought I would.

From the Virginia State Police that watch me commute every day? NO

From the Fairfax County Police that have a station just around the corner from my house? NO

From one of the Virginia county or city cops on Rt 29 between I-66 and Virginia International Raceway (240miles)? NO

From the Security Police on Andrews AFB or Bolling AFB? NO

From the MPs on Fort Belvoir? NO

From the Naval police at NNMC in Bethesda? NO

Legally parked with time left on the meter in DC? YES!

I was visiting a client Friday. (God TV, for all the good it did me)The meeting took longer than expected. Thought I might have gotten the ticket for an expired meter but the time of the ticket was when there were still 30 minutes to go. And what was really scary was the parking cop entered yes in the "Tow Requested" box on the ticket! The offense is no front tag. In comments it says not visible so I may have avoided it if I had been smart enough to put the tag on the dash when I parked.

Parking enforcement is a racket in DC. I am not surprised that I got this ticket. Don't think it is fair for a DC parking cop to give this type ticket on an out of state vehicle, but I'll pay the fine anyway. I have to remember to 'display' the tag the next time I have to park in the District. Could have avoided it if I had gone to one of the parking garages, but then an attendant would have driven/parked my car. No Thanks!

Elara

*note to self: Put tag in front windshield when parking n DC*

I gave up and took mine off too. I've seen more cops since then than I've ever seen in my life. They don't seem to care. I think I'm going to take Toadman's advice and beat my license plate up a bit, so I can say someone hit me and knocked it off, and I haven' put it back on yet, if I get pulled.

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

I got two warnings and then finally a ticket all in one week two months ago.
Every time, I was only pulled over for not having the front tag.

The first warning was a Maryland State Trooper who circled the car on the beltway twice before actually hitting his lights.
He didn't cite me for the rear tag cover, clear markers or tint. Only a yellow warning for the tag.

The second warning was Montgomery County cop who also mentioned the rear plate cover.

The ticket was finally issued by a Montgomery County cop.
$40, no points. I showed him the two warnings from the previous days and he told me I should have fixed it by then. I told him right off the bat that I wouldn't be fixing it and to, politely, eat sh*t.

loco4rx8

Glad I don't drive in DC or Northern VA much. Out here in the country, I've been left alone. So far anyway.

drifter_d

I drive daily on 695, 295, from Baltimore to Ft Meade, and and I've been "watched" and even followed by Maryland's finest, but haven't been stopped yet for lack of front tags. I think the Lightning Yellow 8 has some sort of mind-numbing wow effect and just distracts them!

WTF no turbo

Bad luck Jeff anyway been driving since sept and nada.Lets see a seatbelt, stop sign nonsence, and traveling at unsafe speed.I guess i give em enough to write.

kiyeoul

I live in Maryland and I know that the cops here will pull you over just for that reason. I got my yellow 8 about a month ago and am going to keep my front tags on. With my previous car (accord), I was pulled over 3 times, twice w/ warnings and once he actually gave me a $50 ticket!. I think the two times w/ warnings it was for other things like tint violation but the time I got a ticket, that's the only reason why he pulled me over.

oahudvr

Just a suggestion, put the tag in the front window next to your inspection sticker and if you get pulled over just tell them that the front bracket broke and one is on order. It is visable and it is one the front of the car, it's all about how technical you want to get.

wildstar

I got my 8 in PA, where they didn't put on the front tag (but gave me the mounting bracket), and I couldn't figure out how to put the bloody thing on. I've had my baby since october and drive in NOVA, DC, MD and so far haven't been bothered once about it.

I like the "politely told officer friendly to eat ****" comment - made my laugh loud enough to disturb my co-workers.

I would like to put the front plate on (even though it does hurt the cars looks) simply because I work at a secure facility and it confuses many of the guards that I have no front plate. After a while they stopped checking my plates. Curious, I took a peek at the vehicle logs and found my license plate was now only recorded as "RX8."

kwolfman

I live in Maryland too. I have a red 8, so I got the Maryland Farm tags, which are a gradient of red to yellow. They actually match the car fairly well. Since they are not the standard White tag, they look far less like buck teeth. For other colors you might think about the new Chesapeake tags.

shebam

I got ticketed on 12th Street on a Sunday night for going slower than I do during the morning commute, so was glad I had the front tag on or they would have made a point there too. In Alexandria they have a famous red light camera and they're installing a bunch of speed cameras in D.C. so I suspect they'll crack down more on front plates. But more power to those with steadier nerves!

I got the "scenic Virginia" style 'cause it kinda matches Nordic Green. Also, I realized that the "RX8" front plates don't look bad because they have so few letters. So I got custom plates with only 5 letters. (Yes, I'll take another sour grape, thank you.)

TreknMazda

So far as I know, the red light and speed photo traps in our area only capture the rear license. Probably so they can get the tourists from states that don't require a front tag, too.

shebam

Shudda thought of that. Though it LOOKS like it's pointing at you when you're stopped for the light. It would be on the wrong side of the street to capture the cars going in the other direction. (But maybe not a concern unless a car is running the light in the other direction as well, in which case it could block the camera's view ....) Will have to take a closer look.

kiyeoul

Before I got a ticket for not having front tags for my Accord, I did end up putting it by the windshield inside and I still got a warning for that. I actually used that excuse that I got into an accident and am not able to put it back on but I'm sure they're heard it all. If it's required by the state, I would just put it on. Not worth the time and trouble......

Spf006

I'm no expert, but while the speeding cameras do function and capture the rear plate, one of the reasons the state wants you to wear your front plate is for the red-light cams... They take a picture of the rear, but its a reflection of an infrared beam from the FRONT plate that trips the sensors. The picture is only of the rear plate because that's the only place you put registration stickers so they can get you for more dollars if you've let it expire.

Or so I'm told by admittedly sketchy sources... seemed plausible at the time!

FWIW: I took my front plate off nearly two weeks ago and have since driven through most of VA on my way home to Baltimore, and back and forth to DC a number of times and have not yet been molested.

$0.02

classicred

I have been driving my Miata since 1995 in Northern Virginia -and now also my RX-8 since last August- with no incidents. I drove my Miata for 5 years before that in Minnesota without ticket.

As others have said, beware WDC. Their only concern is generating money - especially from the suburbanites on whom they would love to impose a commuter tax. This "enforcement" is their way of taxing us indirectly. I also have heard horror stories about people getting red light and speeding tickets for vehicles not even in the city during the time of the supposed infraction. They bank on people not being able to take the time off from work to fight it.

I have driven a little in Maryland without problems, but not enough to know.

I do know one thing, however, the front plates are staying off both cars!

IceD_InTeGra97

http://www.petitiononline.com/mdplate/petition.html

SIGN THIS PETITION!!

sti_eric

This needed to be repeated. Instead of complaining about it, just do this. Works like a charm here in NY.

762gunner

Been running no front tag on my 4Runner for 5 years in NOVA. No cop has ever written me up for it and hundreds of cops that I pass by even notice or seem to care.

I've received LOTS of tickets / violations, and only one cop noticed while they were writing me up for an expired safety inspection sticker.

The tag stays off!

Kel Rx8

jersey laws suck i am now getting harrassed

Mazda_newbie

Well you can put the front tag on the inside of your windshield and get pulled over and you can tell them that it fell off and so fourth and the officer will simply write you a "repair order" ticket to have the front tag bracket fixed by the date on the ticket or esle you'll get fined or have to appear to court to explain to the judge. Sorry it doesn't quite work like a charm at least over here in MD.

bsckwan

So how do you mount the bracket to the front. Could use some help.. couldn't figure it out