Just got these in the mail today. Yeah Baby, Yeah!

I was suprised as all git out when DMV said that this message was available! Y'all must have been spending too much time on this forum then at the DMV checking out plates! J/K!

 

<----- VERY JEALOUS!

 

U SOB!!!!!, HOW DARE U!!!, I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, I wondered who grabbed that one. I went to their website and saw it was taken some time ago. One of my alternates is still available...for all you Virginians to see at a later time .

 

I thought it was taken too. Right after I got my 8 I went to the DMV website and it said it was taken. on New Years Eve I was futzin around on the internet and went back to the site and tried it again and after a bit of a wait it said

"Congratulations, That message is available"

I was dumbfounded among other things. I'm thinking, out of all the rotary owners in the state I just hit the jackpot! I then tried to buy the plate but I did not have my title number yet and my PIN was no longer valid. So I called them up on the 5th and it was still available so I did a purchase over the phone.

 

Nice plate, but a shame to spoil the looks of the front of the car with it. I have not had a front plate on my 90 Miata since new and don't have one on my RX-8. I have never been stopped in Virginia (8 years) or Minnesota (5 years).

 

Yeah but you will get caught eventually and I do not feel like taking the chance. I hope there are no VA law enforcement officers reading these forums as you just admitted to violating VA code:

§ 46.2-711. Furnishing number and design of plates; displaying on vehicles required.

A. The Department shall furnish one license plate for every registered motorcycle, tractor truck, semitrailer, or trailer, and two license plates for every other registered motor vehicle, except to licensed motor vehicle dealer.

 

I am not exactly worried about getting the ticket. It is worth the small fine to have my cars looking good. I really don't care about the letter of this law.
One place you are most likely to get a ticket though, is in the District of Columbia. They are so anxious to get money there that they ticket out of district vehicles for things that should be none of their business. They also enjoy sticking it to us suburbanites that they think should further subsidise their existance with a commuter tax - if you work in DC. I don't.
Look around at the Miatas you see on the road. I'll bet 50% don't have front plates. The plate also affects cooling.

 

Well don't come to Hampton roads as they will ticket you in a heart beat ($100 fine and you have to show up in court so they can see that the plate is installed on the vehicle. any subsequent tickets and you loose your licence) and it may be a jailable offence if not rectified in the eyes of the court. In my eyes you are just asking for trouble when you flirt with the law like this. Why leave youself open for prosecution. It is not worth the trouble.

Plus me being retired military I have to get onto the base for work and other things. They will not let you enter unless you have both plates on the car. The MP sits in his car right at the gate and they watch you come in and as you drive by. If they see a rear plate and no front plate then the gaurd at the gate motions this to teh MP in the car they WILL pull you over. Its not worth the embarrasment over such a trivial thing like a licence plate. Plus I run the risk of loosing my ability to enter other bases and my job if I get ticketed on base for failing to maintain my vehicle in accordance with state and federal motor vehicle laws.

If The MP catches you you have to deal with a federal judge and the state court system. It's easier to just put the plate on and be done with it. And it doesn not affect cooling that much as most of the air is being taken in by the lower scoop. The radiator is angled to provide for this.

 

Thanks for the warning. I will stay clear of Hampton area. The fine is a bit unbelievable and ludicrous. There are real criminals out there and morons on the road that actually pose a threat to all our safety. Most cops apparently realize this and have better things to do than harass otherwise law obiding citizens. I will not put front plates on my cars - period. If I were under the restrictions you face, I would probably drive my truck to those locations.

The cooling factor is more of an issue with Miatas - especially when boosted like mine is.

Anyway, after driving my Miata for 13 years without incident, I am not too worried.

 

Well from reading your your post you are far from being a law abiding citizen if you refuse to mount your front plate as required.

I see what you are saying but to each his own I guess. I personaly wouldn't broadcasting that you refuse to mount your plate. Do you at least keep it in the car. I have seen people slap it up on the dash board at the last minute but around here the will still ticket you just as you would if your tag was not securley fastened (read that hanging off the car).

Although few and far between at the ticketing officers discretion he can also have the car towed and impounded for a second offence for lack of proper registration. After towing the ticket and court costs...........

well I'm just preaching to the choir........

Well good luck and hope you never get caught!

:o

 

Cool plate. I wanted to have RX8 on mine some how and got this-FUNRX8.

 

I hardly think refusing to put a plate on the front of my cars makes me "far from being a law obiding citizen" Apparently there is no real crime in your area of the state. Be careful about jaywalking. You may get your shoes impounded.

Anyway, it's a nice plate and I did not mean to make a big issue out of this. I simply weigh the risks and make my choice. You do the same.

 

I tried to get that plate! Thats awsome. But, I got 9-K Rever instead.

 

I just got 'MZDA RX8' on my plates...at least folks will know what type of car it is!

 

Cool!

 

What exactly is the VA front license plate law? Can you display the plate in the windshield? The more I see photos of RX-8s in non-front plate states, the more I get angry at Virginia!

 

I have no front plate, but I keep it in my trunk with the screws so I can always throw it on if I had to..or use it as a cheap excuse..

 

What is particularly annoying is that a bill was introduced to do away with the front plate about two years ago. It went nowhere. In fact, I'll bet practically no one in the state even heard about it.

Besides ruining the looks of the front of our cars, a lot of our tax money goes toward stamping and painting these unnecessary plates. BTW, I believe it was a car enthusiast who introduced the bill.

 

Amen!

 

I love the license plate! I've been lurking a bit, and finally registered. I was going to get ZMNRX8 because I had ZMNMP3... well still have, since that's the car I had before (the protege MP3; the one the MS protege was based off of), but someone took it before I could... so now I ordered my new plates which say ZMN29K, and they should be here soon. I don't know, just thought it was different. BTW, this site is great and have already got some great info off of it. I love my RX-8!!

 

It has been brought up at least twice in the last couple years. The last time, I got a chance to send an email of support to my delegate. So far, every time it is introduced, it does not make it out of committee for a vote because of lobbying by police groups. For some reason, we are safer if we have a law requiring front license plate. :p

By the way Rotary Nut, the Army and Air Force bases around DC do not bother with front license plate enforcement. They are more concerned with Military/photo ID and base sticker for security. But they do love my car. One told me I could go as fast as I wanted on post and they would not stop me.:D I do find it odd that your neck of the state has made up their own rules for front license plates. It is not a primary offense in state law. You must be stopped for some other moving violation first. It's a common add-on gotcha ticket if you rubbed the officer the wrong way. (Interesting thought... you can not be stopped for no front tag, but you can be stopped for non working light on the rear tag. Go figure.) Also, a $100 fine would mean they are charging more for missing one tag than speeding (less than 20 miles over the limit), running stop signs/red lights or failure to yield. That's even $25 more than a DC parking ticket. No points are assesed since it is not a primary offense so losing your license requires some creative interpretation of the law as well. Crazy. But if you say it is so, I believe you.

Peakster, according to current law, the dash is not far enough forward for legal display. It essentially states the plate must be attached to absolute front of vehicle with some leeway for some bumper issues.

 

hi Kit! glad to finally see you post on this site!!!

 

Thanks Hank, yeah I lurked for a bit... but finally signed up since I actually had something to say!!