Front plate story.

ZeD4Mr · 11-17-2010, 04:24 PM

I just got a warning for no front plate; however, I got pulled over by bicycle cops!

I was in a shopping mall parking lot going 5kmph looking for parking and I saw these 3 bicycle cops weaving in and out of parking lot traffic. I was thinking to myself, "Parking lot traffic is bad enough during lunch time and 3 of them weaving in and out with no sense of where they're going, some poor old lady or new driver will get really confused and cause something bad happen"

As I come closer to them, one of them has one hand waving me down and can barely keep himself in balance with only one hand on the handle. I put my window down, and he paused for a moment and said
"YOU DON"T HAVE FRONT PLATE!"

(I figured that he wanted to say "PULL OVER

" but being in the middle of the lot traffic, 3 cars behind me waiting to turn, and he's on a bicycle, he couldn't really say the right thing so I helped him out)

"Sir, do you want me to stop right here in the middle of the parking lot or find a spot and park?"

"Go park there! there's a spot!"

"Ok. Thank you sir, I was looking for one"

I drove about 30 yards with 3 bicycle cops in neon jacket tailing me and pulled into a spot. Must be a sight for the onlookers.

At the end, I got a written warning and he said he'll will put into the system. He said he won't even follow this up and waste his time but if I got pull over again with no-front-plate, they'll know this is the 2nd time.

This is what I got out of him.
-Tow hook mount is ok
-Zip-tie at any location below the grill and visible in the front is ok
-cut the plate to fit lower grill is not ok since any modification to the plate is illegal and plate is DMV's property
-Vinyl reflective sticker is not ok since anyone can print whatever number they want
-Inside the windshield glass is not ok and very dangerous

I did ask him out of curiosity "what if there's no front grill and not enough space below? where do you mount them?"

"Which car doesn't have front grill?"

"All my Ferrari and Lambo buddies don't have front grills and I don't think their car have enough space below the bumper to put a bracket on. So their only option is to drill the bracket into their $20k bumper?"

"I don't have an answer for you but it's the law and the dealership should figure it out.."

It's time to get Gominigo or Rho-plate? Which one is better or any other suggestions?

TIA,

jumpthewire · 11-17-2010, 05:42 PM

must have been a slow day for them! where abouts is vancity?

mfanatic325 · 11-17-2010, 07:01 PM

Get the Rho Plate. I got one and it's got a decent amount of positionings available. I pretty much got one just in case I needed to get any front plate fix-it tickets signed off

These things really are ridiculous. The only reason I can think of for having one is for red light cameras or something. Other than that, it's really pointless

Most people don't get pulled over for these things, let alone get ticketed.

However, do know that sometimes they can be really anal and not accept zip-tied solutions

tekmoe · 11-17-2010, 08:17 PM

That's a chicken shit ticket. I've been driving around in most of my cars for years with no front plate and I've never been messed with even though it is technically illegal in Texas. This cop must have been on the rag.

r4gs · 11-17-2010, 08:44 PM

^i've gotten pulled over 3 separate times for not mounting my front license plate and have not been ticketed, just two issued and one verbal warning. one was texas state highway patrol, one was the bracketville local police and one was on-base. then again, i've encountered dozens of cops who're none-the-wiser about not mounting a front license plate, and the local cops in del rio are totally cool about it.

give some and take some, but i would go with the rho plate for its range of mounting positions.

3002 tii · 11-17-2010, 10:09 PM

I got 2 tickets for no front plate, I now use the Rho plate

ZZZZ · 11-17-2010, 10:33 PM

My Z4 is a U.S. car and didn't come with the front plate bracket either, but it's required in Toronto to have a front plate. What's the benefit of those aftermarket plates opposed to the OEM mounting bracket? (around $30 from my local dealer)

mfanatic325 · 11-18-2010, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZZZZ

My Z4 is a U.S. car and didn't come with the front plate bracket either, but it's required in Toronto to have a front plate. What's the benefit of those aftermarket plates opposed to the OEM mounting bracket? (around $30 from my local dealer)

The OEM bracket requires drilling into your front bumper, which leaves irreversible holes.
An aftermarket solution such as the Rho Plate allows for other forms of mounting, which are completely reversible/clean.
The Rho Plate itself utilizes the tow hook hole which has already been predrilled for you, so you don't need to modify anything on your car to use the Rho Plate. It just depends on whether or not you think the $85 or so is worth your investment.

The fix-it tickets here in California are like $15 when you get the ticket signed off (with proof of fixture). Not sure if they raised the rates or not since the last time I had to do it; but typically they pull you over for speeding, THEN tack on all the other junk such as no front plate, modified exhaust, tints, etc. etc.

HOG4DNR · 11-18-2010, 07:04 AM

Here in Florida we don't have front plates. I really think it's just another way for the States that require them to make a few more $$$$.

When I was looking for my MC (bought out of State) if it had a front plate mount, it would have been a deal breaker (yes, unfortunately I'm that anal).

esqu1re · 11-18-2010, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOG4DNR

Here in Florida we don't have front plates. I really think it's just another way for the States that require them to make a few more $$$$.

When I was looking for my MC (bought out of State) if I a front plate mount it would have been a deal breaker (yes, unfortunately I'm that anal).

For a lot of people, having holes in a visible place on the bumper is a deal breaker...

ZeD4Mr · 11-18-2010, 11:22 AM

I guess the consensus is going for Rho Plate. However, I never really liked the one-sided look, that's why I been taking my chances. Symmetrical is much prettier.

Has anyone tried: http://www.skene.org/bmw/plate/

If so, please post a pic. Just wanted to see how it looks with Z4 front end since it has much more curve than other cars.

TIA,

ZZZZ · 11-18-2010, 01:01 PM

I guess OEM is better for me since there ARE factory drilled holes already on the bumper.

Hawkeye · 11-18-2010, 01:43 PM

I have the GoMini plate and love it. I have had it on for 3+ years now and it looks new (the holder itself, not the plate). Faces perfectly forward and is easy to install/uninstall

I have not seen them Rho Plate but from reviews, they do the same thing and you can't really go wrong with either one.

3002 tii · 11-18-2010, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZZZZ

I guess OEM is better for me since there ARE factory drilled holes already on the bumper.

You can get those plugged with factory paint match

psygnosis · 11-18-2010, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

I have the GoMini plate and love it. I have had it on for 3+ years now and it looks new (the holder itself, not the plate). Faces perfectly forward and is easy to install/uninstall

I have not seen them Rho Plate but from reviews, they do the same thing and you can't really go wrong with either one.

My GoMiniGo place is awesome

11-17-2010, 04:24 PM	#1
ZeD4Mr Lieutenant Colonel 502 Rep 1,543 Posts Drives: Skyer Z4MR Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada iTrader: (18)	Front plate story. I just got a warning for no front plate; however, I got pulled over by bicycle cops! I was in a shopping mall parking lot going 5kmph looking for parking and I saw these 3 bicycle cops weaving in and out of parking lot traffic. I was thinking to myself, "Parking lot traffic is bad enough during lunch time and 3 of them weaving in and out with no sense of where they're going, some poor old lady or new driver will get really confused and cause something bad happen" As I come closer to them, one of them has one hand waving me down and can barely keep himself in balance with only one hand on the handle. I put my window down, and he paused for a moment and said "YOU DON"T HAVE FRONT PLATE!" (I figured that he wanted to say "PULL OVER" but being in the middle of the lot traffic, 3 cars behind me waiting to turn, and he's on a bicycle, he couldn't really say the right thing so I helped him out) "Sir, do you want me to stop right here in the middle of the parking lot or find a spot and park?" "Go park there! there's a spot!" "Ok. Thank you sir, I was looking for one" I drove about 30 yards with 3 bicycle cops in neon jacket tailing me and pulled into a spot. Must be a sight for the onlookers. At the end, I got a written warning and he said he'll will put into the system. He said he won't even follow this up and waste his time but if I got pull over again with no-front-plate, they'll know this is the 2nd time. This is what I got out of him. -Tow hook mount is ok -Zip-tie at any location below the grill and visible in the front is ok -cut the plate to fit lower grill is not ok since any modification to the plate is illegal and plate is DMV's property -Vinyl reflective sticker is not ok since anyone can print whatever number they want -Inside the windshield glass is not ok and very dangerous I did ask him out of curiosity "what if there's no front grill and not enough space below? where do you mount them?" "Which car doesn't have front grill?" "All my Ferrari and Lambo buddies don't have front grills and I don't think their car have enough space below the bumper to put a bracket on. So their only option is to drill the bracket into their $20k bumper?" "I don't have an answer for you but it's the law and the dealership should figure it out.." It's time to get Gominigo or Rho-plate? Which one is better or any other suggestions? TIA, Last edited by ZeD4Mr; 11-17-2010 at 04:29 PM..
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11-17-2010, 05:42 PM	#2
jumpthewire First Lieutenant 26 Rep 316 Posts Drives: 2007 silver/grey Z4 3.0si Join Date: May 2010 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (1)	must have been a slow day for them! where abouts is vancity?
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11-17-2010, 07:01 PM	#3
mfanatic325 ///M-fanatic 193 Rep 3,885 Posts Drives: '01 911 Turbo Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Cupertino, CA. iTrader: (23)	Get the Rho Plate. I got one and it's got a decent amount of positionings available. I pretty much got one just in case I needed to get any front plate fix-it tickets signed off These things really are ridiculous. The only reason I can think of for having one is for red light cameras or something. Other than that, it's really pointless Most people don't get pulled over for these things, let alone get ticketed. However, do know that sometimes they can be really anal and not accept zip-tied solutions
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11-17-2010, 08:17 PM	#4
tekmoe Captain 55 Rep 844 Posts Drives: ///M Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	That's a chicken shit ticket. I've been driving around in most of my cars for years with no front plate and I've never been messed with even though it is technically illegal in Texas. This cop must have been on the rag.
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11-17-2010, 08:44 PM	#5
r4gs Viper Driver 36 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: F-16 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Singapore iTrader: (2)	^i've gotten pulled over 3 separate times for not mounting my front license plate and have not been ticketed, just two issued and one verbal warning. one was texas state highway patrol, one was the bracketville local police and one was on-base. then again, i've encountered dozens of cops who're none-the-wiser about not mounting a front license plate, and the local cops in del rio are totally cool about it. give some and take some, but i would go with the rho plate for its range of mounting positions.
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11-17-2010, 10:09 PM	#6
3002 tii Lieutenant General 2286 Rep 12,565 Posts Drives: Z4 M, X5, GX460 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: CT iTrader: (99) Garage List F15 X5 xDrive35i [8.75] E86 Z4 M [10.00] F10 550i (Retired) [9.17] F25 X3 xDrive35i (R ... [9.43] E82 135is (Retired) [9.50] E85 Z4 M (Retired) [9.41] E90 328i xDrive (Re ... [9.25] E86 Z4 3.0si (Retired) [9.24]	I got 2 tickets for no front plate, I now use the Rho plate __________________ Follow for latest mods
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11-17-2010, 10:33 PM	#7
ZZZZ Captain 50 Rep 753 Posts Drives: Z4 3.0i winterbeater Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Toronto, Ontario iTrader: (1)	My Z4 is a U.S. car and didn't come with the front plate bracket either, but it's required in Toronto to have a front plate. What's the benefit of those aftermarket plates opposed to the OEM mounting bracket? (around $30 from my local dealer)
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11-18-2010, 07:04 AM	#9
HOG4DNR Second Lieutenant 37 Rep 243 Posts Drives: 2014 M235i Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Pompano Beach, FL iTrader: (5)	Here in Florida we don't have front plates. I really think it's just another way for the States that require them to make a few more $$$$. When I was looking for my MC (bought out of State) if it had a front plate mount, it would have been a deal breaker (yes, unfortunately I'm that anal). Last edited by HOG4DNR; 11-18-2010 at 08:20 AM..
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11-18-2010, 11:22 AM	#11
ZeD4Mr Lieutenant Colonel 502 Rep 1,543 Posts Drives: Skyer Z4MR Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada iTrader: (18)	I guess the consensus is going for Rho Plate. However, I never really liked the one-sided look, that's why I been taking my chances. Symmetrical is much prettier. Has anyone tried: http://www.skene.org/bmw/plate/ If so, please post a pic. Just wanted to see how it looks with Z4 front end since it has much more curve than other cars. TIA,
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11-18-2010, 01:01 PM	#12
ZZZZ Captain 50 Rep 753 Posts Drives: Z4 3.0i winterbeater Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Toronto, Ontario iTrader: (1)	I guess OEM is better for me since there ARE factory drilled holes already on the bumper.
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11-18-2010, 01:43 PM	#13
Hawkeye Brigadier General 2070 Rep 4,365 Posts Drives: '07 Z4 Coupe, '21 X3, '16 GMC Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Iowa iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 GMC Sierra SLT [10.00] 2008 Yamaha R6 [9.00]	I have the GoMini plate and love it. I have had it on for 3+ years now and it looks new (the holder itself, not the plate). Faces perfectly forward and is easy to install/uninstall I have not seen them Rho Plate but from reviews, they do the same thing and you can't really go wrong with either one. __________________ 2007 Z4 3.0si Coupe • 6 MT • Black Saphire Metallic • PP • SP 2016 GMC Sierra SLT Z71 Premium Plus 4x4 2017 Harley StreetGlide • Denim Black • V&H Tune 2021 BMW x30i • Phytonic Blue Metallic • Fully loaded
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