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Front License Plate Law back in the news


clayton006

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Just found out about this on Facebook through the local news station. I emailed everyone on the finance committee urging them to allow the removal of the requirement for a front license plate.

 

http://nbc4i.com/2017/02/22/ohio-lawmakers-to-consider-proposal-to-ditch-front-license-plates/

 

http://www.ohiohouse.gov/committee/finance

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It's never going to happen. MADD/Police unions and support groups won't let that form of identification go away in case of an accident/hit-n-run.

 

I'd PAY MORE not to have a front plate (Lord knows I've gotten 6 or more no-front-plate tickets at downtown parking meters over the last several years), but I'd be shocked if this got through.

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Add me in with the don't give a shit group. I've had around 25 vehicles, if the front plate doesn't make a big visual difference and the bracket/holes are already there, I'll run it. If it looks horrendous or requires drilling, nope.
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It's never going to happen. MADD/Police unions and support groups won't let that form of identification go away in case of an accident/hit-n-run.

I'd PAY MORE not to have a front plate (Lord knows I've gotten 6 or more no-front-plate tickets at downtown parking meters over the last several years), but I'd be shocked if this got through.

 

 

But they were okay with covering up perfectly good red light cameras that could catch incidents like this.

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In my personal case, I was a part of a hit and run as a pedestrian walking through a cross-walk legally with the walk sign and a Ford Expedition smashed into me in a busy intersection breaking my femur and tibia and tearing pretty much every ligament in my knee except for my ACL. The person sped off without knowing if I was even alive and was never caught. There was a red light camera at that intersection with a blanket covering it.

 

If you're going to tell me they can't justify the cost then why did they ever install them in the first place? Another example of piss poor planning by the govt.

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In my personal case, I was a part of a hit and run as a pedestrian walking through a cross-walk legally with the walk sign and a Ford Expedition smashed into me in a busy intersection breaking my femur and tibia and tearing pretty much every ligament in my knee except for my ACL. The person sped off without knowing if I was even alive and was never caught. There was a red light camera at that intersection with a blanket covering it.

 

Sounds like you won the world's shittiest lottery. Does it suck? fuck yeah it sucks. I'm sorry you got hurt, and I hope you healed. And yes maybe in your case it might have helped but again, this is one case out of hundreds of thousands of cars that pass through that intersection. Just because it would have helped you in your case however, doesn't mean it helps everyone.

 

this is all assuming that the red light camera even in your case would have helped by being at the correct angle, triggered the camera (right turns on red even when the walk symbol are displayed don't usually trigger), able to capture the car's license plate (assuming no polarizing filter cover like many have on their cars in this state), the car was not stolen (cameras don't capture the driver, just the plate), and that you could get a copy of the photograph without a warrant or subpoena (and even if you needed one could get it in time).

 

you are talking about a large expensive infrastructure to catch a very very small number of people committing a very specific crime.

 

If you're going to tell me they can't justify the cost then why did they ever install them in the first place? Another example of piss poor planning by the govt.

 

If the only reason they were there is to catch hit and run accidents like you are alleging, then yes the cost doesn't justify the existence. It is a very small secondary benefit of actual function of a red light camera - catching people who presumably run red lights. The money is made on people paying $50-$100 fines for presumably running red lights, and that's it.

 

Red Light camera's come with numerous social costs. Primary is that they tend to increase rear end accidents at any intersection they are installed in. Accidents that they camera doesn't capture unless the car gets pushed into the intersection. They also are generally run by private corporations who are more interested in generating tickets than enforcing red light laws. The number and types of abuses in this area is fascinating from bribing city officials to displaced thresholds, tampered with light times (contractually shortening the yellow), making charities defenders of the programs by cutting them in on the revenue stream, and termination costs that empty the municipalities' wallet. Let's not forget that most programs are on dubious constitutional due process grounds, and in many cases (like in ohio) actually defy state criminal enforcement laws.

 

 

Anyway...I don't get what all the fuss is about front plates. They have been around forever and they aren't hurting anyone.

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Anyway...I don't get what all the fuss is about front plates. They have been around forever and they aren't hurting anyone.

 

It's all about the visual aesthetics, which tbh, car companies could easily incorporate into their designs. I'm not sure if there's a federal reg/mandate behind it, but every state's license plates is the same size, so it's not like they'd have to design 37 (36 states w/ plates, plus one generic non-plate) different bumpers.

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It's all about the visual aesthetics, which tbh, car companies could easily incorporate into their designs.

 

They used to. Look at any 1960's american car and you will see a spot for the plate in the design. In fact it used to look ugly without a plate so people would put fake plates there. examples:

 

84975-500-0.jpg?rev=1

 

http://www.corvsport.com/Corvette/C4/1984/Images/1984_Prototype_Front_View.jpg

 

 

I don't know what changed about the culture of design in the 1970's but that's when you started to see designs where the front plate was an after thought to the point today that almost all are an afterthought. Maybe it was driven by aerodynamics. In the modern era I think Audi nails it pretty well, as do ford trucks.

 

I'm not sure if there's a federal reg/mandate behind it, but every state's license plates is the same size, so it's not like they'd have to design 37 (36 states w/ plates, plus one generic non-plate) different bumpers.

 

The DOT sets the minimum standards and leaves it up to the states to decide if they want to do something different. If they stray too far they can withhold federal money (like with the highways) but they can't enforce. Bringing it back to our red light camera discussion this is why municipalities can make their yellow lights shorter than the DOT 3.6 seconds requirement when they contract with red light camera companies, but they run the risk of courts throwing out the tickets if the right defendant comes along.

 

Anyway, I think there are always going to be people who just like to bitch about little squares with numbers and letters "breaking up the visual language" of their car's front end or some such waxy poetic nonsense.

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The government will never give up the chance to take more of your money. It's annoying, especially being from PA and not having to worry about figuring out a front plate location, but it is what it is. Thankfully there's ways around drilling into your bumper and still staying legal. You can always shove it in the windshield and hope you don't run into a tightwad cop.
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Read thru the amendment. I don't think it is removing the front plate requirement, but would make it a minor offense, similar to the seatbelt law. If I understand it correctly you could not be pulled over for not running a front plate, but could be ticketed if you were being stopped for another offense, like speeding.
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