I've been down in Ocean City, MD for Cruisin since Wednesday night. I got pulled over Thursday night for no front plate and given a $70 citation. Then got pulled over tonight and received another $70 citation for no front plate. My primary residence is 3 1/2 hours away. The first officer was a State Trooper and said just put it on when I get back home. The second was a OCPD who said drill two holes in the bumper. Do I have any grace period?
Question about front plate citation in MD
- Thread starter bpmurr
- Start date
In most states, an officer would not write you the same equipment violation on the same date as a previous citation/summons was written, although by law, an officer can do that for each occasion you are observed operating your car. However, as soon as the next day rolls around, you are subject to being written again if the violation has not been brought into compliance.
There is no grace period that I know of for correcting the equipment issues, however, you can correct them and make a court appearance to show the judge that you have complied with the law. At that point, the judge has the authority to do what he pleases with the charge.
Get a no drill plate mount and remove the plate as soon as you are on private party and at a show.
No point in taking chances these days when every municipality needs every penny it can generate. And there is no easier ticket to write than a no front plate.
No point in taking chances these days when every municipality needs every penny it can generate. And there is no easier ticket to write than a no front plate.
If I remember correctly Maryland State Government receives the fine not the municipality.
Here in Houston, when I picked up my plates from the dealership, the lady gave me a bracket made for mustangs to hold the front license plate. She asked if I wanted them to put it on and I said no, but held on to the bracket just in case. I also noticed that my mustang already had two pin holes in the middle of the lower bumper for the plate. Sure enough, I got pulled over and was given a warning for not having a front plate on my way to Austin. These cars attract a lot of attention as is, so I went ahead and put it on. It kind of sucks though, because they look much better without the front plate. Sorry to hear about your tickets.
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What sucks is I have a no drill bracket coming but can't do anything about it until I'm home. The rent a cop in OC (most are college kids hired for the summer) could have been a little more understanding. He also decided to "check my tint" even though he said he had no problem seeing in the car. The State Trooper had no problems with my tint. It was borderline harassment.
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:lol: want some cheese to go with that whine? you car is illegal, you CHOOSE to drive it that way … suck it up and either pay the fine or fix it. but quit crying about "borderline harassment". you do the crime you pay the fine just like the rest of us that also CHOOSE to do these things but don't cry like a little girl when we get a ticket for it
Could you please expand on exactly which part was "borderline harassment"? Tint being legal or illegal has nothing to do with whether or not an officer can see through it. State law determines whether or not your tint would be illegal. If the officer SUSPECTS that it may be illegal, then he/she can stop you based on that suspicion in order to measure the tint. If it is illegal, then you could get a ticket for it. If it is legal, then obviously his suspicion was incorrect, you get to be on your merry way with the knowledge that your tint is, in fact, legal.
Here is my problem. I was down in Ocean City on vacation for the Cruisin Ocean City event and 3 1/2 hours from home. I had no ability to mount the plate until I returned home. The OCPD officer knew I had been pulled over two days prior in Ocean City as I explained. I have one of Craig's no drill brackets on the way. Now I was polite to the officer and he had it within his discretion to write a ticket, warning or do nothing. He decided to not only write another ticket for the plate, but then checked my tint when I've never had a problem with it before, including the MD State Trooper on the prior stop. I'm down at an event with thousands of cars. Many of these cars are not even "street legal", running up and down Coastal Highway doing all kinds of stupid stuff. I'm not complaining about the first ticket... that's on me. I do have a problem with the excessive ticketing. Borderline harassment was the wrong choice of words. The officer already knew I was on the hook for at least $70 two days prior for the plate.
I think a reasonable person would understand and allow me time to return home in order to mount the plate. I would completely understand if I was down two weeks later with no plate on and got stopped and issued another ticket. I have a lot of respect for police and a couple fellow officers I'm friends with agreed he could have used his discretion to give me a warning vs a ticket. For now I'll pay the fine and have the plate taken care of.
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As far as your tint is concerned, not all police agencies, state or otherwise, equip all of their officers with the meters that are needed to measure window tint levels. This could have been the scenario with the state trooper. And again, if and officer suspects your tint of being too dark, he has the right and the duty to measure it. Addressing your front tag issue, if you know MD requires you to have a tag mounted on the front, and you choose to drive, then you are taking the chance of getting tickets for it. Not trying to be a dick here, and yes officer's do have discretion to use at their free will, but it is NOT the officers fault that you are operating you car in violation of the state law. Could he have used discretion? Yes. Did he use discretion? Yes. It is HIS discretion to warn, summons, or arrest. He used his discretion to issue you another ticket.
Just pay the fine and don't fix it?
I must admit that this is my method too. Here in California (at least in Los Angeles) you can be warned, given a "fix it" ticket, or given an actual citation for equipment.
The fixit ticket requires that you drive to a CHP office and have it visually proven that you now have a plate on the front of your car. Then you have to take the ticket with the sign off on it and go to the courthouse. Wait in line a minimum of two hours, pay a paperwork annoyance fee, probably have to pay for parking then go home.
The actual citation is more expensive (but not by much) but much simpler. Sit at desk, write check, put stamp on envelope, and mail it. Total time, maybe ten minutes. It is way cheaper than a tank of gas.
Even for a citation I get a blank envelope, money order and a forever stamp then leave in my out going mailbox. Why go to a courthouse for a fix-it ticket? LEO already signed off citation.
Well I already ordered the bracket so I'll have it installed for the next trip down to OC for fall Cruisin. Of course I'll pay the fines as it's not worth the hassle of driving down there on a weekday for $140 bucks.
Agreed, that was the point I was trying to make. At least give me a chance to return to my primary residence. Even if I wanted to drill into my bumper it wasn't going to happen until I got home. I didn't have the tools to mount the plate with me. I know that's not the officers problem but a little understanding would have been nice.
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Is it legal to 'mount' your plate up on your dashboard while you wait for your 'no-drill' mount to arrive? **Wife says she researched online and only found "visable from the front" type language**
In all honesty, I have been procrastinating ordering the 'no-drill' bracket since moving up to IL. I have actually had to find OEM front mounts for 4 cars, and the cobra is the only one still unresolved. So I have just been driving around with my front plate behind the windshield, hoping that would at least get me a 'pass' until I get the damn mount.
In all honesty, I have been procrastinating ordering the 'no-drill' bracket since moving up to IL. I have actually had to find OEM front mounts for 4 cars, and the cobra is the only one still unresolved. So I have just been driving around with my front plate behind the windshield, hoping that would at least get me a 'pass' until I get the damn mount.
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I think it varies from state to state. In Maryland putting it in the front window doesn't meet the legal requirement.
Double sided tape with cut off screw heads showing on the plate would be my instant fix.
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