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Front License Plate in Virginia

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DaveVa

Sig Perf #236 VIN #484
May 31, 2011
296
22
Northern Virginia
In my opinion the Model S looks much better without a front license plate.

There is an active motion in Virginia to remove the front license plate requirement for all non-comercial vehicles. It was continued into 2013 pending investigation by the Transportation Committee into objections from law enforcement and VDOT. If you live in Virginia and want your Model S to look its best, please write your state legislators in support of the measure (especially if they are on the transportation committee). You can find out who your representatives are at the following web address:

Welcome to the Virginia General Assembly - Who's My Legislator? Service

The bill and its history can be seen at the following web address:

Bill Tracking - 2012 session > Legislation

[update] It also saves VA taxpayers $2.3 Million per year to not have to produce tags and stickers for the front of the vehicles!

Feel free to repost to other EV and/or automotive enthusist boards...
 
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Well so much for that...





Thank you for your email to Senator Deeds in support of SB 771. The bill's patron, Senator Wagner, requested that the bill be struck, essentially removing the bill from consideration. The General Assembly adjourned on February 23 and will not convene to consider new legislation until next January. A similar bill may be reintroduced at that time, and I will be certain to pass along your views.


Please let me know if you have any questions.


Thanks again,


Tracy Eppard
Legislative Aide
 
I know this thread is dated, but I am new to the forum as I just confirmed my order yesterday!

I have friends who are in the business of Virginia government, politics, and lobbying. Whenever efforts have been made to remove the front plate, they are always foiled by the Virginia State Police who insist that the front plate aids law enforcement. According to one legislator, "Virginia State Police almost always gets what they ask for, and this is an easy one."

Take that for what it's worth. I am just passing along some intelligence.
 
I know this thread is dated, but I am new to the forum as I just confirmed my order yesterday!

I have friends who are in the business of Virginia government, politics, and lobbying. Whenever efforts have been made to remove the front plate, they are always foiled by the Virginia State Police who insist that the front plate aids law enforcement. According to one legislator, "Virginia State Police almost always gets what they ask for, and this is an easy one."

Take that for what it's worth. I am just passing along some intelligence.

I probably shouldn't say this, but this week will mark the 1-yr ownership mark for me here in NoVA, and so far no front-plate, and no problem.

My understanding is that patrol officers using LADAR are trained to aim for the front plate as a nice reflective target for readings.

On my commute route home, there's a location that's a common LADAR trap, and I've driven by it a dozen times when it was operative, and each time I round the bend and pass the trooper, he deliberately turns his head and stares me down as I go by him without a plate. I'm not sure how much is not having the plate, versus how much it getting a look at t my inspection & tax tags in the windshield to see if I'm good there. So far he's not jumped in his car and come after me.

I also have parked the car in DC a few times (half a dozen at most), and not yet had an issue... I've seen reports that meter attendants are more prone to write yu up for no front plate. Perhaps folks parking in cities more than I do might have more of an issue...
 
To date, after 15mos ownership, only pulled over once for a moving violation. I received a bonus fine for no front tag from the State trooper ($25 fine plus extra $10 court fee for each charge). I've never been stopped for just the tag issue though they could if they wanted too. Not sure why so many other states have removed the requirement while Virginia feels it needs to keep the front plates. Maybe the extra $2.3million to produce front tags referenced above could come out of the State Police budget if they feel it is so essential to crime-fighting efforts.
 
I also have parked the car in DC a few times (half a dozen at most), and not yet had an issue... I've seen reports that meter attendants are more prone to write you up for no front plate.

Writing up a citation for an out of State, or District, vehicle would appear to assume competency in the other jurisdiction's laws and requirements. Do meter attendants assume such competency, or do they defer to 'State's Rights' when faced with your car with out of State plates? Being a border rat myself I've often wondered about this but avoided asking. Who would know the answer anyway?

@Dfibrilator: Are States really going in the direction of removing the front plate requirement? This would be good news if true.
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I hadn't even considered LADAR. With that being the most common form of speed detection (I assume), I suppose that VSP and other LE are quite entrenched in the front-plate status quo. :(
so oll, are you planning on mounting the front plate? I originally told the ds to not touch it....then just caved, and requested that they mount it. Since the sc is so far off,,,I figured...meh, better to have them drilling holes in the niece one than me.