Ticket :[

[david_lm]

So this morning I dropped my roommate off at the airport and was driving back home at 6:00 a.m. I was about a half mile away from my house and got pulled over by two Seattle PD officers. I was informed I was pulled over for 1. no front plate (knew this was illegal but hate how it looks), 2. illegal exhaust (didn't know this was illegal, I have the Rogue Diablo so it's not annoying loud) and 3. illegal cover obstructing my rear plate (I have one of those SLIGHTLY tinted plastic covers over my rear plate). I got a warning for the plate cover and exhaust but received a $124 ticket for the not having a front plate on my car.

So, should I attempt to fight this ticket (affix it to the front of my car and take a picture to the judge)? Also, is it actually illegal to have the Rogue exhaust on my car?? I'll take the rear plate cover off.

Any input/suggestions/comments would be welcomed.

Thanks.

[Rustycat]

Hi David,
Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Seems pretty tough to find a reason that will convince the magistrate to knock off the front license fine. Seattle has a decibel ordinence, but, it seems a bit of a stretch for them to single you out with all of the
aftermarket exhaust systems on cars and bikes. The license plate shield is of course illegal, in fact, I know one guy that got a ticket for obstructing his rear license plate on this truck with a trailer hitch. The bigger question, I would think,would be if the next time they give you the once over and see that you were previously cited for the exhaust with a warning whether that would automatically set you up for a ticket.
Welcome to the new economy. Keep us posted on the outcome.
Lew

[david_lm]

Lew,

Ok I won't bother doing that then, I'll just suck it up and pay the fine. I thought it was a little ... odd that he stated simply that "modified mufflers are illegal".

Since I was pulled over so close to my house (and drive around here often, obviously) I'm worried that my car now has a bullseye on it. Do you think they keep track of things like warnings issued? I'd think that only the two officers that pulled me over would know of the warning they issued me. I could be wrong.

[Rustycat]

David, I suspect, if they gave you a written warning, that it is in the system. I'll ask a COP friend the next time I see him and see what he says.
Lew

[david_lm]

Nothing in writing, just verbal.

[jragan]

If you affix your front license plate and provide proof of that (with pictures) to the magistrate, the front license-plate ticket will be dropped (I know this because I did the same thing and mine was dropped). The same may also go for the rear license plate, all you can do is try and see. When I got my front-ticket...even though it was dropped, it convinced me to get with the GoMiniGo as no one needs an extra reason to get pulled over (especially late at night).

[hansaysso]

Originally Posted by jragan

If you affix your front license plate and provide proof of that (with pictures) to the magistrate, the front license-plate ticket will be dropped (I know this because I did the same thing and mine was dropped). The same may also go for the rear license plate, all you can do is try and see. When I got my front-ticket...even though it was dropped, it convinced me to get with the GoMiniGo as no one needs an extra reason to get pulled over (especially late at night).

i also got my "no front license plate" ticket knocked off by giving the magistrate pictures of my car with a front plate attached.

[david_lm]

Alright guys I might give it a shot ...

So all I do is affix the front plate to my car then take some pictures to prove it? Then choose the contest the ticket and bring it to the magistrate?

[Johnny Lin]

Sorry to hear what just happened buddy, but now you are making me nervous. My exhuast is pretty loud lo and so does to lots my friends. Everyone seems to be fine and nvr had a problem with it before. I didnt even kw that it was illegal to have your exhaust mod in the WA state???

[hansaysso]

it really depends on the cops. back when i still had an rx7, during a drive a cop pulled over my friend (who happened to being driving infront of me) and said it was because of the lack of a front license plate. this entire time i'm parked directly behind the cop car and he looks over and waves. (my car didn't even have the holes in the front bumper for the license plate) the only reason being that my car looked much more stock than my friends. basically it just gets down to how much of a douche the copper wants to be

[blender]

you might consider one of the no-holes license plate holders that screws into the existing tow hook socket if you don't want to drill your front bumper.

[jragan]

Originally Posted by rcleme05

you might consider one of the no-holes license plate holders that screws into the existing tow hook socket if you don't want to drill your front bumper.

Right, that's what I went with.

[david_lm]

Originally Posted by Johnny Lin

Sorry to hear what just happened buddy, but now you are making me nervous. My exhuast is pretty loud lo and so does to lots my friends. Everyone seems to be fine and nvr had a problem with it before. I didnt even kw that it was illegal to have your exhaust mod in the WA state???

Well he told me "City of Seattle" not Washington state ... But I'm not even sure of the validity of that statement. I'll admit when cops are nice, but both of these guys were douche bags, so he could've just been giving me a line. I wasn't revving high or anything and I even think my exhaust sounds fairly tame ...

[david_lm]

Originally Posted by hansaysso

basically it just gets down to how much of a douche the copper wants to be

I think you hit the nail on the head ...

[david_lm]

Originally Posted by rcleme05

you might consider one of the no-holes license plate holders that screws into the existing tow hook socket if you don't want to drill your front bumper.

If I get pulled over again for it I think I'll consider it but until then I'm gonna take my chances

[nesrevival]

I got a ticket for "no front license plate" two years ago, and I still don't have the front license plate

[Johnny Lin]

Originally Posted by david_lm

Well he told me "City of Seattle" not Washington state ... But I'm not even sure of the validity of that statement. I'll admit when cops are nice, but both of these guys were douche bags, so he could've just been giving me a line. I wasn't revving high or anything and I even think my exhaust sounds fairly tame ...

Come on, most cops in the area suck. I got two tickets caused by the racial issues.

[Johnny Lin]

Damn, I guess the WA police departments need the money so badly. A buddy of my with his SG E92 335 got pulled over as well and given a ticket with aftermarket exhuast, tint window and only 5 miles over the speed limit in Bellevue.

[david_lm]

Wow! I hope this ticketing for aftermarket exhausts isn't a new 2010 thing. So dumb. Where in Bellevue was he? I wonder if he would've been going the speed limit if he would've been pulled over ... Know how much the ticket was? Is he gonna take off his exhaust and/or tint?

[jmillet]

Originally Posted by david_lm

So this morning I dropped my roommate off at the airport and was driving back home at 6:00 a.m. I was about a half mile away from my house and got pulled over by two Seattle PD officers. I was informed I was pulled over for 1. no front plate (knew this was illegal but hate how it looks), 2. illegal exhaust (didn't know this was illegal, I have the Rogue Diablo so it's not annoying loud) and 3. illegal cover obstructing my rear plate (I have one of those SLIGHTLY tinted plastic covers over my rear plate). I got a warning for the plate cover and exhaust but received a $124 ticket for the not having a front plate on my car.

So, should I attempt to fight this ticket (affix it to the front of my car and take a picture to the judge)? Also, is it actually illegal to have the Rogue exhaust on my car?? I'll take the rear plate cover off.

Any input/suggestions/comments would be welcomed.

Thanks.

Municipalities are strapped for cash so law enforcement folks are out looking for low hanging fruit and not having a front license plate properly displayed is an easy catch.
My wife was recently ticketed in Shoreline for the same offense. She requested mitigation, installed the front plate, went to court, told the magistrate the plate was installed and the magistrate dismissed the citation.
After this incident I installed my front plate too:

[david_lm]

I understand the front plate and the tint but what's really getting me is this aftermarket exhaust/muffler issue ...

[Johnny Lin]

Couple months ago, my sis parked her car at China Town out the Street. When she came back, she got a ticket on her windshield said, "No Front License Plate". I thought no front license plate is a 2nd fault, so they cant do that. But the next day, my sis went there again and got one more ticket again for the exact same reason. The ticket was only about $40~60 and insurance said it will not hurt out insurance rate. My sis didnt want to bother it, so we end up paid for the tickets. Then I put her front plate on for her

Originally Posted by david_lm

Wow! I hope this ticketing for aftermarket exhausts isn't a new 2010 thing. So dumb. Where in Bellevue was he? I wonder if he would've been going the speed limit if he would've been pulled over ... Know how much the ticket was? Is he gonna take off his exhaust and/or tint?

Not sure, he did tell me about it, but i cant remember it. Sorry~ +1 on the exhaust too, WTF.