Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2006 16:04:02 -0700
Reply-To: Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: euro licence plates aka . . . .
In-Reply-To: <E1FyaMR-0004x0-0m@garm.runbox.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Speaking from experience.......
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) OR local governments, especially those
with Red-Light Cameras, interpret the California Vehicle Code (CVC) (That
Robert Fisher makes note of) to mean that the front license plate is to be
attached to the FRONT of the vehicle on the OUTSIDE where it can be plainly
seen, especially by those Red-Light Cameras which have proliferated
throughout the state. A friend with the CHP has said to me that license
plates placed on the dashboard behind the FRONT windshield are usually
written up, as they aren't clearly visible because of glass glare in the
daytime and virtually unseen at night.
My experience stems from the fact that I had a similar repro Euro Style
Plate on the front bumper with my CA plate behind the windshield. A simple,
but aggravating fix-it ticket. Second or more offenses results in a fine.
And since the advent of these Red-Light Cameras at intersections, the courts
haven't been so favorable to those with missing, disfigured or otherwise
hard to read CA plates in the front. Even if the person beats thr rap on
the Red-Light Camera, the judge most often rules additionally against the
person for not having plainly visible a "state approved" license plate, if
it can be proven the person in question owns the vehicle, regardless if they
were driving it, because of the date/time stamp of the photo.
Solution: I fashioned a bracket so that both the Euro Plate and the CA
Plate were bracketed together on the bumper so that they were plainly seen,
the CA plate mounted below the Euro Plate. The local gendarmes didn't
bother me after that. However, someone decided a couple of years ago they
apparently wanted the Euro Plate more than I did and stole it, leaving the
CA plate (nice of them). I've since run only the CA plate.
It may depend on the locale and the attitude of said gendarmes too.
YMMV
--
Jim Thompson
84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
73 K Ghia Coupe "Denise"
72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
oldvolkshome@gmail.com
http://www.oldvolkshome.com
**********************************
On 7/6/06, Mark C <obeechi@runbox.com> wrote:
>
> What if you got euro licence plates for the front . . . and had them
> custom made to have the same number as you California Licence . .. and then
> put your california licence on the passsenger dash of the front window . . .
>
>
> Think you could argue your way in court on that one? And what would the
> penalty be?
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