Front License Plate Law

[Medina Resident]

I have recently moved to Medina, Ohio and feel picked on and very annoyed with the Medina Police Department. My line of work involves driving 250-300 miles a day throughout North East Ohio. I have never been pulled over and ticketed for not having a front plate on my vehicles. I never even knew that this was a state law which is punishable by a hefty fine.

After moving to Medina I quickly became aware that this was a law. I was first pulled over and given a fair warning. A week later pulled over again by the same officer and ticketed. 3 Weeks later I was driving my other vehicle on RT18 going 23mph in a 25mph zone when I was pulled over a 3rd time by once again Officer W. This time I was driving another vehicle with no front plate; requiring drilled holes in the front factory bumper in order to have a front plate. Once again another ticket.

I’m sorry… I find this ludicrous. I’m certainly not one to break the law, bash on someone protecting civilians, but this is abuse. I have since placed plates on my cars and have found this same Officer W. follow me home to my driveway and around town. What does everyone here think about this?

[RGreen]

After driving without a front plate for 30 years I have been ticketed twice this year for the violation. Different officers, different cities.

[Iceman]

I'm thinking about taking my front plate off so I get better airflow to my intercooler...how much is the fine?

[anonymous]

Yeah Medina cops, Brunswick, Wadsworth. Don't get mad at them. Get even....

[mr _b]

I was in law enforcment for 6 years, not having a front plate is a registion violation and depending on the the municipality you ard driving in the fine can vary sometimes its 50 bucks othes over 100. But the frot plates is thonly reflceive surface on a car, also with two plates an a car it provides witnesses to a suspious car or person a better chance at getting the number better helping law enforcement. ther is a petion that you an sign to have the law revoked it circulation now and is to be presnted to the state congress

[Shawn rich]

I drive a durango, and been driving it with one back plate for the pass 4 or 5 years passing cops left and right until now when a cop gave me a warning for it, then a ticket. But what had me upset about it was that no one every told me it was a law and plus the real reason he was pulling me over was because he thought I had something to do with of wich some kind of conflict had happen in an apartment complex of which I dont even live in. And ended up pulling me over almost 3 to 5 miles down

[the jew]

Welcome to the police state, harass for cash.Not about saftey

[Aaron]

How much is one of these violations for not having a front liscense plate?

[Jeff B]

After driving my wifes car for 3 years + and her other car for 3 years + with no front plate, Rocky river was nice enough to slap me with a $120 ticket for no plate. Not even a warning. I will fight this and let you know how it goes.

[PJS]

Front plates on cars enable authorities to ticket cars exceeding speed limits in school zones. This is a safety issue. Do you care about our children safety?

[Toots]

Anyone that doesn't heed a warning when you were breaking a state law deserves a ticket? What did you want, another warning? That makes no sense.

Guess what? The police don't pass the laws. They get paid to enforce them. Why do you think the state spent the money on stamping out and issuing you TWO plates?

[Wwyked]

PJS and Toots you are exactly what is wrong with America!! It is time that people like you shut up and learn something before you open your mouth and insert your foot again. It is not about school children it is about money and nothing else. The lie to get you to go with the law is... oh the poor children are in danger, we have to stop this now. And how many police do you see sitting in school zones? I see one in Berea about once a month, and the rest of the time everyone blows past me like I am standing still. And Toots this country was founded on rebels who fought and broke laws regularly because they were not fair and not just. We call them patriots now and admire their bravery and courage. And while you are doing that you look down your nose at someone fighting a cause now and talk about what a law breaker he is!
The fight must start somewhere and this one may sound trivial but if we don't start with the small stuff we will never make it to the big stuff!

[Toots]

You have got to be kidding. I didn't say anything about school zones. Are you saying having a license plate on your car is "not fair and not just". I think plates are a good idea. You are certainly not a "rebel" to go around without the proper plates.

[Nick]

This law is a joke. I Refuse to put an ugly front plate on my corvette. it makes the car look terrible. Police need to spend their time enforing real laws.

[Sheila Jurgens]

How is fighting that ticket? I also have been driving around in my car for 2 years and have never even heard of that. The cop actually turned around on the highway to pull me over and I was going 55 in a 55. Then I was issued a ticket! Not even a warning. I suppose it didn't help it was the very last day of the month.... cops need to make the quota.

[Wwyked]

Sheila, there is no fighting the ticket you have to put a front plate on. Sometimes the judge will dismiss the charge if you have fixed the problem and can show that you have, but generally it is more for separating you from your hard earned dollars and not for safety. Toots the school part was not for you that was for PJS. However for your part NO I do not think it is fair or just it is a huge waste of state monies designed for nothing more that creating revenue... Oh I see we spend more on plates to make more money from the people we are stealing tax dollars from without calling it tax. Yes I see how that can make sense. But there are several states that do not require a front plate they track down criminals, and hand out tickets just fine. Back plate fine, front plate no way. Now can you see the logic?

[Mike]

Toots wrote:

Anyone that doesn't heed a warning when you were breaking a state law deserves a ticket? What did you want, another warning? That makes no sense.
Guess what? The police don't pass the laws. They get paid to enforce them. Why do you think the state spent the money on stamping out and issuing you TWO plates?

The State makes prisoners make license plates, doubt they spend much.

[Cody]

i just got busted for not having one even tho my front bumper got ripped off in an accident...i didnt even get a warning...just a 100 dollar ticket...cops in ohio are all about money....not safety....im takin it to court and fighting this one

[Steve]

If I hit a 6 year old kid with my car in a school zone it wouldn't matter if I had a front place or not. The kid would be a red spot on the pavement anyways. I got a ticket for no front plate for $100. They make the ticket high enough that it is a pain in the ass to pay but low enough that you don't want to miss a days work to go to court. The whole thing is a sham and I refuse to put a front plate on my mustang GT.

So watch out little kids.

[Common Sense]

Hey Toots, I'm guessing that you probably are not in a lower income bracket and have little ability to empathize.
First of all, the State does not pay for license plates - WE do! We pay every year on or around our birthday. We also pay state taxes.
Most of us are not criminals, we're just victims of the city, the state, the government, corporations, and everyone else who has carte blanche to take a piece of us every which way we turn. I'm all for contributing to society, but enough is enough! Greed in America currently knows no bounds. Money is the new god, and need for it can be rationalized in the name of business, law, or patriotism. We the Sheeple swallow it hook, line and sinker while we get poorer and poorer by the minute. The "haves" and the powers-that-be laugh at our gullibility.
The officers do not have to penalize people for petty offenses (and by the way, I for one never knew about the front license law, as many ppl don't) such as lack of front plates or low treads, for example. My son was stopped once because he didn't have a LIGHT around the license plate! The officers could be spending their time ticketing hogs that take up two parking spaces, nuts that chase others on the highway in a rage, or (here's a novel idea)- policing violent neighborhoods.
Really, it's all about sucking as much money as possible from as many citizens as possible. Why do you think the USA is going down the tubes! It's because people will accept anything and everything that "authority" dishes out.
Once, when I handed an officer an object that car vandals left in my car, which had fingerprints on it and could lead to an arrest - he just laughed at me. They're too busy to deal with petty thieves, but never too busy to zing non-criminals with city-enriching fines for so-called offenses that hurt no one! What's the next ticket revenue going to be - citing us for unsightly paint jobs? Or perhaps they'll start ticketing cars for displaying anti-Bush bumper stickers? Oh, wait, that's already in the works: it's a bill our representatives unanimously passed, called HR-1955!