Just pulled over, 2 tickets...

soccerguy59 · #1

I was just pulled over in Allen while retuning from picking up medicine for my Husky.

I was driving my sons car, which I have driven less than a handful of times in 6 years he has been driving. He just finished college and moved back home, so I know little about the car.

I was approaching the intersection with a green light, Allen LEO makes a right turn on red, I look at my speed and I am going 45 in a 40 but slow to 40 and continue to pass the LEO. Just as I pass LEO changes lanes pulling in behind me and turns on his lights. I see them and move to the right lane, pull into the parking lot, roll down my window, turn off engine. LEO approaches and says, I pulled you over for two reasons, 1) no front license plate, 2) expired inspection, what the heck... I explain that its my sons car and did not know either of those were a problem. LEO asks for DL and proof of insurance, I pull out my pocket billfold and hand both my DL and CHL and hand them to LEO. LEO then asks if there is a weapon, I say yes, behind the passenger seat. LEO asks for proof of insurance, I explain, I don't know where it is located but will find it as this is my sons car. LEO asks why are you driving it? I explain it was the first car in the drive and easy to get out. LEO hands back to me CHL and says stay seated, find proof of insurance and he will be right back. I know at this point that tickets are coming, he is doing his job, so much for any CHL clout.

While LEO is doing his thing, I continue to search and find the proof of insurance. LEO returns and I hand him proof of insurance he reviews and hands it back to me. LEO then explains that this is for two citaions, no front license and that the license plate sitting in the back seat needs to be put on. The second one listed is for expired inspection and asked if I had any questions. I stated again this is my sons car, you can see the parking sticker for UCA and he is home for the summer. LEO asks who is xxxxxxxx as she is the person registered, I explain that is my Wife. LEO says they consider this to be a family vehicle (2001 Firebird, huh), so it does not matter.

Lesson learned, don't drive sons car. Texas still has the most stupid law, front license plate. Son's friend drove it the last two while being home on leave, about to be deployed to Iraq, and does not get pulled over.

I know he is doing his job but was hoping for a warning since others have gotten out of speeding. All you other CHL, stay out of Allen, they don't give any extra consideration for us.

ScubaSigGuy · #2

Sorry to hear aboput your citations. Since I live in Allen it will hard for me to avoid driving there.

MoJo · #3

Since both tickets are non moving violations they won't go against your driving record or insurance.

I am surprised that people think a CHL is a get out of tickets free card.

txinvestigator · #4

A person is also responsible for the condition of any vehicle they drive.

On the bright side, fix the issues and you can probably get the tickets dismissed.

jimlongley · #5

ScubaSigGuy wrote:Sorry to hear aboput your citations. Since I live in Allen it will hard for me to avoid driving there.

Me too, and what TXI said, if you're driving it, you're responsible for it.

I would see to it that my son paid the fine along with mounting the plate and getting it inspected.

longtooth · #6

soccerguy59
I never have thaought my CHL would get me out of a ticket.
I too have read of so mwny on this board that have been stopped for various reasons & they were let go w/ a warning.
I got a ticket too.

phddan · #7

All though I have never expected to be cut any slack when pulled over, it is apreciated.

Dan

jrosto · #8

Since both tickets are non moving violations they won't go against your driving record or insurance.

That's pretty much it. Fix the problem, have son show up in court with proof of fixed problem, all is well.

Flatland2D · #9

I've been driving my car for over two years with no front license plate. I didn't know anyone actually got pulled over for something like this (though I do know it isn't exactly legal). To those in the know, does sticking the plate on your dash up against the windshield count?

MrsFosforos · #10

One of my girlfriends at work was stopped for no license plate on the front, but her car wasn't made to accommodate it = and was on an "exception" list, so she didn't get ticketed. I didn't get if her car was on an exception list why she was stopped in the first place.

CHL/LEO · #11

Texas still has the most stupid law

What's stupid about it?

Wildscar · #12

MrsFosforos wrote:I didn't get if her car was on an exception list why she was stopped in the first place.

It could have been a rookie cop that didn't know. Or a Veteran cop that just want to inconvenience her by making her go down and find that out.

soccerguy59 wrote: LEO says they consider this to be a family vehicle (2001 Firebird, huh), so it does not matter.

This might be one of those cars on that list. Most of the aerodynamic sports cars are. Like Vett's and Lotus's. Basically if it didn't come with a front plate bracket you fine.

flintknapper · #13

Wildscar wrote:
MrsFosforos wrote:I didn't get if her car was on an exception list why she was stopped in the first place.
It could have been a rookie cop that didn't know. Or a Veteran cop that just want to inconvenience her by making her go down and find that out.

soccerguy59 wrote: LEO says they consider this to be a family vehicle (2001 Firebird, huh), so it does not matter.
This might be one of those cars on that list. Most of the aerodynamic sports cars are. Like Vett's and Lotus's. Basically if it didn't come with a front plate bracket you fine.

Nope,

My daughter has a Firebird also. There is a removable cover on the front bumper assembly that will accommodate a license plate. She has been stopped twice for not having hers on it (not ticketed though).

She continues to drive it that way (against Dad's advice). I'll admit a front plate ruins the looks of a Firebird, Corvette, etc....but it is the law.

Of the two times I've been stopped since I've had my CHL (over 10 years), one was for not having a front plate. The vehicle was a 1970 Bronco 1/2 cab and it never had a provision for a front plate (didn't seem to matter to the trooper). I was not ticketed however.

KBCraig · #14

CHL/LEO wrote:
Texas still has the most stupid law
What's stupid about it?

Have you ever conducted a traffic stop from the front? Or don't you generally run plates from behind?

txinvestigator · #15

Wildscar wrote:
MrsFosforos wrote:I didn't get if her car was on an exception list why she was stopped in the first place.
It could have been a rookie cop that didn't know. Or a Veteran cop that just want to inconvenience her by making her go down and find that out.

soccerguy59 wrote: LEO says they consider this to be a family vehicle (2001 Firebird, huh), so it does not matter.
This might be one of those cars on that list. Most of the aerodynamic sports cars are. Like Vett's and Lotus's. Basically if it didn't come with a front plate bracket you fine.

There is no exception list, and all passenger cars registered in Texas are required to display a front plate. It does not matter if it comes equipped with a bracket or not.

Texas Transportation Code
Â§ 502.404. OPERATION OF VEHICLE WITHOUT LICENSE PLATE OR
REGISTRATION INSIGNIA. (a) A person commits an offense if the
person operates on a public highway during a registration period a
passenger car or commercial motor vehicle that does not display two
license plates, at the front and rear of the vehicle, that have
been:
(1) assigned by the department for the period; or
(2) validated by a registration insignia issued by the
department that establishes that the vehicle is registered for the
period.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a
public highway during a registration period a passenger car or
commercial motor vehicle, other than a vehicle assigned license
plates for the registration period, that does not properly display
the registration insignia issued by the department that establishes
that the license plates have been validated for the period.
(c) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a
public highway during a registration period a road tractor,
motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer that does not display a license
plate, attached to the rear of the vehicle, that has been:
(1) assigned by the department for the period; or
(2) validated by a registration insignia issued by the
department that establishes that the vehicle is registered for the
period.
(d) Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply to a dealer
operating a vehicle as provided by law.
(e) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor
punishable by a fine not to exceed $200.

Here is a link to the law. You can see there are no exceptions;

http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/do ... 502.404.00