AcuraTL99

iTrader: (5)

So today at around 8:00pm, after a game of basketball, couple of friends and I wanted to go eat. Since we were in Rowland Heights, we went to Diamond Plaza which is right off the Fullerton exit on the 60. As I was driving in, there was a cop inside the parking lot checking out cars. Right when I drove by, they started to follow me around and right when I parked, they got behind me like a blockade so I can't get out.
To make the long story short, the cop assumed I had illegal parts on my car cause of my exhausts but my car was fully legal with Comptech (CT-Engineering) parts. Had to show him all my CARB Stickers and they couldn't get anything illegal on my car so they gave me a fix-a-ticket for my rear license plate because it had a clear plastic cover.

iv4hcx3l4

haha nice. cool that you got away with all your performance mods n showed him. we have it tough in california. ive heard that the plate covers are illegal because they reflect the redlight camera flashes in pictures.

AcuraTL99

iTrader: (5)

Serious??? This is my first time getting it, I've had it for two years now. I've even had cops right behind me and they didn't pull me over for it.

Neejay

iTrader: (3)

Woooow...blatantly obvious he was being a dick.

This is the one thing I'm not jealous of when it comes to Cali.

jjashaa

iTrader: (23)

mine still > all......

make and model said Honda Inspire..

JDM Inspired

ZEUS'O3TL

haha this was good....the other day i got pulled over by a cop becuz he said i couldnt have yellow lights in my fogs...i was like WTF!!...

Rockstar21

iTrader: (1)

i've been pulled over.. and ticketed for having Acura FACTORY bulbs in my headlights...

needless to say he felt like a jackass when i showed up to court with my receipt from acura who put the bulbs in themselves the last time my car was serviced...
i couldnt help but laugh when she was telling the officer to start being more attentive and check before dragging people into court

AMGala

iTrader: (4)

The original Lexus IS300 had yellow fogs as stock, right? That cop told you any old plain excuse to pull you over.

Rockstar21

iTrader: (1)

also been pulled over for "looking suspicious" in my 944 lol

he searched my car and everything..

i can honestly say.. and im sorry if there are good cops.. but i hate cops...

kidduce

iTrader: (1)

Ahh yes the good ol fix it ticket for no reason. Since I been in this car havnt been messed with but in my stang it was an everyday thing almost.

fobstylez

iTrader: (3)

yes Ive gotten the, you look suspicious line before. He stated it was because I was asian and I drive a fixed up integra. Needless to say, I was on fire

Mr. Incredible

Man, the cops must profile the Honda's like hell, because ,my 300C is very "not legal" (stroker motor, long tube headers, cat-less mid pipes, electric cut outs, etc) and I've never been pulled over or refereed for it..

worst I've gotten is a front window tint ticket, and my car sounds like a damn NASCAR with the e-cutouts open (which I run with normally open unless my kid is in the car)..

probably makes a difference that I'm an old man with DP plates on the car though...

JRhodes88

iTrader: (2)

Cops hate Honda's...i guess that hate extends to the Acura family as well.

Mr. Incredible

unless it is tinted, it is not illegal.. what is the VC he cited you for? I am very versed in CA Vehicle Code and a lot of times "officers" mis-interpret the law, or cite you for something in hopes that you are not smart enough to call him on his error:

CALIFORNIA CODES
VEHICLE CODESECTION 5200-5206 section (F)

(f) A covering shall not be used on license plates except as follows:

(1) The installation of a cover over a lawfully parked vehicle to
protect it from the weather and the elements does not constitute a
violation of this subdivision. Any peace officer or other regularly
salaried employee of a public agency designated to enforce laws,
including local ordinances, relating to the parking of vehicles may
temporarily remove so much of the cover as is necessary to inspect
any license plate, tab, or indicia of registration on a vehicle.
(2) The installation of a license plate security cover is not a
violation of this subdivision if the device does not obstruct or
impair the recognition of the license plate information, including,
but not limited to, the issuing state, license plate number, and
registration tabs, and the cover is limited to the area directly over
the top of the registration tabs. No portion of a license plate
security cover shall rest over the license plate number.
(g) A casing, shield, frame, border, product, or other device that
obstructs or impairs the reading or recognition of a license plate
by an electronic device operated by state or local law enforcement,
an electronic device operated in connection with a toll road,
high-occupancy toll lane, toll bridge, or other toll facility, or a
remote emission sensing device, as specified in Sections 44081 and
44081.6 of the Health and Safety Code, shall not be installed on, or
affixed to, a vehicle.




so that basically states that a cover is NOT illegal UNLESS it is covering the State name, Number, tags, etc and/or is designed to impair the reading by electronic devices..

so the $9.99 Pep Boys clear plastic cover does not apply to that, it is perfectly legal to have on the vehicle and unless the officer can PROVE that your cover meets the above code, he is in the wrong..

and he cited you most likely because he didn't read AND understand the law... he read as far as "(f) A covering shall not be used on license plates" but didn't bother to read anything past "except as follows:"

Ken1997TL

Legends, 1st gen TL's, Vigors and early RL's all had yellow fog lights. Same with Lexus and Mercedes

AcuraTL99

iTrader: (5)

The code is 5201 and I do have a clear plate that I bought from Autozone.

Mr. Incredible

yes that quote is 5201 (F):


here:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/wa...ction=retrieve



as such you are 100% in the right unless that cover is designed to block red light cameras..

I personally would fight it, because as of Jan 1, 2009 fix it tickets are no longer $10 in CA.


$25 to have it signed off by the CHP or Sheriff
$25 court fees/cost to have it filed

tinted window tickets are now $150 or some such thing, even though they are still "fix-it" tickets..

for me personally, I fight all tickets I get if I know the officer is in the wrong.. (touching wood) the only moving violation ticket I have received and not fought in the past 18 years is 1 speeding ticket on my motorcycle, that I was in the wrong for..

but the several nonsense tickets I have received I have fought and won, because I read and understand the law, where as I stated most officers don't.. they only understand what they want to, or worse they believe in the theory of "I think it is wrong/illegal, therefore it is" with no basis for their "thinking"

AcuraTL99

iTrader: (5)

So that cop also lied to me, he told me it was $10 for the fix a ticket.

Mr. Incredible

not any more.. that changed Jan 1. (and the $10 was only the court fee, you also have to pay the CHP office (or Sheriff office) that has to sign it off as corrected, that has always ranged from $10 (Downey PD where I live) to $75 (most CHP offices). the Sheriff Correction Station in Downtown L.A. (on Hill street I think) has been $25 since the mid 90s, they are at $35 as of Jan 1.

that statement also proves to me he is uninformed about his job... time to change jobs, I hear Westfield mall in West Covina is looking for mall cops.. LOL:

http://www.trafficviolationlawfirms....-Increase.html

kidduce

iTrader: (1)

Cops are suspicious of all cars that look modded no matter what make and model it is.

tegkid

iTrader: (7)

truth. it sucks.

ZEUS'O3TL

...thats exactly what i told them and they said can u turn them off or on and i told them yes when i turn my car off they turn off and i did it to show them but they didnt know i did the fog mod so they just gave me my license back and took off...not braggin or anything but my car stands out since its so sexay...

jp75

iTrader: (1)

hopefully we are getting into the generation were alot of cops themselves are into modded cars..my cousin is a cop in florida and he has a heavily modded em2 civic..and a magnum..and alot of other cops he knows got hooked up cars..once i was driving his civic and got pulled by palm beach county sheriffs cuz his plate light was out..when i told them a cop owned the car they assumed there must be a gun in the vehicle and ripped his car apart anyway..lol..some cops are still PRICKS!!!!!havent yet gotten pulled in the tl tho..knock on wood..illeagal tints and dark tinted tails

Mr. Incredible

the problem there lies in the "practice what you preach" theory..

if you are a police officer with a highly modded vehicle that is modded illegally, then you have no right to subject others to enforcement of the laws in which you yourself are breaking..

and if you are breaking the laws because you are a police officer and feel they do not apply to you, then you have no business being a police officer..


Laws such as this are made to generate money, not for any other reason, seriously how does covering a license plate effect anyone? how does it cause harm?

yes, lets use the argument that if it is covered or tinted, then the police can't see the plate to run it to be sure you are not some nutcase with a warrant before they approach you.. same with tinted front windows.. they can't see you to be sure you aren't pointing a weapon at them..

so rather than crack down and prevent these things from being sold, lets create laws with large fines to prosecute the end users/buyers because we can generate more money that way..

if it is illegal to have a plate cover, then it should be illegal to sell them, and large companies like AutoZone and Pepboys won't sell them, there-by making them harder to obtain, so those that do have them have to go out of their way to get them..

---

and for the record, yes I have a plate cover, and a tinted one at that, and no front plate, and loud exhaust, headers, no cats, tinted tails, lowered suspension, modified motor internals, etc.. and no that in no possible way could I ever pass CA smog laws even if my car is in neutral rolling downhill with the motor off and a tail wind..

and yes, I know I am in the wrong, I know I can be refereed for it and have my car impounded, and I know I have no-one to blame for it but myself..

Rockstar21

iTrader: (1)

dont blame yourself for shizz

cops here have limo tint, and their bike's exhaust does everything except brake windows and burst eardrums...

you think they would hesitate to pull somebody over for tint.. but you would be wrong. hypocritical pricks.

ps. my cousin is a state trooper. and i'll call him and his friends pricks all day long.. so lets not do the "wont say that to their face" scenario.

cops break the rules of the road more then any other driver (speeding, illegal procedures.. running red lights and stop signs when there is no emergency.. driving on the shoulder so they dont have to wait in traffic) i have no sympathy for those who prosecute but do not demonstrate

jp75

iTrader: (1)

i agree with practice what you preach..both my cousins cars a modded..but nothing on them is illegal..custom paint..wheels..stereo..etc..i was pulled cuz his liscense plate light was out..my beef is when cops make up there own laws..pulling people over for things that are 100%leagal..without having any clue..like in rockstars case with his oem bulbs and legal exhaust

stRodda

iTrader: (1)

it definitely does. although they, of course, are never allowed to "profile"... or at least admit they are.

i got pulled over on the way to work, with my daughter in the backseat(dropping her off at the grandparents house), he had no reason at all. told me my car was "screaming to get pulled over". mentioned the tint and the exhaust, which i gladly showed him papers from tanabe stating they abide by the legal db limit... and he let me go.


most cops are stereotyping/profiling assholes. and i know this for a fact... cause when they walk up to my window and realize im a nice 'ol white guy, i usually get away ticket free. as soon as they see who's driving the attitude changes.

gfrg88

iTrader: (2)

youre lucky you get away cause youre white.. I've actually gotten pulled over and have been asked why I'm driving such a nice car, and how I can afford it.. I was so fucking pissed at that fat ass..

btw, I'm hispanic..

Allen-

Well, when you guys get tired of getting pulled over because of a "modded" car, you can go ahead and sell me your lip kit. :extremelyhopeful:

bukxanger

lol...

Flipster23

iTrader: (15)

I was getting pulled over everyday in my civic.

here is mine. I start acclerating he gets behind me and pulls me over. Walks to my car and says do you know why I pulled you over I said no he said you exhaust is to loud im like really? How many Db's is it i tell him then he says uh you have a tinted license plate frame i said if its illegal why does Kragen and autozone sell it. He said he didnt know. Long story short dumbass never gave me a fix it ticket for the exhaust just the tinted license plate cover.

OP the clear one isnt illegal and the only reason he gave you the fix it tickets was because he didnt wanna feel like a dumbass kuz he pulled you over and you were legit

AcuraTL99

iTrader: (5)

Haha I do agree with that especially when his attitude totally changed when I showed him my legit parts. He was anal at first and then became friendly so he wouldn't feel like an idiot.

parvo99

How are you interpreting this? From what I can tell, it clearly states that it is illegal to have any sort of cover on your license plate except in 2 situations.

Illegal:

quote "(f) A covering shall not be used on license plates except as follows:"


2 situations when it is legal:

1. quote "The installation of a cover over a lawfully parked vehicle to
protect it from the weather and the elements ..."

2. quote "if the device does not obstruct or impair the recognition of the license plate information...and the cover is limited to the area directly over the top of the registration tabs. No portion of a license plate security cover shall rest over the license plate number"


So, any cover is illegal, tinted or not, if it covers any part of the license plate, other than the registration tabs.

Flipster23

iTrader: (15)

its ok a cop walked up to my TL didnt even say anything but whos car is this. didnt say anything else and im a black and white guy..

jp75

iTrader: (1)

if i had a nickel for every time ive been pulled over simply because of what i beleive to be racial profiling..or every time a cop has made a racist remark to me ..i would be a rich man..i hate when people say this doesnt happen..im hispanic..ive been pulled in white neighborhoods and been told to go back to the ghetto were i belong..no b.s..funny part is i live in the most down low..suburban place around..complete opposite of the ghetto..nicer area than were that cops probally lives

kidduce

iTrader: (1)

Honestly its true, racial profiling does exist and if we dont learn to live with we will be dissapointed for a while. Some cops try to use judgment cuz lets face it some people deserve to be profiled and sometimes based on profiling cops at times bust some bad guys.

kidduce

iTrader: (1)

If we have nothing to hide then hey just have fun with it and laugh when they pull you over cuz theyre going to continue doing it. Im hispanic by the way and yes I live in a bad neighborhood lol.

Mr. Incredible

depends on how the Judge interprets I guess..

in theory the law in itself is contradictory:

(2) The installation of a license plate security cover is not a violation of this subdivision if the device does not obstruct or impair the recognition of the license plate information, including, but not limited to, the issuing state, license plate number, and registration tabs, and the cover is limited to the area directly over the top of the registration tabs. No portion of a license plate
security cover shall rest over the license plate number.


A cover is not a violation if it does not obstruct the "..... License Plate Number...., etc"

but "no portion may rest over the number"


so it says if the cover doesn't obstruct or impair the reading of the number, but may not cover the number?

as it was interpreted to me by Judge D. Murray Norwalk Superior Court..

a clear cover that does not obstruct the reading of the number is perfectly legal, as long as per the aforementioned section:


"Any peace officer or other regularly
salaried employee of a public agency designated to enforce laws, including local ordinances, relating to the parking of vehicles may temporarily remove so much of the cover as is necessary to inspect any license plate, tab, or indicia of registration on a vehicle."


so you cannot use locking screws or any type of device that prevents removal of the cover by parking meter officers..

a tinted cover obstructs the view of the numbers, a clear cover in theory does not, as long as it isn't a clear cover with a diffuser to block red light cameras.. and can be easily removed by a peace officer at any time..


and the argument I used was simple, the cover is in place to thwart the theft of the registration stickers, with proof to show mine have been stolen in the past..

gfrg88

iTrader: (2)

but thats the problem, most of us, including me, do have things to hide.. Obviously there just small stupid things, that we do to our cars.. I've had to take my tints off like 10 times in all the cars ive had, also for other stupid things like "too low" and "intake too loud lol" he didnt say anything about the fact that i had an intake, just that it was too loud