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Dumb new az plate law

7K views 63 replies 26 participants last post by  rakapur 
#1 ·
I'm not sure what our lawmakers were smoking when they came up with this one, but in Arizona a new law has gone in effect, governing the use of rear license plate holders.

License Plate Holder Law - State law* requires that the state name at the top of Arizona license plates must be visible. Any license plate holder or cover that prevents the license plate from being clearly legible, is in violation of this new law.

* A.R.S. 28-2354(B.)


Drives are facing a $160 fine if officers spot a frame that covers the word Arizona even partially.:eek:

This new law eliminates probably 90 percent of the custom licence plate frames and all of the aftermarket "rear view" camera plates.

According to my research, only one other state, Texas, has a similar law.

It seems like just another revenue generator for the state coffers.

I now have to get rid of the license plate frames from my wife's car Civic, my son's Expedition and my daughters Fit. My truck's still in the shop and I don't remember if my frame violates the new law, but I'll bet it does. This kind of B******t legislation is one reason I NEVER vote for a pay raise for these idiots. :mad:

Between this new law and the dozens of new, freeway photo radar cameras placed all around Phoenix, I gues they figure Arizona's budget deficit should be fixed by 2010.

I'll try and get a map of all the photo radar camera placements and put it up on the forum so any visitors to Phoenix can get a heads up and watch their speed. Just be careful.....they also have speed photo vans that they place a half mile or so past the permament cameras to catch all the drivers who speed up after slowing down for the cameras.
 
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#2 ·
Personal Commentary Follows:

I have a theory on all of these types of laws. I base my theory on what England does in the city of London (Tolls for driving in the city) and all of their major highways. The use of the license plate cameras will be used to track individual movements. US government and associated private agencies have the database storage capability to store six years of credit card purchase data and can use this capability to store tracking data based on license plate information gathered by the "traffic" cameras at every major intersection and on on all of our major highways. They can not limit our interstate movement (With state border checks), but they can start a program to tax our traveling by charging "Road Usage" tolls / taxes. London led they way by stating they would use the cameras to record the plates in order to charge toll fees for road use in an effort to reduce traffic and encourage the use of mass transit. The London officials also stated that the license plate data would be destroyed after the billing was paid (Average of three weeks). Shortly after (1 to 2 years), Scotland Yard bragged about catching a serial killer by tracking his movements using the traffic camers. Their data went back three and a half years (One and half years before the London system was announced as active).

I predict that we will see taxes based on our "Carbon Footprint" and the government will use the cameras to track the movements of our vehicles as a part of determining how much money we owe them for our carbon based emissions.

Personal Commentary Over:

Time for me to go an take my paranoia medicine now :eek:
 
#4 ·
Personal Commentary Follows:

I predict that we will see taxes based on our "Carbon Footprint" and the government will use the cameras to track the movements of our vehicles as a part of determining how much money we owe them for our carbon based emissions.

Personal Commentary Over:

Time for me to go an take my paranoia medicine now :eek:
Canada basically already taxes our carbon footprint without having to track our whereabouts. Most of the gasoline cost at the pump are taxes. So if we travel more... or have a gas guzzler... we pay. (and so do our tourists, thank you)
 
#5 ·
We have a similar plate law here in Texas....from what I understand it's not strictly enforced.....I'm keeping my ROC holder.....to counter the cameras, I will probably upgrade my Escort Passport 8500 to a 9500I GPS....more red light cameras are going up everyday in the Houston area.....:(

Side note...pissing contest going on with the mayor of Houston and the data people as to if red light cameras really reduce traffic accidents...
 
#6 ·
There are already several municpal regulations against the use of those so called anti photo radar covers, that block the license plate image from an angle, but allow it to be seen if you're right behind the car. Scottsdale Police will not only write you a ticket, but will personally remove the cover from the car. What gets me about this new law is if any portion of the word Arizona is blocked, the frame is illegal. After checking several of the license plates avaiable, (Arizona has about 30 different "personalized" plates available) just about all of them are made in such a way as to make make any license plate frame illegal. Even the most basic frame will clip the top of the "A" in Arizona, making the frame unusalbe.
 
#7 ·
Found some pictures in an old thread with my license plate frame. Looks like I'm going to have do some modifications if I want to keep it. This really pisses me off. Anyone looking at the plate can easily discerene the plate is from Arizona. But with the new law, that won't matter. All it will do is give the police a reason to pull me over and then try and find something else to give me a ticket for:mad::mad::mad:.
 

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#9 ·
My daughter was home for x-mass to Illinois and she moved to Chandler AZ in the fall. She asked me if I wanted her to mail back her Cubs licence plate frames so I could put them on my ridgeline because of the new AZ law. also
In Illinois if the traffic light turns yellow you go through or get rear ended but when we were in Mesa AZ with the cameras at many intersection when the light turns yellow everyone is slamming on there brakes.
 
#10 · (Edited)
"In 1986, two Texas towns, La Marque and Friendswood, began the first US implementations of photo radar. The programs didn't even last the year. "You could say there was a good bit of unhappiness," La Marque's former mayor Jack Nash told the Los Angeles Times. Friendswood fared no better. "I'm certain it's a good system if you want to make money, but you're going to find that the community is going to lose its reputation very quickly," said Galveston County Constable Paul Bess. "It won't come back to my area."
"

Independant studies have show insurance claims rise 60% at intersections with red light cameras, and that more often than not the minimum length of the yellow light like 3.7 seconds tends to be 3.2 by "accident" San Bernadino was just caught doing this at one intersection over a 2 month period and found 400 drivers got tickets for this extra .5 seconds. The ticket I got was 500 dollars for a rolling stop on a right at this very intersection on an incredibly short yellow. The judge knocked it down to 220, thanks SB

So instead of getting mad I went to my tax professional and had him take a long hard look at my taxes this year and I found an extra 550 dollars :)
 
#11 ·
Beleive it or not, in Texas, a SOLID yellow light requires you to stop "if safe to do so". I have seen many people running a solid yellow and getting tickets. The reason these "red light" cameras exist is for the drivers who lack the ability to stop for a red light. A flashing yellow light indicates a situation that requires caution, but does not require stopping.
 
#13 ·
Starman: Okay?
Jenny Hayden: Okay? Are you crazy? You almost got us killed! You said you watched me, you said you knew the rules!
Starman: I do know the rules.
Jenny Hayden: Oh, for your information pal, that was a *yellow* light back there!
Starman: I watched you very carefully. Red light stop, green light go, yellow light go very fast.

:):)

you know your from Northern Virginia if a yellow light means 10 more cars can get through (and a red light means 5 more cars :D)
 
#12 ·
Starman: Okay?
Jenny Hayden: Okay? Are you crazy? You almost got us killed! You said you watched me, you said you knew the rules!
Starman: I do know the rules.
Jenny Hayden: Oh, for your information pal, that was a *yellow* light back there!
Starman: I watched you very carefully. Red light stop, green light go, yellow light go very fast.

:):)
 
#16 ·
I just got back from running some honey doos. I bet 40% of every vehicle I saw had "Arizona" not visible. The state is going to make a ton off this new law. I don't care because I don't have a frame around the plate but.....
 
#22 ·
I'll try and get a map of all the photo radar camera placements and put it up on the forum so any visitors to Phoenix can get a heads up and watch their speed. Just be careful.....they also have speed photo vans that they place a half mile or so past the permament cameras to catch all the drivers who speed up after slowing down for the cameras.
They are listed with a google map on the state's website.

Scottsdale PD posts the locations of where and when their mobile units will be.

For those with Garmins or over portable GPS devices, you can pay $25 year for locations around the country that have photo radar or red light cameras.
 
#23 ·
This is one reason why....there are now over 42 different types of license plates in Arizona....Florida is the only state that tops it.

If the state did this for revenue only, then they would have made the seat belt law a primary law vs. secondary. They could raise other fines on existing laws. The fact that many cannot recognize all the AZ plates other than the common desert scenery is one reason for this change. And for what it's worth, all they did with this law change was 'strengthen' it - the law already stated if it was not clearly legible it was a violation. So those that put the covers over it to deflect the visibility of the plate are subject to a citation.

From a law enforcement officer's perspective, it is a tool. It gets drunk drivers off the street, or the drug trafficker hauling a load. The first day it went into effect, I pulled over 10 motorists. Not one got a ticket, but one did get their car towed since he was an unlicensed/uninsured driver...not unlike the one you read about that t-bones some innocent, law-abiding motorist.....

Rusty, when you go back to that thread on your plate frame, you'll find that I posted a reply about it months ago....

Government isn't always right, I'll be the first to agree with anyone on that despite being a government employee for the past 22 years. But some people take it to the extreme to justify their actions.

Photo radar - guess what? Don't speed, don 't get a picture taken. Pretty simple philosophy. Speed, then man up and face the consequences...like a co-worker of mine that has to pay for 2 photo radar tickets he got for not paying attention. AZ is one state that radar detectors are not illegal, and you can find information about the camera locations online. The law requires signs to be posted in any photo speed enforcement zone. So if I'm dumb enough not to be paying attention, I get what I deserve.

And yes, its not just about safety. It is about revenue. I for one feel safer now driving in Phoenix knowing people are slowing down and not running me off the road because I refuse to do more than 5 mph over the posted limit.

Nothing personal folks, just thought I'd throw in my unpopular perspective. I'm not trying to change your minds, nor will you succeed in changing mine. So on this, we can agree to disagree, just like politics and religion....
 
#25 ·
What do you say to the driver that drives thru a red light while a marked police car is at the same intersection, get stopped and issues a citation? Shame on you for not seeing the police or for running the red light? Next the same driver runs the same red light, but this time the police car is not marked (a plain wrapper)but stops him and issues a citation? Now what do you say? Shame on you for not realizing that was a police car or for running the red light. One more time, same driver runs the same light no police car this time just another car that doesn't make it thru the intersection ---- CRASH --- someone is seriously injuried,,, you go tell the family why it happened.
Oh I know let the Chaplin do it he is better with words.
:mad:
 
#26 ·
Here in Fl. We have a large number of license plates issued by the State. It is difficult to tell sometimes what State it is from if the State or portions of the State is covered.
Fl. just inacted a law for motorcycles lifting the front tire off the ground or improper display of a license plate, fine $1050 dollars.
 
#27 ·
When you can clearly see the words "Grand Canyon State" at the bottom of the plate, I don't think it's very hard to tell which state it's from.

What do you say to the driver that drives thru a red light while a marked police car is at the same intersection, get stopped and issues a citation? Shame on you for not seeing the police or for running the red light? Next the same driver runs the same red light, but this time the police car is not marked (a plain wrapper)but stops him and issues a citation? Now what do you say? Shame on you for not realizing that was a police car or for running the red light. One more time, same driver runs the same light no police car this time just another car that doesn't make it thru the intersection ---- CRASH --- someone is seriously injuried,,, you go tell the family why it happened.
Oh I know let the Chaplin do it he is better with words.
:mad:
Just to clairfy....I'm pissed about a dumb law about license plate frames. I don't have anything against red light or speed cameras. I may not like the speed cameras spread all over the Valley, but I can adjust my speed for them without too much of a problem. Just don't say they are for safety only. They're revenue generators, with reduced speed as a side benefit.

I wouldn't mind if they put a red light camera at every intersection in the Valley. Arizona leads the nation in red light runners and most of them are uninsured to boot.
 
#28 ·
When you can clearly see the words "Grand Canyon State" at the bottom of the plate, I don't think it's very hard to tell which state it's from. So a cop has to now remember every States motto? Where do you draw the line in determining if a plate is obscrubed, and who will make that determination?
 
#34 ·
So it's a side question, but your post made me wonder.... If my Ridge is registered in Utah and I drive into Arizona with a partially covered plate can the police pull me over and give me a ticket? I would think not, but curious.
Since the law is ONLY for vehilces registered in Arizona, 1st if an Arizona law enforcement officers doesn't know this is the Grand Canyon state, he shouldn't be issued a gun and a badge.

2nd, out of state plates are not affected by the law and CANNOT be ticketed for obscuring the the state name.
 
#37 ·
As long as you are legal in the state the truck is registered, you are good.

You are only required to meet state laws in the state the vehicle is registered.:confused: I think that makes sense.
 
#42 ·
That is not exactly true. It is true as it applies to license plates but it does not hold true to window tint. You can be ticketed for having tint that it legal in your state if you are driving in a state in which it is not legal.

Edit - Never mind. Mike has everything in order.
 
#40 ·
I live in Phoenix. I have a remedy....
Trim off some of the bottom of the plate...Dont go to crazy.
Elongate the holes on top of the plate, as much as you can.
This will allow you to use the same frame that you have now, and not cover the word ARIZONA..

The law doesnt say any thing about obscuring anything at the bottom of the plate..does it!!!!!

Have fun!!!!

Vinnie :D:D
 
#43 ·
Since I didn't want to get ride of my frame, I did a little adjustment with the dremel.....Now my frame is legal. This is a good fix until I can afford to get one of 5SDude's new frames....still thinking on what I want for the design.

The first photo is of the orginal frame, now illegal by Arizona law. The next two photos are after I cut off one of the billet bars from the top of the frame. Now it's legal. I also removed all the black paint from between the bars, since it was chipping and falling out anyway. Maybe when I get the candy paint for my wheels, I'll paint the frame as well.
 

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#44 ·
Nicely done Rusty....now watch them go and change the law! (They talked about making it only a $30 fine, and a secondary offense statute - like seat belts....supposedly going thru state legislature)
 
#51 ·
Were you in Snottsdale?:eek: Their officers are a little overzealous when it comes to license plate covers and frames.
 
#56 ·
#58 ·
Rusty, we thought we had it bad! There laws even ding you if you are from out of state! And ours only deals with the state name being covered....
 
#57 ·
Here in Iowa we have a similar law. All plates have the county name on the bottom of the plate and it's illegal to block that with a frame. I got pulled over and have gotten a ticket just for that. I think it's ridiculous but I don't use frames anymore and haven't been hassled since...

Window tint is another issue here as well. I was in the process of filling up my car at the gas station when a cop pulled into the station with lights flashing, parked behind me and gave me a ticket while I was filling up. He actually made me stop putting gas in, told me to get into my car and close the door before he wrote the ticket. Cops pretty much suck here.

These laws are written for collecting money, plain and simple. America, Land of the free, but it'll cost you.
 
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