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      05-22-2008, 09:13 AM   #1
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Question Stupid question.

I understand that the orange reflectors are mandated by law. I also know that many people have replaced them with body color reflectors, dummy "plugs", painted over them, etc. For any of you that have done this, have you ever been given grief by law enforcement or insurance? I know of nobody who has, but then maybe I don't have too many friends.
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      05-22-2008, 09:19 AM   #2
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I've never received grief from law enforcement or insurance, however I did have a dealer force me to remove them to past inspection. Needless to say, there were many other issues I had w/ the service department at said dealer and have since moved on to another dealer that doesn't give a shit about the reflectors.
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      05-22-2008, 09:22 AM   #3
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Wow. I wouldn't have expected it to come from the service department. Thanks.
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      05-22-2008, 10:00 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ersin View Post
I understand that the orange reflectors are mandated by law. I also know that many people have replaced them with body color reflectors, dummy "plugs", painted over them, etc. For any of you that have done this, have you ever been given grief by law enforcement or insurance? I know of nobody who has, but then maybe I don't have too many friends.
No, cops aren't looking for that kind of stuff unless they relly know the DOT standards AND really want to stick yhou with something for some other reason.
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      05-22-2008, 11:17 PM   #5
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      05-23-2008, 01:14 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon View Post
No, cops aren't looking for that kind of stuff unless they relly know the DOT standards AND really want to stick yhou with something for some other reason.
That's what I was thinking.

So, I'm trying here not to give the cops any reason to pull me over. I know of people that have been ticked for no front plates and tint (but I haven't been) and I've never heard of anyone being pulled over for reflectors. I realize if I've been pulled over for something else everything is fair game for the cops, especially if he or she has a bad day. So, I'll probably have to drill holes for the plate, but I'll do the reflectors and the tint. Tint will be legal, but there's no guarantee of not being cited.
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      05-23-2008, 03:01 PM   #7
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We've sold these for the past 4-5 years for E46 and now the new E92/3 models. Never have I had a customer complain about having issues with cops.

With that said, some state inspections may catch it if they are good.
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      05-23-2008, 03:25 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ersin View Post
That's what I was thinking.

So, I'm trying here not to give the cops any reason to pull me over. I know of people that have been ticked for no front plates and tint (but I haven't been) and I've never heard of anyone being pulled over for reflectors. I realize if I've been pulled over for something else everything is fair game for the cops, especially if he or she has a bad day. So, I'll probably have to drill holes for the plate, but I'll do the reflectors and the tint. Tint will be legal, but there's no guarantee of not being cited.
I'd hate to drill holes and mess up such a beautiful front. I realise every state is different in their enforcement of front plates, but to me the small fine would outweigh the benefit of having a clean front bumper. Think of it as a small luxury tax. hah!

Also, even though I don't have a front plate installed on my car I do carry around the extra plate in my trunk at all times. So If for some reason I am given grief for it I could just say it fell off or something. (If he was really going to give me a ticket for it.)
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      05-23-2008, 03:28 PM   #9
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Come to think of it, I don't really have any idea if this would pass on a cop searching for something to ticket you on... but if you kept the extra plate in the cabin (between the driver seat and middle console) you could even just slip it up under the front windshield if you ever got pulled over and just say you haven't been able to get a bracket for it yet. I know this works just fine for the rear window with rear plates which I'd say the rear plates are arguably more important.

Plus, I'd rather keep the amber reflecters than put on a front plate.
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      05-23-2008, 03:36 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by UltimateBMW View Post
Come to think of it, I don't really have any idea if this would pass on a cop searching for something to ticket you on... but if you kept the extra plate in the cabin (between the driver seat and middle console) you could even just slip it up under the front windshield if you ever got pulled over and just say you haven't been able to get a bracket for it yet. I know this works just fine for the rear window with rear plates which I'd say the rear plates are arguably more important.

Plus, I'd rather keep the amber reflecters than put on a front plate.
only time I ever got shit for no front plate was when I had it in the windshield. When the cop pulled me over and looked at my car he saw it there and told me it had to be mounted on bumper. Once I took it out of windshield I never heard anything about it again, even after being pulled over a couple times. Kinda like out of sight out of mind. So my suggestion if you're not mounting it is to leave it home. Unfortunately my BMW dealer wouldn't let the car off the lot without mounting the front plate, claiming they were afraid they could lose the right to issue plates if they got caught. how they would get caught I have no idea.
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      05-23-2008, 03:48 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J08M3 View Post
only time I ever got shit for no front plate was when I had it in the windshield. When the cop pulled me over and looked at my car he saw it there and told me it had to be mounted on bumper. Once I took it out of windshield I never heard anything about it again, even after being pulled over a couple times. Kinda like out of sight out of mind. So my suggestion if you're not mounting it is to leave it home. Unfortunately my BMW dealer wouldn't let the car off the lot without mounting the front plate, claiming they were afraid they could lose the right to issue plates if they got caught. how they would get caught I have no idea.
Hm. Good to know, thanks for sharing your story. I think there is alot of logic to the out of site theory. So never mind my last post suggesting the window thing. Definately don't try that.

I still would carry it in the car with me. If they go searching through your trunk, I think that license plate will be the worst of your problems.
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      05-23-2008, 04:17 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J08M3 View Post
only time I ever got shit for no front plate was when I had it in the windshield. When the cop pulled me over and looked at my car he saw it there and told me it had to be mounted on bumper. Once I took it out of windshield I never heard anything about it again, even after being pulled over a couple times. Kinda like out of sight out of mind. So my suggestion if you're not mounting it is to leave it home. Unfortunately my BMW dealer wouldn't let the car off the lot without mounting the front plate, claiming they were afraid they could lose the right to issue plates if they got caught. how they would get caught I have no idea.
It would be good to know exactly what your state regulations say. Here are Oregon's:

OAR 803.540 Failure to display plates; exceptions; penalty.
(1) A person commits the offense of failure to display registration plates if the person operates, on the highways of this state, any vehicle or camper that has been assigned registration plates by this state and the registration plates assigned to the vehicle or camper are displayed in a manner that violates any of the following:

(a) The plate must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle, if only one plate is required.

(b) Plates must be displayed on the front and rear of the vehicle if two plates are required.

(c) The plates must be in plain view and so as to be read easily by the public.

(d) The plate must not be any plate that does not entitle the holder thereof to operate the vehicle upon the highways.

(2) A person is not in violation of this section if the person is operating a vehicle or camper under and in accordance with the requirements for any of the following:

(a) A temporary application permit issued under ORS 803.615.

(b) An agent temporary registration permit issued under ORS 803.625.

(c) Provisions established under ORS 826.007, 826.009 or 826.011 for the display of registration plates or other evidence of registration on vehicles that are proportionally registered under ORS 826.009 or 826.011.

(3) The offense described in this section, failure to display registration plates, is a Class D traffic violation. [1983 c.338 §261; 1985 c.668 §13; 1989 c.43 §28; 1995 c.383 §6]


It seems to me that it could be argued that display in the windshield complies with 1.b. & c.
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