A decision

[Drew Dowdell]

Would you make a major life decision based on something as petty as front license plates?

[Robert Hall]

No. I've lived in 2 plate states, lived in 1 plate states..doesn't mean anything to me. The big issues for me are quality of life, career opportunities, climate, etc in choosing a state/city to live in..

Edited December 14, 2013 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Drew Dowdell]

If the other things are relatively equal.

[Robert Hall]

If the other things are relatively equal.

Nope.

[ocnblu]

Drew is a real car guy if things like this cross his mind.

[caddycruiser]

I've had some clients almost have a breakdown because their new car came in with a front plate...it happens. Once I had to switch bumpers between 1 new car and another due to the bracket...service loved me for that request.

In other worlds, you take it off and cover the 2 tiny holes. UNLESS you are moving to a new state, in that case just put the front plate elsewhere, off to the side or something with zip ties. Always a creative way.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Drew, I simply refused to put the front plate on my Saturn SKY when I got it. I kept the plate in the house too, no zip ties or trunk storage for me! Never ran into a problem with NJ police - benefit of living close to the PA border too. I see many Corvette owners do the same (operate with just the rear plate). Most cases I've heard the PD will give you some grief as long as you still have the plate, and no one I've ever known has gotten a ticket for no front plate.

[Robert Hall]

I know PA is a one plate state, and NJ is a two plate state, what about MD or DE?

[Lamar]

MD is 2 plates. Don't know about DE.

[David]

I consider myself a car nut and while I wish the Fed's would just standardize a single back plate for all states, I know it will never happen due to idiot politicians. Not worth getting upset over and I would always take the better quality of life, job and family over an auto with 2 versus one plate.

[ocnblu]

DE is a one plate state. Not sure about North Dakota.

[Drew Dowdell]

Florida is a one plate state too.

[David]

Washington is a stupid t plate state.

[Robert Hall]

Florida is a one plate state too.

As is Arizona. I think Michigan is also, I lived there 3 years in the 90s but had Ohio plates.

Edited December 18, 2013 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Camino LS6]

Gah! I hate front plates!

That said, I'm falling in love with the idea of living in a state that happens to be 2-plate.

I think I'd just go rogue and leave the hideous front plate off.

[Z-06]

Florida is a one plate state too.

As is Arizona. I think Michigan is also, I lived there 3 years in the 90s but had Ohio plates.

One.

[Cory Wolfe]

They ought to just standardize license plates across the entire country, like much of Europe does. No need to have 50 different plate formats with differing requirements. Granted, if they were to do this, I can easily see the new federal mandate being a two-plate affair.

As a thought, maybe we could move to a more technology based form of vehicle registration. Either electronic plates or some form of bar-code for the front windshield.

[ZL-1]

Basing a "major life decision" on the number of plates your car need to have? Hell no!

[Z-06]

Basing a "major life decision" on the number of plates your car need to have? Hell no!

First world problem.

[Robert Hall]

Googled it..only 19 states are 1 plate only. Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.

Interesting that all the states that border Ohio are 1 plate states.

[Intrepidation]

I've seen some people make retractable front plates. Very cool idea.

[Robert Hall]

A buddy of mine in Colorado has never had a front plate or a front plate bracket on his '91 NSX...in the 15 years he's had the car, he's always just laid the front plate on top of the dash visible through the windshield...never had a ticket that I know of. I know other people in Colorado that had cars from 1-plate states that did the same thing.

I've never understood the fear of two plates that some people have, but some cars do look better without a front plate bracket, esp. the cheap plastic cheesy ones a lot of newer cars have. My sister's DTS has a flush cover over where the front plate goes, looks factory, will have to remove it eventually when she needs a plate..

Edited December 24, 2013 by Cubical-aka-Moltar