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Old 06-06-2014, 09:32 AM   #1
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Narrow Custom License Plate Frames

Where can I order online narrow custom plate frames?

I have one but it's too big and actually, I got pulled over by an officer yesterday coming back from a vacation and (no exaggeration) he grilled me with questions as if I was Tony Montana from "Scarface" or Walter White from "Breaking Bad". I even got patted down for weapons.

So, i definitely I need a new plate frame to avoid that experience again.

At least, no ticket when he realized I wasn't a bad character.
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Old 06-06-2014, 12:04 PM   #2
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J.C Whitney, I'd check them out.
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Old 06-06-2014, 12:25 PM   #3
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J.C Whitney, I'd check them out.
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Thanks. I'll have to check.

Guess I was breaking the law without knowing it.

For now, I just took the entire frame off and the Liscense plate is going naked
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Old 06-06-2014, 12:36 PM   #4
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In Arizona if the frame covers any part of the state name it's considered a violation. I still see a lot of vehicles that violate the rule but my understanding is that the police here won't pull you over just for that violation but may add it on if pulled over for other violations like speeding.
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Old 06-06-2014, 12:43 PM   #5
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I got pulled over for that very reason. Driving home while out of state coming back from a vacation with some friends, after pulled over, the officer said the frame can't block any of the state name. Then grilled me like I was a drug dealer and even patted me down for weapons. When he realized that I wasn't the second coming of Tony Montana or Walter White, he let me go without a warning or ticket. Overall, he was polite but the incident was a bit nerve wracking.
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Old 06-06-2014, 01:02 PM   #6
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We have thy same thing, can't cover the plate. Seldom enforced, of course in this state you wouldn't have gotten patted down. You don't need a permit to carry in your car, it's considered part of your 'castle'.
While the plate wasn't legal, sure seems like a lot of hassle. Maybe the leo was having a bad day.
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Old 06-06-2014, 01:22 PM   #7
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Gee, patting someone down for having too large a plate frame seems quite extreme to me without some reasonable cause that you might be a bad actor.
Lucky you didn't get a cavity search
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Old 06-06-2014, 01:22 PM   #8
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I got pulled over for that very reason. Driving home while out of state coming back from a vacation with some friends, after pulled over, the officer said the frame can't block any of the state name.
I didn't know it was illegal. Personally I don't like license plate frames, but DW does. And I am pretty sure that the frame provided by her local dealership here in San Francisco covers the state name. Is this a new law?
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Old 06-06-2014, 01:26 PM   #9
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I didn't know it was illegal. Personally I don't like license plate frames, but DW does. And I am pretty sure that the frame provided by her local dealership here in San Francisco covers the state name. Is this a new law?
I think the law is state by state. At my home state, I've had the frame on for over 10 years and not pulled over once. But did read that it is illegal in my state to cover any numbers or letters of the plate.

Here's an article, in Iowa. May of this year.

Quote:
The Iowa Supreme Court just ruled that drivers whose cars display the frames can be stopped if they obscure the small print below the plate numbers. The decision ended a five-year court battle stemming from the 2009 traffic stop of a man suspected of dealing drugs based on information from a confidential informant. The court ruled 5-2 last week that a 1984 law requiring drivers to “permit full view of all numerals and letters” on the plate includes the county name.
In Iowa, a license plate frame gets drivers tagged by police | Fox News
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Old 06-06-2014, 01:31 PM   #10
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Gee, patting someone down for having too large a plate frame seems quite extreme to me without some reasonable cause that you might be a bad actor.
Lucky you didn't get a cavity search
He didn't touch any of my junk

I think he was itching to search my car by asking me if I had "weapons, pot, then cocaine, then meth, then over 2K in cash" but I said no to all. Then when he asked again if I had weapon, I said "no". When he asked if he could pat me down I said "ok" as I knew he won't find any on me.

He was probably surprised he found no weapon.

In a way, I guess the incident could be a blessing in disguise as I didn't get a citation or anything and now know the situation in my home state.
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Old 06-06-2014, 01:33 PM   #11
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I think the law is state by state. At my home state, I've had the frame on for over 10 years and not pulled over once. But did read that it is illegal in my state to cover any numbers or letters of the plate.

Here's an article, in Iowa. May of this year.



In Iowa, a license plate frame gets drivers tagged by police | Fox News
Oh, for some reason I thought you lived in California! Your screen name must have thrown me off.
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Old 06-06-2014, 01:36 PM   #12
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Oh, for some reason I thought you lived in California! Your screen name must have thrown me off.
No..Not from Cali. Actually. A little nervous around water.

I was talking to someone the past couple of days who was from Hawaii. I asked her "Do you surf?" She didn't but I bet she gets asked that all the time.
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Old 06-06-2014, 05:52 PM   #13
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For the reasons (getting stopped, pat downs, etc.) mentioned, I never keep the dealer's large advertising cover. I just go naked as well.

Mentioned in at least one other thread, the license plate is just one of many "tricks" LEOs have for stopping someone they actually want to stop for some other reason. Think! The last time you got pulled over for something "major" (like speeding - assuming it was legit and not one or two mph over) I'd bet they didn't pat you down nor ask to search your car nor ask you questions about drugs. No. OP was profiled and targeted IMHO. Difficult to say why OP might have been profiled, but I'd bet a steak dinner on it - if there were a way to confirm it. The plate cover was the excuse to make the stop. If it hadn't been that, the officer would have found something else. My friend who is an ex LEO said he could find an excuse to pull someone over within 6 blocks. I believe him - and he is a straight arrow when it comes to LEOs. Just my $.02 worth so YMMV.
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Old 06-06-2014, 06:39 PM   #14
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Well, made me look.

Hmmm, My IL plate has a very stylized flowery script "Illinois" on top (so flowery as to be barely legible anyhow), and the dealer frame covers some of that. "Land of Lincoln" is in block letters and clearly visible (there's a cut-out for that). Annual sticker " ~ 1" x 2", shows OK.

Man, if I got a ticket for that, I'd be back at the dealer and furious. Who should know more about proper license display laws than a car dealer?

Of course, since I haven't been back there in nearly 14 years, I'm not sure they'd show much concern


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Old 06-06-2014, 07:08 PM   #15
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The more I think about this, the more the idea of just having my plates go naked appeals to me.
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Old 06-10-2014, 02:34 PM   #16
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I think he was itching to search my car by asking me if I had "weapons, pot, then cocaine, then meth, then over 2K in cash" but I said no to all.
Is there some law that prohibits having over 2K in cash in your car?
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Old 06-10-2014, 02:42 PM   #17
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Is there some law that prohibits having over 2K in cash in your car?
I assume that in that state I was in that 2K or above and the cops probably could take the money saying that's probably drug money. Must my assumption.

Perhaps kind of like if you write a check for over 10K or a above, the bank scours over the transaction.
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Old 06-10-2014, 02:51 PM   #18
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I assume that in that state I was in that 2K or above and the cops probably could take the money saying that's probably drug money. Must my assumption.

Perhaps kind of like if you write a check for over 10K or a above, the bank scours over the transaction.
They do? Wow. I guess I was lucky. I paid for my brand new Toyota Venza in full by check, and drove it home the same afternoon (back in 2010). Probably the dealership was used to all that scouring.
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Old 06-10-2014, 03:04 PM   #19
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I assume that in that state I was in that 2K or above and the cops probably could take the money saying that's probably drug money. Must my assumption.

Perhaps kind of like if you write a check for over 10K or a above, the bank scours over the transaction.
Federal money laundering laws require forms be filled out for CASH transactions over $10,000, not for checks. Checks have a built in trail of ownership that makes them a poor choice for money laundering.
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Old 06-10-2014, 03:06 PM   #20
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I assume that in that state I was in that 2K or above and the cops probably could take the money saying that's probably drug money. Must my assumption.

Perhaps kind of like if you write a check for over 10K or a above, the bank scours over the transaction.
I have over 2K in cash every time I go on vacation. I don't like using my debit card and don't own a credit card. I guess i'm lucky I haven't gotten pulled over. Can't imagine they could just take my money unless they found drugs in the car. Then I can understand it.
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