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The history and legal laws regarding rear license plate light


Grdpa's 50 Dodge

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Watching Live PD every week and one  of the most common reason for getting pulled over, getting paperwork checked and car shook down for contraband IS the license plate light is out.  As one practical thinking what is the issue?  The policeman is always parked right behind with enough lighting to blind anyone, can plainly see them unless mudded over.  What earthly purpose is the license plate light?

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I think it allows you to correctly place the tag on your vehicle when it is dark.....actually, on some interstate travel, the state from which the tag is issued weights a lot on being pulled.....drug trafficking is the number one reason many are pulled....and yes you have to meet other profiling criteria within the mix...but folks are definitely profiled....not sure what was going on today but went by a single female standing behind her car....with 5 patrol cars with flashing lights surrounding the vehicle and BLOCKING  view any persons who had cause to make a turn thus endangering them and occupants of the car as they try to maneuver around this cluster.  Don't even ask me about the stupidity I seen during the Memorial Day traffic...

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What you look like and what you're driving and/or riding makes a difference, too. Times have changed, though. A bunch of us got pulled over once. One of the guys got some kind of bogus ticket. Cop asked him what year his motorcycle was and wrote on the ticket, "1957 S&S Cycle" I think he just wanted to get us out of his hair. Guy was proud of the ticket, never paid it, showed it off for years. 

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What ever happened to people “respecting” the law???  Maybe if they would do as they were asked they would not be “profiled”. 

When I was in high school I disrespected the law and was punished for it (several occasions). I paid for my disrespect and learned by it, never once did I think I was “profiled”!!  

 

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12 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

 ....and yes you have to meet other profiling criteria within the mix...but folks are definitely profiled....not sure what was going on today but went by a single female standing behind her car....with 5 patrol cars with flashing lights surrounding the vehicle and BLOCKING  view any persons who had cause to make a turn thus endangering them and occupants of the car as  

 

Not sure?  It appears that you have no idea what was going on for but you choose to determine that it was profiling?  And, just for the record, could you explain why you are sure that people are profiled?  Any evidence other than anecdotal or your anti-police feelings?

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you are taking this latter incident beyond the scope of my initial comment in my post...I stated a sole female and five patrol cars and the fact that I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WHEN ON...other than creating a difficult navigational condition for other motorists...and the facts around the profiling...stated from one officer's own mouth...that is the end of this as you  may have a different opinion, you may wish to state it or not...I believe that profiling may be the wrong word to use based on its broad reach, , but whatever the case may be, I think it is working.

Edited by Plymouthy Adams
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On 6/6/2018 at 6:24 PM, Grdpa's 50 Dodge said:

 .  What earthly purpose is the license plate light?

 

 I guess your question was never answered.  The purpose of the license plate light is to illuminate the license plate.  This is not meant to be flip but this the answer.  It provides an easier method for identification at night.  Nothing nefarious about it.  

 

From the law enforcement aspect it is valuable.  One cannot simply stop a vehicle because of a hunch or boredom.  There needs to be "reasonable suspicion" such as an observed traffic violation or other justifiable  reason.  The burned out license plate bulb is a traffic violation and, obviously, can only be used at night.  The reasonable suspicion is a valid legal reason to stop a motor vehicle.  If something else arises from the stop then the reasonable suspicion must be documented, i.e., the written traffic violation.

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problem is, how often does one go to the back of their vehicle, while it's running, with the lights on, at night?  Average Joe driver never does.

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4 hours ago, ggdad1951 said:

problem is, how often does one go to the back of their vehicle, while it's running, with the lights on, at night?  Average Joe driver never does.

 

I agree but Average Joe should be checking all his rear lights at regular intervals. I personally check all my lights fairly regularly and the only one burnt out on my everyday car is the licence plate light. Go figure. Maybe I'll replace it after this thread.

 

K

 

 

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the last car I walked through the electrical system I upgraded the registration and side marker lights with LED units..life expectancy is greater with these....cost is now well within reason for purchasing...dash lights are very special for this car...looking to find these in LED but so far, nothing...

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One of my previous company trucks had 1 bad license plate light out of the 2 in the bumper. I determined that the socket/fixture was faulty, as a new bulb didn't fix it. I picked up a new light assembly at Ford and put it in my desk drawer for safe keeping until I could get the time to install it. A few years after that truck got sold I discovered the light assembly still in my desk drawer. Oops...

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  • 1 month later...

Well.....I've worked 21 years straight on the graveyard shift....I'm always checking the lights, markers, windows and mirrors.....why the mirrors and windows you ask?

When a dirty windshield or mirror is hit by oncoming traffic light, you find you can't see out the window so good , but can see the dirt and bugs just fine.

 

Around here, the license plate light is so current registration sticker can be identified along with the license info.

 

48D

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Back in '67 or '68, motoring along minding my own business, a local city cop stopped me 'cuz my licence light was too BRIGHT!  He also informed me that me and my car at the time, a '57 jacked up Ford hot rod with a primer grey bubble scoop, remember those, answered the description of a burglary  suspect.  So ....one shake down, 4 police cars and 45 minutes later, they decided I wasn't their guy.  No ticket.  Was sop for the cops back then.  The good 'ol days........

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I'm quite sure I have experienced profiling.  From 1975 to 1980 (last three college years plus a couple more) I had a huge afro.  First time I was stopped, the officer came up to the window & informed me right off that I was under arrest.  Took me back to his car, where he interrogated me for around 45 minutes, asking the same questions over & over, trying to trip me up on my story.  Thing was, I was telling the truth, and didn't have to think about how to answer.  Never did tell me what I was "under arrest" for, and as far as I know it was bogus - it it not on my record.  By the time he let me go I had a splitting headache from the stress of it.  Another time, in a different state, I turned up a street going the wrong way at 2:00 AM.  Just a bit down the road, I saw a car coming, and pulled off the side of the road, intending to turn around after it passed.  It was a cop.  He made me walk the line, accused me of assisting in the escape of some juvenile delinquents, told me to shut up when I told him my car was not the Make he said had done this, and called in a second cruiser to "escort" me back the little ways I had come up the wrong way.  I don't think a single car passed through there during the whole ordeal.  I think I can be sure that the real issue was that I was a white guy who was identifying with African-American causes.  Of course other people got the wrong impression, too.  Coming out of a rest stop rest room once, a guy asked me if I was 'travelling with speed'.  I just said 'No,' but later wished I had said, 'No, I'm traveling with Jesus!'  Lost opportunity. (That time, in addition to the huge afro, I was wearing a black cut off choir robe as a shirt - tucked into my jeans.  You know, the deal with the huge sleeves.  I should find a picture someplace....)

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Oh boy was I ever “profiled” when I was younger.  I would get pulled over every few weeks all through high school. Had nothing to do with me being a smart a## with a hot rod truck that couldn’t leave a stop sign without burning the tires.  35 years later you help me realize that it was “profiling” not just the cops doing there jobs.  

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 6/6/2018 at 7:24 PM, Grdpa's 50 Dodge said:

Watching Live PD every week and one  of the most common reason for getting pulled over, getting paperwork checked and car shook down for contraband IS the license plate light is out.  As one practical thinking what is the issue?  The policeman is always parked right behind with enough lighting to blind anyone, can plainly see them unless mudded over.  What earthly purpose is the license plate light?

It always seemed to me its purpose was to illuminate the light so the police could read it while checking for a match to a subject vehicle. On the other hand, the brightness always seems so dim as to render them pretty much useless. ?

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There is a reason for all of the lights, horns, etc.  A license plate light cannot be too bright unless it is improperly installed or aimed.  Most state traffic laws prohibit white lights on the rear of a vehicle.  The license plate light, properly aimed does not act like a whte light showing on the rear.  It illluminates the plate.  Not too tough here, folks.  Now these folks with the blue and red flashing LED highlights are in for a really rude awakening, too.

 

In order to help out here most later license plate light holders have two, or more, bulbs.  In the event one burns out then you are still legal.  Did you ever notice the commercial vehicles have multiple taillights?  There is a reason for that.

 

The easy way to do this is to walk around your vehicle every now and then.  Or you can wait and bad mouth the police for your carelessness after you've paid your fine.  

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The way it could be too bright is if the reflector to aim light at plate is broke.  I have been profiled a half dozen times.  Having to go to work back then at 4 AM to 4.30 AM they thought I was going home probably drunk.  They would walk up to the car, see my blue vest that was VERY distinctive (Worked at Mennards then.  They would see vest, mumble something like your going to work arent you. SEE YA!!!  All their high class reasons for stopping me all went away in a flash.  Most didnt even ask for license,regist. or insure.  Once they stopped me for tires on white dotted line turning in a double turn lane.  Didnt know when your the only car it made a difference when there was two cars on whole street.  He didnt even write a warning,sez hurry off to work.  I have never driven on the line again

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