Jeff,
I checked. Here in Maine it's illegal to make such a copy of your license plate. I considered it but am afraid cops would look at it as a red herring.
Not too much time, too little time to change.
I used to live in RI, we had 2 plates. Never switched. Take that back, did it once. Never again. Now in FL we have ne tag. (note switching plate to tag?) I just leave it on the truck. No problem so far.
I should put my old RI plate on the TC!, Same number, WA1RI Wonder what that would get me?
Bill & Jolene / FL 1997 Southwind 35P 2006 Yamaha 1100 Classic &
1970 Norton Commando 750 in state of recuperation (Almost road ready!!!)
6x12 Enclosd trailer
JeffPritchard wrote: I'm just curious, can anyone think of a down-side for the proposal to make a "fake" plate that clearly says "duplicate" on it and keep that on the TC. This seems like a really good solution to me. Anybody have any thoughts on why this is not perhaps the best solution?
jp
I think the downside is that you must involve your county or state licensing bureaus or departments. And they will simply create another tax to produce another plate.
JeffPritchard wrote: I'm just curious, can anyone think of a down-side for the proposal to make a "fake" plate that clearly says "duplicate" on it and keep that on the TC. This seems like a really good solution to me. Anybody have any thoughts on why this is not perhaps the best solution?
jp
The only reason that would matter to me is giving LEO's any reason to have contact with me. I prefer to deny them any opportunities to interact in situations where common sense should apply and I wind up being the recipient of bad things.
I got a ticket going up the Cajon towing a jeep on a trailer. I was in the second lane of the two right hand truck lanes just like I was supposed to be. The furthest right lane has the really slow trucks in it and the next one over is generally faster.
Anyway, the lane of traffic I was in was moving faster than the one to our right. About the time the nose of the tow rig got even with the rear dual on the semi we were about to pass, he cut over into our lane. I started jamming on the brakes and then noticed the semi behind me was about to hit the back of the trailer. The lane to my left which I'm not supposed to be in had a decent opening, so I whipped the whole mess over one lane and hit the throttle to get around the slower rig that cut me off and then back into the correct lane. As soon as I passed him, a CHP cruiser lit me up.
Yes, I was wrong for being in the lane I was in, and wrong for exceeding the speed limit. I'd still rather have the ticket instead of having the front end of the tow rig wiped out, but the CHP officer was having none of it. So, the less interaction I invite, the better off I am.
05 Dodge 3500 4x4 DRW Long Bed 4dr
07 Lance 992
III so far.
True story:
A few years ago while passing through Mississippi, I had to pull off the interstate for gas. As I slowed down on the exit, I noticed a flashing blue light but thought nothing of it. A couple hundred yards later, I realized he was after me and I pulled over. It was a young, new officer who told me he had stopped me because he could not see my license plate (obscured by the camper steps). I played dumb and said I forgot to move the plates and promised him I'd move them at the gas station. He says OK, but explains he's part of the drug interdiction team and would I mind if his drug dog went into my camper. Yes I would mind because it is now my "residence" with my personal things. Then he tells me if we had a small, personal amount of contraband on board, he'd let us go with a warning. (An obvious lie. Yep, cops can legally lie to get you to admit wrongdoing.) Truth is, my friend in a bit of nostalgia had brought an illegal substance and didn't tell me until we were underway. The cop persisted, but I wouldn't let the dog in the camper or truck, so he walks the dog around the truck. When it gets to the passenger door, the dog reacts and the cop opens the door. I bite my tongue, figuring it would only call attention if I objected. The dog sniffs the cab interior a little bit but loses interest. They make another pass round the truck and the dog hits on a storage box I had built on the back of the camper to hold fishing stuff. Pretty smelly inside and the dog scratches on it hard. The cop believes me when I tell him what's inside, then tells me to make sure I move the plate, which I do at the station.
I also tell my friend to get rid of the herb.
This past weekend, I was in Mississippi (with no contraband)and dang if I didn't forget to change the plate. But I didn't get stopped.
Sometimes I change it, sometimes I don't. And sometimes I forget to move it back to the truck and drive around. There is no good answer unless your state gives duplicates for a reasonable charge.
'Nother true story:
A few years ago, I was driving home here in Maine, no TC, no cap, hauling my old ATV trailer with a couple quads on it (plate on truck in plain sight). Tooling up the interstate at speedlimit. Get slowly passed by an unmarked trooper. He gets about 3/4ths in front of me and immediately slows down and pulls me over. I quickly move the "bag of 6" onto the floor under my jacket before he gets to my door. As he walks up the side of the trailer he bends over to see the plate (it's there, legal but tough to see given it's factory mount location.) Gets to my window, asks for my dl and reg. Asks me where my front plate was? HUH? Crap, still on my truck camper. He asked me if I had proof of the TC??? I had taken the TC off earlier in the week. Pointed to my extended mirrors, still on, to my my tie downs still sticking out. Handed me back my dl and reg, told me to put my front plate on as soon as I got home.....
brain wrote: And how would you take it off and install it to the camper or truck "real easy"? I find the movement very time consuming.
Can you define that "very time consuming"...is it longer than it takes to drink a cup of coffee? Brew a cup of coffee? Drink a beer? It is certainly shorter than the process of getting a ticket will be so go ahead an make the switch. My husband did it this last time with the camper in place on the truck. Took him maybe 3 minutes...his coffee was still warm
Offline
