posted on March 17, 2002 06:48:52 PM new
A Michigan man was stopped recently in Utah because he did not have a front license plate. The Utah police make traffic stops for "minor violations" as a pretext to search for drugs. In this case they found two bodies in the trunk. Michigan only gives you a rear plate. In fact I don't know of any other state that still provides two plates. So I guess they can ticket almost any out of state car in Utah.
To me that is a underhanded application of law to not accept whatever configuration of plates the issuing state uses. You might as well say they have to buy Utah plates to drive through, or that any plates with yellow in them will not be honored. In fact I wonder if anyone has ever challanged this stupid application of law.
Native Utah folks or passers-through have any experiences?
posted on March 17, 2002 11:14:39 PM new
Can't help ya with your Utah query, Gravid, but out here in California we're still required to have both front and rear plates. (Keeps us from being overly inconvenienced when one or the other is swiped and subsequently affixed to a stolen car... )
posted on March 18, 2002 03:44:29 AM new
A lot of people here saved their bicentennial plates and use them as a front plate. Had a trooper stop an old boy doing that and demand he remove it. Fiesty old guy told him it was an illegal order and he refused which got him arrested. Big mistake - the guy knew the state law did not address the issue and went after the trooper in court. Judge, agreed it was a matter of using police powers to enforce his personal taste.
Maybe the front plate would pass muster in Utah even if it did not match.
posted on March 18, 2002 07:50:04 AM new
Front and back plates too here in Oregon.
Me, I'd prefer just a small barcode on my vehicles instead of a license plate.
posted on March 18, 2002 08:12:32 AM new
We've got front and back plates in Virginia too. Was the lack of a front plate the official reason cited for stopping him or was there another cause?
posted on March 18, 2002 10:36:59 AM new
Last week, Klein said, the neighbor told him that he
and his wife, Dusty, were being stalked by
herex-boyfriend. Klein said the neighbor told him the
couple were leaving town soon and gave him the
couple's cell phone number in case he saw anything
suspicious. Utah Highway Patrol Capt. Keith Squires
said the car Daniel was driving had been stopped
along I-70 on Thursday for not having a front license
plate as required by Utah state law. The corridor is
commonly used for drug transportation, and troopers
often find drugs when they stop vehicles for minor
violations.
EXCERPT FROM: http://freep.com/news/mich/body16_20020316.htm
posted on March 18, 2002 11:42:46 PM new
We lived in Utah for 21 years, moved to CA 4 months ago.
All I know about the traffic stops is that Utah has been a Drug Superhighway for a long long time, with drugloads coming up from Mexico, through Arizona and Utah and then to the rest of the country. And the authorities have been trying to end that.
However, I must add that some of the small towns on I-15 through Utah are notorious for making their town budget with ticky-tacky traffic stops - speed traps and such. I was on our city council in Ogden for several years, and a policeman told me he could follow any of us for two blocks and ticket us for doing something wrong--that we all have careless habits and such. I suppose that's what the small-town cops are doing to earn a little money for their salaries. Doesn't make it right, though.
Bear in mind, always, that Utah is essentially a third-world country and might as well have a wall around it. The only state in the union where size of families continues to climb, as in third-world countries, and the only state I'm aware of that is essentially a theocracy (as in - shhhhh - Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.)
posted on March 19, 2002 10:59:57 AM new
NJ requires 2 plates. Last year the papers were full of the "revelation" of what portion of municipal budgets came from speeding tickets. No surprise considering the large budgets to enforce speed laws for "safety" when speeding accounts for 1/2 of 1 percent of accidents.
There was a big scandal in NJ about "profiling" by NJ state troopers. NJ used to sieze TONS of narcotics on the Turnpike. We're more politically correct now.
posted on March 19, 2002 11:33:03 AM new
I'm from utah.. I agree the drug transportation is an issue..
But the poice "ends justify the means" attitude is not a solution to the problem..
DWB is a big problem as is other racial profiling...HOWEVER most police are not concerned with white peoples rights either..
Any excuse to harrass people is deemed acceptable..
posted on March 19, 2002 12:09:57 PM new
In New York State, the state gets all money, except, parking ticket, seat belt, ECT. The city only gets court cost. That is why its easy to get a speeding ticket reduced down to parking ticket. city gets the money. ya, we have two plates.
posted on March 19, 2002 12:36:06 PM new
NJ has that same deal!
You go in plead guilty to being unpleasant, get no points, the town goniffs your $xx directly and you don't even have to wait in court. Just a little side deal with the prosecutor. The state has noticed their take going down though and is cracking the whip.
posted on March 19, 2002 07:20:18 PM new
You know I can see that it worked for the good this time for this sort of a traffic stop to be made.
But is it really a good overall idea?
One of the dangers it that it is reall easy for the thought process to be extended...
We have made a bogus stop lets make some bogus charges and seize the car. It is an easy forfiture with no danger of being shot at and this out of state person is not gonna fight us long distance for the value of a car. Hey! another Caddy to auction off!
That was happening in Louisiana.
Then there is the needless danger. The easy stop the cop is used to and walks up to find a MAC10 set to spray in his face. The guy lucked out this fellow was not a lot harder to arrest with two bodies in his trunk.
Not to mention it really encourages tourism.
No - I am sorry - It is a harder way but better for everyone to actually investigate and base stops on real probable cause.
