Should PA Registered Cars Also Have Front License plates? (Penn: mover, inspectors)

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by TLC1957

Not everyone in NJ has a front plate.


https://www.city-data.com/forum/new-...e-license.html

Lived in NJ for 58 years never gave it thought before we moved to Pa 8 years ago. Well at least both of my Hondas have the front plate setup. My CRV I purchased from a NJ dealer while living in Pa it came with the front plate hardware. So what did I put on the front plate?? of course a NY Yankees plate…lol

Tom

I can attest that a kid in a rusty MG convertible will get pulled over if the front plate is sitting on the dashboard, and will fail NJ state inspection if the front plate is held on with wire instead of screws. At least, that was the case in the 80's.

Only car I've bought in PA that came with a front bracket was our 2005 Explorer -- and that one got a NY Mets plate!

[bridge12]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

There must be a study that shows Philly has more Traffic Crime than Boston, that Pittsburgh has more than Cleveland, York has more than Syracuse, etc, correlating to the lack of front plates.

I'm not denying those studies exist, just asking to see them from the cops who are demanding front plates in PA. Not even asking to prove causation, just correlation and I'll make the leap from there.

Front plates make it easier for police to catch criminals. Just recently a bicyclist was killed not far from me and they had the front of the van that killed him on camera but not the back. Anecdotal evidence for sure but if there was a front plate they'd be able to ID the vehicle.

I think there are simply way too many other factors, including the built environment, to make such a study possible to draw conclusions.

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by Wells5

It's also way past the time for a new license plate design.

No, it's not. The purpose of a license plate is to be easily identifiable and readable from a distance, which the current Pennsylvania plate excels at in both regards. It's not supposed to be a work of art.

And no, Pennsylvania doesn't need front plates either.

[ElijahAstin]

I don’t know what planet Wells lives on, but Pennsylvania license plates have changed numerous times over the years. By my count, new plate designs have been issued nine times since 1973.

As for whether Pennsylvania should have front plates, I can see the arguments for and can’t see any good arguments against (aesthetics aren’t a legitimate consideration in my view). I don’t really care one way or the other, which probably puts me in good company with most people.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by Craziaskowboi

No, it's not. The purpose of a license plate is to be easily identifiable and readable from a distance, which the current Pennsylvania plate excels at in both regards. It's not supposed to be a work of art.

And no, Pennsylvania doesn't need front plates either.

Pennsylvania offers over 400 different tag, I mean plate, designs although they use the base design for them, unlike some states.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Pennsylvania offers over 400 different tag, I mean plate, designs although they use the base design for them, unlike some states.

A lot of those special-fund plates used to have colorful designs for the entire plate. I see that one still does: the "Preserve Our Heritage" plate, which benefits the state Historical and Museum Commission, still has the full steam-train background.

My guess is that the white numbers on the plate can still be made out by the cameras, and thus the Commonwealth decided to leave that one alone. (I'd post the image here, but state websites are copyrighted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, so I'll just post the link here and you can view it:

https://www.dmv.pa.gov/VEHICLE-SERVI...20Heritage.jpg

My other guess is that the State Police, or the Turnpike Commission, or both prevailed on PennDOT to redesign the other specialty plates as variants on the standard blue-white-and-gold plate so that the cameras could easily capture the plate numbers.

Personally, I'd prefer the more colorful designs, but since the primary purpose of license plates is to identify the vehicles, I can understand the decision to come down on the side of easy decipherability.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

A lot of those special-fund plates used to have colorful designs for the entire plate. I see that one still does: the "Preserve Our Heritage" plate, which benefits the state Historical and Museum Commission, still has the full steam-train background.

My guess is that the white numbers on the plate can still be made out by the cameras, and thus the Commonwealth decided to leave that one alone. (I'd post the image here, but state websites are copyrighted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, so I'll just post the link here and you can view it:

https://www.dmv.pa.gov/VEHICLE-SERVI...20Heritage.jpg

My other guess is that the State Police, or the Turnpike Commission, or both prevailed on PennDOT to redesign the other specialty plates as variants on the standard blue-white-and-gold plate so that the cameras could easily capture the plate numbers.

Personally, I'd prefer the more colorful designs, but since the primary purpose of license plates is to identify the vehicles, I can understand the decision to come down on the side of easy decipherability.

Yeah. Didn't they have an issue with the War of 1812 plate and stopped issuing them? My mother in law still has it on her vehicle and it is hard to read.

[Muinteoir]

North Beach Person is probably right that it's a "tempest in a teapot," and there are surely more significant actions that can be taken to reduce all of the absurd roadway behavior I observe in this country. I mostly agree with jtab that there should be some kind of evidence that at least suggests front license plates could help reduce traffic crime. But, I also kind of think, why not? If there is some evidence it could be effective, then we may as well give it a go along with some messaging about how much better police will be at catching crazy drivers.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by Muinteoir

North Beach Person is probably right that it's a "tempest in a teapot," and there are surely more significant actions that can be taken to reduce all of the absurd roadway behavior I observe in this country. I mostly agree with jtab that there should be some kind of evidence that at least suggests front license plates could help reduce traffic crime. But, I also kind of think, why not? If there is some evidence it could be effective, then we may as well give it a go along with some messaging about how much better police will be at catching crazy drivers.

Many of the County law enforcement agencies (some are Sheriff Departments others are Police, there is a difference here) as well as the State Police have tag readers in their cars. That means, with the front tag, they can get you coming and going.

[Ohiogirl81]

We need front plates, and why am I not surprised that the state is clinging to an 80-year-old excuse?

I would like to see a redesign and reissue of the Flagship Niagara plate, which was discontinued because it was hard to read.