Bumpers in California

Has anyone ever been ticketed for not having fr/rear bumper(s) in Calif? How about no front license? I realize that if a cop pulls me over, and I give him a ration, he may look more closely at what I'm missing to be legal, but I'm talking a non-Rodney King stop.

How about for SB100 registration? Do you need all the bits and pieces, or do they just check lights, blinkers, etc? I understand that different inspectors may perform their job differently, but it would be nice to know early on if I need to accommodate bumpers, front license, etc. Thanks in advance.

To the best of my knowledge, (Ive been retired for 7 years so my memory is abit vague) A """""kit car"""" isn't required to have bumpers, primarily because no crash testing was done.

A front license plate is required and regardless of your attitude, good or bad, you "may" get a ticket. Remember, Calif. is broke and this is a source of revenue.

Although it's a "fix it ticket" it will still cost somewhere around $200 since they now include a bunch of other stuff in the cost including court time, processing time etc etc.

Typically during the SB100 process, lights, brakes, engine, VIN etc are checked. I've never heard of them checking for bumpers or license plates but you never know what's going to happen

Kellyfiji-

Larry knows of what he speaks. IMHO I think that at the very least, put your front license plate on. You NEVER know when and where you'll come across a law enforcement officer having a sh*tty day. Ask me how I know.

While I agree a front licence is legaly required in CA, I have not had a front licence on ANY car or truck I've owned since 1970. I do carry it in the vehicle. Vehicles have included a Corvete, two pickup trucks, a Mustang, and of course speedy. I've been stopped for other infractions (only ever got warnings) and the licence was never, ever mentioned.

I also agree that every government agency is under tremendous pressure to increase revenue, so the times they might be a'changin.

I am with David on this. I feel a plate on the front of a Spyder looks hideous. I do have bolts and nutserts and carry the plate with me in the car, along with a screwdriver.

Officer, I must have forgotten to put it back on after my last car show, sorry, sir.......

One thing I've learned: you must be courteous and professional and you will usually get respect in return. Act like an ass and you get what you deserve, you will NEVER win a roadside debate.

NY requires both, but nobody seems to care so far.

But the times are changing, and revenue is king.

Bumpers are required as are front plates..... Yes it suchs and the car does not look as cool with them but take it from me I've gotten tickets for both and it sucks... Just like my tinted front windows on my truck, put the bumper on, get the ticket signed off then pull it back off... My front windows have been re-tinted 4 times since I bought the truck new....

Get a presciption from your skin doctor, Keep it with your registration.
The darker you tint your driver and passenger window the more likey a ticket, keep them light (50%).Rear windows as dark as you like, you need both rear view mirrors. Different state laws, no gangsta tint, no attitudes play dumb (are my windows tinted, came that way from the dealer, i thought all california cars have tinted windows ect)

I decided to check the Calif. Vehicle code and my error:

28071. Every passenger vehicle registered in this state shall be equipped with a front bumper and with a rear bumper. As used in this section, "bumper" means any device designed and intended by a manufacturer to prevent the front or rear of the body of the vehicle from coming into contact with any other motor vehicle. This section shall not apply to any passenger vehicle that is required to be equipped with an energy absorption system pursuant to either state or federal law, or to any passenger vehicle which was not equipped with a front or rear bumper, or both, at the time that it was first sold and registered under the laws of this or any other state or foreign jurisdiction.

I'm not sure but if you bought your car new and with no bumpers and could prove that fact or, if you registered your car in Calif. and bought it out of state and it had no bumpers and could prove that fact, I suppose you may still get a citation but you may be successful if you go to trial and can show proof of the last sentence in section 28071 as seen above.

Secondly, although a lot of you argue about how bad it may look, or you've driven cars for 40 years without a front license plates etc etc etc, the question was,,, is it legal in California.....NO !!!

It's like speeding, illegal turns, rolling through a stop sign etc etc etc. Sometimes you get caught, often times you don't.

And when you do get caught, sometimes you just get a warning.

Sometimes things that are illegal are overlooked like tinting, no bumpers, no front license plate, burned out light bulbs etc etc.

Sometimes no matter how nice you are to the Law Enforcement Officer, you'll get a citation.

Sorry about the misinformation on the bumpers but I've been retired for over 7 years and a lot of the Vehicle Code sections have dribbled out of my brain through my ears...

Desi,

The last time I was pulled over I was doing the speed limit, both front windows 3/4 on the way down (only about 4 inches of limo tinted window showing and the dam CHP officer pulled me over and ticketed me...... I even told him I was going to pull the tint, get the ticket signed off, and then have them re-tinted just like I have in the past..... I was a little ticked off about it. Our state is realy hurting for cash and there are more speed traps then I have ever seen in my life....... Also my reg sticker was just out of date by a couple of days, already payed but I had not recieved it. Got a ticket in front of my house. next day got another one from a differnt cop..... wtf

I'm no 5-0 , but let's face it "your windows are to dark" 5-0 likes to see you smile, but it does give them a reason to pull you over.

The windows on wifeys Lexus are dark, I like them on her car keeps the lowlifes from seeing in, to me it's worth the hassle.

Cabanaboy - just sayin

Hi Larry,

Thx for the VC section. I had looked at it also. I plan to keep a copy with the car, as well as a letter from the builder stating that my 2010 or 2011 manufactured and registered vehicle was made without bumpers. Should suffice. I guess it all depends on the mood of the beat cop whether I beat it or have to take it further. I think I can get away without bumpers, but I'll carry a front license plate in the trunk, and can mount it on demand. I think it'll look so good without both that it's worth the potential hassle. For SB100 registration, I'm not worried. Regards, Jim

Larry said:
"bumper" means any device designed and intended by a manufacturer to prevent the front or rear of the body of the vehicle from coming into contact with any other motor vehicle."

I've been running nerf bars for 18 months with no problems with law enforcement. Am I just lucky or what?
Thanks, Ernie

This is where the law has some grey area. (Or is it Gray?)

The VC section says: As used in this section, "bumper" means any device designed and intended by a manufacturer to prevent the front or rear of the body of the vehicle from coming into contact with any other motor vehicle.

It just says manufacturer and not specifically if they mean the manufacturer of the car or the bumpers.

I suppose you could reasonably argue that the manufacturer of the nerf bars designed them to keep the front and rear of your car from coming in contact with another vehicle.

Wanna buy some bumpers?

Check this out for a solutin for a front licence plate
http://www.corral.net/index.php/tech/exterior/177-altec-show-n-go-stay-legal-and-still-look-good

How much for that gizmo? website doesn't say.

If I have to run a front license plate on my bumper-less Speedy I'm going to install an air bag behind it and kill two birds with one stone. A local cop saw Speedy at the coffee shop a couple of days ago and said I could probably skate as I wasn't a "punk kid" and drove my age hopefully.That was for the "no bumpers" he didn't say anything about the missing front license plate.

Thankfully, Maryland -- which has bullsh*t laws for everything else -- hasn't decided I have to have bumpers. I'm using the bracket from the front of my old (destroyed) American-market 1980 928, and the bolts go through holes drilled right through the nose of the car.
The bracket's an "H" shape, with two attachment holes in the center bar, and holes in the top and bottom of each leg of the "H."
It hides completely behind the license plate, and there's a curvature to the middle piece which conforms nicely to the front of the Speedster. Back when I had bumpers, that curve did a nice job of capturing the rubber in the trim piece, and the bolts went through the full thickness of the bumper itself.
I found a site selling 928 plate holders for $15 (below). It's a fairly elegant solution for those of us who have to have tags on the front.

Thought I'd mention the possibility:

http://www.vertexauto.com/ShowItem/2359%20Porsche%20License%20Plate%20Bracket%20-%20Front.aspx

Below, left, my car with the 928 bracket, and an Annapolis car owned by a guy who could care less the state says he needs a plate. Nice dude. His name's Fred; he's in the "old enough that they leave him alone," category.

Below, right, the Hoopty with the same bracket bolted to the long-gone bumpers.

I'm going to leave off the front one as long as nobody askes me to put one on. Here is the rear. BTW I'm done with the SB-100 BS and fully legal except for the front plate.