license plate

I always put the plate on the back of my camper when it was on the truck. There is a reason that they put a license plate mount and license plate light on those campers. Saying you don't need to have to put an obstructed plate on the camper is like saying you don't need the rear camper lights since the truck's rear lights are obstructed.
Whether or not you get stopped is just the luck of the draw. Legally, there is no question about it.

SugarHillCTD wrote:

iwon415 wrote:
You can tell a lot about a persons attitude towards law enforcement from their response to this topic...

My thoughts exactly.

As Butch50 mentioned "To Serve and Protect" is a missing element from much law enforcement today.

A small local town police department actually responded to a newspaper reporter that they wear black uniforms and drive black police vehicles because black is intimidating.

When you get pulled over by a County Deputy Sheriff as you exit an Interstate highway because your turn signal only blinked twice before you hit the exit ramp in light traffic on a Saturday morning, I think demanded respect just flew out the window. The Sheriff got an ear full of how come the Deputy is not out protecting ATV and cattle owners from thieves!

I readily agree that not all law enforcement officers are thugs, but it sure appears there are more out there today than there was years ago. SWAT gear and training for Barney!?

On subject: If I forget to move my license plate, I see it as no big deal because I have driven through many states and many miles without it attached to the camper. Do you check that your license plate is illuminated when you move it?

iwon415 wrote:
You can tell a lot about a persons attitude towards law enforcement from their response to this topic...

My thoughts exactly.

You can tell a lot about a persons attitude towards law enforcement from their response to this topic...

I move my plate and it has gotten to be part of my routine for loading up.

The one time I forgot I got pulled over for having no plate visible. Fortunately it was in a town I had worked at for 5 years and I had no other violations so no problem...

My camper blocks my plate from view, and I almost always have a trailer in tow. I didn't relocate my plate my first year of use, but I do now. I have a back up camera in my tailgate that requires removal of the plate to unplug anyways when I remove it, so why not just put it on the camper. No need to draw unwanted attention from law enforcement.

My AF1150 completely blocks my rear plate. I tried up and down to get an extra plate for the camper....and was told that I absolutely have to remove and transfer the plate each time.

Normally not that big of a deal....but my airbag remote fill valves run through my license plate. So it takes about 10 minutes to remove the plate and install it each time. An annoyance....

....but it's all part of my routine now...as it takes about 20 minutes to prep the truck anyway.

->clean out the bed, throw in the bedmat
->install all the tie down brackets
->install the 4' hitch stinger...square and tighten down
->jack up camper....

...blah, blah, blah....with the bigger campers it isn't quite an quick process.

So I tend to leave it on whenever I have multiple trips planned. Hoping to get another vehicle soon, and just leave the camper installed 6 months out of the year.

run100 wrote:
This seems like such a simple decision - vehicles are required to have a visible license plate, it takes all of about two minutes to move it between the truck and camper, so why would a person not do it?

I'd rather not waste a police officer's time having to pull me over for a license plate issue. Their time would be better spent chasing bad guys (or gals).

Ditto.
How are there 2 pages of discussion about such a basic concept?

This seems like such a simple decision - vehicles are required to have a visible license plate, it takes all of about two minutes to move it between the truck and camper, so why would a person not do it?

I'd rather not waste a police officer's time having to pull me over for a license plate issue. Their time would be better spent chasing bad guys (or gals).

FreeLanceing wrote:
Bk I did see your post, but I am trying to gather a concensis. You are one LEO from Co. I am not going to Co. I dont believe the law is universal. I think each state and province has there own rules like triple towing is legal some places and not others. Per your list, it is visible from 200 ft but it would take bino's to read it from that far away. Clearly its there. It is on the furthest most point of the vehical designed to hold a plate. The vehical is THE TRUCK the camper is cargo. It is 12" off the ground. Its parallel with the rear axel. From your definition the plate should stay on the truck. I think the plate holder on the camper is there for states that require the camper to be registered and have its own plate. Its much easier to steal off the camper. For me its case closed. The plate needs to remain on the vehical its registered to, unless you live in a state that requires campers to have a seperate plate. I will contintue to roll that way untill someone with a badge and a gun stops me and tells me otherwise.

That is exactly what I have been saying, one can do exactly what they wish to do. It works.

Actually, all states must have their traffic code modeled after the federal code; Department of Transportation Uniform Traffic Code 1959. Like the UBC (Uniform Building Code), the DOT-TC is updated frequently. This is why people can drive from one state to another and have expectations that the statutes will reflect the same. Your interpretation of the License Plate on the Truck Camper is not what would be enforced by a LEO, but hey, it works for me. The rule is that a registration plate must be installed at the further most portion of a vehicle.

I really liked Skipro3's explanation. While it would still get a stop from me, he definitely would have gotten a pass from me too.

Safe Travels.

b

Bk I did see your post, but I am trying to gather a concensis. You are one LEO from Co. I am not going to Co. I dont believe the law is universal. I think each state and province has there own rules like triple towing is legal some places and not others. Per your list, it is visible from 200 ft but it would take bino's to read it from that far away. Clearly its there. It is on the furthest most point of the vehical designed to hold a plate. The vehical is THE TRUCK the camper is cargo. It is 12" off the ground. Its parallel with the rear axel. From your definition the plate should stay on the truck. I think the plate holder on the camper is there for states that require the camper to be registered and have its own plate. Its much easier to steal off the camper. For me its case closed. The plate needs to remain on the vehical its registered to, unless you live in a state that requires campers to have a seperate plate. I will contintue to roll that way untill someone with a badge and a gun stops me and tells me otherwise.