Solution for bike rack obscuring license plate? Expensive ticket!!!

[Melalvai]

Missouri last year passed a new law that provides for a 3rd plate specifically for this situation. The "plate" is actually just a piece of paper you tape in the window. But some people got stopped and ticketed, and approached the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation, and we got it passed. It was the easiest piece of legislation we have ever gotten passed.

A lot of people wanted to know why we didn't try to get the law changed so that bikes obscuring the plate wouldn't result in a ticket. The answer is because that is seen as making police officers' jobs harder. The 3rd plate solution is a little inconvenient for cyclists-- you have to fill out a form, pay a fee, and when you get your $11 piece of paper you have to fold it & tape it into your window-- but there is no way we could have gotten an exception passed for cyclists.

I think AZ has a state bike/ped advocacy group? Sorry, I think you better pay this ticket, but tell the bike/ped group about it and let them know Missouri's experience. It's an easy win so it's great for the group, relatively low effort and then they can present it as a piece of legislation that they pushed through. It looks great on those fund-raising letters.

[azfiddle]

We either have to pay the ticket or go to court to fight it- but then we will definitely have to prove we took care of it if my husband goes to court. We do have a good local bike/ped advocacy group here.

[OakLeaf]

It shouldn't be too hard to run a license plate light off the trailer light connector block. Get a magnetic license plate frame like car dealers use, mount the light to it, and you're down the road. Assuming your rack is steel, anyway, which hitch-mounted racks normally are?

If I understand you right anyway ... the ticket was for an equipment violation, not for failure to display plates, and it's one of those things that you just have to go to court and prove you fixed it?

[azfiddle]

Good idea Oakleaf-

The citation was something about obscuring the plate. I think the officer could have offered to issue a warning but chose to write the ticket.

[rebeccaC]

This is a common complaint with people who use rear racks. I've seen it come up a number of times on another bike forum. It's a law that's not often enforced but can be. I've always used a roof rack so I've never had to deal with it. I would think there has to be a license holder for the racks made by someone…that would work especially well for those keeping the rack on 24/7, more of a pain for those who don't. There is definitely a market for one.
One of the problems for law enforcement is camera's not being able to record the plate, especially in a one plate state like Arizona. Hopefully more states will follow the lead of Missouri and allow a simple solution! The good news is that it's not a moving violation so no points etc.