Got a ticket for a TRAILER BALL

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ric0chet06

Senior member
Jan 11, 2007
789
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Got pulled over less than a month ago for having my license plate obstructed by a trailer ball. one of these:http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h56/r1c0ch3t/ball.jpg . My parents bought the truck 7-8 years ago, and it was installed then too. Went to pay the $10 and have the fix-it ticket checked and done, but apparently it's a "un-correctable offense", meaning $120 fine OR court. I chose court. My question is, should I bring a pic of the bumper with the ball installed, and a pic of it off? First time in court, don't really know what to expect.

Cliffs:
1. Pulled over for having trailer ball in front of license plate, obstructing the view for the fuzz
2. Ticket costs $120 or court
3. Chose court
4. ???
5. Surely not profitable


edit: This in the right section? If it should be in OT, please move it. Thanks!
 
bruceb

bruceb

Diamond Member
Aug 20, 2004
8,874
111
106
Very picky out there in CA ... But in most states, you are not allowed
to have an Obstructed Rear License Plate .... so pay up. And have
the trailer tongue changed to one that accepts a Slide In Ball
Receiver ... it goes in and is held in with a strong pin & retaining
clip. The ball then goes on there and you install it only when you
are pulling a trailer.
 
S

sjwaste

Diamond Member
Aug 2, 2000
8,757
12
81
For a second I thought this thread was going to be about Truck Nutz, but this is way less funny.
 
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Elstupido

Senior member
Jan 28, 2008
643
0
0
Damn, trailer balls have been installed by manufacturers forever. Never had a problem with one, until I heard of some friends having the cops pull them over for it. Standard bumper ball doesn't obscure anything.

Fishing maybe? Take it to court. Worst case they would probably reduce the fine, best case, charges dropped.
 
T

thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
18,148
1
0
Tough shit. Truck owners seem to think they get to have obstructed plates just because they "need" the bumper ball with its 25-lb tongue weight limit. Bumper balls make it impossible for police or witnesses to get your plate unless the vehicle is stopped and the person is on foot and can walk around to view it at an angle. You can't tow shit with one, so the only reason to have one is to purposely obstruct your plate. Sorry, the law still applies to you.
 
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Elstupido

Senior member
Jan 28, 2008
643
0
0
thomsbrain, are you saying that a bumper ball really totally obscures the plate number? Haven't seen it, unless a person is really short, lol

Why have manufacturers been able to get away with this for so many years, if your reasoning is correct?
 
halik

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
0
unless your plate is 2" wide, that ticket is absolutely bullshit. It's a freaking tow hitch...
 
Capt Caveman

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,543
651
126
OP - provide us a pic of the rear of your vehicle. That will help us determine if the ticket was justified or not.
 
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Elstupido

Senior member
Jan 28, 2008
643
0
0
Do you guys really need a pic to picture a 2" ball obscuring a normal sized license plate? This is a pure crap ticket.
 
IronWing

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,113
32,428
136
Go to court. Dress nice. Bring the photos. Be very polite to the judge. I suspect you will do okay and the cop will find the judge unimpressed. Remember, be courteous.
 
R

ric0chet06

Senior member
Jan 11, 2007
789
0
71
alright, will take pics tomorrow. In the time that the truck's been in the family, I don't think we've ever used the hitch.
 
D

d33pt

Diamond Member
Jan 12, 2001
5,654
1
81
Originally posted by: thomsbrain
Tough shit. Truck owners seem to think they get to have obstructed plates just because they "need" the bumper ball with its 25-lb tongue weight limit. Bumper balls make it impossible for police or witnesses to get your plate unless the vehicle is stopped and the person is on foot and can walk around to view it at an angle. You can't tow shit with one, so the only reason to have one is to purposely obstruct your plate. Sorry, the law still applies to you.
Click to expand...

WTF are you talking about? my bumper is rated to tow the same as the hitch, 300lbs tongue, 3500lbs trailer. i dont think ANYONE leaves a ball on there to obstruct the plate purposely.
 
IronWing

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,113
32,428
136
Originally posted by: rbV5
I guess towing a trailer exempts you from blocking your plate?
Click to expand...

One would hope so. There's that large trailer blocking the view anyway.
 
R

ric0chet06

Senior member
Jan 11, 2007
789
0
71
Originally posted by: BW86
:camera: of your bumper?
Click to expand...

I WILL PEOPLE! lol, it's dark out now and I have to rummage through a non-lit garage to find the ball tomorrow morning.
 
D

drnickriviera

Platinum Member
Jan 30, 2001
2,445
255
136
Originally posted by: rbV5
I guess towing a trailer exempts you from blocking your plate?
Click to expand...

In TN, large trucks like mine (ram 2500) are supposed to have the plates up front. I'm thinking of moving mine up front to mess with the local police.
 
alkemyst

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
Originally posted by: halik
unless your plate is 2" wide, that ticket is absolutely bullshit. It's a freaking tow hitch...
Click to expand...

not true...we have this problem in florida. Trucker cover their plates in mud (the rest of the truck is spotless), throw up a big ball on the bumper reciever, meanwhile having a real reciever below it with a 4 way setup sticking a foot out the back of the truck usually blocking cross traffic in a parking lot.

They like to usually drive aggressively and many down here have those train horns. They pull up to people with convertables and sports cars and blow them.
 
A

ayabe

Diamond Member
Aug 10, 2005
7,449
0
0
Originally posted by: sjwaste
For a second I thought this thread was going to be about Truck Nutz, but this is way less funny.
Click to expand...

Me too, especially considering they are now handing out tickets where I live for having nuts on your truck.

 
M

mooseracing

Golden Member
Mar 9, 2006
1,711
0
0
Originally posted by: d33pt
Originally posted by: thomsbrain
Tough shit. Truck owners seem to think they get to have obstructed plates just because they "need" the bumper ball with its 25-lb tongue weight limit. Bumper balls make it impossible for police or witnesses to get your plate unless the vehicle is stopped and the person is on foot and can walk around to view it at an angle. You can't tow shit with one, so the only reason to have one is to purposely obstruct your plate. Sorry, the law still applies to you.
Click to expand...

WTF are you talking about? my bumper is rated to tow the same as the hitch, 300lbs tongue, 3500lbs trailer. i dont think ANYONE leaves a ball on there to obstruct the plate purposely.
Click to expand...


I agree with thomsbrain...no one in their right mind tows any load with a bumper ball, put a reciever on and do it properly. The bumper is way too underrated...

What kind of receiver do you have this is only rated at 3500? why not install a class 3 or up and go with a standard 2" receiver.

 
Thump553

Thump553

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
12,833
2,620
136
I don't know if we are getting the full story here-either you did something else to piss off the cop, or he had a fight with his wife/girlfriend-something got him in a foul mood.

My guess is if you go to court you'll beat the ticket or get it stipulated down to next to nothing. Your decision whether to go through that hassle-I would just on the (very unlikely) chance a ticket like this has an effect on your insurance rates.

Since you don't use the ball anyway, take it off now and keep it in the cab in case you ever do need it. Also, when you get to court tell the prosecutor you did take it off (bring a picture) and politely explain that hitch has been on there for years with no problem.
 
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