Everyday, I pull up behind a driver that places his license plate on the inside of the rear window. Why is this? Is it for asthetic reasons? Do they live in high crime areas where plates get stolen often and need to placed inside? Are these people uninsured driver afraid of their plates getting taken by the law? Are they doing it just to spite me?
Any help would be appreciated, and if this question has already been posted (a cursory search showed nothing), please point it out. Thanks.
I have read that they do it here (Detroit) because plates get stolen. I also read that it is illegal, but is used–allegedly–as an excuse for pulling people over for “driving while black.”
I am sure many people are simply lacking a screwdriver, some screws, some ability - or worse.
I see this on a lot of trucks that either have no bumper or have an oft-used bumper hitch. Nothing destroys a license plate more quickly than hooking up a trailer. It’s better than having a license plate with all the paint rubbed off in the center.
In Mexico, it is common, when a parking ticket is issued, for police to take your license plate as insurance that you will pay attention to the ticket. Keeping your plates inside is a good way to prevent this.