# Smokey plastic panel over license plate **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071 "2009-08-20T13:57:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/1 "2009-08-20T13:57:21Z")
A white car had a smokey panel over the license plate that made it almost impossible to read unless you were right behind them. Is this some attempt to aviod tickets for traffic violations caught on camera? Can you tell me any other reason to put a smokey panel over the license plate? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/2 "2009-08-20T13:58:34Z")
Yes that is normally what that is for but some states have banned it for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/3 "2009-08-20T13:58:40Z")
It’s a nice way of telling cops “I like to be pulled over” ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@Black\_Sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Sunshine)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/4 "2009-08-20T15:22:26Z")
I used to have them, because at the time, I had a fairly new, dark red sports car. My state’s license plate was entirely white (except for the letters) and it really detracted from the look of the car. They sold them at Auto Zone, so I figured they were ok, but I kept getting pulled over and threatened with tickets, so I took them off. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/5 "2009-08-20T15:45:51Z")
> [@Black\_Sunshine](#): > > I used to have them, because at the time, I had a fairly new, dark red sports car. My state’s license plate was entirely white (except for the letters) and it really detracted from the look of the car. They sold them at Auto Zone, so I figured they were ok, but I kept getting pulled over and threatened with tickets, so I took them off. The car was white. The plates were white and would have stood out less than this dark square on the trunk. Thus they can’t intelligently use that argument. Although I can’t vouch for the owner’s logic or intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/6 "2009-08-20T15:53:32Z")
Some of the newer ones have a fresnel type design which makes the numbers/letters visible from behind (by the police) but invisible from an angle (a camera on a pole for example). ---
**Author:** ![TurboNuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@TurboNuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TurboNuke)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/7 "2009-08-20T17:08:38Z")
Yeah usually they are used to avoid tickets from cameras. As a car guy I agree there is a legitimate use. If you are “blacking out” a car then they are good for that. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/8 "2009-08-20T17:34:46Z")
Dunno, Ive seen these since high school and that was before there were any traffic cameras in my state. They may have been a style thing first. Im suspicious a camera wouldnt be able to photograph them. A lot of these traffic cams have a flash. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/9 "2009-08-20T17:47:44Z")
Some places like this: [Find heated seats, 12v & 24v products ,heated cushion, parking sensors, ac to dc](http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/lasphotradsh.html) sell them as a way to defeat infrared speed measuring devices (“laser radar”). As both a former RADAR/infrared-using cop and manager of one of the NIST’s police RADAR labs, I can tell you: they do not work one bit, at least as far as “confusing” or sufficiently diluting the return signal. No opinion on how effective they may be on obsuring the tag for automated systems. Plain mustard or anything else that obscures the tags will do the job, too, and be just as illegal. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/10 "2009-08-20T18:15:10Z")
> [@Raza](#): > > As both a former RADAR/infrared-using cop and manager of one of the NIST’s police RADAR labs, I can tell you: they do not work one bit, at least as far as “confusing” or sufficiently diluting the return signal. I don’t want to hijack the thread but at the same time I don’t know if this justifies a whole other thread – but I’ve always been curious as to what the heck are the license plates for? It seems that having infrastructure of registration, manufacturing of license plates, enforcement etc. is kind of elaborate for the purpose of being able to check somebody’s registration without pulling them over. I used to think that license plates could be useful in tracking down a specific car, but at one point in time I had the pleasure of driving without any license plates for almost a year and I did not get pulled over once — so that must not be it. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/11 "2009-08-20T18:21:35Z")
> [@groman](#): > > I don’t want to hijack the thread but at the same time I don’t know if this justifies a whole other thread – but I’ve always been curious as to what the heck are the license plates for? > > It seems that having infrastructure of registration, manufacturing of license plates, enforcement etc. is kind of elaborate for the purpose of being able to check somebody’s registration without pulling them over. I used to think that license plates could be useful in tracking down a specific car, but at one point in time I had the pleasure of driving without any license plates for almost a year and I did not get pulled over once — so that must not be it. 😕 You pretty much just listed what their for. I guess you just have inattentive police. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/12 "2009-08-20T18:33:00Z")
Covers of any kind are illegal in California, per Vehicle Code section 5201. Clear, smoked, fresnel, whatever - they’re all forbidden and can get you pulled over if a cop is feeling ornery. Similarly, the sale of anything indended to cover a license plate is illegal per section 5201.1. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/13 "2009-08-20T18:53:35Z")
I’m sure the plate cover isn’t legal here either. This is the only car I’ve seen one on. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/14 "2009-08-20T20:06:05Z")
> [@Raza](#): > > As both a former RADAR/infrared-using cop and manager of one of the NIST’s police RADAR labs, I can tell you: they do not work one bit, at least as far as “confusing” or sufficiently diluting the return signal. And as a former citation processing supervisor for a photo-radar provider (US and Canada), I can tell you that they don’t defeat cameras, either. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/15 "2009-08-20T20:20:53Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Covers of any kind are illegal in California, per Vehicle Code section 5201. Clear, smoked, fresnel, whatever - they’re all forbidden and can get you pulled over if a cop is feeling ornery. > > Similarly, the sale of anything indended to cover a license plate is illegal per section 5201.1. Ditto in Arizona. Anything at all that obstructs the plate, such as mud, is illegal. Some police cruise the big store parking lots lookig for these. I have read in many places that they are totally ineffective, yet many people go ahead and shell out $s for them, thus risking even higher fines. Go figure. I’ve found a radar detector works better. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/47e85d/32.png) [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_20_59_or_bust)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/16 "2009-08-20T20:24:28Z")
I just saw one of these the other day (in Oregon - I have no idea whether it’s legal or not) and said to my wife, “Unless you’re a bank robber, there can’t be a possible reason for those!” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/17 "2009-08-20T20:25:38Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > I have read in many places that they are totally ineffective And seen it demonstrated on “Mythbusters”, too. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/18 "2009-08-21T20:25:48Z")
IIRC, on the episode where they tested various license plate “blockers” meant to foil cameras, in one case the distortion actually made the license plate \*\*easier \*\*to read. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/19 "2009-08-22T11:55:21Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > And seen it demonstrated on “Mythbusters”, too. Yep. [Link](http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2007/03/episode_73_beating_the_speed_camera_exploding_patches.html)! ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071/20 "2009-08-22T23:24:42Z")
You realize that the Mythbusters link (and the actual show) makes no claim at all for the type of panel listed in the OP, right? This one always made me wonder–I see a couple of these smoky covers a week, some dark enough that I have difficulty making out the plate from a few carlengths back. Seems odd that they would skip the most common type. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smokey-plastic-panel-over-license-plate/507071.md?page=2)