Here's an email I just got from an assistant to Delegate Louderback, from the VA General Assembly. I myself won't be able to make any subcommittee meeting, but maybe someone with some free time looking for something new to do could go.
"Gentlemen: HB 1428 will be heard before a Transportation Committee
subcommittee on 1/16. If you REALLY care about the removal of the front
plate, PLEASE arrange for persons to testify before the subcommittee.
Again, the sheriffs and state cops are strongly against the bill. If we get
some strong citizen support, we have a chance. Retired Navy Captain Leo
Wardrup, from Tidewater, is the chairman of the subcommittee. Gary Frink,
asst.
"

 

Yeah... testify... I can't really think of a good reason why we shouldn't have front plates...

 

Many late model cars have smaller openings in the front than older vehicles and need all the air they can get passing through the radiator to properly cool. If there is a Front plate blocking this opening than the eff. and stability of the engine can be afected.


Just ask the the 3g Rx7 guys

 

So move the plate out from in front of the radiator. I've seen lots of people mount them close to the side.

 

They're just plain ugly, and just give the cops another target to get a good radar reading... I say take the money that would be saved by having one plate, and put it towards all the road projects that need to get done so I can get to work at more than 35 mph.

 

I agree and don't want a front plate... but you really need a good argument to counter what the cops will say. A good target for reading radar is an advantage of having a front plate on cars... you have to think of this from an older person's who's not into cars POV. Saving money is always a good reason, but you're probably going to need to get some kind of numbers to really make that argument stick.

 

The assistant that sent me the e-mail previously told me the savings would be over 1.1 million/year. That seems a little high to me, and it's not much when talking about state budgets, but a million not wasted is a million that could be put to better use. Maybe that's including the resources, labor, and time. I don't know; I'm not making a stand on my soapbox, I just offered the e-mail that was sent to me. Someone needs to find out if any of the committee's kids have some illness, and then suggest the money go towards a scholarship fund just for kids with that illness.

 

Do you know of anyone who's going to go testify?

 

Nope; no one at all. From what the guy said to me before, that is always the biggest problem and why the issue never gets out of a subcommitee- that while the topic may interest a lot of people, it is generally a bunch of people not willing to put an effort into it, or they are scared that they will put on some list that the police will watch.

 

I'll never rock a front plate.