The above photo is from a June 8, 2023 interview discussing now-adopted legislation raising penalties for drifting (in a car) to $2,000.00
In February, Council Member Mike Driscoll introduced a bill to fine users, buyers, and sellers of license plate flipping devices. While these devices are currently illegal, under the Council Member’s bill (Bill No. 24008900), sale or usage would now come with a $2,000 fine.
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia supports this legislation as a necessary tool in the fight to reduce traffic violence. License plate flipping devices are used by reckless drivers to evade automated red light and speed enforcement cameras. We believe that this legislation should go even further and increase the fines for other license plate obscuring methods, like tinted covers and purposefully covering license plate characters, and we would like to see greater enforcement by the Philadelphia Police and the Philadelphia Parking Authority through fines and towing.
“Tag-flipping devices belong in a James Bond movie, not on our city’s streets,” said Council Member Driscoll. “They’re often used by individuals when engaged in unsafe and illegal activity like street racing and drifting. Getting these devices off the streets will make our streets safer for responsible drivers, bicycle riders and pedestrians.”
The purpose of automated red light or speed enforcement cameras is to enforce the laws currently on the books. Not only is it illegal to run a red light or go above the marked speed limit, but this antisocial behavior endangers the lives of other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. To ignore tag flipping and obscuring is to allow this dangerous behavior to continue, and runs counter to our shared vision of a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Philadelphia. We implore City Council and the Mayor’s office to expand this legislation and crack down on illegal license plate covering.
Common license plate tints found all over. This plate also has a fraternal order of police sticker used to obscure two characters.