License plates exist for a reason.
Oscar Castellanos enjoyed a weekend of cycling with his wife. After returning to Calgary, the couple removed their bikes from the rack and were flagged down by Calgary police officers. The obvious reason was that the bike rack was covering the vehicle’s license plate. According to CTV News, Castellanos was penalized 162 Canadian Dollars ($128) for this violation. Section 71(1) of Alberta’s Highway Safety Act states: “I am sure that I’m not alone in having a bike rack. And now, I don’t even know how to transport my bikes.” Castellanos told CTV News. Thule and other bike rack manufacturers already include license plates holders on the back of their bike racks. Scott Clark, Ridley’s Cycle Canada manager, said that only a handful of customers have ever asked about them.
Clark told CTV News some drivers left bike racks on their license plates to hide them, which allowed them to avoid photo radar tickets. Clark said, however, that most bike rack owners use them legally. Clark stated that his staff would offer these license plates holders to customers in the future. The laws regarding vehicle license plates in the USA vary from one state to the next. There are 20 states where front license plates are not required, with Ohio the latest addition in 2020. We are certain that visibility of plates is as important in Canada as it is here, so if your bike rack has a bike rack, consider checking your options. You could also remove the rack from your vehicle when it is not in use.