ever receive a penalty at a race? (Page 2)

If memory serves me right, he got a two-minute penalty for trimming the number so it fit in his frame, and upon learning of the penalty, got a 10-minute penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.  I can't confirm this, but rumor has it that he strolled casually up to the head official and said 'You want race number modification?  I'LL show you race number modification!!!", then proceeded to turn his race number into a hat, a broach, and a pterodactyl.

Wait.  Maybe that isn't what happened.  Scratch all that.  Carry on.

I put the number vertically on my seatpost instead of the top tube.  To do that, I trimmed the edge of the cardboard tag ( removed about 1/2 inch of paper ) so that it fit into the space.  I don't like having it on the top tube, as I end up with it fluttering about and getting in the way of my knees.

This was the answer I got back from Charlie ( who was pretty nice to respond, and did so fairly promptly I should add ):

I am very surprised at the penalties given at that event and am doing an investigation.  I will contact you a few days to let you know what I find.  With exception of altering a number to the point of not being able to read it, I have never heard of giving a penalty for trimming.  I write the standards and policy manual for USAT officials and this is certainly not in there.

So even though it still shows in the official results, I don't count it as a valid penalty. 

That is inconsistent with the official USAT interpretation of the rule.  Straight from Charlie Crawford, trimming is okay, as long as you do not affect the visibility of the actual numbers.