Driving with a trailer hitch while not towing ? WTF??

Discussion in 'Politics' started by VisuTrac, May 17, 2012.


  1. VisuTrac

    VisuTrac Ваша мать носит военные ботинки Site Supporter+++

  2. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Already illegal in a number of states, including MA, VA and PA unless you can show that you are on the way to get a trailer, or have just dropped one off. Balls in bumper hitches tend to block the license plate, and the cops can't read them. For some reason, there's no exception for receiver hitches, even when they don't obscure the plate. Never have seen enforcement, may not be a primary stop reason.
     
  3. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    Let me guess, it's for the children?
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  4. VisuTrac

    VisuTrac Ваша мать носит военные ботинки Site Supporter+++

    LOL, It's Meeeechigen! We are looking everywhere to find money to fleece the people, I mean keep them in line.. drat, Provide for the officers overtime some how.

    I'm just gonna put a razor edge on my tailgate and drive with it down.
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  5. VisuTrac

    VisuTrac Ваша мать носит военные ботинки Site Supporter+++

    Probably some stoopid lawmaker walking through a parking lot, skirting between cars smacked his knee. boo hoo.

    I know the pain of it. I took a trailer hitch in the shin and there is still a divot but it was my own damn fault. Legislation to protect the people from themselves.

    I think we are trying to legislate darwinism into extinction
     
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  6. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    I like it.
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  7. Pax Mentis

    Pax Mentis Philosopher King |RIP 11-4-2017

    Yes...a great example of bureaucratic "thinking"...

    Obscuring the plate is a violation in every jurisdiction I've lived in that I can remember. So now we need to have a law that forbids something that might obscure it even if it doesn't. Obviously, the only time this violation would be enforced would be when it was not obscuring the plat...since one would think obscuring would be the charge if that was what took place.
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  8. Silversnake

    Silversnake Silverback

    I suspect it has more to do with significant damage sustained to tin can cars when they rear end a truck with a trailer hitch instead of hitting a bumper.

    I also suspect insurance companies are trying to push it to keep down liabilities. A low speed rear end collision against a bumper may keep the value of damage below deductables, but when that blow is focused on a ball which is attached directly to the frame (no shock absorbance) the insurance company has to start paying for some of the repair.
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  9. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    I have a court date coming up for cell phone use while driving - responding to an emergency on a Saturday. I explained the urgency to the cop and asked him if WA law had exceptions. He answered in the negative and later that day, after looking up the law, found that it did exclude cell phone use violations when driving for : "prevention of personal injury or property damage".

    This is off topic but many officers don't even know the laws that they cite for. I'll win hands down although I just found out that the officer who cited me is my new next door neighbor. :)
     
    oldman11, E.L., VisuTrac and 4 others like this.
  10. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Yep, I can relate. My left shin has a mark --- from my own damn hitch. :D
     
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  11. TailorMadeHell

    TailorMadeHell Lurking Shadow Creature

    The best way to keep vehicle insurance deductibles down is to do away with vehicles. Ban vehicles. Come on people, sign my petition. Need to protect people from themselves even more these days.

    When I was a child, not so many years ago, and ate dirt nobody went crazy with concern. Now Timmy's mom / dad / two moms / two dads / guardians / caretaker, freak out like there is no tomorrow. I'm waiting to become a bank robber. The day when brain cells die out for good, I will rob a bank with a dirty kleenex. The world will be mine. Lol.
     
    oldman11, E.L., Cephus and 1 other person like this.
  12. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    First I have heard of this nonsense. The only problem I have with my hitch ball is it sets off my audible back-up emergency alarm when I go into reverse. Simple fix - turn that option 'OFF' in the van's computer. :D

    Every other vehicle here in Florida sports a hitch ball. It'd be a PITA for old style hitches, not so much for receiver hitches.
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  13. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    oldman11 and Ken_C like this.
  14. Redneck Rebel

    Redneck Rebel Monkey++

    Finally the goobermint is gonna protect me from my stupidty!
    You know how many times I've suffered terrible pain busting my own shins into my own hitch?
     
  15. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    How about a sign that obscures the license plate that is held by the hitch receiver in place of a ball? It could advertise that you are compliant with the no-hitch law.
     
    Tracy likes this.
  16. ditch witch

    ditch witch I do stupid crap, so you don't have to

    If we stop leaving our receiver hitches in place, then how will people be able to steal them? That's just discriminatory.
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  17. limpingbear

    limpingbear future cancer survivor....

    Dont these people have something better to do with thier time? IDK, mabey pass a state budget or something? Term limits.....need them bad....
     
  18. Silversnake

    Silversnake Silverback

    This may be because red light cameras can't catch someone's license plate if the ball is in the way like someone mentioned earlier.

    Clearly, someone is trying to get the government to make them money on this somehow.
     
  19. DarkLight

    DarkLight Live Long and Prosper - On Hiatus

    I actually leave the ball on specifically because I want to destroy the front-end of the car of the dumb-ass that rear ends me. Mine may or may not be high enough to hit the radiator but I'd almost wish it was. I've gotten to the point that I don't bark my shins anymore but it took 6 months.
     
  20. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    I use the locking reciever pin. If someone steals it, they'll WORK for it!

    My first car, a 1971 Dodge Polara Brougham (big tank!) trashed the front of a Fiat 128 sedan, when the idiot rammed from behind in broad daylight, at a stop sign - I had brake lights and turn signal on. I think the Fiat knocked some rust off the hitch ball...... ;)
     
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