Going down....

[CAS22]

couldnt you just register your vehicle at new river or cherry point? if not, you should just trade me, ive got almost the same jeep (Black 2000)except its only 3" and Rucibon rims and mtr's. great condition and its a great daily driver. you know you wanna trade and help a fellow marine out...hah. but also, where did you get that front bumper? -chase

 

[Go Go]

So as all the VA guys know, our local cops suck and seem to have a grudge out for Jeep guys, giving us tickets left and right. I got my third one yesterday in Henrico County (Richmond) VA and as I argued my point (to no avail) that my Jeep was within the legal limit, I was schooled by a nerdy cop with a pocket protector that really just made me want to slap the crap out of him. He pointed out to me (skillfully flipping to the exact page that the bumper height laws were on) that in VA, the laws state that Cherokees fall under the catagory of "passanger vehicle" and cannot be registered as a truck and that means we have to stay within the 14-22" rule for our front and rear bumpers. To fall into the higher bumper height catagory (the one I've been adhearing to), I would have to have my Jeep registered as a TRUCK and be driving with "truck tags". I was so pissed that I said some things I shouldn't have and drove away with my ticket. Now, I know that most cops either don't know about that little line that says "unless", or they just don't care enough, but at the third ticket (at $91 bucks a pop), I think I need to become less noticable somehow. Liz and I got to talking and have come up with a few ideas at becoming less noticable and we'd like to hear yours as well. Pretty much we think that being smaller would help. Our ideas are as follows:

1. Get suck down winches front and rear and become "legal" as we are getting pulled over to be checked.

2. Sell the Jeep and get another car.

3. Sell my Jeep and buy another one and only lift it to 4.5" and 32's.

4. Sell my springs, tires, and axles, get new shorter springs, tires, and axles to make us shorter.

5. Say F$$K it and don't do a thing about it and just pay $91 every so often and suck the tickets up.

What do you guys think?

What I'm reading is that you broke the law and got caught and you are pissed. I think your options are to fix your jeep so it is legal or introduce a bill to change the laws. Don't whine about getting caught doing something illegal. There is enough of that going on at the border.

 

[RyanM]

that sucks man. here. knock on wood, they are not that bad. i see more and more lifted XJs TJs and YJs everyday.

and to original post #5

 

[Ghost]

What I'm reading is that you broke the law and got caught and you are pissed. I think your options are to fix your jeep so it is legal or introduce a bill to change the laws. Don't whine about getting caught doing something illegal. There is enough of that going on at the border.

I would not call it breaking the law if your vehicle is in the wrong classification. It is not a car which is what this state classifies it as. Things are different in Virginia.

 

[53guy]

What I'm reading is that you broke the law and got caught and you are pissed. I think your options are to fix your jeep so it is legal or introduce a bill to change the laws. Don't whine about getting caught doing something illegal. There is enough of that going on at the border.

Its hard not to bitch when your opinions and letters fall on deaf ears. Trust me when I say we've been annoying our congressmen to make a change here. It's not happening because public opinion doesn't support a change in the laws. According to VA, you're either a passanger vehicle (car) or a truck and nothing in between. Tell me....what do you consider your XJ? What do you consider a YJ or a TJ or a CJ? Where do they fall in? Why are we held to standards that allow other intrest groups to do whatever they like while at the same time hold us back? Look around and you see plenty of cars with huge rims and tires, lifted or lowered, and are perfectly legal because of what they do with them....how fair is that, that they get to modify to their liking while at the same time we as offroad groups get to suck up tickets and fines for following our own ambitions. To "Fix" my jeep would be to sell it and get a stock one to drive around. That's about as close to legal as you can get with Jeeps and even then it's CLOSE to being illegal. So yeah, maybe I am bitching and I'm pissed that I keep getting tickets, wouldn't you be?

 

[uncc civilengineer]

What I'm reading is that you broke the law and got caught and you are pissed. I think your options are to fix your jeep so it is legal or introduce a bill to change the laws. Don't whine about getting caught doing something illegal. There is enough of that going on at the border.

Thanks for coming all the way over from Nevada to share your opinion :thumbup:

 

[RedHeep]

What I'm reading is that you broke the law and got caught and you are pissed. I think your options are to fix your jeep so it is legal or introduce a bill to change the laws. Don't whine about getting caught doing something illegal. There is enough of that going on at the border.

Go Go . . . Go away.

 

[Go Go]

Its hard not to bitch when your opinions and letters fall on deaf ears. Trust me when I say we've been annoying our congressmen to make a change here. It's not happening because public opinion doesn't support a change in the laws. According to VA, you're either a passanger vehicle (car) or a truck and nothing in between. Tell me....what do you consider your XJ? What do you consider a YJ or a TJ or a CJ? Where do they fall in? Why are we held to standards that allow other intrest groups to do whatever they like while at the same time hold us back? Look around and you see plenty of cars with huge rims and tires, lifted or lowered, and are perfectly legal because of what they do with them....how fair is that, that they get to modify to their liking while at the same time we as offroad groups get to suck up tickets and fines for following our own ambitions. To "Fix" my jeep would be to sell it and get a stock one to drive around. That's about as close to legal as you can get with Jeeps and even then it's CLOSE to being illegal. So yeah, maybe I am bitching and I'm pissed that I keep getting tickets, wouldn't you be?

It sounds like you are doing the right thing by trying to change the laws. Jeeps are in their own class, they are Jeeps.

I'm just tired of everyone doing whatever the hell they want because they don't like the laws and then blaming someone else when they get busted. It's not the cops fault for enforcing the law, that is their job "law enforcement." Nobody wants to take responsibility for their actions anymore and I guess your post just hit a nerve. So I apologize to all of you that say "F you, the rules don't apply to me!" because apparently I'm in the minority.

Therefore, RedHeep, I will take your advice and Go Go Go away. That was sheer brilliance by the way, how you took my login ID and then you made a joke about it and told me to go away as if that were part of my name, sheer genius! You must be a riot on open mike night.

 

[Ghost]

It sounds like you are doing the right thing by trying to change the laws. Jeeps are in their own class, they are Jeeps.

I'm just tired of everyone doing whatever the hell they want because they don't like the laws and then blaming someone else when they get busted. It's not the cops fault for enforcing the law, that is their job "law enforcement." Nobody wants to take responsibility for their actions anymore and I guess your post just hit a nerve. So I apologize to all of you that say "F you, the rules don't apply to me!" because apparently I'm in the minority.

Therefore, RedHeep, I will take your advice and Go Go Go away. That was sheer brilliance by the way, how you took my login ID and then you made a joke about it and told me to go away as if that were part of my name, sheer genius! You must be a riot on open mike night.

First off the cops need to enforce the right laws a little better up there around DC, IIRC that is the area 53 guy is near, and not bumper height laws. The crime in that area of the state and the SE is terrible. IMHO the cops need to be more concerned with Jo crack head dealing drugs and patrolling his neighborhood and not trying to harass good upstanding citizens that are fighting for our country. :wave:

 

[AlabamaBill]

get an old stock bumper bolt it couple of pieces of light angle iron, drop it off the front bumper and down to right ht. Put couple bolt tabs on your bumper. Easy to take off two bolts. bumper at right ht. The real bumper is a light bar/brush bar if you asked me. Aka, the lower bumper has standing in court eyes as a legimate bumper by being OEM, the fabricated bumper can be anything you claim. I know this splitting hairs and probably does not really fly but you give the city attorney/court an out to let you go and the out comes in next advice.

Next ticket, go to court and argue the fact in city court/disctrict and when you lose and you will, all city courts are true kanagroo courts, appeal to higher court. I am not sure of court but almost all states allow an automatic new trial in higher court. Be a pain! If it really goes to trial, then you might need a lawyer at this point but eventually, you'll win. If you cause the local city attorney more pain and grief then it is worth, he eventually give. Lawyers are lazy by nature especially if this happens more the once.


Bill

 

[53guy]

Can't do any of the lowered bumper ideas.....

"In the absence of bumpers, and in cases where bumper heights have been lowered, height measurements under the foregoing provisions of this section shall be made to the bottom of the frame rail. However, if bumper heights have been raised, height measurements under the foregoing provisions of this section shall be made to the bottom of the main horizontal bumper bar. "

 

[AlabamaBill]

hmm, sucks...You are screwed sort of ..., Case law modifies actually law. If you press the issue, you might get a ruling that Jeeps can be multi purpose and can be classified in either group. It is a long shot unless, you have some jeep guy behind the bench. If he rules, in your favor then his ruling over rides the admistrative ruling that jeeps are in one class or another. Actually, you probably have a better shot at this then getting the law changed. It is a long shot but try flying to city attorney. You never know, you might find someone with common sense and make the right ruling. Yea, judges change the law more then legislature something I hate but truth is truth. You need to check and see if there is a ruling out there on jeeps in another circuit. Any dweeb cop can read a code book and memorize it but few take the time to investigatge case law and how the laws have been modified, excuse me "interupted" by the courts. Parts or all of this law, I am sure has been modified by the courts if it has been on books for more the 5 years. Judges can't keep from knowing better then the legislature anywhere. Those case laws may or may not help.

Good luck!
Bill

 

[53guy]

Thanks a bunch for the advice. I paid the fine and don't have to go to court, but I guess I might next time.

 

[RyanM]

First off the cops need to enforce the right laws a little better up there around DC, IIRC that is the area 53 guy is near, and not bumper height laws. The crime in that area of the state and the SE is terrible. IMHO the cops need to be more concerned with Jo crack head dealing drugs and patrolling his neighborhood and not trying to harass good upstanding citizens that are fighting for our country. :wave:

Amen to that.

but I guess I might next time.

Really? I think they just add up no? good luck

 

[citizenatlarge]

The airbags idea seems to be the best way to beat the system to me, though I don't have the exp. to forsee everything that would go into it... Good idea though.