Beware Driving in Radford

[TerryD]

no offence to some cops, but cops are getting outta control.... i ran my old cavalier w/ a straight pipe for 3 years, got tired of the headache's, put on a glass pack, and in less than a year was busted w/ an illegal exhaust, which i beat in court due to the fact that no where in the information w/ the glass pack did it say anywhere that it was "illegal for installation on a polution controled motor vehicle" which is what he wrote the ticket for. he'd have had me dead to rights if he'd wrote it for noise polution. on top of that, they're "crackin down" on some damn silly shit. they're bustin the hell outta us, but can't seem to chatch the drug dealers that are litterally standing on every street corner... go figure.... they get high and get away, we drive "high" and get our asses busted!

[yotacowboy]

NOTE:
"No person shall drive on a public highway any motor vehicle REGISTERED AS A TRUCK..."

"For the purpose of this section, "truck" includes pickup and panel trucks, and "gross vehicle weight ratings" means manufacturer's gross vehicle weight ratings established for that vehicle as indicated by a number, plate, sticker, decal, or other device affixed to the vehicle by its manufacturer."


XJ's, CJ's, TJ's... pretty much every jeep (except for the J10's, the pickup bodies) is considered a station wagon/passenger vehicle due to it's body type... they're not considered "pickup trucks/panel trucks". this designation is NOT based on the vehicle's GVWR. therefore the bumper heights listed don't technically apply to an XJ. This is how it was explained to me by a state trooper while i was pulled over once for questionable bumper height. (quick note for anybody that owns a toyota mini p/u: they're technically a 3/4 ton truck based on their GVWR... gets you an extra inch of bumper height.)

You can try to make the case that the body type doesn't matter, but as VA's laws are written, they consider the XJ a car. Same thing goes for a 4Runner, FJ-60 & 62, FJ-80... pretty much any sport utility vehicle (read: if there's no bed, it's not a truck). Most cops probably don't recognize this difference, however.

[MtnToys]

PA has the most ridiculous laws. When I tried to get my old 87 4runner inspected they told me the front bumper was an inch too high off the ground. The truck was completely stock with 235/75 tires. They then proceeded to tell me I don’t even need a rear bumper. I ended up ziptieing another bumper to the bottom of mine to pass.
My current 4runner is registered in PA. I don’t even attempt to pass inspected. My dad lives 5 miles from the Maryland line so I just drive strait in and out of PA.
If you have the ability to, definitely register your rig out of state.

[hklvette]

F state inspections! I'm really glad I have Florida plates

[JPN High]

Now has anyone gotten bashed other than in Radford? My roomate two weeks ago got a ticket for loud exhaust from Radford. Everything is stock up the flowmaster 40 series on his 240. Now I am just lost because I am from Harrisonburg and whenever I see a police officer they comment on how my rig is, or talk about their projects they are working on at home. From the years that I have been driving I see them bash 32valve cobras for running straight pipes, window tint, and so on but the offroad vehicles are left alone. Yes again, the law is the law and he understood that the XJ is 3 inches higher than the law states, and that brake light is obstructed but still can be seen, and he usually puts mirrors on when the doors are off but he was told he is going to get pulled untill he fixes everything. Why the extreme change in attitudes? I think the whole situation is s!$$. But I am still one sided here.

[Steinberg]

don't know why you keep asking us why the radford police have taken a new stance on modified vehicles. like I said- go find yourself an officer and ask him... preferrably not while he's writing you a ticket.

[Trailduster79]

I have done tons of research on VA state code, ask me just about anything regarding vehicles and I have read up on it.

When you drive a truck like mine, you need to know the laws.

Here is the kicker, Jeeps are not trucks, they are passenger vehicles and therefore they have to abide by the passenger vehicle bumper heights of 28 inches.

I had to fight the same thing with mine, they wanted to claim it wasn't a truck and even though there is a GVW on the door, they didn't want to recognize it. I straightened that shit out.

As far as exhaust. I got a ticket for bumper height and exhaust in one pop. I put flows on it and the ticket went away. There is no part of state inspection that requires a muffler, but it is illegal to not have one.

There is no real way to get around these laws, just print out a copy of the law that says you are legal and carry it with you. I had a copy of the state code in my glove box so I could learn the cop of the state code. had to do it more than once.

Fact is, we all know that most of what we do to our trucks is illegal, then we get pissed when we get tickets for it. I knew my shit was illegal, just got lucky that I didnt' get tickets before I did.

[Dieselram]

was the cop a younger guy? There is one new guy in radford that is a real ass, he has been giving everyone a hard time, But as far as the law goes your stuck to 28 inches in a jeep due to what was said before. I have gotten a lift ticket before oh and a rule not many know about is that if you have an aftermarket front bumper they have to measure to the level plane of the frame. Can sometimes help you or hurt you. I got a ticket for being 31 inchs in the front and that was with 12 inchs of lift and 38's

oh and they go by the GVWR stamped on the inside of the door, It doesn;t matter what you have it registered as. You could have 25,999lbs on your registration but they will go by what it says in the door.

[Ctrow]

JPN High- the guy with the kj you're taliking about, is it black and his names andrew? If so, he's running enough lift to fit 38s easy (i know because he did). As for as the bumper goes, i've heard that if you start adding plate or messing with the bumper, they can messure to the frame. Is this true?

[JPN High]

JPN High- the guy with the kj you're taliking about, is it black and his names andrew? If so, he's running enough lift to fit 38s easy (i know because he did). As for as the bumper goes, i've heard that if you start adding plate or messing with the bumper, they can messure to the frame. Is this true?

Yea, its an XJ deep blue and yes, he could run 38's and said he has. Now offroad his 35s rub like its their job (bumpstops didn't help) but 38 don't "fit" when it comes to the wheeling scene. Now since he has custom bumpers the measure to the frame. Can't be over 28 to the frame, his was.

[Ctrow]

small world, last time i saw it, he didn't have bump stops and only played in the mud

[YJ]

I won't go into great detail with certain issues of certain departments. (Mostly because this is on the public part of the forum.) The bottom line is watch your ass in Radford. Period. It's not just one new cop. I know most of them well and have even had my battles with them over various vehicle and motorcyle things. Trailduster, or whoever it was mentioning code sections, is probably more on top of the vehicle code than I am. I've not cracked a traffic code book for a couple years. No matter how much law you know, the only answer in Radford is, CYA. If you want to know why, hit me up sometime and we'll go have a beer, but not in Radford.

[jonesy]

im glad TN doesnt have any fender laws

[alk1174]

http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Safety.shtm

Here is the link to the VA State Police page for those who may not know the laws.

[tsmall07]

if there's no bed, it's not a truck)

PT Cruizer is a truck. (according to the law)



By the way....there is a fairly new law in VA that says: If you drive in VA then you have to abide by Virginia laws. Registering your rig elsewhere may not be as helpful as you might think.