Beware Driving in Radford

Post by **JPN High** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:08 am

I just posted this on the NRV website but I thought I would pass it along here because of some of the rigs I have seen.

So my friend who drives a modified XJ has gotten 8 tickets in less than week. Tickets go as followed:
Lift too high for VA standards X2
Rear brake light (it works, lights up when brake applied but is obstructed slightly by a full size spare)
Exhaust is not "from the factory" so therefor illegal X2
No licenese plate light
No mirrors (had his doors off)

He was pulled over for the reason that the front lic. plate could not be read (bent under the front custom bumper) They nailed him. Now I am writing this to warn those who drive modified Jeeps. I my six years of driving and building Wranglers I have never heard of these extreme actions. Now I have been pulled over when something that was done on the Jeep was not quite right, and I would understand if a ticket was given to me but that was never the case. A warning would be given and I would fix it so it would not happen again. In this case it is not true. Within one WEEK of his previous tickets he got bashed again even more. This event happened tonight right in front of my house so I got to listen to everything and see everything. The driver was polite and even told them that he just got a ticket three days ago for the lift and exhaust. This didn't matter except now the officer did not have to go back to his cruiser to get a tape measure. Hopefully there is a police officer on this site to bash me or tell me straight up why these actions have been taken. Has anyone else gotten shot down like this (not literally)? Post up cause I want to hear some responses on this matter.

Post by **BlueDodgeRam** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:18 am

Hutch?

hmm. i have:
no front license plate
modified exhaust & no tailpipes
pretty tall(for yous guys standards anyways)

im interested in the topic

Post by **Steinberg** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:23 am

NC registration biatches!!!!!

though I doubt that would save me from a taillight type ticket.

Post by **Steinberg** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:30 am

PS- add plate under your bumpers until they are legal height off the ground. if stallings' ramcharger could get legal by this method then you can too...

unless his truck fell into a different category than a jeep. dunno.

Post by **BlueDodgeRam** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:34 am

i think us with bigger GVWR are in a different category than, say, a Jeep for example.

No person shall drive on a public highway any motor vehicle registered as a truck if it has been modified by alteration of its altitude from the ground to the extent that its bumpers, measured to any point on the lower edge of the main horizontal bumper bar, exclusive of any bumper guards, do not fall within the limits specified herein for its gross vehicle weight rating category. The front bumper height of trucks whose gross vehicle weight ratings are 4,500 pounds or less shall be no less than 14 inches and no more than 28 inches, and their rear bumper height shall be no less than 14 inches and no more than 28 inches. The front bumper height of trucks whose gross vehicle weight ratings are 4,501 pounds to 7,500 pounds shall be no less than 14 inches and no more than 29 inches, and their rear bumper height shall be no less than 14 inches and no more than 30 inches. The front bumper height of trucks whose gross vehicle weight ratings are 7,501 pounds to 15,000 pounds shall be no less than 14 inches and no more than 30 inches, and their rear bumper height shall be no less than 14 inches and no more than 31 inches. Bumper height limitations contained in this section shall not apply to trucks with gross vehicle weight ratings in excess of 15,000 pounds. 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.

research biatches, straight off the VA State Police website

Post by **JPN High** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:43 am

Yea, I will say that he is running 35's, a good amount of lift to clear those 35's on a XJ (not sure off hand how much) and so forth, but I mean honestly, what can a man do. He has to pay X amount of money for these tickets and then expect to change his vehicle the next day... Now he is a full time student and has a job to get to every other day and the police said they will continue to pull him till everything is done. How do go about this....? To be honest I am pissed that this is going on. Pulling people over to wax them on the way they built their rig. The law is the law and I am not fighting this BUT I had always had the impression that there was an extreme, where you know you are crossing this and then there is the Daily Driver where yes, it might be a couple inches over height or a light might not be to code but damn. The principle I guess is killing me. That means I have to get a couple of parts which adds up in price to make my rig legal here. Back home this would never be a problem and from my experience, not many other places would be either.

Post by **BlueDodgeRam** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:47 am

havent bothered me yet, but im not in a jeep

quick answer: CTD + trailer = no more tickets

Lukipela · Post by **Lukipela** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:01 am

I think the ticket for the exhaust could be dismissed because if I remember right as long as it stays below a certain decibel you can have what ever type of exhaust you want.

Post by **shmoken875** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:05 am

my xjs at 6" on 35's and my front bumpers about 30", md regeristered but its illegal in md too

Lukipela · Post by **Lukipela** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:10 am

shmoken875 wrote:my xjs at 6" on 35's and my front bumpers about 30", md regeristered but its illegal in md too

Yea I'm pretty sure that in MD the max you can go is 33" off the road and still be street legal, so I would not worry to much Randy.

Post by **Steinberg** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:23 am

they cannot bust you for not meeting an out-of-state inspection. I could peel the NC inspection sticker off my truck today and drive around the other 49 states for as long as I want......or so I've been told....by a radford cop.

registered in VA... sucks for you. the vehicle laws are there and you ought to read them before messin with yer rig. sorry, but someone had to say it. when I lived in jersey, I had to go to a special inspection station for a stability test... lifted 3" on 31" tires=modified height vehicle inspection.

shoot... a couple years back I was over at fonger and stallings' place and a cop rolled up looking for the owner of the black ramcharger. turned out he just wanted to talk shop... which he did... for like an hour... while he was on duty. find that dude and ask him what the fawk is up with the new attitude.

Post by **shmoken875** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:24 am

Lukipela wrote:
shmoken875 wrote:my xjs at 6" on 35's and my front bumpers about 30", md regeristered but its illegal in md too
Yea I'm pretty sure that in MD the max you can go is 33" off the road and still be street legal, so I would not worry to much Randy.

not sure what you're saying, but in md with a GVWR of 10,000 or less you're limited to 28" bumper height

Lukipela · Post by **Lukipela** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:27 am

shmoken875 wrote:
Lukipela wrote:
shmoken875 wrote:my xjs at 6" on 35's and my front bumpers about 30", md regeristered but its illegal in md too
Yea I'm pretty sure that in MD the max you can go is 33" off the road and still be street legal, so I would not worry to much Randy.
not sure what you're saying, but in md with a GVWR of 10,000 or less you're limited to 28" bumper height

bumper hight can't be more then 33" off the ground

Post by **shmoken875** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:29 am

Lukipela wrote:
shmoken875 wrote:
Lukipela wrote: Yea I'm pretty sure that in MD the max you can go is 33" off the road and still be street legal, so I would not worry to much Randy.
not sure what you're saying, but in md with a GVWR of 10,000 or less you're limited to 28" bumper height
bumper hight can't be more then 33" off the ground

oh....well its 28" for future reference

Lukipela · Post by **Lukipela** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:43 am

Cool thanks, I was not totally sure that 33" was right and now I know its not and that it is 28".