LONGHAIR |
11-05-2004 07:33 PM |
There have been some very restrictive laws in Ohio for more than 10 years. The only restriction before that was a headlight maximum height of 54". After the "lift laws" went into effect you could not raise the vehicle in any way that would put the bumpers more than 4" above the stock height. If you were to modify the bumpers to "get around" this measurement....they just measured the truck at the frame rails. Thus no lifted trucks with low bumpers. This all went into effect in the late 80s or 90, somewhere in there. Apparently though the laws have changed lately or they are not being enforced. I have seen a lot more high trucks again in the last few years.
It's all BS though, because any truck over 10,000 GVW was exempt from this!?!?!? :crazy: OK, you can't raise a 1/2 or 3/4 ton pick-up....but if you want to kill someone with a bigger truck...it's ok. :crazy:
It's all stupid, they are once again going after something you can see/test instead of the real problem. Just like the cell-phone thing. It is already illegal to drive "distracted" ...so if the phone is a distraction to you, you get a ticket for that. If it is not a distraction to you, why ban them? are you going to ban children, egg Mcmuffins and radios too??? I would bet everything I own that more accidents are caused by any one of these
I would much rather see saftey tests/inspections than modification bans. I'm sure that you can "properly" build and safely drive a lifted truck (I did it for years...before the law change). Yet I know that there are people driving litteral junk in and around my neighborhood.
In Ohio the check point safety inspections are only looking for working lights/signals, horn, Hi an Low beam headlights, wipers, windshield and that the parking/E brake will hold the vehicle against light throttle in gear. These are ramdom, yet you must pull over if they point you out. Most of the time you get a written warning for minor infractions, but if you have too many you could get impounded. But these things don't automatically make a car "safe" anymore than 2-3 beers makes one dangerous. Once again they are looking at it all wrong.... Say that car has a bent/broken suspension parts that make it pull/dart or a leaky wheel cylinder or axle seal making it jerk under braking.......but it would still pass the safety inspection :crazy:
Or put my mother (or anyone over a given age for that matter) in a device that can test reaction time........now give me a few beers and the same test. Now when I blow her time away....do they take her license? No, they would give ME the ticket/car ride. But the point of the drunk driving law is about reaction time. Not that I am defending drinking and driving...I am NOT, but you see the point, they are looking at the what appears to be the easiest solution and taking away the rights or the regular guy again.
Maybe there should be a reaction time test instead of that goofy little vision test we have here....that would test both at the same time now wouldn't it?
Same with seat belt laws and even the more recent smoking bans....just one more right taken away. (I'm not a smoker and never have been...but I hate to see these types of laws) One just passed here....what's next??? The smoking ban may not affect me, but the next one might!
Sorry, got my soapbox out there :rolleyes:
|