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question about my carry

Discussion in 'Suzuki Carry' started by rtgw007, Mar 25, 2008.

  1. rtgw007

    rtgw007 New Member

    Let me start out by saying that this is not a question on how to break a law, it is just simply something that I think would be okay to do. I live in Georgetown Ohio and it is mostly backroads and country around me. We farm about 250 acres around this area. Do you think that you could drive these trucks with a smv symbol and be okay? I talked to my local police chief and he said that he had no problem with this at all as long as i stayed within the smv regulations which has been raised to 40 mph. I was going to just start doing it but wondered if anyone else had tried doing this in a country road type setting and if you have had any problems. This is by no means going to be my means of transportation but if I go from one farm to the next (appr. 5 miles or so) farm it would be being used under the smv regulations. To my understanding from the state highway patrol as long as im using it for farm use which i will be, then i should be just fine. Note that in my area you can equip a gator with turn signals brake lights lapbelt and a working horn and you can be on the roads with a smv symbol and that came from the chief of polices mouth here in Georgetown Ohio. Please remember this is not a question on how to break the laws but just to ask the opinions of others who may live in this type of setting.
     
  2. larryn2o

    larryn2o Member

    i think if the man that will be writing tickets says it's ok , then it's ok.
    just my 2 centavos

    did i spell that right? : )
     
  3. tmikewww

    tmikewww Member

    We live about 5-7 mile outside of town, and have no problem going from friends to friends, or down to the "river" about two miles away. If we see a "deputy" out this way, it's because someone called them. And, here in Iowa, you can use your "off road" UTV's legally to go from section to section.(for farming operations/checking on livestock.
     
  4. Colin

    Colin Member

    Go for it - just stay off the traffic lanes. Typically, SMVs are restricted to the shoulder.
     
  5. slimbad

    slimbad Member

    Smv

    Rtgw007, i live in a very rural area of nw florida, sounds like your area. you might want to check and see if you need to add a SIS (speed information symbol) in combo with your SMV. the SIS is for vehicles traveling 25-40mph.

    according to this:

    http://asae.frymulti.com/abstract.asp?aid=19116&t=2

    Colin, actually the SMV signs are to alert other drivers that there is a SMV IN the traffic lane. it gets kinda dangerous having a heavy piece of farm equipment merging on/off the roadway to avoid mailboxes, signs, ditches, driveway culverts etc. of course it is considered sociable and neighborly to move over when practical and allow the traffic to pass and move on. later......slim
     
  6. rtgw007

    rtgw007 New Member

    yeah I checked and My local cheif and Sheriff said they are fine with it as long as i have the smv and sis tags displayed on the back of the mini but guess what, I ran into a snag. Ohio state patrol Said that because these trucks werent actually built for "farm use" they didnt want to see it on the road. They also stated that it was also illegal to operate the mini on any roadway with smv and sis symbols because the truck is capable of doing over 45 mph. I stated that they have a resticter on them which prevents them from being used in anything but 1st and reverse. The ospatrol man looked at me with a smirk and said, like you wouldnt take that off. Evan if that part did hold true then it not being made specifically for farm use would keep me off the road anyways. Its an absolute shame to because the local police and evan our sheriff was totally fine with it. Sheriff told me this. "Remember that your dealing with you COUNTY sheriffs dept. and your local TOWN police dept. and we don't care, but when it comes to the State Highway Patrol your dealing with OHIO and they will do anything to get your nickles and dimes.". I kid you not that came from the sheriffs mouth this morning. Oh well can winem all. Thanks for everyones imput though. Greatly appreciated.
     
  7. glenn

    glenn Member

    .....just a thought... can your state trooper give you the number and verse of the law you are break'n? is it specific to a mini truck type vehicle or is he using and existing law to fit the description of your mini truck?

    I wouldn't want to advocate breaking laws but I find it interesting how two different agencies have two different answers......

    glenn
     
  8. De-icer

    De-icer Member

    How often do you really see a staty on those back roads anyway, just get your SMV and go for it.
     
  9. glenn

    glenn Member

    when deal'n with law enforcement....always remember murphy's law!!

    glenn
     
  10. willyboy

    willyboy Member

    I live right above Lexington, KY and I also talked to my sheriff today and he told me about the same thing. He didnt have a problem with me going farm to farm but if one of the state boys/girls see me there going to probaly just give me a warning the first time.
    It just dont make no cents to me a motorcycle can get out there and some with no helmets and go where ever and these little mini trucks get so much grief if you just want to travel 5-10 miles down the road.
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2008
  11. rtgw007

    rtgw007 New Member

    The bad part is I live in the Country, but We are also our County seat. This little country town has a locall police dept, Sheriffs dept, and a State highway Patrol office with a 1 mile radius and I have to drive right by all three to get to the farms we farm. It really stinks though because I see gators go through town all the time with smv which is exactly what i sated to the Leutenant state highway patrolman and he said "well that machine was specifically made for farm and agriculture use and these trucks you speak of were built for road use only, not to mention that they are capable of reaching speeds of over 45mph". He just wasnt gonna have nothing to do with the answer i gave him about them have a restricter on them. Sounds like he's gotta power trip to me. Oh well:frustration:
     
  12. UnionRidge

    UnionRidge New Member

    Check with the Ohio DMV. In Washington State we can apply for a special "Farm Exempt Decal". There is no speed restriction. Here is exactly what our requirement states.

    When a vehicle displays a farm exempt decal it does not need other license plates and gross weight. The maximum load limits prescribed by law must be observed for the particular vehicle’s axles and tires. All safety and equipment regulations must be observed when the vehicle is traveling from farm to farm. Any type of vehicle may qualify. Certain restrictions apply to the use of the vehicle.

    The vehicle must be:
    1. Designed and/or used primarily in agriculture pursuits on farms, and used for transporting machinery, farm products, equipment, supplies, implements and/or farm labor.
    2. Operated on Public highways only for the purpose of going from farm to farm within a 15 mile radius of where it is principally used or garaged.

    The vehicle does not have to be explicitly designed for agriculture use. We see pick-up trucks and dump trucks licensed with farm decals all of the time.

    I am in the process of gathering the paper work to get a farm tag for my mini. The licensing department is asking me for a translated Japanese title, import document from customs, and a bill of sale from whom I purchased the truck from.
     
  13. rtgw007

    rtgw007 New Member

    Hello there Unionridge, thanks for the information. I read all about this about a month ago and this is what the Ohio State Police told me. If you look up all the information on this it saids that the piece of machinery has to be Designed and or used primarily in agricultural pursuits. Well, this truck wasnt specifically designed for agricultural use, therefor does not fall under this category. To be quite honest with everyone, I don't know how in the hell they can tell me what I can and cannot use for "farm Use". I know many people that use sport 4wheelers and have no problems going down the road with a smv symbol around here. Ive pretty much given up cause its just not gonna fly around here in Ohio. If anyone had any clue how much time ive invested in this issue it would blow your mind. I evan sat down and talked to a lawyer and he said this. "To be quite honest with you, there are laws that work against laws in the state of Ohio, as soon as you find a law that states you can, there will be another one that states you can't". The lawyer actually specializes in traffic laws and he wins almost all of his cases. He pretty much said that the trooper was right and I may as well forget about it cause if I do it i am gonna get a ticket. He also stated that he took a case on one of these trucks and went to court about it and he did win, but the gentlemen still had to pay court costs and was pulled over the very next week and given another ticket. I just don't want to take a chance on the headaches. He made a very good point though about the mini truck. He went on and on about how the United states has a big problem with these trucks because they hardly get any tax money from them. Well ive got a solution for that, LEGALIZE THEM! Then they can have an actual title and the gov. and that specific state will benefit and make money from them being here. The Lawyer laughed at me with a smirk on his face and said, "unfortunately, the same people that are regulating this truck from being legal are the same people that are wanting you to have a big truck that gets 12 miles to the gallon because they are getting rich off of that". I couldnt agree with him anymore! In the past I had a few people on here tell me to "quit my bitchin" about this issue, The last time I checked this was a forum "discussion board". Im not discussing how to break the law so quit your bitchin!!!!!!
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2008
  14. De-icer

    De-icer Member

    Don't listen to anyone on here that says quit bithn, keep pushin maybe you'll get lucky!
     
  15. IndianaJason

    IndianaJason Member

    I know none of what Im gonna say will probably matter, especially to the state polize offizar, and I'm not sure about Ohio, but here in Indiana, the Sheriff (or "Shire -Reeve") has supreme authority within the boundaries of his county. That includes over the state and feds. And the Shreiff here and others in the state have used this authority on several occasions to "protect the rights and liberties of the citizens of the county against the state and federal government"....as stated on my counties Sheriffs website....thats the duty of the Sheriff. The Sheriff or "Shire-Reeve" is the oldest form of law enforcement dating back to "the mother land"...etc, etc...

    Anyways, like I said none of what I said will probably matter anyway. The thing is, if the Sheriff gave you permission, and you are Not traveling on "state roads" , then technically nothing can "technically" be done against you, that is , if the Sheriff will stand behind his word, because the violation will be sent to the county court.

    As far as if the truck was "designed" for farm use or not....what type of vehicle is "designed" for farm use besides tractors, combines, etc...??? I dont know the legal or manufacturers definitions of "designed for farm use", but Im not aware of any truck, 4-wheeler, Ranger, etc... that is "designed for farm use" - strictly or at all? And I'm not sure, but some of the Polaris and Kawasaki UTVs I am aware of appear to go over the "limited" speed limit you mentioned. I thought the Japanese used these trucks on farms??????

    In my county, you can ride/drive any type of 4-wheeler, utv, snowmobile, golf cart, etc... on county roads, and only "cross" state owned roads...with numbers on the side (like on a boat) that you get from the Sheriffs dept. for 15 bucks.

    Anyways...blah-blah -blah..... Seems to be a no-win situation, currently anyway. Argue until blue in the face. ....:frustration:

    Then there is the issue of "state owned roads"...who is the state? The people? I thought taxes paid for the roads??....:D...nevermind.

    You could always claim you are an "indigent person" , very poor, and have no means of personal travel or conveyance on county roads under the supervision and jurisdiction of your elected Sheriff to your farmland to sustain your livelihood which is supported by your trading of agricultural products for currency to support your life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. :confused:..........;)

    Try that.....?????????
     
  16. rtgw007

    rtgw007 New Member

    IndianaJason, That is freakin hilarious!! Im gonna print this out and keep it in the mini glove box so when my state police do pull me over, Ill just show them what you typed and say "here you go, this is what I have to say". Hope they buy it!. Just jokin around man but you know what, I am gonna go talk to my local Shire reeve and ask him if that holds true in Ohio! Man that would be nice cause he sees absolutely nothing wrong with it. Evan after what i told him what the state boys had to say he pretty much said "Wouldnt you think they would have bigger fish to fry than ****in around with people trying to transport this thing from one place to another". Like I said before, if I didnt have to drive almost directly past the state office to get to one of the farms I farm I would probably just do it, because no one else seems to care but them. I really thought I was in the clear the day I went out to my local police chief and he said "go ahead, we arent gonna mess with you for something like that". Then the Shire reeve said the same thing, I thought i was really in the clear until i went to the state highway patrol. Tell you what though, there is a guy here local that bought a mini truck at an auction about 2 weeks ago and he is driving it anywhere he dam well pleases with a smv and sis tag on the back. He is evan driving it down State Route 68 right past the State highway patrol office. Here is the thing, he has a lot of pull in our community, his wife is a Commissioner here In Brown County also. I asked him today as a matter of fact if he had any trouble. He said no but he knew that if they did stop him he was gonna tell them to kiss his *** and that the mini truck was a tractor. I kinda laughed at his answer and said "you think thats gonna work". He said "look up the definition of tractor in the dictionary and it will read this, Tractor: High power, low-speed traction vehicle and power unit mechanically similar to an automobile or truck capable of hauling farm equip, but designed for use off the road". Well guess what if you look it up that is exactly what it saids. Im gonna let him be the tester on this one because They already told me If i was caught i would get a ticket. He did have a Chain saw in the back of the truck and he said if they told him that wasnt farm epuipment then what the hell is it then. You gotta love a guy that will just tell a cop to go to hell every once in a while if there being crap heads about something as stupid as this issue. What I find to be really funny is though is that i talked to him at a gas station when he was fillin his mini truck up and guess who was fillin up right next to him. you guessed it, a State highway patrolman! They were bullcrappin back and forth though so im gonna guess they were buddies. He told me that the first ounce of crap that the state police give him about it hes gonna threaten to sue the hell out of the dept. and that will shut them up. He is probably right, the thing is he is one of those crazy ol farmers from around here with balls made of steel and he will say whatever he feels like saying to whoever. You know, one of those people that is probably gonna get away with it for as long as he dam well pleases and the first day i drove mine I would get a ticket. That is really the way It would probably work.
     
  17. SoonerTrailbuster

    SoonerTrailbuster New Member

    Here in northeast Oklahoma all you have to do is put a slow moving vechicle triangle on the back somewhere. The fisrt day I got my mini I was pulled over by a state trooper. He told me to put the triangle on, which I did the next day, and I havent had any problems since.
    I hear that our state legislature just past a bill that will make minis street legal! Lucky for us!
     
  18. b_eastep

    b_eastep Member

    i herd today that they should have it all figured out by november.
     
  19. IndianaJason

    IndianaJason Member

    Just thought i would say this......

    I n past month or so, I have noticed "mini's" on roads in several places.

    One was crossing a state highway, in a rural area, travelling down a rural road....looked like a farmer, no noticeable tags or sign

    The other, across the state line in champaign illinois, was a newer model, extended cab/deck van type mini...in the middle of the city, with no illinois plates...had some numbers on the side, and was tagged "municipal"....I inquired to the business owner in the area, he said yeah they drive them all over the place, campus security, city workers, etc...

    another was the other day, in a fairly decent sized town, running through town on the state road that passes through...had the orange triangle sign on the back. Used by a local diesel shop to run errands, etc....i whipped in there...asked about it, driving it on roads, etc.... girl told me there are several in the area, none of the local or state cops care, just put a triangle on it, and "drive with some sense" / obey normal road rules/laws....
    it was jacked up with big tires on it....

    anyways.....just some things i noticed................

    .
     
  20. mrhempingtonsr

    mrhempingtonsr New Member

    Oregon class II atv permit

    Hello,

    I have a 1997 Suzuki Carry dd51t. I bought a 2 year class II ( over 800 lbs. over 50 inches wide ) ATV permit, cost $10.50, that allows me to travel on any gravel road 1 1/2 lanes or less ( have you ever seen a gravel road with a center line?) in the state. I also use a SMV sign which allows me to travel on paved rural roads. The small town I live in also issues an ATV permit that is FREE, but in order to get city permit you must show that the vehicle is insured. Cost of insurance is $75.00 per year. I use my Suzuki almost everyday, with the milage running at 40 to 45 mpg.

    I have spoken with the sheriff, he wasen't real happy, but when shown all the paper work, said OK. Will be willing to talk to the judge on this one if I ever get a ticket.
     
  21. rtgw007

    rtgw007 New Member

    Like I said in a previous thread, there is a guy here locally that is driving a mini all over the place. Ohio state patrol told me no but doesnt say a word to him, just wave but he is one of our commissioners!!! Wish I was a commissioners. I just have to wonder if I would get pulled over if I got one and drove it around where ever i wanted. Bet that wouldnt fly. Thats the thing, i hate to buy one if Im gonna be told i cant use it for transportation from one farm to the next, then I have no use for it at all.
     
  22. hotrodford

    hotrodford New Member

    And now for my .02

    I live in SE GA and bought 3 mini trucks from a guy in NY. Brought them home and sold 2 to cover my traveling expenses. One that I sold was to a local deputy that lives about 2 miles from me. I asked if he was going to tag his and he said, 'Well, yes...one way or another'. And so he did. Come to find out when I went to get a tag for mine, I talked to one of the older ladies in the tag office and she wanted a VIN, a title and all that crap. No way, no how she finally told me. SO I came back the next day and asked to speak to the tax assessor himself. I told him my dilemma and that a deputy I knew had tagged his w/o any problems so what were we going to do about mine? He looked at me with a grin on his face and said if I were to bring him a Bill of Sale that stated the truck was over 20 years old, it would not be a problem. (We don't have to have a title here for vehicles over 20 years old) "Do you understand what I'm saying" he added with a wink. I said yessir and came back about 2 hours later with my Bill of Sale stating it was an '83 instead of a '93 and tah-dah...still tagged today. Of course I do carry liability insurance also but as far as anyone around here cares, I'm as legal as the next guy. I pass GA State Patrolmen all the time and they just smile and wave.

    Maybe you could check into that in Ohio and see if it'll fly.
     
  23. rtgw007

    rtgw007 New Member

    Hey man I really appreciate that info!! Ill be on the phone first thing tomorrow morning. Ill post weather it flies or not!!! Thanks
     
  24. rpm

    rpm Member

    Here in North Texas there are several Mini's that have tags, but when I went to get mine the jig was up. No more titles or tags for Mini's according to Austin. So, I'm driving mine under the ag exemption in the vehicle code with an orange flag and a SMV emblem. The downside is it's daylight only with a 25 mile restriction.

    So far I have seen tons of cops and have only been stopped by one deputy that just wanted info about buying one. To be on the safe side I have an inspection sticker, liability insurance and I carry a copy of the vehicle code that says it's street legal.

    I bought my '99 Carry DB51T to take to NASCAR races at TMS, but I manage a grocery store and have been using it to deliver groceries.
     
  25. rtgw007

    rtgw007 New Member

    Thanks for the infor once again but they told me to go fly a kyte. Everyone at the title and registration offices around here have had so many problems with these little trucks, its like now they have something against them. No matter what your question is it is always NO NO NO. The commissioner is still getting away with it though. Funny huh. Just a smv sign and he drives it where ever he dam well pleases. :frustration:
     
  26. I'm sorry to hear that happened to you. I felt bad that you got your truck and then couldn't get tags for it. I heard about your issue from Wolfman. Glad to hear it is still of some use to you, albeit somewhat restricted.:(

    On a somewhat brighter note, I had a customer in yesterday that told me the law has been passed to put these trucks on the road in OK. I don't have details or specifics on the law, but that's a good start. And knowing Texas, we won't let those "darn Okies" get away with something that we can't. Hopefully we can use them as an example to get something started in Texas. I know Wolfman is trying to meet with Rep. Phil King regarding the use of his truck specifically and maybe that will lead to some positive legislation.
     
  27. rpm

    rpm Member

    Hey no problem Jason. Not your fault they are flip flopping on tags. I knew it was iffy to start with. I completely love my Carry and would recommend anyone interested in buying a mini to check with you first. It was a pleasure doing business with you.

    Driving under §663.037 of the Texas Transportation Code lets me use it on the highway during daylight hours, so I can live with that for now. Hopefully Wolfman will get somewhere with Phil King. I read about the Oklahoma legislation in another forum a few weeks ago. That will help if it passes and it looks like it will.
     
  28. b_eastep

    b_eastep Member

    it passed.
     
  29. hotrodford

    hotrodford New Member

    Another option that was offerd to me was to tag it as a 'non-titled' vehicle. Here in GA that would be considered anything like a trailer or vehicle that either never had a title or is old enough that one isn't required. They have a short form to fill out, you get it verified by a local law enforcement officer and then they affix a small metal tag to it so it now has a permanent id number. I have several old and/or homemade trailers with these on them.

    Then again, maybe you should just invite the commissioner over for a steak supper and let him handle it from there?!?!

    Good Luck!
     

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