where can i find or gather parts to make a saftey whip for my trips to Oceano?
I'm looking for something around 8-10 feet long. what would be the best way to mount one of these to my bumper without beating the out of my body? I'm looking for a little project to keep me busy this afternoon

 

I got my 7' or 8' whip at Bentup Bikes, a local motorcycle shop.
The whip is made by Firestik, same company that makes the CB antennas.

http://www.firestik.com/Catalog/flags.htm

I did cut mine down though, as I have a custom mount made to fit the FJs rack in which I mount it with a CB antenna quick disconnect.

I am sure Firestik can tell you a reseller in your area.
You can also get flags made up by a woman who makes them.
I bought mine from her.

http://www.dwflags.com/store/

 

If you have an "Airgas" or "Norco" in your area they should be able to get a whip for ya

 

Could you just put a flag on a CB antenna?

 

FYI--

All vehicles in the OHV area are required to be equipped with an 8' whip with an orange or red flag with a minimum size of 6" x 12".

If you do this, you should have no problems.

Also, no glass bottles, even in campgrounds at Oceano. No kites. And, please pick up your trash and be a good neighbor and limit noise!

We have lots of locals trying to close the state park. They are out with video cameras looking for jackasses so they can badmouth us in front of the Board of Supervisors and Coastal Commission. Please be responsible and enjoy!

 

well i just went over to cycle gear after a lot of bouncing around from shop to shop. picked up an 8 foot black firestik with an orange flag. i mounted it with a mounting bracket i fabed up myself to the back right between the tailgate-jam and the rear light housing, wish i had a picture to show. i have a T bracket mounted to the body with an L bracket and a triangle bracket connected to it. its pretty sturdy but it does flex a lot under the whip weight, hopefully when i'm driving at speed it wont rip off. its really tall so this time I'll be seen before any motorcycles jump over me like last weekend, haha

 

[QUOTE=SLORider;50628152]FYI--

All vehicles in the OHV area are required to be equipped with an 8' whip with an orange or red flag with a minimum size of 6" x 12".

QUOTE]

Did this just change? I thought only off-highway vehicles (as in non street legal vehicles) have to have flags. I still think it is a good idea to have, but I need to double check the rules.

Rules and regulations:
http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=1215

 

No, it didn't just change. There's some fine points between the back dunes and driving on the beach--I think licensed "street" vehicles don't need a flag on the beach and OHVs do. ALL vehicles are required to have a flag in the back dunes, street or not. You see a lot of pirate flags and such... it's supposed to be orange or red.

KG-- glad you'll have a flag so the motorcycles can avoid getting run over by you as you come over the tops of the dunes! LOL!

I always scope the area before doing anything big. To me, seeing an unexpected flag nearby means I didn't scope well enough or should have had a spotter.

 

slorider, do you know where to find that info? I looked all over the Oceano dunes site and the state site for all svra's , and the only mention of whips was at some other SVRA and that was for dune buggies, atv's, and motorcycles.

I guess I could always call them, but I swear a ranger told me that they were recommended for street legal but not a law.


I just ran out to my rig and grabbed my pamphlet and map for Oceano Dunes SVRA (this was copyrighted July 2006) These are the really nice ones that they gave to our offroad club
(Slo4Wheelers) Lots of info, in fact more than is on their website, but I don't know if these are the same ones that they hand out from the kiosk or not.

quote from the Equipment Requirements section:

"An 8' upright whip with an orange or red flag attached to the top must be mounted on all motorcycles, ATV's, dune buggies, and other vehicles not equipped for highway use. While not required on highway licensed and equipped vehicles, whips and flags are still recommended as a safety measure to increase the visibility of vehicles in the dunes." end quote

Don't get me wrong, I still think it is a great idea.

 

There is much confusion and rumor about the rules, even by those enforcing them. I have been told many different things, but in talking directly with a particularly knowledgeable State Parks employee at ODSVRA I was told flags are required on all vehicles in the back dunes.

I'm not going to emphatically insist that is correct without a law to point to, however...

Note, that the state vehicle code defines "off-highway motor vehicle" to include street registered vehicles (registered under Section 4000):

CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE

38006. As used in this division, an "off-highway motor vehicle" is
any of the following:
(a) A motor vehicle subject to the provisions of subdivision (a)
of Section 38010.
(b) A motor vehicle registered under Section 4000, when such motor
vehicle is operated on land to which this division has application.
[Section 4000 is street registration.]
(c) A motor vehicle owned or operated by a nonresident of this
state, whether or not such motor vehicle is identified or registered
in a foreign jurisdiction, when such motor vehicle is operated on
lands to which this division has application.

38325. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all
off-highway motor vehicles, as defined in Section 38006, when
operated in areas in which this division has application.

The vehicle code requires that vehicles are equipped as required by BOTH the vehicle code and the local agency:

38330. It is unlawful to operate any vehicle or combination of
vehicles which is in an unsafe condition, which is not equipped as
required by this chapter or the equipment regulations of the
governmental agency having jurisdiction over public lands, or which
is not safely loaded.


So, the question--as I see it--is whether or not the local agency at ODSVRA requires a flag. Your handout appears to say no. However, that is not a legal source. I'd feel much more comfortable seeing it as a regulation in print. I'm still looking and will ask my contact for a better source of information.

 

Slo,
I agree, it is very confusing. The pamphlet I have says that it is put out by the California State Parks and copyrighted by OHMVR which I believe is the Off-highway motor vehicle recreation division of the state parks.

I look forward to what you find out. I hate that there are so many rumors about rules and other things at Oceano Dunes. It definately does not help us in any way when it comes to fighting to keep them open.

Do you have anything to do with FOOD (Friends of the Oceano Dunes)?

Edit: I did just find this on the website, it was under equipment, not rules and regulations.

It does say all vehicles
http://www.ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1227

I'm still confused, two of their information sources contradict each other. It will be interesting to see what you come up with.

 

Just took some pictures of the whip mount with my cell phone. Sorry in advance for the bad quality, but I'm sure you can get the idea of what i did

 

Not a bad job! Low impact, too!

 

I used two sections of a chimney brush extension rod (fiberglass w/ threaded ends) and threaded those onto a bolt I installed in the top of my bumper.

 

get one of these Vanco mounting plates, put it either on your
a.) roof cross bars(yakima)
b.) roof basket rails
c.) front bumper light bar, brush guard tubes
d.) front/rear bumper

good thing is, only 5 bucks.

http://shop1.outpost.com/product/314...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG

 

Just in case anyone still cares...

I am now being told FLAGS ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR STREET LEGAL VEHICLES at Oceano Dunes.

This is contrary to what I've found on the State Park's ODSVRA web site:
http://www.ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1227

But that web page is not the law--someone probably just wrote it from what someone else said...

Bottom line, is until proven otherwise, I now believe flags are not required on street registered vehicles.

This is not to say it is not prudent to have a flag. And, it definitely is cheap enough and will provide some insulation to liability should you be in an accident.

Also, who's to say that a park ranger will not hassle you and write you a ticket anyway? You can be right and still end up fighting a ticket.

So, just get a flag.

 

BUT A ROLL BAR IS REQUIRED--IN THE DUNES!

This section of law from the CA Code of Regs says that a roll bar is required. It also addresses the flag issue--leaving it a bit gray, and up to the enforcing officer, in my opinion: "primarily operated for Off-Highway Vehicle activities" is definitely arguable, so get a flag!


14 CCR s 4609

Cal. Admin. Code tit. 14, s 4609

BARCLAYS OFFICIAL CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS
TITLE 14. NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION 3. DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
CHAPTER 6. PROVISIONS LIMITED TO SPECIFIC UNITS
This database is current through 9/21/07, Register 2007, No. 38
s 4609. Pismo Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area.

(a) Unless provided for in these provisions, all of the provisions of the California Vehicle Code apply to Pismo Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, CVC21113.

(b) Vehicles.

All vehicles shall be registered under the provisions of the California Vehicle Code, Sections 4000 or 38010 and may operate as follows:

(1) The boundaries of such vehicle use shall be designated by the District Superintendent as shown on a map posted at the unit.


(2) The towing by a vehicle of any object other than another vehicle or trailer is prohibited.


(3) All Off-Highway vehicles registered under California Vehicle Code Section 38010 or other vehicles primarily operated for Off-Highway Vehicle activities shall be equipped with a whip, which is any pole, rod or antenna, that is securely mounted on the vehicle and which extends at least eight (8) feet from the surface of the ground when the vehicle is stopped.

When the vehicle is stopped, the whip shall be capable of standing upright when supporting the weight of any attached flags.

At least one whip attached to each vehicle shall have a solid red or orange colored safety flag with a minimum size of six (6) inches by twelve (12) inches and be attached within ten (10) inches of the top of the whip. Flags may be of pennant, triangle, square, or rectangular shape. Club or other flags may be mounted below the safety flag or on a second whip.

(4) When a vehicle is operated in the dunes area, which is that land area extending from the first line of sand dunes inland outside Pismo Dunes Natural Preserve, the vehicle shall have additional equipment as follows:

Each vehicle, except two, three and four wheeled cycles, shall be equipped with adequate roll bars or roof structure of sufficient strength to support the weight of the vehicle and shall have a secure seat and seat belt for the vehicle operator and each passenger. Seat belts shall be as specified in the California Vehicle Code.

 

Your vehicles stock roof is sufficient for this rule, but if you have chopped your roof at all, you would be required to have a roll bar. Or for us 4runners, if you have a first gen with the top off, you must have your stock roll bar installed. This is a common rule for many parks and offroad events, they are definately not saying that you need to get a rollbar in your SUV.

I still think it is best to have a flag, but I don't think there is any argument there to say that you could get a ticket. The majority of us don't have a vehicle that is "primarily operated for Off-highway activities". Your daily driver SUV, even if it is set up for offroad, does not fall under this category. Now if you are driving something that looks like it may or may not be street legal (i.e rockcrawler, etc...) you would want to get a flag, as this could be construed as "primarily operated for Off-highway activities"

Once again, that being said. I am picking up a whip and flag this week just for the added safety.

 

You are right... ROLL BAR --OR-- ROOF STRUCTURE