Lifted Vehicles in VA - News Report
02-23-2005, 07:53 PM
#1
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Fairfax, VA
Posts: 933
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lifted Vehicles in VA - News Report
Crime Tracker: High Rise Trucks and Jeeps -- Roanoke, VA
John Carlin
WSLS NewsChannel 10
Monday, February 21, 2005
The case against Jeeps, SUV’s and pick-up trucks with aftermarket lift kits is strong. The 1991 report that spawned Virginia’s current law states, that high rise trucks (or trucks that have been raised since they came off the assembly line) are “the single most dangerous vehicle involved in fatal highway crashes.” The emphasis is on fatal.
But that was in more than a decade ago. So I called one of the authors of the study, Dave McAllister who now does his research at VCU in the Center for Public Policy. He says the statement is as true today as it was then – though the funding to study the problem ran out in about 1993. McAllister explained that the state wanted to track accidents and see if the legislation cut down on the number of fatalities – and it did. “Despite our success we wanted to lower bumpers another couple of inches. If you ask me the law is still too liberal,” he said.
Gradually however, the issue faded into the background and enforcement became lax. As police stopped ticketing high risers, the number of these vehicles increased. I’d like to tell you how many there are in Roanoke, in Virginia or the USA – but those numbers simply aren’t available. I’ve called the DMV, the State Police, and the presidents of numerous national and regional four-wheel drive clubs. Even the internet failed to yield an answer.
The closest estimation came from SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association. SEMA represents all the companies that make any kind of aftermarket product for any kind of car, from your teenager’s fast and furious rice rocket to the true off-road specialist. SEMA has offices in California and in Washington, D.C. where they lobby on behalf of their client’s interests. I talked with representatives in both places.
The nearest estimate for the popularity of post-factory enhancements for off-road vehicles is retail sales. According to SEMA, sales of parts from lift kits to brush guards, running boards, and anything else you might want to hang on a Jeep, have nearly doubled since 1995, bringing in nearly 950-million dollars last year.
In order to see what those parts actually do, we went four wheeling with Roanoke off-road enthusiasts Chris Dye and Rob Wright.
As we drove through rivers and over rocks in Craig County, they told me they had never been pulled over for having a rig that’s too high. “It’s not my primary vehicle,” said Dye. “I only drive it when I’m going out to do actual four wheeling. But I do drive it on the road occasionally.” Dye bought his Jeep Wrangler used, and added between 8 and 10 thousand dollars in aftermarket parts. One of them is called a “snorkel,” a long pipe that goes from the engine to the roof, and allows the engine to be submerged in water without stalling. He did most of the work himself.
Eventually we came to a mud hole and Dye took the opportunity to prove that his upgrades were not just for show. He drove the Jeep onto some ice, and then dropped in up to the floorboards. Smiling, he began rocking the vehicle back and forth. After about 5 minutes of crabbing, spinning tires and flying mud, he found some traction and drove it out. Chris jumped from the vehicle high-fiving with Rob, like he just scored a touchdown. Clearly the adrenaline was pumping. “If you drive them stock, you aren't going to go anywhere. You're not going to go to half of the places we go to. The higher you raise them and the bigger tires you can put on them and the more places you're capable of going.”
It was amazing to watch. Clearly the lift kit and other accessories made a difference. Rob, who also has a nice ride, but without as many doo-dads, was tempted, but reluctant to try the same maneuver, “Mine might be in there till May,” he admitted.
During our ride along with police we also met Allen Ferris who was ticketed for driving a shiny red Dodge pick-up with large tires, chrome rims and a lift kit that made his bumper 11 inches too high. Ferris was cruising Williamson Road on a chilly Friday night. Although the temperature was in the teens, he had just come from the carwash. He admitted the truck had never been driven in a speck of mud. “I love my truck,” he said. “It’s a toy, but it let’s me go when no one else can … I don’t need it, but I love to drive around and show it off.”
Their collective stories raise some questions. Do they have a legitimate right and/or need to drive a vehicle with a bumper that’s higher than it was when it came from the factory? Do Chris Dye and Rob Wright perhaps have more of a right because they’re using aftermarket parts for a “purpose” as opposed to Ferris, who admits his truck is mostly for show? Conversely, does a show truck deserve an exemption, just like Virginia's antique cars?
While the safety angle is compelling, SEMA points out that larger pick-ups weighing more than 6,500 pounds and properly registered, are legal with bumpers 29-30 inches off the ground. According to the DMV there are about 1.5 million trucks in Virginia that weigh 7,500 pounds or less, and 94,669 between 7,500 and 10,000. SEMA also points to all the other delivery trucks, work vehicles, dump trucks etc. There are literally millions of street legal vehicles in the U.S. whose bumpers are higher than yours, and would do just as much damage in a collision. SEMA’s position, based on the American Association of Moror Vehicle Administrators -- in a nutshell is that people should be able to raise their stock vehicles at least as high as the highest legal bumpers. On a Jeep, that amounts to a 4 inch lift kit plus larger tires.
Another issue: In Virginia a 6,500 pound pick-up with bumpers 29 inches high is legal if it’s registered as a truck, but illegal if registered as a passenger vehicle. There’s a glitch in the DMV code that allows the owner a choice, but if that truck hits you does it really matter what it says on the license plate?
There are a lot of issues that still need to be sorted out. Short of SEMA there’s really no one to speak on behalf of legitimate four wheel drive enthusiasts. But Dye and I discussed the possibility of a special license plate that could be granted to people who were really into the sport. If someone is willing to spend what Dye spent on upgrades, what’s a few more dollars for extra insurance, a special tag, and any other incidentals the state might require in return for the privilege of driving one’s souped up Jeep, pick-up or SUV on the highway? Compared to the millions of legal vehicles with raised bumpers would there be enough of them to really make difference?
A spokesman at the DMV tells me it’s food for thought, but it’s never been proposed. He thought such a law might get traction, if the right person raised it the right way in the General Assembly.
In the meantime, Roanoke police are enforcing the current law with no shortage of violators. In fact, after several cases were overturned because of the DMV Glitch, judges have now started fining violators – it’s about $90.00 including court costs. In addition, police tell me they now have authority to stop repeat offenders and tow them on the spot.
John Carlin
WSLS NewsChannel 10
Monday, February 21, 2005
The case against Jeeps, SUV’s and pick-up trucks with aftermarket lift kits is strong. The 1991 report that spawned Virginia’s current law states, that high rise trucks (or trucks that have been raised since they came off the assembly line) are “the single most dangerous vehicle involved in fatal highway crashes.” The emphasis is on fatal.
But that was in more than a decade ago. So I called one of the authors of the study, Dave McAllister who now does his research at VCU in the Center for Public Policy. He says the statement is as true today as it was then – though the funding to study the problem ran out in about 1993. McAllister explained that the state wanted to track accidents and see if the legislation cut down on the number of fatalities – and it did. “Despite our success we wanted to lower bumpers another couple of inches. If you ask me the law is still too liberal,” he said.
Gradually however, the issue faded into the background and enforcement became lax. As police stopped ticketing high risers, the number of these vehicles increased. I’d like to tell you how many there are in Roanoke, in Virginia or the USA – but those numbers simply aren’t available. I’ve called the DMV, the State Police, and the presidents of numerous national and regional four-wheel drive clubs. Even the internet failed to yield an answer.
The closest estimation came from SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association. SEMA represents all the companies that make any kind of aftermarket product for any kind of car, from your teenager’s fast and furious rice rocket to the true off-road specialist. SEMA has offices in California and in Washington, D.C. where they lobby on behalf of their client’s interests. I talked with representatives in both places.
The nearest estimate for the popularity of post-factory enhancements for off-road vehicles is retail sales. According to SEMA, sales of parts from lift kits to brush guards, running boards, and anything else you might want to hang on a Jeep, have nearly doubled since 1995, bringing in nearly 950-million dollars last year.
In order to see what those parts actually do, we went four wheeling with Roanoke off-road enthusiasts Chris Dye and Rob Wright.
As we drove through rivers and over rocks in Craig County, they told me they had never been pulled over for having a rig that’s too high. “It’s not my primary vehicle,” said Dye. “I only drive it when I’m going out to do actual four wheeling. But I do drive it on the road occasionally.” Dye bought his Jeep Wrangler used, and added between 8 and 10 thousand dollars in aftermarket parts. One of them is called a “snorkel,” a long pipe that goes from the engine to the roof, and allows the engine to be submerged in water without stalling. He did most of the work himself.
Eventually we came to a mud hole and Dye took the opportunity to prove that his upgrades were not just for show. He drove the Jeep onto some ice, and then dropped in up to the floorboards. Smiling, he began rocking the vehicle back and forth. After about 5 minutes of crabbing, spinning tires and flying mud, he found some traction and drove it out. Chris jumped from the vehicle high-fiving with Rob, like he just scored a touchdown. Clearly the adrenaline was pumping. “If you drive them stock, you aren't going to go anywhere. You're not going to go to half of the places we go to. The higher you raise them and the bigger tires you can put on them and the more places you're capable of going.”
It was amazing to watch. Clearly the lift kit and other accessories made a difference. Rob, who also has a nice ride, but without as many doo-dads, was tempted, but reluctant to try the same maneuver, “Mine might be in there till May,” he admitted.
During our ride along with police we also met Allen Ferris who was ticketed for driving a shiny red Dodge pick-up with large tires, chrome rims and a lift kit that made his bumper 11 inches too high. Ferris was cruising Williamson Road on a chilly Friday night. Although the temperature was in the teens, he had just come from the carwash. He admitted the truck had never been driven in a speck of mud. “I love my truck,” he said. “It’s a toy, but it let’s me go when no one else can … I don’t need it, but I love to drive around and show it off.”
Their collective stories raise some questions. Do they have a legitimate right and/or need to drive a vehicle with a bumper that’s higher than it was when it came from the factory? Do Chris Dye and Rob Wright perhaps have more of a right because they’re using aftermarket parts for a “purpose” as opposed to Ferris, who admits his truck is mostly for show? Conversely, does a show truck deserve an exemption, just like Virginia's antique cars?
While the safety angle is compelling, SEMA points out that larger pick-ups weighing more than 6,500 pounds and properly registered, are legal with bumpers 29-30 inches off the ground. According to the DMV there are about 1.5 million trucks in Virginia that weigh 7,500 pounds or less, and 94,669 between 7,500 and 10,000. SEMA also points to all the other delivery trucks, work vehicles, dump trucks etc. There are literally millions of street legal vehicles in the U.S. whose bumpers are higher than yours, and would do just as much damage in a collision. SEMA’s position, based on the American Association of Moror Vehicle Administrators -- in a nutshell is that people should be able to raise their stock vehicles at least as high as the highest legal bumpers. On a Jeep, that amounts to a 4 inch lift kit plus larger tires.
Another issue: In Virginia a 6,500 pound pick-up with bumpers 29 inches high is legal if it’s registered as a truck, but illegal if registered as a passenger vehicle. There’s a glitch in the DMV code that allows the owner a choice, but if that truck hits you does it really matter what it says on the license plate?
There are a lot of issues that still need to be sorted out. Short of SEMA there’s really no one to speak on behalf of legitimate four wheel drive enthusiasts. But Dye and I discussed the possibility of a special license plate that could be granted to people who were really into the sport. If someone is willing to spend what Dye spent on upgrades, what’s a few more dollars for extra insurance, a special tag, and any other incidentals the state might require in return for the privilege of driving one’s souped up Jeep, pick-up or SUV on the highway? Compared to the millions of legal vehicles with raised bumpers would there be enough of them to really make difference?
A spokesman at the DMV tells me it’s food for thought, but it’s never been proposed. He thought such a law might get traction, if the right person raised it the right way in the General Assembly.
In the meantime, Roanoke police are enforcing the current law with no shortage of violators. In fact, after several cases were overturned because of the DMV Glitch, judges have now started fining violators – it’s about $90.00 including court costs. In addition, police tell me they now have authority to stop repeat offenders and tow them on the spot.
02-24-2005, 05:55 AM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I saw this on the news here in roanoke, and ive been thinkin of getting a TJM front bumper, does this make the TJM illegal to have? Because it doesnt sit as low as the stock bumpers...and when I watched this on the news they didnt measure the bumper to ground height they were measuring from the ground to the door...kind of misleading and confusing. But if you have an other information i would be glad to hear it.
02-24-2005, 09:20 AM
#5
Contributing Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Home: Aurora, CO; Work: The People's Republic of Denver
Posts: 1,991
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Sherpa
I wish I could keep my Colorado license plate. I have to change it in the next few weeks.
02-24-2005, 11:56 AM
#6
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Fairfax, VA
Posts: 933
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think you should be fine with the TJM bumper as long as you aren't lifted too high. I've got a mild lift and have a TJM-15. For aftermarket rear bumpers, VA measures from the ground to the frame, I believe they do the same for aftermarket front bumpers.
Hopefully someone will post either confirming or correcting me.
Hopefully someone will post either confirming or correcting me.
Originally Posted by Rollindamud
I saw this on the news here in roanoke, and ive been thinkin of getting a TJM front bumper, does this make the TJM illegal to have? Because it doesnt sit as low as the stock bumpers...and when I watched this on the news they didnt measure the bumper to ground height they were measuring from the ground to the door...kind of misleading and confusing. But if you have an other information i would be glad to hear it.
Trending Topics
02-25-2005, 06:40 AM
#8
Contributing Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Springfield, VA
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Border411 would be the right guy to answer the bumper measuring question..... I have a TJM T-17 Bumper with a 2-2 1/2 inch lift, not a lot but works just fine..
One thing that bothers me
"Eventually we came to a mud hole and Dye took the opportunity to prove that his upgrades were not just for show. He drove the Jeep onto some ice, and then dropped in up to the floorboards. Smiling, he began rocking the vehicle back and forth. After about 5 minutes of crabbing, spinning tires and flying mud, he found some traction and drove it out. Chris jumped from the vehicle high-fiving with Rob, like he just scored a touchdown. Clearly the adrenaline was pumping. “If you drive them stock, you aren't going to go anywhere. You're not going to go to half of the places we go to. The higher you raise them and the bigger tires you can put on them and the more places you're capable of going.”
Do you all think this guy is a good example of a responsible off roader and reflects the attitude of all lifted truck owners?
Me first: NO
One thing that bothers me
"Eventually we came to a mud hole and Dye took the opportunity to prove that his upgrades were not just for show. He drove the Jeep onto some ice, and then dropped in up to the floorboards. Smiling, he began rocking the vehicle back and forth. After about 5 minutes of crabbing, spinning tires and flying mud, he found some traction and drove it out. Chris jumped from the vehicle high-fiving with Rob, like he just scored a touchdown. Clearly the adrenaline was pumping. “If you drive them stock, you aren't going to go anywhere. You're not going to go to half of the places we go to. The higher you raise them and the bigger tires you can put on them and the more places you're capable of going.”
Do you all think this guy is a good example of a responsible off roader and reflects the attitude of all lifted truck owners?
Me first: NO
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Flying91
86-95 Trucks & 4Runners (Build-Up Section)
45
04-11-2024 04:39 PM
GreatLakesGuy
The Classifieds GraveYard
8
09-04-2015 09:27 AM
