Interesting Driving Laws

[Pullstart 59,686]

https://drivinglaws.aaa.com/category/us-motor-laws/michigan/
 

 

I didn’t know many of these rules, they sure are interesting!
 

You are allowed to ride in a towed trailer.

You must be over 18 or the vehicle traveling less than 16 mph to ride in the cargo area of a pickup.

 

It says trailer length 28’6” but I don’t understand that... when it says total length 65’.

[stevasaurus 22,229]

Kevin, I think the length of trailer and total length are for vehicles with a 5th wheel that can still pull a trailer behind the 5th wheel.  

[Stormin 9,975]

Not allowed to ride in any type of trailer over here. Caravans included. Farm trailers allowed or blind eye turned too.

[ebinmaine 63,097]

4 hours ago, pullstart said:

It says trailer length 28’6” but I don’t understand that... when it says total length 65

 

3 hours ago, stevasaurus said:

Kevin, I think the length of trailer and total length are for vehicles with a 5th wheel that can still pull a trailer behind the 5th wheel.  

 

 

Correct. 

 

AKA - DOUBLES

 

24' or 28' trailers can be doubled up or even tripled in some states. 

 

Maine has a total length limit or 69' without Oversized/Overlength Permit. 

 

4 hours ago, pullstart said:

You are allowed to ride in a towed trailer.

You must be over 18 or the vehicle traveling less than 16 mph to ride in the cargo area of a pickup

 

Here in Maine you can NEVER do either of those on public roads. 

Seat belt law....

[squonk 38,911]

Anyone riding or allowing anyone to ride in a towed trailer needs their heads examined.

[Pullstart 59,686]

3 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Here in Maine you can NEVER do either of those on public roads. 

Seat belt law....

Front seat, plus anyone under 16 the seat belt rules apply here. 

Edited April 18, 2021 by pullstart

[haydendavid380 759]

You can ride a motorcycle without a helmet, but you can't be in a 40 ton hunk of metal without a fabric strap across your lap.

[953 nut 51,650]

5 minutes ago, haydendavid380 said:

You can ride a motorcycle without a helmet, but you can't be in a 40 ton hunk of metal without a fabric strap across your lap.

Everything you do has a measure of risk involved, the degree of risk you expose yourself to is your choice.

         In the '60s I lived in SC and the helmet law was if the operator or passenger was under 16 they needed a helmet, over 16 I guess they figured you were hard headed enough you didn't need one.     

[squonk 38,911]

I used to ride road bikes. Many of my co-workers did too. We used to go on 200 mile day rides all over NY and PA. When we got into PA, 2 guys would take their helmets off. One of those guys used to wear a chrome non DOT approved German helmet. After he got into an accident, his attitude towards helmets changed.

Edited April 19, 2021 by squonk

[Pullstart 59,686]

18 minutes ago, squonk said:

I used to ride road bikes. Many of my co-workers did too. We used to go on 200 mile day rides all over MY and PA. When we got into PA, 2 guys would take their helmets off. One of those guys used to wear a chrome non DOT approved German helmet. After he got into an accident, his attitude towards helmets changed.

I’ve always wanted to ride with no helmet.  My better judgement (yes, I have a small amount of that!) tells me I should just keep my skull inside something harder than itself.  

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,040]

Usually motorcycle operators without helmets down  here are called organ donors   .

[prondzy 3,867]

1 hour ago, pullstart said:

I’ve always wanted to ride with no helmet.  My better judgement (yes, I have a small amount of that!) tells me I should just keep my skull inside something harder than itself.  

Kev you worry too much, closest thing to being free is riding 70 with the wind in her hair

[Mickwhitt 4,143]

We seem to get a lot of migrants riding in trailers...must be ok in France where they all set off from.

 

 We have a law from 1861 which deals with "Wanton and furious driving"

Its not a motoring law per se but comes from the offences against the person act which deals with assault and battery.

Whosoever, having the charge of any carriage or vehicle, shall by wanton or furious driving or racing, or other wilful misconduct, or by wilful neglect, do or cause to be done any bodily harm to any person whatsoever, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and being convicted thereof shall be liable, at the discretion of the court, to be imprisoned for any term not exceeding two years.

 

[Stormin 9,975]

  On the subject of helmets, I'd just like to say, after being thrown over a van that pulled across in front of me,  sliding into the kerb side head first, I wouldn't be writing this but for wearing a helmet.

[Mickwhitt 4,143]

When I started out as a cop in 1988 we had a lot of new laws to learn which had only just come onto the statute books. But we also had to learn the old stuff too.

In 1847 you American chaps were fighting a war with the Mexicans, not sure about what but it was pretty important to you I guess.

We were wrestling with knotty problems of our own and drew up this masterpiece of law to deal with some pretty upsetting things...

This is just a short extract which I hope you will enjoy reading.

 

Every person who in any street, to the obstruction, annoyance, or danger of the residents or passengers, commits any of the following offences, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding [F16level 3 on the standard scale] for each offence, or, in the discretion of the justice before whom he is convicted, may be committed to prison, there to remain for a period not exceeding fourteen days, [F17 . . . F18; (that is to say,)] • [F19Every person who exposes for show, hire, or sale (except in a market or market place or fair lawfully appointed for that purpose) any horse or other animal, or exhibits in a caravan or otherwise any show or public entertainment, or shoes, bleeds, or farries any horse or animal (except in cases of accident), or cleans, dresses, exercises, trains or breaks, or turns loose any horse or animal, or makes or repairs any part of any cart or carriage (except in cases of accident where repair on the spot is necessary):] • Every person who suffers to be at large any unmuzzled ferocious dog, or sets on or urges any dog or other animal to attack, worry, or put in fear any person or animal: • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F20 • [F21Every person who slaughters or dresses any cattle, or any part thereof, except in the case of any cattle over-driven which may have met with any accident, and which for the public safety or other reasonable cause ought to be killed on the spot:] • [F22Every person having the care of any waggon, cart, or carriage who rides on the shafts thereof, or who without having reins, and holding the same, rides upon such waggon, cart, or carriage, or on any animal drawing the same, or who is at such a distance from such waggon, cart, or carriage as not to have due control over every animal drawing the same, or who does not, in meeting any other carriage, keep his waggon, cart, or carriage to the left or near side, or who in passing any other carriage does not keep his waggon, cart, or carriage on the right or off side of the road (except in cases of actual necessity, or some sufficient reason for deviation) or who, by obstructing the street, wilfully prevents any person or carriage from passing him, or any waggon, cart, or carriage under his care:] • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F23 • Every person who rides or drives furiously any horse or carriage, or drives furiously any cattle: • [F24Every person who causes any public carriage, sledge, truck, or barrow, with or without horses, or any beast of burden, to stand longer than is necessary for loading or unloading goods, or for taking up or setting down passengers (except hackney carriages, and horses and other beasts of draught or burthen, standing for hire in any place appointed for that purpose by the commissioners or other lawful authority), and every person who, by means of any cart, carriage, sledge, truck, or barrow, or any animal, or other means, wilfully interrupts any public crossing, or wilfully causes any obstruction in any public footpath or other public thoroughfare:] • [F25Every person who causes any tree or timber or iron beam to be drawn in or upon any carriage, without having sufficient means of safely guiding the same:] • [F26Every person who leads or rides any horse or other animal, or draws or drives any cart or carriage, sledge, truck, or barrow upon any footway of any street, or fastens any horse or other animal so that it stands across or upon any footway:] • [F27Every person who places or leaves any furniture, goods, wares, or merchandize, or any cask, tub, basket, pail, or bucket, or places or uses any standing-place, stool, bench, stall, or showboard on any footway, or who places any blind, shade, covering, awning, or other projection over or along any such footway, unless such blind, shade, covering, awning, or other projection is eight feet in height at least in every part thereof from the ground:] • [F28Every person who places, hangs up, or otherwise exposes to sale any goods, wares, merchandize, matter, or thing whatsoever, so that the same project into or over any footway, or beyond the line of any house, shop, or building at which the same are so exposed, so as to obstruct or incommode the passage of any person over or along such footway:] • [F29Every person who rolls or carries any cask, tub, hoop, or wheel, or any ladder, plank, pole, timber, or log of wood, upon any footway, except for the purpose of loading or unloading any cart or carriage, or of crossing the footway:] • [F30Every person who places any line, cord, or pole across any street, or hangs or places any clothes thereon:] • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F31 • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F32 • [F33Every person who publicly offers for sale or distribution, or exhibits to public view any profane, . . . F34 book, paper, print, drawing, painting, or representation, or sings any profane or obscene song or ballad, or uses any profane or obscene language:] • Every person who wantonly discharges any firearm, or throws or discharges any stone or other missile, or makes any bonfire, or throws or sets fire to any firework: • [F35Every person who wilfully and wantonly disturbs any inhabitant, by pulling or ringing any door bell, or knocking at any door, or who wilfully and unlawfully extinguishes the light of any lamp:] • [F36Every person who flies any kite, or who makes or uses any slide upon ice or snow:] • [F37Every person who cleanses, hoops, fires, washes, or scalds any cask or tub, or hews, saws, bores, or cuts any timber or stone, or slacks, sifts, or screens any lime:] • [F38Every person who throws or lays down any stones, coals, slate, shells, lime, bricks, timber, iron, or other materials (except building materials so inclosed as to prevent mischief to passengers):] • [F39Every person who beats or shakes any carpet, rug, or mat (except door mats, beaten or shaken before the hour of eight in the morning):] • [F40Every person who fixes or places any flower-pot or box, or other heavy article, in any upper window, without sufficiently guarding the same against being blown down:] • [F41Every person who throws from the roof or any part of any house or other building any slate, brick, wood, rubbish, or other thing, except snow thrown so as not to fall on any passenger:] • [F42Every occupier of any house or other building or other person who orders or permits any person in his service to stand on the sill of any window, in order to clean, paint, or perform any other operation upon the outside of such window, or upon any house or other building within the said limits, unless such window be in the sunk or basement story:] • [F43Every person who leaves open any vault or cellar, or the entrance from any street to any cellar or room underground, without a sufficient fence or handrail, or leaves defective the door, window, or other covering of any vault or cellar, or who does not sufficiently fence any area, pit, or sewer left open, or who leaves such open area, pit, or sewer without a sufficient light after sunset to warn and prevent persons from falling thereinto:] • [F44Every person who throws or lays any dirt, litter, or ashes, or nightsoil, or any carrion, fish, offal, or rubbish, on any street, or causes any offensive matter to run from any manufactory, brewery, slaughter-house, butcher’s shop, or dunghill into any street: Provided always, that it shall not be deemed an offence to lay sand or other materials in any street in time of frost, to prevent accidents, or litter or other suitable materials to prevent the freezing of water in pipes, or in case of sickness to prevent noise, if the party laying any such things causes them to be removed as soon as the occasion for them ceases:] • [F45Every person who keeps any pigstye to the front of any street, not being shut out from such street by a sufficient wall or fence, or who keeps any swine in or near any street, so as to be a common nuisance.

[Mickwhitt 4,143]

And on the subject of motorbike helmets. 

In the UK a practising Sikh who wears a turban will not be prosecuted for not wearing a protective helmet. 

I am however assured that a collision between head and hard object will result in severe injury despite the presence of several yards of thin cotton cloth. 

But in 30 years I have never come across a Sikh on a motorbike and yes I have looked for one.  

[Stormin 9,975]

  I once went into a police station to query the wording some of the wording of a speeding offence. The constable behind the desk handed me a book that must have been 3" thick. "Let me know if you can work it out", he said.

  I must have been in that station well over an hour. It was fascinating reading.

[Beap52 582]

My brother called his motorcycle helmet his "brain bucket"

 

[lynnmor 6,773]

From an email I received yesterday:

 

This actually happened to an Englishman, travelling in France, who was totally drunk.

 

A French policeman stopped the Englishman's car and asks if he has been drinking.

 

With great difficulty, the Englishman admits that he has been drinking all  day, that his daughter got married that morning, and that he drank champagne and a few bottles of wine at the reception, and consumed many single malt scotches there-after.

 

Quite upset, the policeman proceeds to breath test the Englishman and verifies  that he is indeed completely inebriated, far beyond tolerable standards for public safety.

 

The French Policeman asks the Englishman if he knows why, under French law, he is going to  be arrested.

 

The  Englishman answers with a bit of humor, "No sir, I do not!  But while we're asking questions, do you realize that this is a British car and my wife is driving on the other side?

[Mickwhitt 4,143]

Ahh our funny French cousins, there is a reason we've been fighting them since they first ventured over the channel.

Once upon a time one of our traffic coos stopped a German truck on the motorway. The driver could not speak a word of English and so the call went out for anyone who could speak the lingo to go help.

An obliging cop duly attended the scene, asking what the officers needed.  Just his name really said the original officer.

Our hero climbed into the huge cab, settled himself in the passenger seat, took out his notebook and shouted.

"VOT IST YOUR NAME!" In the worst German accent imaginable.

 

 

 

[Handy Don 10,594]

On 4/18/2021 at 7:12 PM, haydendavid380 said:

You can ride a motorcycle without a helmet, but you can't be in a 40 ton hunk of metal without a fabric strap across your lap.

As someone from Florida noted, Michigan needs young healthy organ donors, too.

[8ntruck 6,364]

On 4/18/2021 at 8:38 PM, prondzy said:

Kev you worry too much, closest thing to being free is riding 70 with the wind in her hair

Until you hit a June bug with your forehead!

[Pullstart 59,686]

The girls last night asked if I’ve ever tried to fly.  Other than flying a plane at 14 and flying a helicopter shortly after (the pilot always had secondary controls on the chopper at the ready), I talked about things in life that have propelled me or the feeling of flight.  Jumping off the pool house, rope swings, waterfalls, etc.  then there’s being propelled by the wind down the pacific coast on a longboard, then my first motorcycle.  When I was 16 or 17, I did a clutch job for a kid in another town in exchange for an ‘86 Yamaha Virago 750.  When I went to collect the bike, he had left town for Colorado and his mother simply pointed at the bike to take.  No keys, no paperwork, no worries.  No helmet either, most days.  I never registered or insured the bike, never had permission from my mother to ride.  I stashed it at a friend’s house on the other side of town and rode it almost daily after school around country mile blocks.  I had a flat head screwdriver to pop the gas tank open and a switch under the tank for a key.  At about 105-106 (yes, without a helmet many days) it began to feel like the front end was lifting!  After telling stories, Rylee reminded me that I was stupid.  I agree.  I’m glad in a way that I wasn’t ever caught.  In the other way, I probably should have had the book thrown at me.  I’m glad I’m here today to tell them stories, even if they aren’t the best role model material.

[ebinmaine 63,097]

31 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

Until you hit a June bug with your forehead!

I've had non motorized people powered bicycles over 50 mph a couple times and 25 to 35 mph more times than I have any idea.

 

I've been hit with a bug in the upper chest doing 25 or 30 and that's not even remotely close to what I would call a fun experience. I can't even imagine catching one in the forehead at 50 or 60 or 70.....

 

17 minutes ago, pullstart said:

After telling stories, Rylee reminded me that I was stupid.  I agree.  I’m glad in a way that I wasn’t ever caught.  In the other way, I probably should have had the book thrown at me.  I’m glad I’m here today to tell them stories, even if they aren’t the best role model material

To the right person you are a good role model. Sounds like she knows the difference.

 

[8ntruck 6,364]

I used to have a Honda CB350.  Always rode with a Bell Road Star Helmet.  Hit a June bug  at about 65 one afternoon.  Rang that helmet like a bell!  Was glad it hit the helmet and not my shirt.