samuraitowd wrote: Don't stay for more than two weeks without getting California registration! Sounds like a joke but I paid a $300 fine a couple years ago cause the judge didn't want to hear my excuse. Then I read in the paper about a family who was hassled by the CHP because they were in town from Oregon for their daughters wedding and had out of state plates and were accused of "living" in California for the week. Hopefully they've canceled that "crackdown" since.
How long ago was this? I've been driving in CA since I was 19...never heard of this, but have heard that if you moved here, you had a limit of 6 months to re-register your vehicle (IIRC this was shortened to 3 months) about 3 or 4 years ago.
Of course, wherever you go, you're living there at any given particular moment. Sounds like that CHP officer was on some kind of vendetta...
2008 Itasca Meridian 37H, All. 3000MH (6-auto), Freightliner XC Chass., Cummins 6.7L Turbo, (Sweet! Delivery 03/12/08). Tow: '07 Dodge Gr. Caravan, Me, Him; Sugarbear, Apr. Toy Poodle; Pepe, Blk Toy Poodle; Hero, fat Siam.-mix polydactyl cat/Alarm Clock.
samuraitowd wrote: Don't stay for more than two weeks without getting California registration! Sounds like a joke but I paid a $300 fine a couple years ago cause the judge didn't want to hear my excuse. Then I read in the paper about a family who was hassled by the CHP because they were in town from Oregon for their daughters wedding and had out of state plates and were accused of "living" in California for the week. Hopefully they've canceled that "crackdown" since.
How long ago was this? I've been driving in CA since I was 19...never heard of this, but have heard that if you moved here, you had a limit of 6 months to re-register your vehicle (IIRC this was shortened to 3 months) about 3 or 4 years ago.
Of course, wherever you go, you're living there at any given particular moment. Sounds like that CHP officer was on some kind of vendetta...
This only applies if you intend to live here or work here, not if you are vacationing here. If you are stopped, and I doubt that you will be, just showing them your driver's license will prove your address is out of the state and with a family and RV in tow, I'm sure there will be no issues.
When I lived in AZ and came to California for a month at a time to vacation, I was never stopped for this issue.
Steve
2007 Springdale 291RKL
2003 F150 King Ranch
2001 Dodge Van w/Wheelchair Ramp
1991 Palomino Mustang PUP
Eureka Timberline Tent
Yamaha IF2400isc
Yamaha EF3000iSEBC "Politically Incorrect And Proud Of It"
10 days to register your vehicle and get a d/l if you are a resident. Usually a written warning issued under 30 days.
Resident is defined by: (Active duty military is exempt)
1. Kids in CA schools
2. Gainfully employed in CA.
3. CA residential fishing/hunting license
4. Drawing benefits(welfare) from CA
5. etc., etc., etc. You get the idea. Common sense. The hassles around state line areas, i.e., Oregon, AZ, and NV is because of the scofflaws who owe CA reg fees and register their vehicles in a neighboring state. Registration fees are why CA has freeways and not toll roads, pays for Caltrans, CHP, and DMV.
Does the CHP vigorously enforce registration laws? You bet. Do they(we) screw with vacationers? Hardly, there isn't the time and we realize tourists bring lots of money into CA.
Those of you that haven't traveled or lived back east in some of the small towns don't realize the professionalism of law enforcement out west. Drive thru some of these small towns where their town's revenue is from speeding tickets and they write tickets for 1 or 2 miles over the speed limit. Or a new sheriff gets elected and the entire staff can be fired at his discretion.
As for the article in the paper about the people at the wedding, I'd bet money it was written by the alleged "innocent" violator.
I wonder if "samauritoad" was working in CA when he got his ticket? Washoe Valley borders CA near Susanville. If so, that judge has heard every story imagineable numerous times.
In CA registration tickets are one of the very few where the burden of proof lies on the defendant. That is you have to prove to the judge you had valid, current registration at the time you got the ticket. It is unlike most other violations where the officer has to prove (burden of proof)you were speeding, ran a stop sign, etc.
I should have said in my above post that one should check with DMV or the CHP regarding the time limits. They change every couple of years it seems. At least they did before I retired.
Doug and Cassi Glass wrote: I spent 33 years on the CHP and could count on one hand the number of tickets I wrote to RV drivers.
The way I drive in California confirms this. I started towing a popup and went to a TT. I've traveled all up and down California. If I'm traveling on the interstate, I stay in the right lane and tow at 60-62 mph. I've had CHP cruisers come on the freeway and just pass me by. I don't tailgate, only pass a slower vehicle when it is safe, and don't ever try to rush things.
There are many other RVers and boaters in California that insist on towing at 65+ mph in the other lanes. They are passing trucks, changing lanes, and they make sure that everyone knows they want to get somewhere quickly. Those are the folks that get citations. A couple of years ago, I was on I-15 traveling into Barstow. A DP MH with a toad passed me going at least 75 mph. About 15 minutes later I passed HIM as the CHP had pulled him over.
If someday I get pulled over for going 60-62 mph on the freeway, I'll slow down to 55 mph. But since my last speeding ticket was given to me 31 years ago, I don't expect to get one anytime soon.
MFinCA
2004 Homestead Settler 255RS
1999 Chevrolet Suburban 2500
Doug and Cassi Glass wrote: I spent 33 years on the CHP and could count on one hand the number of tickets I wrote to RV drivers.
The way I drive in California confirms this. I started towing a popup and went to a TT. I've traveled all up and down California. If I'm traveling on the interstate, I stay in the right lane and tow at 60-62 mph. I've had CHP cruisers come on the freeway and just pass me by. I don't tailgate, only pass a slower vehicle when it is safe, and don't ever try to rush things.
There are many other RVers and boaters in California that insist on towing at 65+ mph in the other lanes. They are passing trucks, changing lanes, and they make sure that everyone knows they want to get somewhere quickly. Those are the folks that get citations. A couple of years ago, I was on I-15 traveling into Barstow. A DP MH with a toad passed me going at least 75 mph. About 15 minutes later I passed HIM as the CHP had pulled him over.
If someday I get pulled over for going 60-62 mph on the freeway, I'll slow down to 55 mph. But since my last speeding ticket was given to me 31 years ago, I don't expect to get one anytime soon.
I've been towing a TT in CA for about 16 years now. I keep my speed between 55-60 and I've never been stopped while towing. I get passed all the time by other RVers and boaters doing 65+ too but I've only ever seen ONE RVer pulled over and that was a MH with a toad that had passed me a short time earlier. It appears to me that the 55MPH towing speed is pretty much ignored by everyone else and very rarely enforced. In fact, I very rarely ever see the CHP out on the highway anymore.
Ok, this is for "Doug and Cassi Glass" since they doubted my story. I was not working in California. I showed the judge my Nevada mortagage and my Nevada business and that we were spending more than two weeks in our family vacation home at Lake Tahoe, Ca (can't you spend more than two weeks on vacation in California?). While he gave every scumbag before us an out or extension for no drivers license, registration, no seatbelts, no identification, he threw the book at the responsible, working, middle class couple (us).
Yes. like you presumably, while I grew up with a conservative philosophy where those in authority have our best interests in mind, my two, and only two, "run-ins" with the police in the last 53 years have made me question this.
Yes, while we violated the "letter of the law", we were shocked to learn that with crime running rampant, The CHP was spending its time staking us out for staying in California more than two weeks. Then, when I read the "letter to the editor" from the visiting father for being busted for the same thing, I was really disappointed. Add to this the judge who let the scumbags off (because, hey, breaking the law is what they do) but threw the book at good citizens (because they should know better).
While you can defend authority and the "true blue" American icons of police, fire and military in theory, your first hand experience have to be taken into account. No?
I don't think anyone else will fall victim of this anymore than anyone towing a toad will get busted for going 60, but it is just one of those things. My point is, be prepared for weird things to happen no matter where you are or how innocent you are.
Did I tell you the story of going 67 in a 65 in Idaho?
* This post was
edited 05/15/08 09:35pm by samuraitowd *
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Rick n Andy n SandyPaws
Rexhall American Clipper 29': 2005
Suzuki Samurai; 1994
samuraitowd wrote: Don't stay for more than two weeks without getting California registration! Sounds like a joke but I paid a $300 fine a couple years ago cause the judge didn't want to hear my excuse. Then I read in the paper about a family who was hassled by the CHP because they were in town from Oregon for their daughters wedding and had out of state plates and were accused of "living" in California for the week. Hopefully they've canceled that "crackdown" since.
I wasn't questioning your story but have learned there is usually some vital information left out. If you were truly vacationing then the judge screwed up;. They do that occassionally, i.e., Judge Ito of OJ fame.
You said in the last post you owned a home in CA. Was the vehicle that was cited one that lives at the CA residence? I have friends in CA that own homes in AZ and leave their vehicle in AZ and fly back and forth to CA. That particular car has AZ plates, as it should.
I'd be willing to bet the couple from Oregon who wrote the letter to the editor left some important facts out.
The CHP does not have the time or manpower to "pick" on people for non-existent violations. As an example, when I worked in Lone Pine there were 7 of us patrolling an area bigger than Rhode Island. Just plain and simple too busy and too much turf to cover.
Sorry you had a bad experience with your encounter with the CHP and the subsequent judicial experience.
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