Michigan motorhome laws

[Charley Downing]

24+30+4= 58 not 68
If you had a 30ft RV you could pull up to a 31 ft trailer and be legal in MI
If you had a 40ft RV you could pull up to a 21 ft trailer and be legal in MI

[FED 387]

Sorry I stand corrected either brain fade on my math 30+4+24 or a typo it is still 58 feet at my house too--- but the point I was trying to get across is many racers rigs are either not legal or very questionable as to being legal in length no matter whether its 40 + 24 or 30 + 28 or whatever some of these things are LOOOOOOONG and the cops know that and when a big race comes up its like fishing in a barrel they cant lose too many rigs that do not meet the guidelines no matter what state you are from or traveling thru--Comp

[cicero819]

Larry, try to go through Michigan at night, most of the Highway Law enforcement Officer who enforce the code are on day shift(better conditions for the ones who bring in the money). Last time through Michigan one of the Officer having luch next to us explain when the best time to cross with the least hassle from his agency.Claude

[Mackie Family Racing]

Larry et al,

since I think my debacle (ticket) on the way to Stanton last year was the subject of the thread you originally referred to, let me clarify what I know, having fought the ticket in Petticoat Junction (Ithaca, MI) Court...:

- unless it has changed in the last year (Rock seemed to think it had been set at 75' when I spoke to him at Norwalk, but he wasn't dead certain...) -- you cannot tow ANYTHING behind a motorhome in Michigan, to the letter of the law. Specifically, the law states that if a "combination" is not discussed in the statute, then it is not allowed... notably, motorhomes with trailers of any kind are not discussed, and thus are technically illegal. So for all that think 65' or less is magic -- it's not. Obviously, the longer you are, the more lettering you have, etc., the more likely you are to get a visit... You'll note that the Coughlins have removed the "JEGS" from their sportsman rigs this year... they got banged (hard) on the way to Martin, MI, the wknd after I got nailed on the way to Stanton

- as I found out in Court, the Judge (and the MI State cop playing DOT man) interpret that as it is irrational to consider pulling over every single motorhome pulling a trailer, boat, horse trailer, bicycle, etc., then they arbitrarily defer to the statute for the next best thing... in Michigan, they interpret that to be the restriction for a straight truck and trailer -- which is 65 feet. As I also found out in Court, the Judge and the cop, could not provide any logical explanation why a motorhome (i.e., non-cargo carrying vehicle) shouldn't be treated like a tractor trailer (i.e., a non-cargo carrying vehicle pulling a trailer), versus a straight truck (cargo carrying) and trailer... reason why I pushed this is that the state statute for Michigan provides that a tractor trailer can be ANY length -- as long as the trailer itself is 53' or less. The Judge acknowleged at the end of the session that I had refuted all of his arguments, and he couldn't answer any of mine... but asked me to pay the fine, and file an appeal. For $240, it wasn't worth driving back up to Petticoat Junction again, particularly given the fact that the Judge could defer to the "everything behind a motorhome is illegal" interpretation. I should add that the officer that ticketed me let me go on my way (Coughlin got impounded in Jackson), and bitched only about length. I do have my CDL, which was likely helpful (and Coughlin's driver did not), although that's a whole other debate...

- to the advice from others in this thread -- we'll like it heed it ourselves this year. We got pulled over just south of Ithaca, MI, on M-127... I'm guessing Ithaca is where the state police post is.... It was 3pm on a Friday afternoon, beautiful sunny day, doing the speed limit -- and nothing on our rig other than a "Mackie Family Racing" decal above the rear door on the back of the stacker. If we go this year, we'll run at night (or Sunday), and avoid Ithaca (take M-57 west from M-127, per Rock...)

Hope this helps. As I was counciled by a bunch of professional truck drivers at a funeral shortly after my court date last year, everyone runs into the DOT at some point in time, no matter how hard you try to keep your nose clean... and every one of the drivers had a story about how the DOT guy made sure they came up with something they could write a ticket on...

srm

[Ed Wright]

I'll be sure to never go into Michigan.

[BlueOval Ralph]

I seem to remember a post from you that you were seeking RP's help to get this changed. Is there any movement on this front?

Originally Posted by Mackie Family Racing

Larry et al,

since I think my debacle (ticket) on the way to Stanton last year was the subject of the thread you originally referred to, let me clarify what I know, having fought the ticket in Petticoat Junction (Ithaca, MI) Court...:

- unless it has changed in the last year (Rock seemed to think it had been set at 75' when I spoke to him at Norwalk, but he wasn't dead certain...) -- you cannot tow ANYTHING behind a motorhome in Michigan, to the letter of the law. Specifically, the law states that if a "combination" is not discussed in the statute, then it is not allowed... notably, motorhomes with trailers of any kind are not discussed, and thus are technically illegal. So for all that think 65' or less is magic -- it's not. Obviously, the longer you are, the more lettering you have, etc., the more likely you are to get a visit... You'll note that the Coughlins have removed the "JEGS" from their sportsman rigs this year... they got banged (hard) on the way to Martin, MI, the wknd after I got nailed on the way to Stanton

- as I found out in Court, the Judge (and the MI State cop playing DOT man) interpret that as it is irrational to consider pulling over every single motorhome pulling a trailer, boat, horse trailer, bicycle, etc., then they arbitrarily defer to the statute for the next best thing... in Michigan, they interpret that to be the restriction for a straight truck and trailer -- which is 65 feet. As I also found out in Court, the Judge and the cop, could not provide any logical explanation why a motorhome (i.e., non-cargo carrying vehicle) shouldn't be treated like a tractor trailer (i.e., a non-cargo carrying vehicle pulling a trailer), versus a straight truck (cargo carrying) and trailer... reason why I pushed this is that the state statute for Michigan provides that a tractor trailer can be ANY length -- as long as the trailer itself is 53' or less. The Judge acknowleged at the end of the session that I had refuted all of his arguments, and he couldn't answer any of mine... but asked me to pay the fine, and file an appeal. For $240, it wasn't worth driving back up to Petticoat Junction again, particularly given the fact that the Judge could defer to the "everything behind a motorhome is illegal" interpretation. I should add that the officer that ticketed me let me go on my way (Coughlin got impounded in Jackson), and bitched only about length. I do have my CDL, which was likely helpful (and Coughlin's driver did not), although that's a whole other debate...

- to the advice from others in this thread -- we'll like it heed it ourselves this year. We got pulled over just south of Ithaca, MI, on M-127... I'm guessing Ithaca is where the state police post is.... It was 3pm on a Friday afternoon, beautiful sunny day, doing the speed limit -- and nothing on our rig other than a "Mackie Family Racing" decal above the rear door on the back of the stacker. If we go this year, we'll run at night (or Sunday), and avoid Ithaca (take M-57 west from M-127, per Rock...)

Hope this helps. As I was counciled by a bunch of professional truck drivers at a funeral shortly after my court date last year, everyone runs into the DOT at some point in time, no matter how hard you try to keep your nose clean... and every one of the drivers had a story about how the DOT guy made sure they came up with something they could write a ticket on...

srm

[Dan Callahan]

I was coming back from Chicago today, eastbound on I-94, and saw a MI State trooper had a racer pulled over. I don't know why he was pulled over but he looked to be over 65 feet with motor home and stacker trailer. So be advised they are still looking.

[Roger K Fain]

I was at Maple Grove a few years ago and saw a guy with an Altered car that he transported in a converted school bus, complete with yellow paint. He had cut the side of the bus and engineered an hydraulic opening system, and had a winch system to swing the car out and down to park beside the bus. This may be the answer to the "Michigan" problem, and a new business enterprise for the people in Elkhart, or whereever all these car haulers are manufactured.

[Chuck Beach]

Michigan is broke just like a lot of other states, I think they are all (states) looking for ways to pull you over and give you a nice ticket ...

[Rich Biebel]

REVENEURS doing what they do best..