Oregon has a habit of inviting hot rodders to town celebrations and cruises and then harassing them. I recently learned that last summer hot rodders in the town of Sutherlin, Oregon were ticketed en mass for no fenders and no windshield wipers. Upon researching the issue I discovered that Oregon has some explicit laws that protect "street rods," "antique" and "special interest" vehicles - especially pre-1935 - from fender and exhaust regulations, and those hot rodders likely were ticketed unjustly. Below I have reproduced the pertinent portions of the law. I have also photocopied this and will carry it in my fenderless, pre-1935 American-made special interest vehicle: 815.190 Exemptions from fender and mudguard requirements. This section establishes exemptions from ORS 815.185 (Operation without proper fenders or mudguards). (1) Vehicles of special interest that are registered under ORS 805.020 (Special interest vehicles) are deemed in compliance with the requirements and standards if: (b) The vehicles are street rods that conform to ORS 815.107 (Exemption from equipment requirements for street rods). (3) Antique motor vehicles are exempt from the standards and requirements if the vehicles are maintained as collectors items and used for exhibitions, parades, club activities and similar uses, but not used primarily for the transportation of persons or property. (5) Fenders or mudguards are not required on any modified American-made pre-1935 vehicle, or any identifiable vintage or replica thereof that is titled as a later assembled vehicle or replica and is used for show and pleasure use when such vehicle is used and driven only during fair weather on well-maintained, hard-surfaced roads. [1983 c.338 §484; 1985 c.402 §12; 1993 c.314 §5; 1997 c.402 §11; 1999 c.170 §1; 2003 c.655 §120] 815.107 Exemptions from equipment requirements for street rods: A vehicle of special interest that is a street rod is exempt from vehicle equipment requirements under ORS 815.075 (Selling vehicles or equipment that violates rules), 815.105 (Exemptions from equipment requirements), 815.120 (Exemptions from emblem requirements), 815.135 (Exemptions from brake requirements), 815.175 (Exemptions from pneumatic tire requirement), 815.190 (Exemptions from mudguard and fender requirements), 815.210 (Operation of vehicle without approved material in windows), 815.215 (Failure to have windshield wipers), 815.230 (Violation of sound equipment requirements), 815.250 (Operation without proper exhaust system), 815.255 (Operation of vehicle for hire without speedometer) and 816.340 (Exemptions from required equipment) if all of the following apply: (a) The drive train, suspension system or brake system on the original vehicle may be replaced with a drive train, suspension system or brake system: (b) The dimensions of the original body of the vehicle may be altered if the altered body conforms to the standards established by the department by rule under ORS 815.030 (State vehicle equipment standards); (c) The hood, bumpers and fenders of the vehicle may be removed from the vehicle; and (d) The exhaust system may be modified to discharge exhaust along the side of the vehicle if the exhaust is discharged away from the vehicle and from a location to the rear of the rear edge of the front door of the vehicle. (2) The vehicle is maintained in safe operating condition. [1997 c.402 §5; 1999 c.59 §243] Looks like my zoomies may be in violation of (d) above :-( <aside> </aside><footer><hr class="space"></footer>
Great info, thanks for posting it. The only problem is the police don't care even if they know they're wrong. That's for a judge to determine. See you in court.
I get pulled over all the time(at leased 3-4 time a year) for 1 lic. plate, 1 tail light, no turn signals installed, no bumpers, but rarely get a ticket and when I do I have had them dismissed unless your in the town of Canby. This is on a special interest 1948 International with a 300hp 350 and noisy exhaust. I have a neighbor that is a state cop and he has been real good about helping me in court as far as the info. he has provided to beat these cases, in Canby your guilty---pay up or else. In McMinnville you can run open headers as long as your not being crazy and they wont bother you------usually
Special Interest plates are required on these cars to be exempt, and then you can lie about how many miles you drive... .
Re bumpers: "(c) The hood, bumpers and fenders of the vehicle may be removed from the vehicle." Re the license plate, one plate is okay: "Sec. 3. If a person has registered an antique vehicle or a vehicle of special interest, the person may display either one plate or both plates, but if the person displays only one plate, that plate must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle. [2001 c.25 §3]" Re: turn signals: Antique vehicles are exempt: ORS 816.040 (Lighting equipment standards) to 816.300 (Operation with nonstandard lighting equipment) do not apply to equipment on any of the following: (d) Antique motor vehicles that are maintained as a collectors item and used for exhibitions, parades, club activities and similar uses, but not used primarily for the transportation of persons or property. All these laws are predicated on the vehicle NOT being used as transportation. Are you using yours as a daily driver? If so, then yes, you could be in violation.
I don't know how it is there, but here in GA we have a lot of traffic courts presided over by judges who aren't lawyers and don't know the law. Good idea to make copies of applicable code sections and keep them in the car so you can show Barney the law. If you go to court, it's a roll of the dice as to having a competent judge.
I haven't had any issues, but I live in Portland, so not the small town police mentality here. I did have a motorcycle officer do a U turn the other day and follow me into the gas station while driving my '63 Falcon gasser. He pulled up next to my driver's door and asked what kind of registration I had that I didn't have a front plate? I explained the "special interest" sticker on my year correct plates, and that they don't give two stickers, nor two plates with SP plates. I started to go on and tell him what the rest the rules are for SP vehicles, but I think he was a little embarrassed to not know the laws, and a crowd was gathering, so he just said "OK" and rode off. Otherr people at the gas station wanted to know what he asked me, and thought it was funny that he didn't know the laws he enforces.
1971BB427, in readng your comment about the single plate and that being the reason the officer pulled you over, the 2-plates on a car law always bothered me when a motorcycle has one and its 1/3 the size of a car plate. Nothing like double standards! - EM
Bump Stop: Hate to be insensitive, but Law Harassment has been going on since the first fenders came off the first Model T. No I wasn't there, but I've got plenty of life experience in all kinds of hot rods to bear out my convictions that the MAN can pull you over any time for anything, regardless of what vehicle code says. I've had pictures taken of my cars and had to drive over cigarette packs to check for lowness(?), "Rap them pipes!" "Stop fooling around, really Rap them!" ,etc., etc. I've had my attitude corrected by challenging cops about what I thought the law said. That was an era before cel phone cameras and "civil rights" and cops never worried about being wrong on film. But I learned my lessons and realized if I am going to drive a "modified car" I am susceptible to being pulled over for any "reasonable cause". I don't drink & drive or toke or have any "evidence" of anything in my cars. It's "Yes Sir, No Sir" as painful as it is. But I am probably still a closet smart ass because I just ordered Blue Dots from Speedway for my '51. I've had them on cars through the years and never had grief from John Law (but I stay off Interstates too). AZ is a good state for leaving people alone, at least up North here. So long as I am not shooting out the windows, they should leave me alone. Try and get over it and now go out and lay down some rubber !
Yeah, you are right. Even if I assert my rights on the lights, plates and pipes, they'll still nail me on scrub line.
I run original 1955 license plates on my 1955 Chevy. I paid a one time fee to license it back in the mid 1990's. As mentioned, you are supposed to limit your driving to going to and from car events, parades, or necessary service and repairs. I have never been stopped and questioned about that.
WOW...must be no crime around there. Around here my experience, and of people I know, is that if you are driving a hot rod/custom/old car in a responsible manor (maybe a key thing in this whole thread) the police will leave you alone, and sometimes smile at you and give you the thumbs up.
It only takes one over zealous cop to give you grief, and most know they don't have to prove anything until you show up in court. Heck, even then you may lose if you decide to put things in the judge's hands, and not ask for a jury trial. I had an incident back in the 80's where a cop wrote me a ticket for 45 mph in a 20 mph zone. The sign was NOT a speed sign, but a yellow sign to warn of a turn. I went home and got my camera, took pictures, and even contacted the county road dept. and got a statement from the supervisor stating this was not a speed limit sign. Thought I had all my ducks lined up when I went to court, and presented my case to the judge. He listened to the cop, and looked at all my evidence. Then thanked me for the pictures and declared me guilty. I asked how I could be guilty, and he told me that after looking at the pictures he could see that this should indeed be a 20 mph zone, even if it wasn't posted as such. And since I chose to have a judge decide the case, I had no appeal, and couldn't dispute his decree. Bunch of BS, and a clear case of misuse of the legal system. Stay clear of Columbia County court system! And then there was the time a few years ago....just driving home from the mall when a cop is coming the opposite direction and whips a U turn, then flips on his lights. I pull over to let him pass, but he pulls in behind me and stops. I'm in my hotrod, and after sitting there for nearly a minute, I think I must be mistaken that he wanted me to pull over, so I begin to drive away. He hits his speaker and tells me to stop, so I stop again. He still doesn't get out of his car until two more cars arrive and block me in! Now I begin to wonder what's going on, as I've never seen this happen before. He walks up to my car and looks a little surprised to see me, but asks for license and registration anyway. He walks back to the other two officers and they just chat, but nobody does any calls to run my info. He then comes back to the car and says. "Sorry to bother you; you can go now." So I'm a little pissed, and I ask why he stopped me. He tells me they had a report of old Camaro doing a burnout in the neighborhood, and my car matched the description. I call bullshit on that, and tell him so. He tells me I should be happy they decided it's not me since I'm 60 and probably wouldn't be the same car that was called in. I tell him I can hardly be happy about being hassled for no reason, and don't see them as generous, just because they've realized they're harassing the wrong person. I also told him I doubt the caller named a brand or make of car, and they just decided to pull over the first hotrod they saw when they got to the area. It's cops like that who make wrong decisions, and don't think before they act. They just know that they have the power to harass and hassle hotrodders, and you have to prove them wrong if they decide to write a ticket.
IT may not be traditional, but I have found that Yes Sir,No Sir, is the best response during a traffic stop. It could make the difference in getting written up or let go. I was ticketed about 25 years ago,for not having a front bumper on my 56 Chevy sedan delivery,after I broadsided some moron who decided to flip a U turn in front of me.I was also ticketed , for not displaying a proper tailight on my WLA bobber many years ago. I now just try to comply with the law,wether I like it or not. I would rather not waste time argueing at the magistrates or in court just to prove my point. Life is too short as it is,I try to keep it simple.
I carry a copy of the Iowa law that says "older than 48 doesn't need afront lic. plate" My question is if the law pulls you over and you show him a copy of the law that he is writing a ticket for, It will realy PISS him off!! and you will get the shit storm!!!!! wouldn't you be better off in court, then piss him off!!!!!!
Arguing with an officer at a traffic stop is like wrestling with a pig in the mud, sooner or later you will come to the conclusion that the pig likes it. Best off to be polite and save it for the judge. Chances around here are that the officer won't show for the hearing.
Maybe no fenders you could say that, try driving around with no front plate and open headers and see how far you get lol...
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