Carolina Squat banned in own state

[Trooper4]

This has nothing to do with Freedom. You're altering the vehicle configuration and dynamics the way it was designed. This has everything to do with safety......yours and others.

If you have ever seen what happens when a lifted truck gets "T" boned, you would say the same thing, about squatted OR lifted. Person in a smaller car gets beheaded, end of story.
Face it, we all think our sh!t in cool, and other pooples sh!t stinks.
But, there are good laws whether we like them or not.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

It's all for the common good.

Yep. Ask the German Jews how being disarmed for the common good worked out back in the 30s.

Ask the same today of the people of Australia in extreme lockdown govt control.

Ask the majority of voters in the US who didn't get the president they voted for....

Back on topic though, yea, those guys should never be allowed to do what they want because I don't like it. Period. (Jihad Joe likes his periods)

 

[Ratchet]

Apples to oranges. With the squatted trucks, there is a massive (average 60 ft) blindspot in the main intended direction of travel located directly in front of the vehicle due to extreme chassis angle. Every one you see, the driver is basically hanging from the steering wheel in an attempt to see the road ahead....which they cannot. That's what the DMV is going after. It's not because the vehicle is modded, it's a huge concern with the line of sight or for better, a lack thereof. It's like driving with the hood opened halfway up. At least with a conservative lift, you can still see straight ahead. Yes, I completely agree folks should be able to spend their money as they wish, but when it's used create a "look" that causes a substantial loss of visiblility directly ahead of the operating vehicle, that's a problem. Pretty sure none of the drivers have had Instrument training as those gauges aren't standard on vehicles yet.

 

[HandyCruiser]

Apples to oranges. With the squatted trucks, there is a massive (average 60 ft) blindspot in the main intended direction of travel located directly in front of the vehicle due to extreme chassis angle. Every one you see, the driver is basically hanging from the steering wheel in an attempt to see the road ahead....which they cannot. That's what the DMV is going after. It's not because the vehicle is modded, it's a huge concern with the line of sight or for better, a lack thereof. It's like driving with the hood opened halfway up. At least with a conservative lift, you can still see straight ahead. Yes, I completely agree folks should be able to spend their money as they wish, but when it's used create a "look" that causes a substantial loss of visiblility directly ahead of the operating vehicle, that's a problem. Pretty sure none of the drivers have had Instrument training as those gauges aren't standard on vehicles yet.

If this is the case, then why is the new law specifically against squatted trucks? If what you say is the reason for the law, then the law should create an objective standard for vehicle visibility. And all vehicles that don't meat that standard would be deemed as unroadworthy. Have you ever driven a semi-truck with a very long nose like a 1970's conventional Freightliner? Once my dad stopped at a railroad crossing. When the train passed, he started to cross the tracks, but something felt strange. Suddenly, a VW Beetle shot out from in front of his truck. My dad had pulled up the tracks never seeing the Beetle. And when the train passed, the drive of the Beetle either couldn't get the car in gear or the engine died. My dad unknowingly pushed the Beetle across the tracks until the driver could either get it started and/or into gear and speed ahead of the big truck.

My point is that any law that deals with the issue of visibility would likely affect older semi-trucks more, which are common, rather than squatted half ton trucks, which are rare. So this cannot be the main reason for the law. The law appears to be targeting a select group of people doing something formerly legal because another group of people with political power didn't like it. And if we allow it, the next time these people with power don't like something, it may be something we enjoy doing.

 

[Ratchet]

Yes, I've been in a few of the older semis and visilibity is lacking, but your loking out and over, not up and over. Even with the old school high hoods on semis, you still have a good field of view straight ahead.

I haven't been able to read the final revision of the NC law, but it's more than just visibility that they're after from what we're told. The headlight level tolerance has always been on the books and is part of yearly safety inspections here. That was imposed on lifted vehicles years ago and it makes perfect sense. That's why semi's headlights are low on the bumper. I'll be more than happy to share it here once we get a copy of it and I'm expecting it anyday now.

With the amount of geometry change to the vehicles in question, there is an insane about on unnecessary stress on critical suspension/steering componets that increase the risk of crash and rollovers well beyond 400% let along premature failure of the previously mentioned components which circle right back to another predominate cause of loss of control.

Just the other day here, an individual was traveling straight and within the posted speed limit (45mph) on a pretty busy road. Lower balljoint gave way and the truck spun out and flipped several times. Driver was ejected, vehicle slammed into 2 nearby vehicles injuring 2 in one car. The other vehicle suffered one critically injured and one fatality. Vehicle in question was a late model Tahoe. 4" lift in front and right at a 3" drop in the rear. So clearly, the law is being geared towards altering vehicle stability as well. Had it been closer to factory height, the rolllover part could have probably been avoided and the inuries could potentially be avoided. Yes, I'm aware unmodified cars and trucks have the potential to rollover as well. Not trying to sound like I'm disagreeing with you to act like a keyboard warrior, because I'm not. Merely stating what we see here in NC on a daily basis.

About a year ago, there was what we call an "extreme" squatter. Driver of squatter went through a double turn at an intersection. Due to the amount of uneven lift, his steering radius was very limited. He couldn't make the turn and ran right up onto a small car. Car's battery lit off and guess where it was sitting? Right below the squatters fuel tank. Yeah, that was a rather large roadside BBQ that day. Fortunately nobody was injured.

In the end, I'd never tell someone how to spend their money, unless they're directly linked to my account. But when you get to a point such as we've been discussing, there is absolutely ZERO benefit for squatting a vehicle. You're losing a ton of visilibity, stability, and most importantly safety.

 

[djevox]

Who broke their leaf springs and thought "this is soooo f'in cool, I'm going to do it on purpose next time". What happened to humanity....

 

[Trooper4]

Yes, I've been in a few of the older semis and visilibity is lacking, but your loking out and over, not up and over. Even with the old school high hoods on semis, you still have a good field of view straight ahead.

I haven't been able to read the final revision of the NC law, but it's more than just visibility that they're after from what we're told. The headlight level tolerance has always been on the books and is part of yearly safety inspections here. That was imposed on lifted vehicles years ago and it makes perfect sense. That's why semi's headlights are low on the bumper. I'll be more than happy to share it here once we get a copy of it and I'm expecting it anyday now.

With the amount of geometry change to the vehicles in question, there is an insane about on unnecessary stress on critical suspension/steering componets that increase the risk of crash and rollovers well beyond 400% let along premature failure of the previously mentioned components which circle right back to another predominate cause of loss of control.

Just the other day here, an individual was traveling straight and within the posted speed limit (45mph) on a pretty busy road. Lower balljoint gave way and the truck spun out and flipped several times. Driver was ejected, vehicle slammed into 2 nearby vehicles injuring 2 in one car. The other vehicle suffered one critically injured and one fatality. Vehicle in question was a late model Tahoe. 4" lift in front and right at a 3" drop in the rear. So clearly, the law is being geared towards altering vehicle stability as well. Had it been closer to factory height, the rolllover part could have probably been avoided and the inuries could potentially be avoided. Yes, I'm aware unmodified cars and trucks have the potential to rollover as well. Not trying to sound like I'm disagreeing with you to act like a keyboard warrior, because I'm not. Merely stating what we see here in NC on a daily basis.

About a year ago, there was what we call an "extreme" squatter. Driver of squatter went through a double turn at an intersection. Due to the amount of uneven lift, his steering radius was very limited. He couldn't make the turn and ran right up onto a small car. Car's battery lit off and guess where it was sitting? Right below the squatters fuel tank. Yeah, that was a rather large roadside BBQ that day. Fortunately nobody was injured.

In the end, I'd never tell someone how to spend their money, unless they're directly linked to my account. But when you get to a point such as we've been discussing, there is absolutely ZERO benefit for squatting a vehicle. You're losing a ton of visilibity, stability, and most importantly safety.

Point: Hit a squatter head on and see who looses. They are unsafe from any angle, and the twits driving them are clueless .