Street Legal Buggy not Welcome in Nevada

[DamDude]

I recently took my street registered (in California) Manx type buggy to Laughlin Nevada. While driving in a very legal manner I was pulled over by the local police. The officer informed me that my car was not legal to operate in Nevada. This officer was not very forthcoming with information as to why it was illegal to operate my car there. I was shocked by what he was telling me, being from California and dealing with all of the hurdles we offroaders have to deal with, I didn't expect this in Nevada.

Has anyone else ran into this problem and have you found a solution to get around the problem.

Thanks,

[Dr OnHolliday]

Don't be shocked if you determine he's full of it...
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1965 Type 1 sunroof Baja / about 70k miles on self-rebuilt '74 1600 and counting / SP heads and aftermarket valve keepers / non-doghouse shroud with external cooler and filter / 1.5 qt extended sump / Weber 32/36 DFAV progressive carb / 009 dist with Pertronix / 1.25 ratio rockers and ball adjusters / 1.5" stainless steel J-pipes and carbon steel baja exhaust

[jsturtlebuggy]

I have friends that live across the river and drive their Tow'd all the time over the Laughlin without any problems.
What does your buggy look like? Tires under fenders or sticking completely out of fenders? Loud exhaust? Do you look like a kid? Just thinking why he would stop you.

There should be no hassle if you are from another state and just visiting not living there.
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Joseph
Fair Oaks/Orangevale, CA
Elrod Motorsports
Motion Tire Motorsports
Having fun with Dune Buggies since 1970
Into Volkswagens since 1960

[gt1953]

Did you get a citation? Did you have all of your papers in order? Did you get the name and badge number of the officer?
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[drscope]

i think the cop is just full of crap.

I believe that if your vehicle is legally registered in any state, that you can also legally operate it in any other state. There are some restrictions regarding noise that sometimes come into play.

You may not be able to get it registered in that state, but if it is registered in a different state i don't think there is anything they can do about it.

The officer is sworn to uphold the law. So if he is correct, he should have had your vehicle impounded and not allowed you to go on your way. Did he write you a ticket?
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Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch!

[DamDude]

Thanks for the replies. The officer had no go reason to pull me over, I have a good muffler (Forest Service Approved), I've got more gray hair than brown, I was driving slow, and I have current tags. He did not ask for my drivers license, registration, or insurance.

It would be nice if someone from Nevada law enforcement would chime in on this.

[hitest]

Honestly, I believe he pulled you over because he was having a bad day, and you looked like you were having more fun. I had the same thing happen twice in the 30 years I've had my Thing (orange, top down, debauchery, etc.). No ticket, just to add a bummer to my day. Same thing one summer evening in my dune buggy. A safety walk around, because we looked like we were having more fun than he.

I hate to bring this up, but specialty or off road vehicles that are riddled with Military or Veteran related stickers/markers NEVER get pulled over in Boise- regardless of how insanely illegal they are set up (I am talking about mny jeeps and crawlers here). There are lifted, fenderless everythings here in town.
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[vdubyah73]

If you are legal in your state you are legal in all 50 states, PERIOD. It's called reciprocity. They can't touch you. I own a class A RV and belong to RV forums. Some states require a non CDL class B sometimes A determined bt weight and weight of trailer. Think a Prevost bus conversion with a 10000 lb trailer. If your home state does not require the non CDL A or B license you don't need one for any state, even when another state requires one. If your home state does not require a license plate for a tow dolly you don't need one anywhere either. If a cop starts giving you grief about it ask him for his ID and request He contact his supervisor as he needs extra instruction. I have informed 3 different cops in my life that they were wrong and that I was calling the police on them, the shock on their faces was priceless. One was a DMV cop, one was a local and one was a trooper. I ended up friends with the DMV cop. The local cop was scolded like a schoolboy, in public by the state trooper responding to my call and the encounter with the state trooper got sketchy with both of us shouting for an ID from each other. I asked him who would look more foolish if I called for back up and he calmed down.

True stories, not all driving related.

Bill
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73 bounty hunter, sold.
'77 transporter, junked had crotch rot.
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'93 Fleetwood Bounder 34'

[KTPhil]

I don't disagree with any of the posts above, but in looking at the photos, I see a couple of things (or don't see, as the case may be), that might have led him to believe it shouldn't be registered, even in Cali. I don't see turn signals in this side-only view; are they installed? Also, those fenders may be undersized for a street car with those larger tires. These are valid safety-related issues that would justify his pulling you over to investigate.

It's not his jurisdiction to second guess Cali DMV, but he may have assumed it was not street legal in Cali based on these appearances, and pulled you over assuming you had taken an off-road car on the street.

Then out of embarrassment he felt the need to BS you about it not being legal.

[drscope]

The fact that he stopped you but he did not ask for your drivers license, registration, or insurance is strange.

The ONLY times I have ever had anything like that happen was when the cop just wanted to see the car up close and talk about it, not when they wanted to hassle me. And that always started out with "You didn't do anything wrong, I just wanted a closer look at that cool thing".
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Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch!

[Jon Schmid]

[vwracerdave]

No windshield wipers. No side marker parking lights or turn signals. A spark arrester is not a muffler. Does it have a horn? What about reverse lights?
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2010 Sportsman ET Champion - Mid-America Dragway - Arkansas City, KS
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[enjoyther1de]

[AlteWagen]

the main reason you would get lit up around here is no mud flaps, then all the other things listed would get added to the cite.
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[hitest]

Not brought up yet, but... Although Laughlin isn't exactly a 'border' town, I know this comes into play here in ID. For instance, ISP, especially near the OR border town of Ontario on I-84, knows the cannabis laws inside and out, just like the Moscow police, near the border of Pullman, WA, have a profound understanding of the same. My point is when a plate from a neighboring state comes over, there is an undeniable higher alert for legality. In our state's case, the lookout for pot- in yours: fun car.

I can hear the Laughlin Constabilary now...
"We don't stand for no Californicationers bringin' fun into OUR town..."
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[VOLKSWAGNUT]

I dread the day... when (not IF) we get pulled over in our Buggy.... or worse Operation X..
Im sure it wont be an all warm and fuzzy feeling...

Drive like you have sense (on the road), obey the rules of the road and try not to stick out of the crowd of modern cars.....

Bottom line... if you got something to hide.... better not drive the sore thumb..
or simply just take your chances... and expect to get pulled eventually

.
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[TMI Products]

I don't get when cops became smog police. I get pulled over in my mustang, they ask to open the hood, sure, I got nothing to hide. Then they say, "I don't see and carb stickers". Nope I don't need them, then they move on to find other infractions. My diesel, they crawl under to find a DPF filter
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1965 Turbo Mustang Fastback
1966 Type 3 Fastback
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[cpd419]

[Dr OnHolliday]

Appropo of nothing, but my baja seems to be invisible to cops, and even if stopped, nothing but a warning occurs. "Cuteness" factor?
_________________
1965 Type 1 sunroof Baja / about 70k miles on self-rebuilt '74 1600 and counting / SP heads and aftermarket valve keepers / non-doghouse shroud with external cooler and filter / 1.5 qt extended sump / Weber 32/36 DFAV progressive carb / 009 dist with Pertronix / 1.25 ratio rockers and ball adjusters / 1.5" stainless steel J-pipes and carbon steel baja exhaust

[raygreenwood]