S.B. 258

[thefirstzukman]

I hadn't read anywhere on here about this bill, and can't find anything in a search but if I read it correctly you can now ride a Street Licensed ATV/UTV on any road but an interstate and that the only stipulation is that you can only drive up to 50MPH and if the posted speed limit is higher you just have to stay to the extreme right of the lane. From what I have read, one of the reasons for the new revisions was that they don't feel enough people are riding their ATV's on the streets so they moved the top speed from 45 to 50 and made the laws more lenient other than passing a safety inspection. I received my light kit in the mail today and am going to licence my King Quad 700 for street use, only wish they would push the top speed up to 65 or 70 MPH so I could just drive it to Moab and feel a little safer.

 

[boogie_4wheel]

I haven't read the 'laws' but I don't get it. Why would speed matter? If it passes the safety inspection, is plated, it should be able to travel whatever speed on whatever road up to the posted speed limit just like any other street legal vehicle. How is it any different than a street legal dirt bike? I can ride my XR400 on the interstate if I want...

 

[frieed]

probably due to no airbags, crumple zones, etc.. nanny state has to protect us from ourselves

 

[jeeper]

Because quad and utv's aren't designed to go that fast, or be used on pavement. The handling characteristics of a quad on the road at 70mph are far too dangerous for a typical rider to make an aggressive evasive maneuver.

 

[Houndoc]

http://le.utah.gov/~2015/bills/static/SB0258.html

 

[thefirstzukman]

I have been challenged on this by many friends and family, I have done a lot of research on it and you poor suckers in Salt Lake county get screwed and Highway 6 and a couple small areas, part of Tooele and it looks like a road by Hill Air force base is out due to the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. I watched the discussions about the bill, i think part of it is about law enforcement getting tired of dealing with ATVs and now they wont have to spend as much time dealing with it, it basically takes away a City and Counties right to not opt in on the previous version of the bill.

If anyone reads this differently please speak up, I want to make sure I'm not missing anything. I licensed mine today and drove it right up Spanish Fork Main during prime hours to see if anything happened. Got some dirty looks from some people and people looked at me a little strangely at Costco while i was getting gas, no more than when I pull up and fill my trailer with gas though.

 

[gijohn40]

is the insurance the same on those as say a jeep? if you hit someone in an accident is the insurance going to cover all of the damage like most auto insurance do? I see kids in Bountiful riding the razors up and down the main streets all day long. Some of those kids don't look to be old enough to have a drivers license let alone be driving a UTV/ATV

 

[ricsrx]

There are a few running around in Riverton also, due to the higher speeds on Redwood and the main roads the UTV's seam to be running high RPM's all the time.
so it would be cool and getting to a trail head makes it fantastic, but running around town Riverton with all the wear on the tires and drive train for me would make it inefficient.
if i lived in Price or other small town i wouldn't mind doing it.

 

[B2-Bomber]

The reason behind behind their speed limiting is that the tires on most ATVs/UTVs aren't rated for highway speeds, and aren't even radial. Also, as previously mentioned, they handle decidedly less safely at speed.

Boogie_4wheel, You seem to be under the impression a motorcycle is the same as an ATV. . .it isn't . and you seem to also be under the impression that they get the same safety inspections. . . They don't

your XR400 can safely handle at highway speeds, and when street legal must be equipped with DOT approved tires. Whereas ATV safety inspection does not require DOT tires. An absolute apples -to oranges comparison.

 

[Houndoc]

Grantsville is cracking down on people using ATVs to get around town. Local ordinance allows street-legal ATVs for access to and from trails but not for around town use (such as kids under 16 driving them to football practice, which is part of what lead to the crack-down).

 

[thefirstzukman]

Grantsville is cracking down on people using ATVs to get around town. Local ordinance allows street-legal ATVs for access to and from trails but not for around town use (such as kids under 16 driving them to football practice, which is part of what lead to the crack-down).

One of my favorite parts of the bill "A municipality or county may not prohibit or restrict the use of a street-legal all-terrain vehicle on a street or highway where the use of another street-legal vehicle is permitted."

I have now put over 150 miles on the street in the last few days, I have had close encounters with all law enforcement agencies on all types of roads on multiple cities... I passed a Spanish Fork police man on center street and he didn't care and a Highway Patrol Homeboy on main street this morning. My next test will be to drive through Provo and see how they react, I have 40+ pages of bill and maps all printed and highlighted ready, I just hope I never have to try to defend myself against a Cop who has a different view on things.

 

[jeeper]

One of my favorite parts of the bill "A municipality or county may not prohibit or restrict the use of a street-legal all-terrain vehicle on a street or highway where the use of another street-legal vehicle is permitted."

I have now put over 150 miles on the street in the last few days, I have had close encounters with all law enforcement agencies on all types of roads on multiple cities... I passed a Spanish Fork police man on center street and he didn't care and a Highway Patrol Homeboy on main street this morning. My next test will be to drive through Provo and see how they react, I have 40+ pages of bill and maps all printed and highlighted ready, I just hope I never have to try to defend myself against a Cop who has a different view on things.

I question your approach. Not completely though.

You know when you see guys carrying there AR's into regular stores because 'they have a right too'? Nobody looks at them and thinks 'gee, I feel safer now. I'm glad those guys are here to protect me.' They think 'those guys must have a loose screw in their heads, what are they thinking?'
Being pro-gun myself, I cringe at the retards waving their 'rights' in others faces to prove a point. It's not helpful.

Similarly, I was waiting at the chevron in Highland Saturday afternoon for a about 40 minutes. I watched all kinds of people drive in and out of the station on their off-road vehicles. Some were respectful, others were showing off. Some were getting fuel to go up the canyon, some were just getting a drink on their ATV 'because they could'. As a person in love with the idea of street legal ATV's, and have always wished it were legal, I found myself wishing the noisy, stinky machines were not buzzing all around me. Iffin I were a person already against the offroad community, I would have been furious. I would be calling my state and city leaders, and I would fight to have it removed altogether. The 'privilege' is being abused by too many, and is going to have a negative affect.

I don't see people riding their ATV's on the road and think 'i'm glad that's legal', my reaction is typically 'get off the road, retard'.
However, when in small towns, I love to see people out using the roadways to and from their ATV riding. My grandparents are from Filmore, and it is totally awesome to be able to ride to and from the trails.
But again, when the guy in the SxS is parked like a retard at Homedepot, I don't like it.

 

[thefirstzukman]

I can see what you are saying, however it would be like me saying "I hate Dodge diesel trucks because a bunch of idiot kids blow smoke every where" there are 2 types of ATVs, street legal and not street legal. I added all needed lights and horn and had a state inspection done to legally ride mine on all non - interstate roads in Utah. I paid twice the money to license it and I have full coverage insurance just like my cars and my bikes. I see people cruising around town on side by sides and four wheelers without plates on them, hope they get a ticket. I really hate it when the guy with the Porsche takes up 2 spots at the gas station also

Hell I'm more responsible on my Four wheeler than on my bike, I never drive though town on my bike without at least one good wheelie, this is the same law that now lets you license a buggy as a full size ATV and drive it on the streets as long as you stay under 50mph. People are people and if you let yourself judge items because of the people who use them you fall into a trap that never ends. I do it with side x sides, they are all over Moab as rentals, the should make everyone who rents one complete a tread lightly course, I see them all over off trail.. so they all suck.

 

[jeeper]

I can see what you are saying, however it would be like me saying "I hate Dodge diesel trucks because a bunch of idiot kids blow smoke every where" there are 2 types of ATVs, street legal and not street legal. I added all needed lights and horn and had a state inspection done to legally ride mine on all non - interstate roads in Utah. I paid twice the money to license it and I have full coverage insurance just like my cars and my bikes. I see people cruising around town on side by sides and four wheelers without plates on them, hope they get a ticket. I really hate it when the guy with the Porsche takes up 2 spots at the gas station also

Hell I'm more responsible on my Four wheeler than on my bike, I never drive though town on my bike without at least one good wheelie, this is the same law that now lets you license a buggy as a full size ATV and drive it on the streets as long as you stay under 50mph. People are people and if you let yourself judge items because of the people who use them you fall into a trap that never ends. I do it with side x sides, they are all over Moab as rentals, the should make everyone who rents one complete a tread lightly course, I see them all over off trail.. so they all suck.

Exactly. I am on this side too.

 

[thefirstzukman]

The cool thing is that this bill passed 59 to 7 so most of the representatives are on the good side.

 

[thefirstzukman]

is the insurance the same on those as say a jeep? if you hit someone in an accident is the insurance going to cover all of the damage like most auto insurance do? I see kids in Bountiful riding the razors up and down the main streets all day long. Some of those kids don't look to be old enough to have a drivers license let alone be driving a UTV/ATV

My insurance is $260 a year for full coverage on my 4 wheeler and my dirt bike and liability on both of my boys bikes. I did have to leave progressive insurance because they wouldn't insure the 4 wheeler for street use, kind of sad because i have had the policy for a very long time.