Bullhead City AZ, across the river from Laughlin NV. I guess it's much bigger than I realized, almost 40k people spread out over 60 square miles (according to wikipedia), but the way it has separated and spread out developments that seem to branch off main roads makes it feel much smaller than apparently it is. Also, I never realized they have such a big community on the west side. I was just googling to see how far it was from Scenic AZ and I'm quite surprised how big it is compared to how small it feels. You just don't see all the little communities from the main roads. Either way, driving to their house involves a lot of roads with just desert, hills and rocky areas, and UTVs are not uncommon.
Street-legal buggys - It Passed!
- Thread starter drtsqrl
- Start date
Bullhead City AZ, across the river from Laughlin NV. I guess it's much bigger than I realized, almost 40k people spread out over 60 square miles (according to wikipedia), but the way it has separated and spread out developments that seem to branch off main roads makes it feel much smaller than apparently it is. Also, I never realized they have such a big community on the west side. I was just googling to see how far it was from Scenic AZ and I'm quite surprised how big it is compared to how small it feels. You just don't see all the little communities from the main roads. Either way, driving to their house involves a lot of roads with just desert, hills and rocky areas, and UTVs are not uncommon.
No way. I know this thread is for buggies, not UTVs, but... If I had the space for another "vehicle" and money to blow I'd pick up a 4 seater Arctic Cat Wildcat, throw on a set of street friendly ATs and some power upgrades, then tear up the town as my DD. Cookies in the local PD parking lot, street racing with the ricers, jumping curbs and double parking.. Ya, I'd be all over that.
No way. I know this thread is for buggies, not UTVs, but... If I had the space for another "vehicle" and money to blow I'd pick up a 4 seater Arctic Cat Wildcat, throw on a set of street friendly ATs and some power upgrades, then tear up the town as my DD. Cookies in the local PD parking lot, street racing with the ricers, jumping curbs and double parking.. Ya, I'd be all over that.
when I worked at the edge motorsports, two of my customers (2 brothers) who live in lehi (actually alpine) did just that to theirs, they were so excited, got their turn signals on, horn, even DOT tires, insurance...the works. they got pulled over and told that they can't drive them on the streets of Utah county.
they assumed the cop didn't understand such a rarely-used law. later on days later, they got their machines impounded.
they were told in court when they fought it, that if the town has more than a population of 7,500 people it's not allowed, and nowhere (regardless of population) in Salt lake, Utah, Davis, or weber counties. Also it was only during daylight hours, speeds less than 35mph, and only on roads that had one-lane each direction. I held the printed out paper in my hand outlining all of this.
but this was in 2010, the law could have changed since then.
to my understanding, the law's intent is to make it safer in rural places, where people use ATVs, SidexSides, quads, and buggies on the streets anyway. Not to allow these machines in populated places that don't already have people driving these machines
I was waiting for this hahaha NEVER!!!!
Yes, this law was amended by sb 154 to change it from 7,500 population *OR* first class county to just first class county and that legislative session was 12/16/13 so the law went into place in 2014.
If it wasn't completely obvious, my post was in jest. If these guys were screwing around in town after a cop pulled them over and told them they couldn't, and didn't go check out the law before doing it again, they deserve to get their UTVs impounded. I don't like the whole situation, but that's just being stupid.
edit: I hope these become popular on surface streets outside of SL county, and people are responsible about it. No worse than the street legal dirt bikes I see, and other than being open to the elements and lacking some safety features like airbags, I don't think they are much different than the Smart Cars on the roads. Plus I think they are cool but I don't want to be the first tool driving around town in one.
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Actually, I do have a question about the law and what was written into it. Why no provision for driving at night if it's equipped with head lights, tail lights, etc.? I guess in my mind I think UTVs should have the same rights as street legal dirt bikes, with the possible exception of Interstates.
If I had to guess, I would imagine that it's because most of the atv/utv headlights/taillights do not meet the standards for (or at least haven't been evaluated by the DOT) for DOT size/ brightness etc.
also DOT headlights for motorcycles also have an ever-so-slight angle that points the headlight slightly away from on-coming traffic, to lessen blindness. off-road headlights do not have this provision
totally just guessing here
also DOT headlights for motorcycles also have an ever-so-slight angle that points the headlight slightly away from on-coming traffic, to lessen blindness. off-road headlights do not have this provision
totally just guessing here
O'neal
?????????
- Location
- evanston wy
I think people need to go back to the beginning of this thread and reread......The idea's are rampant of the idea to drive whatever,wherever when it really implies toward's getting to and from area's of wheelin in that specific area.I'm all for you guy's running multi purpose rig's around and also see it would be fine if they meet "ALL" safety standard's/law's to be driving on the road's...In my opinion,side by side's/4 wheelers have no business on the street's....period.
Yes, we know what the law is for, just brainstorming/fantasizing about other possibilities. I also agree that anything driven on the street needs to pass all safety standards, both for the occupants and others. However, I see nothing wrong with UTVs or buggies on city streets. Motorcycles, dirt bikes, 3 wheel motorcycles, smart fourtwo, old Jeeps.. All currently legal. I just don't see how a UTV or buggy with necessary safety equipment is any worse. Size-wise, a 4 seat UTV is longer and wider than a Smart FourTwo, longer and less than two inches narrower than a Miata. Lack of fenders, suspension designed for off road, and lack of modern car safety features like airbags and anti-lock brakes makes the 45 mpg speed limit and no Interstate driving make sense. Other states seem to be just fine with UTVs on the streets. The only real problem I see is some kind of emissions testing. I don't know for sure, but if I had to guess I'd say none of the UTVs on the market today could pass emissions at modern car standards.
ATVs however, I'm not so supportive of.
ATVs however, I'm not so supportive of.
^Well said^
I think the atv side of it is more for smaller communities. I don't imagine you'll see people riding fourwheelers to work in urban Utah county but if they do so within the law I don't care. I have a hard time imagining anything within this law as a bad thing because I think it's great for the 4x4 community
I think the atv side of it is more for smaller communities. I don't imagine you'll see people riding fourwheelers to work in urban Utah county but if they do so within the law I don't care. I have a hard time imagining anything within this law as a bad thing because I think it's great for the 4x4 community
jeep-N-montero
Formerly black_ZJ
- Location
- Bountiful
This new bill/law sounds great in theory, it will take A LOT of training and educating for not only the owners of these vehicles, but also the state employees. And as with every other bill that gives people an extra inch of freedom, folks will try to take more from the bill than intended and it will get abused. Let's just hope it doesn't get terminated quicker than it got passed.
spencevans
Overlander
- Location
- Farmington
If people use this for its intended purpose of getting to and from the trail without the use of a trailer then it should work out. Where we get into trouble is some individuals will try to register there buggies they use as their daily driver under this new law.
^^this is the same thing people do with "vintage-vehicle" plates. that provision is likewise not intended to be used for a daily driver. But I work with a guy, that has a clapped-out, '60s falcon that he drives daily, it literally has rope, and tape holding on panels, but that "vintage" plate keeps it on the road, despite several huge safety violations.
scout392
Member
- Location
- Montrose, CO
So.......are we still waiting on the final approval? When can we actually drive our tube buggies in Moab to and from the trail head?
A lot of people fail to realize this.
Along the lines of "people are bad so we need a government made of people". That has always made me laugh.
R
rockdog
Guest
This won't effect you Bart, you don't keep your buggy's long enough for you to get them licensed!
sixstringsteve
Well-Known Member
- Location
- UT
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds to me like you'll still need to register it as an ATV. I don't think it's a blanket rule that makes buggies street legal overnight.
What happens for out-of-state vehicles that aren't registered as street-legal ATVs in Utah?