Watch what you hang in VT....

[skijay]

VT Title 23 (Motor Vehicles) Chapter 13 (Operation of Motor Vehicles) 23 V.S.A. 1125 "Obstructing Windshields".

My friend called me on his way up to K-ton that he got pulled over becuase he had his cell phone headset hanging over his rear view mirror. He was ticketed $137.

He was not pulled over for anything else as the officer told him he was not speeding but he was in violation of the code above.

I can not believe a little ear piece resting over the mirror's neck is a violation! I have the same headset and rest mine on my rear view mirror. It does not even touch the mirror, just the neck of it. It does not hinder any view.

So while driving in VT, make sure you have nothing hanging from that mirror!

 

[JimG.]

VT Title 23 (Motor Vehicles) Chapter 13 (Operation of Motor Vehicles) 23 V.S.A. 1125 "Obstructing Windshields".

My friend called me on his way up to K-ton that he got pulled over becuase he had his cell phone headset hanging over his rear view mirror. He was ticketed $137.

He was not pulled over for anything else as the officer told him he was not speeding but he was in violation of the code above.

I can not believe a little ear piece resting over the mirror's neck is a violation! I have the same headset and rest mine on my rear view mirror. It does not even touch the mirror, just the neck of it. It does not hinder any view.

So while driving in VT, make sure you have nothing hanging from that mirror!

That's the law here in NY too...can't have anything hanging from the rear view mirror.

 

[skijay]

Jim,

In NY are radar detectors allowed?


edited to add below:

If you do not live in VT or NY and are driving through with something hanging on your mirror, how are you suppose to know it is illegal?

It is like in CT, do you out of staters realize that you can only talk on a cell phone while driving using a headset? How are people suppose to know our laws if they do not reside in CT? It is not like there is a billboard posted on the entrance to the state telling motorists of the dos and do nots.

 

[JimG.]

Radar detectors are illegal too. Honestly, that and the rear view mirror law are rarely enforced and they are usually used to give someone a ticket that does not involve points when the cop wants to write a ticket but for a lesser offense.

I've never heard of someone being pulled over and ticketed for just those things.

 

[bvibert]

Thats crazy to be pulled over for something like that!

If you do not live in VT or NY and are driving through with something hanging on your mirror, how are you suppose to know it is illegal?

It is like in CT, do you out of staters realize that you can only talk on a cell phone while driving using a headset? How are people suppose to know our laws if they do not reside in CT? It is not like there is a billboard posted on the entrance to the state telling motorists of the dos and do nots.

As I understand it, it's the motorist's responsibility to familiarize themselves with the laws of other states before traveling into them. Ignorance is no excuse.

 

[skijay]

As I understand it, it's the motorist's responsibility to familiarize themselves with the laws of other states before traveling into them. Ignorance is no excuse.

Well I do understand that you should know and understand the rules of the road you travel, however, some of these statues are not an easy find such as the one I stated. Can you honestly say that you would remember to look for each item in / on your car to see if it is a violation in another state when in your home state it is legal?

 

[riverc0il]

the law is pretty clear that certain laws are completely implicit and you need to be aware of them or face fines or what not. as brian mentioned, ignorance is no excuse.

that said, how you handle the situation with the enforcement officer and the particulars of the situation can effect the situation significantly. for example, i was recently pulled over for not switching lanes on a highway when a cop was pulled over with his blues on. the law states that when ever possible, you must switch lanes. having been raised in MA where three lane traffic is the norm and people just drive right past cops in the right lane, i thought nothing of it. i was ignorant of the law and got called out on it. i told the officer i was new to the state and was not familiar with the law but realized ignorance was no excuse. got a warning instead of the $225 fine and points if i had an out of state license plate, i am sure i would have gotten the fine. thems the breaks though, you gotta be careful when crossing the boarder. and maybe it's not completely fair that you don't have the rule book memorized for another state. then again, does any one honestly have the rule book memorized for their own state? usually cops can usually get you on some technicality of they really want to.

 

[hammer]

for example, i was recently pulled over for not switching lanes on a highway when a cop was pulled over with his blues on. the law states that when ever possible, you must switch lanes. having been raised in MA where three lane traffic is the norm and people just drive right past cops in the right lane, i thought nothing of it. i was ignorant of the law and got called out on it.

I think a part of the problem in Mass. is that traffic enforcement is pretty lax IMO. If people are ignorant of or disregard traffic laws it's because they're aren't enough police that enforce them.

As an example, I drive Rt. 3 to work and, although the posted speed limit is 55 MPH, I've seen many cars go past police on traffic details doing 70 - 75 MPH, well above the usual threshold for getting pulled over. Somehow I doubt that drivers in other areas get away with this...

In any case, the "heads-up" on the headset is appreciated.

 

[dmc]

Radar detectors are illegal too. Honestly, that and the rear view mirror law are rarely enforced and they are usually used to give someone a ticket that does not involve points when the cop wants to write a ticket but for a lesser offense.

I've never heard of someone being pulled over and ticketed for just those things.

RADAR Detectors are not illegal in NY for cars they are for tucks...

And I have a pass given to me by the New York State DEC that I hang on my rearview mirror...

 

[bvibert]

Well I do understand that you should know and understand the rules of the road you travel, however, some of these statues are not an easy find such as the one I stated. Can you honestly say that you would remember to look for each item in / on your car to see if it is a violation in another state when in your home state it is legal?

I didn't say that I know every law for other states, I'm sure I don't even know them all for my state. I doubt too many peolpe do. I just understand that if I do get nabbed for some obscure law that I have no real recourse just because I didn't know about it. I can say that when I used a radar detector I made sure I knew which surrounding states they were illegal in, and removed it before crossing into that state.

 

[skibum1321]

for example, i was recently pulled over for not switching lanes on a highway when a cop was pulled over with his blues on. the law states that when ever possible, you must switch lanes. having been raised in MA where three lane traffic is the norm and people just drive right past cops in the right lane, i thought nothing of it. i was ignorant of the law and got called out on it.

I think a part of the problem in Mass. is that traffic enforcement is pretty lax IMO. If people are ignorant of or disregard traffic laws it's because they're aren't enough police that enforce them.

As an example, I drive Rt. 3 to work and, although the posted speed limit is 55 MPH, I've seen many cars go past police on traffic details doing 70 - 75 MPH, well above the usual threshold for getting pulled over. Somehow I doubt that drivers in other areas get away with this...

In any case, the "heads-up" on the headset is appreciated.

If you aren't going 70 on Rt. 3 you are crawling. I curse at the people going 65 in front of me on the way to work. It's funny that the traffic goes the same speed on Rt. 3 and 495 and yet the speed limit is 65 on 495 and 55 on 3. Gotta love masshole driving.

 

[JimG.]

Radar detectors are illegal too. Honestly, that and the rear view mirror law are rarely enforced and they are usually used to give someone a ticket that does not involve points when the cop wants to write a ticket but for a lesser offense.

I've never heard of someone being pulled over and ticketed for just those things.

RADAR Detectors are not illegal in NY for cars they are for tucks...

And I have a pass given to me by the New York State DEC that I hang on my rearview mirror...

Then Bedford Hills, NY scammed me out of $55...I plead down to a charge of "driving with an illegal radar detection device" to avoid a speeding ticket.
Oh well, better than the points I say!

You are completely correct about state issued permits like watershed permits (DEC) and handicapped permits hanging from the rearview mirror...those are OK.

 

[Brettski]

Buy a minivan...ever seen one of those pulled over?

Besides, I'm right lane all the way....5mph over the limit, always getting my doors blown off...change lanes when someone is in the right doing 45....always use the blinker (had to order out of state for one of those...the NJ vehicles don't come with them I think)...

What about talking a cell phones while driving?...did they ever enforce that law? They enforce seatbealt (which I still beleive should be a personal choice), but I have NEVER seen anyone pulled over for yaking on a cell phone and totally oblivious to the entire world around them...

I know...just drive along side of them and just lean on the horn all the way....

Sorry....

 

[bvibert]

What about talking a cell phones while driving?...did they ever enforce that law? They enforce seatbealt (which I still beleive should be a personal choice), but I have NEVER seen anyone pulled over for yaking on a cell phone and totally oblivious to the entire world around them...

Well here in CT the no cell phone law is new (started in Oct), so I think they're doing a bit of enforcing on it. I still see plenty of dopes talking on them while driving though. Of course they're the same dopes that can't drive and don't pay attention to the road anyway, so taking the cell phone away doesn't really have too much effect...

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

RADAR Detectors are not illegal in NY for cars they are for tucks...

You shouldn't be speeding in Tucks! Besides, last I checked, it's in NH

 

[dmc]

What about talking a cell phones while driving?...did they ever enforce that law? They enforce seatbealt (which I still beleive should be a personal choice), but I have NEVER seen anyone pulled over for yaking on a cell phone and totally oblivious to the entire world around them....

One of my best buds is a Parks police officer on Long Island.. He said there's days where they just pull people over for using the cell phone...