L
lowbatteries
Guest
Okay, I have a Ford Tempo that ocassionally I drive with no doors on sunny days. I was doing a newspaper route for a friend, and unknowingly I went across the Idaho state line (on back roads) and into a very small town in Washington.
I had checked the Idaho State Code, and knew having no doors was not illegal in Idaho.
However, a local washington police officer pulls me over, and without giving me a warning (as is usually expected if you are missing equipment on your vehicle) and writes a $70 ticket for having no doors, and says I am not allowed to move my vehicle unless it's being towed, or else it will be impounded. "No doors, no drive" were his exact words.
Here is the code which he denoted on the ticket:
______________________________________
RCW 46.37.517
Body and body hardware.
(2) The hood, hood latches, hood fastenings, doors, and door latches shall be maintained in a condition sufficient to ensure proper working equal to that at the time of original vehicle manufacture.
______________________________________
Now, I know this is only a $70 ticket, but I want to have the right to do drive my car in the state of washington, as I go there quite often.
I am going to fight the ticket on the basis of a few things.
a) i believe the law was intended that the "functionality" of the doors and latches be such that people can exit the car in case of emergency. no welded doors, etc. obviously, that functionality is still in place with no doors
b)other vehicles, such as jeeps, drive around with doors removed and are not cited
c)the safety of the 3 people in the car was not compromised ... all were wearing seat belts, I was driving safely in a residential area
d)I had not known I had crossed state line and was less than 2 miles from the border. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, I know, but I think the officer would have at least been leniant.
I want to know what the general concensus is ... do I have a chance to get out of this ticket? Do you believe the law applies in this case? (No, those questions aren't the same). If I do decided to try and get out of it, do I have a mitigation hearing to explain the circumstances or do I want to contest the charge?
Thank you for any replies, I really appreciate any input you can give me.
Thanks again,
Steven Simmons
I had checked the Idaho State Code, and knew having no doors was not illegal in Idaho.
However, a local washington police officer pulls me over, and without giving me a warning (as is usually expected if you are missing equipment on your vehicle) and writes a $70 ticket for having no doors, and says I am not allowed to move my vehicle unless it's being towed, or else it will be impounded. "No doors, no drive" were his exact words.
Here is the code which he denoted on the ticket:
______________________________________
RCW 46.37.517
Body and body hardware.
(2) The hood, hood latches, hood fastenings, doors, and door latches shall be maintained in a condition sufficient to ensure proper working equal to that at the time of original vehicle manufacture.
______________________________________
Now, I know this is only a $70 ticket, but I want to have the right to do drive my car in the state of washington, as I go there quite often.
I am going to fight the ticket on the basis of a few things.
a) i believe the law was intended that the "functionality" of the doors and latches be such that people can exit the car in case of emergency. no welded doors, etc. obviously, that functionality is still in place with no doors
b)other vehicles, such as jeeps, drive around with doors removed and are not cited
c)the safety of the 3 people in the car was not compromised ... all were wearing seat belts, I was driving safely in a residential area
d)I had not known I had crossed state line and was less than 2 miles from the border. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, I know, but I think the officer would have at least been leniant.
I want to know what the general concensus is ... do I have a chance to get out of this ticket? Do you believe the law applies in this case? (No, those questions aren't the same). If I do decided to try and get out of it, do I have a mitigation hearing to explain the circumstances or do I want to contest the charge?
Thank you for any replies, I really appreciate any input you can give me.
Thanks again,
Steven Simmons