Damn you DMV!

koda6966 · Dec 15, 2008

Okay, so is it legal or not to have no bumper on a vehicle in NY State? I know I have to have both plates displayed, the front plate is currently zip tied to my grill anyway. Every time I ask the DMV they say "You need to have both plates on the vehicle so yes." but she doesn't seem to understand that I have both plates on. Do I legally need to have my bumper on?

Just throwing this out there to see if anyone here can answer.

bmxryder · Dec 15, 2008

im alittle curious too because my brother got followed by a cop all the way to his house (in nevada not NY) for not having any bumpers. but the cop just told him that he needs them because its illegal, but didnt even bother giving him a fix it ticket.

meanwhile i live a half mile from the cop station. i dont have any bumpers and i havent been pulled over once. also, what do they justify as a bumper?

i guess my conlusion is that it IS illegal but cops just dont care as much.

Chris.S. · Dec 15, 2008

So what's up with rollpans then? Illegal? (I kinda hope so, I hate the look)

Jspafford · Dec 15, 2008

I think in Ohio it is law... There needs to be something for the other car to hit, other than a frame rail.

Wood bumpers may be legal though.

Sunk · Dec 15, 2008

I've always been curious about this... I've seen a lot of trucks driving around without them and a friend of mine did for a while with no issues. There's also a Grand Cherokee driving around with 2x6 bolted to the front of the frame rails. It looks great. :icon_rofl:

Ronin · Dec 15, 2008

Up until I got my 1999 Super Duty I use to drive a 1977 F-150 with no bumpers front or rear. It just had the Myers snow plow frame on the front and a heavy duty receiver on the rear. That was the way I bought it from a company that bought it new that way in 1977. This truck was always in NY and inspected every year. Don't know if they changed the laws since then, but I never had an issue with that truck.

85_Ranger4x4 · Dec 16, 2008

For a long time rear bumpers were optional around here, I thought they still were... but it could be intended for farmers that put the big bumper hitches on that are all one assembly.

Matthew18 · Dec 16, 2008

be cheap about it, bolt a 2x4 on for a bumper :icon_thumby:

koda6966 · Dec 16, 2008

Matthew18 said:
be cheap about it, bolt a 2x4 on for a bumper

Well, it would only be off for maybe a week while I remove the old paint and cancer, then paint it a nice semigloss black. Hell, I'll probably try to rig up the plate frame so that it mounts to the bumper again. Only thing is, nothing to put in its place.

bmxryder · Dec 16, 2008

koda6966 said:
Well, it would only be off for maybe a week while I remove the old paint and cancer, then paint it a nice semigloss black. Hell, I'll probably try to rig up the plate frame so that it mounts to the bumper again. Only thing is, nothing to put in its place.

i think for a week you should be fine. i would be more worried about getting into an accident without bumpers than the cops hassling you.

Mutant Pony · Dec 16, 2008

If I remember right they tried to make it a law here in Mich. Then the car factories started selling trucks with no rear bumper. A few people got ticketed but, had a valid argument. The law is still on the books but, isn't inforced. They can ticket you for not having a license plate light. They usually only use that as an excuse to pull you over just because you look suspiciuos.

koda6966 · Dec 16, 2008

Well, I got sick of the DMV's bullcrap answers on the phone and from emails so I went down there today in person. Turns out that you have to have a bumper.

Darn.

Looks like I'll be needed a 2x4 for a while!

dusto2 · Dec 16, 2008

here in california just has to have a front bumper, dont know over there

Sasquatch_Ryda · Dec 17, 2008

Here in British Columbia, the motor vehicle act states you must have a front bumper, but a rear is not mandatory.

poweranger84 · Dec 22, 2008

i never had a rear bumper on my 84. had the tag zip tied to the frame, till it got riped off while i was pullin a chevy out a mud hole. then i had it in the back window. never had a problem with the cops

Damn you DMV!

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