michigancamper1945 wrote:
Is a drivers license good only in the state it's issued in?
I think not.
My Michigan license allows me to Ride a motorcycle. Does another state have a right to say, "your motorcycle endorsement isn't any good here".
How far would that go?
Completely different issue entirely. You're mixing licensing with state traffic laws. Such distinction is what makes it hard for laymen to understand the law. It's simple really but people generally have so little knowledge that they don't understand when talking about it. Most people get their legal knowledge from watching TV shows or talking to other ill-informed neighbors. And as a result they think they know all there is to know about the law. Then it comes down to specifics, like what you are asking, and people show they really don't understand all that much.
The feds mandated many many years ago that all states have to honor another state's DL and registration.
Traffic laws, which what towing laws are, are completely different and have nothing to do with licensing. An endorsement that a state may put on a license doesn't mean that the endorsement will override another state's statute. MI may require a doubles endorsement for their state residents but if someone from another states drives in MI then MI has to accept that other state's DL even tho that other state may not require a doubles endorsement.
michigancamper1945 wrote:
What IS reciprocity? I'm thinking it means your drivers license from another state is valid in other states that have reciprocity.
Not trying to start a fight, just trying to make since of the whole thing.
Honoring another state's DL and registration is not true reciprocity. Reciprocity is when 2 states agree "You honor mine and I'll honor yours." An easy example maybe to understand is when driving to Canada. Can you drive in Canada with your MI DL? Sure, because the US and Canada signed an agreement honoring each other's DL and registration. That's reciprocity.
With licensing and registration the feds have mandated it so it's not reciprocity, it's a fed mandate.
michigancamper1945 wrote:
I don't necessarily agree but that doesn't make me right either. I'm not convinced just yet that another state can say my license is VOID in there state. And my license says I'm legal to double tow.
Legal matter maybe.
Your DL is not void. Again, you're mixing licensing and traffic laws. 2 different issues. Your license will be valid every where because the feds mandated such to all the states. The feds did not mandate double towing to all states. That's up to each state to decide.
Do you want the legal answer or do you want someone to give you an answer you agree with? Whether or not you agree with the right answer is irrelevant.
I spent 42 yrs in law enforcement and worked very closely with other states and fed DOT. Over the years I answered a lot of questions from the public concerning laws. More often than not when someone asked a question they really didn't want the legal answer. They were just looking for someone to agree with what they want to do. Even after given the statute and applicable court rulings they'd want to argue even tho they didn't have a clue about the law. They really didn't want an answer. They just want someone to tell them to go ahead and do what they want to do. We called it 'fishing'. Sometimes they'd even call back thinking they'd get a different person who would give them the answer they wanted to hear.
