California CVRA decal question
This question is primarily for CA registered vehicle owners, and I’m not looking for the weight police to chime in on “what is the safe weight my truck can carry”. Background information: Recently...
Forum Discussion
Ah... my read of your earlier posts gave the impression that you guys were referring to the GVWR sticker on your truck while referencing the rules about UNLADEN weight. And that made for a great excuse to pounce on your dealer, who still, I think, did you a disservice.
It can be difficult to cross every t and dot every i when it comes to following every law and regulation to the letter, but your valiant effort is not without merit. On the other hand, your stated observation that the majority of other F350 CC Short Bed Single rear wheel pick up trucks that you see on the roads around you every day... that do not have a 3x3 black on white number on the front fender... is not without merit either.
There is a conflict. How can both situations co-exist? How legalistic do you want to get in order to simply do the right thing?
Is the 16 ounce difference between 11,499 and 11,500 worth the 16 tons of BS needed to argue that there is a legitimate lack of clarity between "less than 11,500 pounds" vs. "exceed the manufacturer’s GVWR of 11,500 pounds" in the next paragraph? (See quote below)
Probably not. Which is why a lot of life gets done without every eye dotted. I am aware of many a privately owned one ton pickup trucks for recreational use that are registered as pick up trucks. The key to how to get that done, regardless of VIN encoded GVWR, has already been detailed. There is something called the spirit and intent of the law, and those core elements of fair rulemaking in our society are not always well translated in all of our regulations as written.
For illustrative examples, the following trucks, by the letter of these regulations as lamely written, not by intent of the legislature, nor by the mandate of the electorate, are NOT pick up trucks:
Ford F-150 regular cab with midbox is NOT a Pick Up truck in California
1973-79 Ford F-350 Regular Cab long bed with "Camper Special" package is NOT a Pick Up truck in California
GMC Colorado and Chevy S10 with midbox is NOT a Pick Up truck in California.
Dodge RAM with RamBox is NOT a Pick Up truck in California
Repeat: 2013 RAM 1500 half ton with RamBox is NOT a Pick up truck in California
Nissan Titan is NOT a Pick Up truck in California
I could post dozens more examples, but you get the idea.
I can completely understand and admire your efforts to "do the right thing". But it can be quite impossible to follow every letter of every regulation as written.
To keep the heat off of your specific situation, I've used the illustrative example of another debated and legitimately contestable pick up truck definition... that of any opening doors in the bed box that is otherwise enclosed and less than 9 feet in length.
When does an enclosed, low profile bed box less than 9' become no longer a pick up box? When it has side door openings that reveal storage compartments? When the otherwise wasted bed space surrounding the common 4'x 8' sheet material hauling opening become utilized? Does the structured utilization of that space make it a utility bed? Do side opening compartments in such a bed, such as the RAM BOX, or the MID BOX, or the TiTaN tool box, or Ford's 1970's era spare tire box... render the truck no longer a pick up?
By the letter of the regulation, yes. By the intent of the legislature, likely not. By the legalistic interpretation of the cop on the street... depends on your attitude. By the judge adjudicating the ticket you fight... depends on your argument.
You are in 16 ounces of grey area.
It can be difficult to cross every t and dot every i when it comes to following every law and regulation to the letter, but your valiant effort is not without merit. On the other hand, your stated observation that the majority of other F350 CC Short Bed Single rear wheel pick up trucks that you see on the roads around you every day... that do not have a 3x3 black on white number on the front fender... is not without merit either.
There is a conflict. How can both situations co-exist? How legalistic do you want to get in order to simply do the right thing?
Is the 16 ounce difference between 11,499 and 11,500 worth the 16 tons of BS needed to argue that there is a legitimate lack of clarity between "less than 11,500 pounds" vs. "exceed the manufacturer’s GVWR of 11,500 pounds" in the next paragraph? (See quote below)
Probably not. Which is why a lot of life gets done without every eye dotted. I am aware of many a privately owned one ton pickup trucks for recreational use that are registered as pick up trucks. The key to how to get that done, regardless of VIN encoded GVWR, has already been detailed. There is something called the spirit and intent of the law, and those core elements of fair rulemaking in our society are not always well translated in all of our regulations as written.
For illustrative examples, the following trucks, by the letter of these regulations as lamely written, not by intent of the legislature, nor by the mandate of the electorate, are NOT pick up trucks:
Ford F-150 regular cab with midbox is NOT a Pick Up truck in California
1973-79 Ford F-350 Regular Cab long bed with "Camper Special" package is NOT a Pick Up truck in California
GMC Colorado and Chevy S10 with midbox is NOT a Pick Up truck in California.
Dodge RAM with RamBox is NOT a Pick Up truck in California
Repeat: 2013 RAM 1500 half ton with RamBox is NOT a Pick up truck in California
Nissan Titan is NOT a Pick Up truck in California
I could post dozens more examples, but you get the idea.
Pickup (CVC §471)
A motor truck with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of less than 11,500 pounds and an unladen weight of less than 8,001 pounds, which is equipped with an open box-type bed less than nine feet in length. •Pickup truck does not include a motor vehicle, otherwise meeting the above definition, which is equipped with a bed-mounted storage compartment commonly called a utility body.
•The California Code of Regulations (Title 13) §150.04(a) further defines pickup trucks:
“Pursuant to Vehicle Code §471, any motor vehicle, except a motorcycle, motorized bicycle, or motorized quadricycle, with an open box-type bed not exceeding nine (9) feet in length is by definition a pickup.”
•Examples of this type of motor vehicle include the Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Nissan Frontier, and other similarly designed vehicles.
Pickup Exclusions
The following trucks are not pickups: •Trucks with an open box-type bed that weigh more than 8,000 pounds unladen or exceed the manufacturer’s GVWR of 11,500 pounds. (“Varied” body type)
•Trucks equipped with a bed-mounted storage compartment unit commonly called a “utility body.” (“utility” body type)
•Trucks with a body type other than an open box bed (stake, flatbed, dump, etc. (body type).
I can completely understand and admire your efforts to "do the right thing". But it can be quite impossible to follow every letter of every regulation as written.
To keep the heat off of your specific situation, I've used the illustrative example of another debated and legitimately contestable pick up truck definition... that of any opening doors in the bed box that is otherwise enclosed and less than 9 feet in length.
When does an enclosed, low profile bed box less than 9' become no longer a pick up box? When it has side door openings that reveal storage compartments? When the otherwise wasted bed space surrounding the common 4'x 8' sheet material hauling opening become utilized? Does the structured utilization of that space make it a utility bed? Do side opening compartments in such a bed, such as the RAM BOX, or the MID BOX, or the TiTaN tool box, or Ford's 1970's era spare tire box... render the truck no longer a pick up?
By the letter of the regulation, yes. By the intent of the legislature, likely not. By the legalistic interpretation of the cop on the street... depends on your attitude. By the judge adjudicating the ticket you fight... depends on your argument.
You are in 16 ounces of grey area.
