California's SUV Ban (Slate)

[jpak]

http://www.slate.com/id/2104755/

Unless you drive one of the largest SUVs, such as the Chevy Suburban, the Cadillac Escalade, or the Ford Excursion, I'll bet you've watched them thundering down quiet residential lanes and wondered to yourself: Why is that monster allowed on this little street?

Well, here's a surprising piece of news. It may not be. Cities throughout California—the nation's largest car market—prohibit the heaviest SUVs on many of their residential roads. The problem is, they don't seem to know they've done it.

I discovered this secret ban after noticing the signs at both ends of my narrow Los Angeles-area street (a favorite cut-through route for drivers hoping to avoid tie-ups on bigger roads). The signs clearly prohibit vehicles over 6,000 pounds.

Hidden in plain sightHidden in plain sight
I knew a 6K pound limit ruled out a lot of the larger trucks that routinely rumble by my house, unpursued by traffic cops. But then I got to thinking: Could some of those bigger SUVs exceed 3 tons? So I did some research, and I hit the mother lode.

<more>

[phantom power]

1. As the author says...

6000 pounds does the same damage to a road whether it's a delivery truck or a Navigator. And like he also says, if people are writing these things off as work vehicles, why not regulate them like work vehicles? :evilgrin:

And by the way, Porsche makes an SUV??? :puke:

[skids]

5. Heck, Lamborghini made an SUV before they were "SUV"s

...and may still -- but only something an oil shiek would buy. It has/had a desert tire option that lets it do insane speeds on sand. IIRC it was $300K in 1980s dollars, and from the amount of gas it used, you'd have to be an oil shiek :-)

[phantom power]

6. Heh, did it have a 12 cylinder engine?

[skids]

8. Yeah I think so. n/t

[One_Life_To_Give]

2. Depends on how the spec is written

Most of those vehicals have a maximum rated Gross Vehical weight, GVWR in excess of 3 ton. But the actual weight of the vehical, curb weight, is under. For example a typical half ton pickup, such as a contractor might use will have a GVWR over 6000lbs. But a curb weight of around 3500lbs. Meaning it can handle a load in excess of 2500lbs. These larger SUV's are typically built on pickup truck frames and while they have an extra 500-1000lbs curb weight. The chassis has the same weight rating as the pickup truck.

[flvegan]

3. From the article:

Here's how the California Vehicle Code defines the term: "Gross vehicle weight rating" means the weight specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a single vehicle. Each SUV maker provides this estimate of how much the vehicle weighs when loaded with passengers and cargo.

Some big SUV makers also list the so-called curb weight, or unloaded weight, which is often slightly less than 6,000 pounds. I suspect SUV drivers will argue it's the curb weight that should count when enforcing the law. But they're wrong.

Not only are the California restrictions based on a vehicle's gross weight (of which the GVWR is the manufacturer's own best estimate), but the IRS grants its tax exemptions based on the GVWR. If it's heavy enough for a tax break, it's heavy enough to stay off my street.

[One_Life_To_Give]

4. May be difficult under state reg's

CA MV Code
35655. (a) No person shall drive a vehicle on any state highway when the weight of the vehicle and load is greater than the maximum weight which the highway will sustain. Violations of this subdivision shall be punished in accordance with the schedule of fines set forth in Section 42030.

This wording implies that evidence of vehical weight other than just the manufacturers rating plate will be required.

The second question of coarse is; Are the roads with restricted weights based on engineering investigations on file with the state DOT? Or are they based upon local ordinances which could be worded differrently?

[slackmaster]

7. Does the Kenworth Pilgrimage qualify?