Michigan Introduces Bill to Expand Historic Vehicle Usage

[DynoDave]

Michigan Introduces Bill to Expand Historic Vehicle Usage

"Michigan has introduced SAN-supported legislation (H.B. 5882) to expand the usage of Historic vehicles by declaring the period between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend as exhibition. Currently, Historic vehicles may only be used for exhibition within the month of August, which is considered as participation in club activities, exhibitions, tours, parades, and similar uses. The bill currently awaits consideration in the House Transportation Committee."

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[hanks73340]

YES!

[DynoDave]

Did you send them a note Hank? I did as soon as I saw it. I picked up a historical plate for the T/A this year. I know lots of folks who have them. And while not a one has ever been pulled over and challenged on their usage of their vehicle with this plate (not going to a show, parade, club activity, etc.), it's always a possibility. And it would be nice if they lifted that during prime cruising season.

[hanks73340]

Mar 16, 2022 16:00:44 GMT -5 DynoDave said:

Did you send them a note Hank? I did as soon as I saw it. I picked up a historical plate for the T/A this year. I know lots of folks who have them. And while not a one has ever been pulled over and challenged on their usage of their vehicle with this plate (not going to a show, parade, club activity, etc.), it's always a possibility. And it would be nice if they lifted that during prime cruising season.

Yes I did. I actually was able to send an email also to the DMV on this. I sent an email to both Lisa McClain and Andy Levin on why not letting the historical Vehicle owners have the option to use the Antique plates for the whole cruising season. It just makes sense. The hobby itself promotes itself and pumps $$$$ into the local economies within the state. My example was Frankenmuth. The money the town gets, the charities that receive more funding, the exposure on national television and its International(Canadian Participants). I did receive a response thanking me on this and that the Bill was up for discussion(this was back in November) on now here it is. I'm happy for our hobby. Hopefully other states will do the same.

[DynoDave]

Excellent! Nice that you got a positive response.

I posted this on the Michigan F-body (MIFB) forum and facebook page, our Pontiac Oakland Club International Chapter #16 Widetrackers facebook page, and emailed it to a half dozen folks I know with classic cars.

I know the MIFB post has had lots of eyes on it, and lots of discussion. Several folks chimed in that they had sent a letter.

[71se3834v]

I never knew that the historical plate had that kind of restrictions. I knew it was supposed to be limited use but not just one month. Because of the limit used for both antique and historical I chose the "year correct" plates for my cars and don't know why more people don't. One time fee, no renewal and the only restrictions that I can remember is going to and from shows or pleasure cruising. No daily commuting although I've been know to break that one. "Hey, I'm going to a car show after work!"

[DynoDave]

The historic plate has restrictions for all months...the car can be driven to shows, parades, cruise nights, club events, to and from repair, etc. It just can't be used for daily transportation, or "routine transportation" as the SOS words it.

During the month of August only, you can use it for anything, daily driving included. No restrictions of any kind. This bill would expand that window of unrestricted use from August only to Memorial Day (May 30 in 2022) to Labor Day (September 5 in 2002).

It's a 10 year plate for $30...the one I just got for the T/A is good until 2031. If you care to, once you have a historic plate, you can remove the catastrophic claims fund coverage, saving you additional money. That's done through your insurer. As I have a collector car policy, and the rate is already so low, I add roadside coverage and keep the catastrophic claims coverage. It's still BY FAR the cheapest car insurance you can get in this state.

From the SOS application form:






Most years, I put around a thousand miles on the car. I don't generally drive in a manner that would attract the attention of the police. Generally.

Like Bill Clinton's proposed: “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is. If the—if he—if ‘is’ means is and never has been, that is not—that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement. … Now, if someone had asked me on that day, are you having any kind of sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky, that is, asked me a question in the present tense, I would have said no. And it would have been completely true.”

So in this case, it depends on what activities are included in "etc.", and that would be open to the interpretation of the police, and maybe a traffic court judge if you cared to take it that far.

The only time I think I will be "at risk" is cruising Woodward, or just flat out pleasure driving. But even those, as they are clearly NOT "routine transportation", should be allowed, in my opinion. And I intend to try that theory out this summer. As "routine transportation" is the only specifically banned activity, everything else should be fair game in my book.

I know lots of people with these plates, and not one has been pulled over and hassled about it. On the Michigan F-body (MIFB) facebook page, where I also posted this, one member has stepped forward to say he was pulled over and questioned about the plate. Not because of it's use, but because the officer was unaware of the historical plate program. The owner provided all the registration paperwork, the officer ran it, came back, told him he had a nice car, and sent him on his way.

I'm not worried about it.

[71se3834v]

Ok I misread that about the free-for-all in August. That being said I believe the cost was cheaper for the year correct plate being it never expires.
So here is my experience with being pulled over in a classic. Similar to the above example.
Was driving home from a graduation party on Grosse Ise late at night. Doing nothing wrong it was stated that I looked out of place in the classic so it warranted a "look see". Ok fine. Officer came back and stated the plate didn't show up on the LEIN system. Now I did have a problem where I had bought the new year correct plate and my wife didn't know it so she paid to renew the regular plate. We had cancelled the regular plate and thought maybe the state screwed up something. I was let go and told to get it straightened out. Afterwards I realized I had a piece of paper in the glovebox I was supposed to present to an officer that stated these plates would not show up in the LEIN system. Don't know if that has changed as that was many years ago maybe 2009 or 10 cause I was in my Galaxie which was pre Charger days.
I think most if not all officers would just ignore classic cars or look at them as nothing different, unless you are doing something stupid, since there's such a big classic car market here.

[hanks73340]

Like Bill Clinton's proposed: “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is. If the—if he—if ‘is’ means is and never has been, that is not—that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement. … Now, if someone had asked me on that day, are you having any kind of sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky, that is, asked me a question in the present tense, I would have said no. And it would have been completely true.”

So in this case, it depends on what activities are included in "etc.", and that would be open to the interpretation of the police, and maybe a traffic court judge if you cared to take it that far.

The only time I think I will be "at risk" is cruising Woodward, or just flat out pleasure driving. But even those, as they are clearly NOT "routine transportation", should be allowed, in my opinion. And I intend to try that theory out this summer. As "routine transportation" is the only specifically banned activity, everything else should be fair game in my book.

I'm not worried about it.

[/quote]

Deep thinking like a politician. You have my vote Dave but that is a great analogy.

[DynoDave]

UPDATE!


Michigan Advances Bill to Expand Historic Vehicle Usage to House Floor

"Michigan has introduced SAN-supported legislation (H.B. 5882) to expand the usage of Historic vehicles by allowing vehicles to be driven without restrictions between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. The bill declares this time period as “participation in an exhibition”. Currently, historic vehicles may only be used in participation for club activities, exhibitions, tours, parades, and similar uses with the month of August declared as an exhibition period. The bill passed the House Transportation Committee and now awaits consideration by the full House."


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