I want to start a street legal campaign in Texas. In '07 Rep. Ritter introduced HB227 that would have made SxS's legal in cities and counties that voted to allow them. The bill died in committe. I want to go a step further and get a bill introduced that would make them legal state wide except of limited access highways. Here is the text of a letter I have drafted and after its finished, I want to get as many people as we can to send them to the State legislators. Please give me input as to arguments that should be made in the letter and help me compile the states that we know currently allow these on the streets. Right now I have Indiana, Montana, Arizona,Michigan, Minnesota and Utah. Here is the text for review;

As a Side-by-Side Utility Vehicle enthusiast, I would like to ask you to consider offering legislation that would define these vehicle in the Texas Transportation Code and like many other states allow for their registration for on-road use once specific safety equipment requirements have been met.
These vehicles are enjoyed by tens of thousands across the State of Texas in farming, ranching and entertainment endeavors. Most Side-by-Side vehicles are manufactured to exceed 25mph and therefore cannot be legally registered as a “slow moving vehicle” as can most golf-carts. In fact most of the newer of these vehicles can easily reach 50+mph, putting it in the arena with most Jeeps manufactured through the 60’s and the like that are readily registered for street use. In addition, most electric vehicles, hybrids and ultra-compact vehicles like the SMART car are smaller and slower than the Side-by-Side vehicles being manufactured today. State law currently allows for registration of home built and “dune” buggies that may or may not meet the same standards of commercial manufacturers with nothing more than a trip to an inspection station. Registration of the Side-by-Side vehicles should be at least as easy as a home built vehicle.
Texas Representative Allan Ritter introduced HB227 in 2007 that would have provided for the definition of these vehicles and for the allocation of special licensing by TxDOT. During a busy legislative session, this bill failed to make it through its referred committee. This bill would have allowed cities and counties to authorize Side-by-Side operation by vote. While this bill is a good start, I would like to see a bill that gives the ability to register their vehicle to those owners who meet specific safety requirements to operate on all but limited access highways.
Creating legislation that defines the vehicles and requires specific safety equipment would add another layer of control on the safety of these vehicles. Due to their popularity, these vehicles also present a potential additional revenue stream for the State.
A number of other states including; Montana, Utah, Arizona, Indiana, Michigan and Minnesota provide for on-road use of these vehicles and I have included attachments from some of these states for your consideration.

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Sleep safe in your beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do you harm.

They passed an ordinance in Weatherford, Oklahoma where you can drive any sideXside on the streets and all you have to have is a slow moving vehicle sign.(don't need it,there not all that slow)

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2009 KFX450R: Nmotion pipe, PCIII
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(both)(SOLD) 2005 SRT-10 reg cab

I know it's not in the US, but you could also point out that pretty much any side by sides or quad is road legal thoughout Europe providing they meet similar stafety standards and so the vast majority of side by side manufacturers already produce said equipment (we even have RZRs with Cats here !!!).

OH, but PS. Don't include the Smart, they're considerably faster than any standard SxS and so could easily be said to be sufficiently different. But the elctric cars, now there's a slow moving thing.

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something else you might watch out for if including the smarts and electrics is their ability to survive a crash. which sxs's dont have (airbags and such)
also in your letter i would give more reasons for them to pass this e.g.
with the rising prices of fuel driving 3 blocks to the grocerystore in a vehicle seems silly (you will definately want to word this differently)
also another state that allows sxs registration is new mexico
but.. i'm in texas and i would sure back you up as much as i can on this..

You've probably thought of this, but have you contacted the various SxS dealers? Or even the importers manufacturers. I'd have thought it'd be in their interest to have them street-legal, because a) more people will see them being driven and that's great publicity and b) they'll probably sell more.

And if you can get as many texans as possible to send in letters (real things on paper, not emails) that's always a great way to lobby. People seem to think petitions work but really anyone signs a petition it's easier than saying "no thanks". And even if you've collected a few hundred signatures it still only takes up a few pages of letter paper and fits in one envelope. Much harder to ignore 100 letters falling on yout desk.

Maybe someone should contact the two presidential candidates?

A couple months ago i checked with my local BMV in Indiana. The lady had to call up to Indianapolis to check. Here are the requirements.

1. Must go over 50 or 55 I think she said (either way we are good there)
2. Must have brake lights and head lights. (We already have them)
3. Must have turn signals.
4. Must have mirrors
5. Must have at least 1/2 windshield.
6. Here is the bumer. NEEDS DOT approved tires. Not worth it. Although you may be able to have it inspected with DOT and then get your plates and go back to your tires. But why would you want to run you sweet offroad tires on the road anyways?
7. Must have a horn.
8. Almost forgot, seat belts. But those we already have.

I decided not to go ahead and do it. Didn't want to buy the turn signals or the tires. I trailer it everywhere anyways and i bought it to drive offroad. Besides it doesn't get anything close to good gas mileage. I am just going to get the county sticker that lets me drive on county roads as is. That way i can at least still go into town or to a buddies down the street.

Hope that helps. As for the width and length the RZR would be given a license plate from a car not a motorcyle like i thought. Not to sure how long the rules will stay like this but for now i know for a fact you can get plates in Indiana.

~Travis

Huh...I actually thought that Indiana wouldn't allow this vehicle to be "street legal" because the Mfg. sticker states that it is an ORV and not intended for road use. I think I need to have my people (BMV) talk to your people (BMV)!!!

Have them call the main Indy branch

Keep the comments coming folks......taking notes....as I have discussed this with some of the legislators, I have found that it died, not because of opposition to the bill, but because of a bigger issue that kept several bills from moving forward. In our case it was an education funding fight that left a lot of supported bills in committee.

Hey txwpd what exactly are you doing to try to get this going? I will be more than happy to help out by doing the same in the Tyler area. If you can point me in the right direction I will gladly do all I can!
Thanks,
Daniel

Rather than have the DMV treat it as a car I'd like to see the definitions changed so a SxS is considered a motorcycle. Not literally, but in regards to the mandated safety equipment. Why should a Rzr have all the weight and expense of all these safety items when a crummy little scooter doesn't?

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Now a 2-Rzr household.
Romeo, MI
http://tinyurl.com/8ltm8
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Hey Guys I'm all for this, and I'm in Oklahoma even. If you can get it done then maybe we can catch up sometime this century. Oklahoma passed legislation recently purposely to prohibit anything under 60 inches wide from being legal, and a motor scooter is how wide? Go figure. Lawmakers for the most part seem a bit weird and insensitive to taxpayers wants and needs. I want to be legal to get from point A to point B without having to tear down camp and load up and haul to trailhead or do the pasture routine to get to the camp store. Our states bemoan the state of the coffers and are seemingly turning a deaf ear and blind eye to a mini goldmine in tagging our vehicles. I recently had my registration changed on my RZR from OHV to UT so that when and if things progress to the point of legalizing for even limited street use I can tag more easily. Now if I could just get them to put an S in front of that I'd be legal now!! Ha! ha. Have all the stuff, lights (DUAL beam now), turn signals (that was the easy stuff), horn, windshield, roof, doors, windshield wiper (manual marine type), Jeep type cargo bed enclosure I made, add infinum. I would definately change tires since sizing up is in the future anyway. Saw some on a RZR on net somewhere, looked good but not mudders. We use our RZR on the farm, hunting, yard work, and touring National Forests in Colorado in summer. It does everything Jeeps, tractors, and yes even those dumb Golf Carts, do. If we're too fast (OKs excuse) just install a removable governor for on road and remove for off road use. How much safer is a vehicle on 2 wheels that can go 120 mph vs a vehicle on 4 wheels going the posted county or city speeds of 15 to 45 mph? Makes no sense. If there's a God up there show us the way!!!!!

Has anyone tired to do this in IL ?

They let these electric cars, basiclly a golf cart, run on the streets and these things are death traps. The SXS are safer than that. What's the deal??

I've been talking to a couple of reps who told me that the original bill passed unanimously from the house, but it died in the senate with no opposition. They seem to think that it may get picked back up and passed in the next session. I never could get with the author of the bill as they wouldn't discuss it since I don't live in his district. I agree the best way to go would be motorcycle, but Texas law is prettycranky once you get past 3 wheels being able to be a motorcycle. I am still taking notes on what folks are saying and as we get closer to a legislative session will draft a letter that folks can send to their Reps and Senators here in Texas