Receiver Hitch Law

My only guess would be that he was stopped for an obstructed plate. Not sure what else it would be.
DT

If my hitch blocks the plate and is a violation, then what is my boat when I’m towing it? You surely cannot see the plate with my boat behind me!!!

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If my hitch blocks the plate and is a violation, then what is my boat when I’m towing it? You surely cannot see the plate with my boat behind me!!!

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There is no law against towing a boat.

Thanks DT for getting the right answer out there!

-J.

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Wasnt there also some talk a while ago to out law truck nuts hanging off the back of the truck?

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They must be human and from Wi.

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I have read/heard that there is a law on the MN books about having your hitch and ball in the reciever.
I can see where there is issues: no rear crumple zone so you get a bigger impact, the car that rear-ends you also ends up with much more damage as the hitch goes right into their radiator. Please don’t ask how I know, TWICE.
Yet, I still leave mine in….

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This is no joke. I was rear-ended a month ago at about 40 MPH. The vehicle behind me (a crossover of some sort) was totaled. Most of their impact was absorbed by my receiver. Eventually their car slid up over the receiver. My damage compared to theirs was next to nothing.

Thats only because Minnesota wives make their husbands leave their balls at home whenever they leave the house.

OUCH!

I had stopped ridiculing Wisconsinites. Might be time to start up again…

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I had stopped ridiculing Wisconsinites. Might be time to start up again…

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We enjoy the ridicule in between eating cheese curds.
We also know we have the more desirable state since one only need be on the roads on a Friday to see all of the minnesota folks heading up to their little bit of paradise in our great state. Certainly can’t blame you for wanting to escape “the land where nothing is allowed.”

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I had stopped ridiculing Wisconsinites. Might be time to start up again…

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We enjoy the ridicule in between eating cheese curds.
We also know we have the more desirable state since one only need be on the roads on a Friday to see all of the minnesota folks heading up to their little bit of paradise in our great state. Certainly can’t blame you for wanting to escape “the land where nothing is allowed.”

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I cant argue the truth. At least Im a weekend cheese curd. I cant talk the wife into the operation so I am stuck in MN.

I leave my hitch in…

…and I don’t even have anything to tow. Maybe I should take it out. Maybe it is a law to protect me from me. That thing does not feel good impacting the shin.

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I leave my hitch in…

…and I don’t even have anything to tow. Maybe I should take it out. Maybe it is a law to protect me from me. That thing does not feel good impacting the shin.

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I think you are probably right. My hitch has never been hit by another car but it has inflicted pain on my shins many times.

The Volkswagon-driving asshat that was texting and drove into the back of my truck at a stoplight in Minneapolis found out the hard way why I leave my hitch in.

Damaged to my vehicle: He scuffed up the hitch pretty bad and totally wrecked the Fleet Farm “Man’s Mall” plastic cover that was on the ball.

Damage to his vehicle: My hitch went all the way through his radiator. Oh dear. It’s going to take more than duct tape to fix that one.

On the plus side, a hitch punching a 4 inch hole through a hot radiator makes for an impressive fireworks show. Lots of steam and smoke. Very impressive.

I now call the 2″ hitch “The Impaler”.

Grouse

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If my hitch blocks the plate and is a violation, then what is my boat when I’m towing it? You surely cannot see the plate with my boat behind me!!!

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I was thinking that as well but then figured it had to do with LEO vehicle identification which a trailer plate probably solves given that it too is presumeably registered in the owner’s name.

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I now call the 2″ hitch “The Impaler”.

Grouse

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Maybe we should all post photo of our “IMPALER’s” and the damage the Inflict on the “ASSHAT’s” the run into them

If I actually thought my insurance premiums would go down with said law in place, I would be all for it….. not that like would happen. I leave mine in ALWAYS…

Vlad the Impaler approves this thread.

I am guessing an impaired license plate. Or the reciepant of the ticket had his receiver upside down, so instead of a drop hitch they may have a raised hitch with ball could cause a violation of license plate obstruction.

this photo should give you an idea of what I am talking about

I have mixed feelings about leaving receivers in. Working at a collision shop I see what can happen to the frames of trucks when they get hit by something harder than the plastic and radiator center of cars. The receiver sticking out of the hitch acts like a lever and bending the frame where the hitch bolts to the frame, causing more damage than if it was not in.

I talked to my buddy last night and he assures me his ticket clearly says “cracked windshield and receiver hitch.” He said the cop didn’t notice the windshield until he walked up to the truck. There was no fine written on the ticket either, but instructions to get it fixed. He said he is going to call the number on the ticket today and let me know what he hears back. The hitch on a Tahoe is a few inches below the plate and he has the hitch in properly, so there is no way it would obstruct the plate. Could it be possible this is a City of St. Paul ordinance?

If it is a city ordinance then is should state the ordinance or statue number on the warning.

hank you for contacting Driver and Vehicle Services,

Your question more pertains to State Patrol, you may contact them at: 651-201-7100 or visit their website to contact someone in your district at https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/msp/contact/pages/district-index.aspx

You may also search the Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes at http://www.revisor.mn.gov to try to find your answer.

In briefly looking around on their website, I found the following information that may or may not be useful pertaining to your inquiry:

7425.6000 TRAILER, SEMITRAILER TOWING DEVICES; INCORPORATIONS BY REFERENCE.
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Subpart 1.
Federally regulated towing devices.
Federally regulated towing devices must comply with the requirements in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, section 393.70 or 393.71 (1983) which are both incorporated by reference, as applicable according to the towing method.
§
Subp. 2.
Nonfederally regulated towing devices.
Nonfederally regulated towing devices must comply with the performance, identification, and installation requirements of the regulations in item A, B, or C which are all incorporated by reference, as applicable according to the vehicle type and weight and the towing method.
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A.
Hitches and couplings for trailers and semitrailers with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less must comply with the requirements in VESC regulation V-5, “Minimum Requirements for Motor Vehicle Connecting Devices and Towing Methods,” revised July 1977, Vehicle Equipment Safety Commission (Washington, D.C., 1977), which is hereby incorporated by reference. VESC regulation V-5 is available through the Minitex interlibrary loan system. It is not subject to frequent change.
§
B.
Towbars and fifth wheel connecting devices for semitrailers with a gross vehicle weight rating of 30,000 pounds or less and towbar connections not covered by VESC regulation V-5 must comply with the requirement in VESC regulation VESC-19, “Performance Requirements for Fifth Wheel Vehicle Connecting Devices and Towing Methods,” approved July 1980 by the VESC-19 Committee, Vehicle Equipment Safety Commission (Alexandria, VA, 1980), which is hereby incorporated by reference. VESC regulation VESC-19 is available through the Minitex interlibrary loan system. It is not subject to frequent change.
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C.
Towing devices not covered by VESC regulation VESC-19 or V-5 must comply with the requirements in Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, section 393.70 or 393.71 (1983), incorporated by reference in subpart 1.
§
Subp. 3.
Towing devices.
Towing devices are not required to be registered or certified. Devices that comply with subpart 1 or 2 are approved by the commissioner. No other towing devices are approved.

Sincerely,
Valerie #21

That looks like its talking more about weigth requirements for certain level hitches.
DT

I assure you there is NO MN State Law that bans a non commercial or school bus from leaving your trailer hitch in. I suppose it is possible that a city could have an ordinance that prohibits it though.

I wanted to get to the bottom of this. I saw the citation and it lists a cracked windshield and receiver hitch. The statute listed is 169.46. I googled that statute and here is what I found:
No person shall hitch a toboggan, hand sled, bicycle, or other similar device onto any motor vehicle or streetcar while being used on a highway.

He wasn’t happy after we looked this up because having a receiver hitch in has nothing to do with this statute. He has an appointment set up to show them everything is fixed and then they waive the fine. I would like to see him challenge the ticket, but it isn’t worth the time.