CA Trailer hitch laws?

[No Butt No Putt]

Is there a law in CA about leaving your hitch in if your not towing?

The guy next door backed into the street parking spot and backed into my girlfriends truck. Hes being a dick about paying for the damages because he said we were parked in front of his house. Guess what public parking is public parking. So his trailer hitch bent and pushed in the bumper a little bit. Is there a law about hitches being in when not in use?

 

[riverroyal]

unless it sticks out over 3ft I think,then it needs a red flag.Its the same as a load in the back of a truck

 

[angiebaby]

Just call the insurance company. Let them sort it out. They will. He backed into your vehicle, it wouldn't matter if you were parked behind him in his driveway, he is still at fault.

 

[angiebaby]

unless it sticks out over 3ft I think,then it needs a red flag.Its the same as a load in the back of a truck

Yes, pretty sure you must remove your ball if it's not part of the bumper (receiver hitch). No one does it, but pretty sure it's in the books.

edit: I searched and couldn't find it, so I could be wrong.

 

[No Butt No Putt]

The guy was trying to be a dick to my girl. First he said he didnt hit her car when she has a pic of it. Then he tried to say it was her fault for parking in front of his house. Either way he hit her and caused damage from his heavy duty commercial trailer hitch.

 

[lebel409]

I believe the laws says you must remove a hitch unless you are towing if it extends past you bumper...however my wife had called me twice thanking me for leaving it in after some yahoo rearended her.

He's moving, she's parked...it's on him.

 

[MMD]

One problem is he could say she drove into him, right?

 

[OCMerrill]

If your car was stationary there is no argument. Doesn't matter even if it was parked in the red or wherever. You hit a stationary object it's on you.

So tell this guy to fix it our your going to turn it into insurance and let them get the money from him. Like Angie said...they indeed will.

 

[PolarBearKing]

if it's legal or not, but it's prudent to remove it.

Kick that mofo just once when walking around your rig and you'll agree.

 

[No Butt No Putt]

The guy was a dick to my girl this morning, so I went over there at lunch to talk to him and his secretary said he didn't hit the car. So I told them either we can get the cops or the insurance involved or he can pay for the estimate I get. So we will see what they say after I hand them the estimate.

Not to mention if he really wants to be a dick, he's running a business out of a house. He only rents this house to be his office for his construction business. Hey city hall, check this guy out. I don't play fair if this is how he wants to run it.

 

[Nord]

Tell him you need his insurance info and call it a day. Doesn't matter if you were parked in front of his house or not. Keep it cool and calm. The insurance company will take care of it. Have her call her insurance company and they might even be able to take care of everything for you with some simple info. If he doesn't give you the info, call the police dept. Nice neighbors btw..........

 

[No Butt No Putt]

Tell him you need his insurance info and call it a day. Doesn't matter if you were parked in front of his house or not. Keep it cool and calm. The insurance company will take care of it. Have her call her insurance company and they might even be able to take care of everything for you with some simple info. If he doesn't give you the info, call the police dept. Nice neighbors btw..........

Im being cool, I made it easy for him, Insurance info, cops, or pay for the estimate. They chose the estimate. Now we will wait to see if they pay. Getting an estimate tomorrow.

 

[OCMerrill]

Not to mention if he really wants to be a dick, he's running a business out of a house. He only rents this house to be his office for his construction business. Hey city hall, check this guy out. I don't play fair if this is how he wants to run it.

What does this have to do with anything? You cant run a business out of your house?

 

[RitcheyRch]

Exactly. Guesssing the guy being a dick because he knows he is in the wrong.

If your car was stationary there is no argument. Doesn't matter even if it was parked in the red or wherever. You hit a stationary object it's on you.

So tell this guy to fix it our your going to turn it into insurance and let them get the money from him. Like Angie said...they indeed will.

 

[No Butt No Putt]

What does this have to do with anything? You cant run a business out of your house?

You can if you live in the house. But you can not run a business only out of a house in San Clemente. R1 and C1. Not the same.

 

[OCMerrill]

You can if you live in the house. But you can not run a business only out of a house in San Clemente. R1 and C1. Not the same.

OK, only out of the house, Nobody living there....got it.

 

[No Butt No Putt]

OK, only out of the house, Nobody living there....got it.

A simple Im sorry and taking care of the car would resolve it. But he wants to bitch because we park in front of our house which is also in front of his office. But its a public street in a residential area so, he really has no ground to stand on. Which is why I asked about the laws for trailer hitches.

 

[Mr Wicked]

A simple Im sorry and taking care of the car would resolve it. But he wants to bitch because we park in front of our house which is also in front of his office. But its a public street in a residential area so, he really has no ground to stand on. Which is why I asked about the laws for trailer hitches.

SO YOU WERE Parked across the street from his driveway???? or were you blocking his driveway????

has anybody found the law about the hitch yet????

 

[No Butt No Putt]

SO YOU WERE Parked across the street from his driveway???? or were you blocking his driveway????

has anybody found the law about the hitch yet????

I was parked in front of my house which is also in front of his house. We share the street parking in front of our houses. Not blocking anyone driveway. There is enough room for 2 small cars there. Not his F-350 4 door longbed and my girls exploder.

 

[Nord]

Im being cool, I made it easy for him, Insurance info, cops, or pay for the estimate. They chose the estimate. Now we will wait to see if they pay. Getting an estimate tomorrow.

You have to pay for an estimate?? I've never heard of that???

 

[OCMerrill]

You have to pay for an estimate?? I've never heard of that???

I think he means pay the estimate.

 

[No Butt No Putt]

I think he means pay the estimate.

You are correct sir.

 

[Sawtooth]

I got lit up by a L.A. Sheriff just for having my 2" hitch/ball mounted to the factory bumper on my Cheby 1/2 ton and not towing at the time, "it is sort of blocking one of the numbers on your plate". I told him you got to be kidding me right and he says " if your not towing than you need to remove it and keep it in the truck", thanks for the ticket :bang:. But this was for a bumper mounted ball and not a slide in.

 

[RitcheyRch]

I've always wondered about that and if it was a ticket-able offense.

I got lit up by a L.A. Sheriff just for having my 2" hitch/ball mounted to the factory bumper on my Cheby 1/2 ton and not towing at the time, "it is sort of blocking one of the numbers on your plate". I told him you got to be kidding me right and he says " if your not towing than you need to remove it and keep it in the truck", thanks for the ticket :bang:. But this was for a bumper mounted ball and not a slide in.

 

[Ultra28]

It's only illegal if it's blocking the license plate.

 

[satellitemike]

ultra 29 is correct, it is only illegal if it is obstructing the view of the plate. If it is not it is legal to have it in while not in use.

 

[Deleted Account]

I read somewhere the Auto Club was trying to sponsor a bill to have all the slide in hitches pulled unless you were towing, because so many of there customers rear ended them. It didn't pass...

I've had mine hit from behind a couple times. Bummer for them...:thumbsup

 

[BajaMike]

I read somewhere the Auto Club was trying to sponsor a bill to have all the slide in hitches pulled unless you were towing, because so many of there customers rear ended them. It didn't pass...

I've had mine hit from behind a couple times. Bummer for them...:thumbsup

Right---it protects your truck!

 

[Ultra28]

I read somewhere the Auto Club was trying to sponsor a bill to have all the slide in hitches pulled unless you were towing, because so many of there customers rear ended them. It didn't pass...

I've had mine hit from behind a couple times. Bummer for them...:thumbsup

Yep, I always have my hitch in. I've had people hit it several times, usually messes up their front end a bit, but never a scratch on my truck.

 

[Deleted Account]

Yep, I always have my hitch in. I've had people hit it several times, usually messes up their front end a bit, but never a scratch on my truck.

Yep all those new painted bumper or almost no bumper front ends... The hood takes some damage off a 4 BY, LOL...:thumbsup

 

[RitcheyRch]

Same here. Actually had some little car get stuck on it.

Yep, I always have my hitch in. I've had people hit it several times, usually messes up their front end a bit, but never a scratch on my truck.

 

[plaster dave]

Yep, I always have my hitch in. I've had people hit it several times, usually messes up their front end a bit, but never a scratch on my truck.

X2 I never take mine out.:thumbsup

 

[spectras only]

Had it in my 64 Linc on nights out fending blind people off parking front and behind , but really didn't need it with that bulletproof bumper

The Linc Navigator with its cheesy plastic bumper needs it 24/7

Oooops , didn't have it in here :bash:

 

[desertbird]

I got lit up by a L.A. Sheriff just for having my 2" hitch/ball mounted to the factory bumper on my Cheby 1/2 ton and not towing at the time, "it is sort of blocking one of the numbers on your plate". I told him you got to be kidding me right and he says " if your not towing than you need to remove it and keep it in the truck", thanks for the ticket :bang:. But this was for a bumper mounted ball and not a slide in.

Got the exact same infraction while pulling out of an Offspring concert about 15 years ago. Just a warning about the plate being blocked. I think they were just sniffing around for DUI as we all left the concert.

 

[Bigbore500r]

BUMP for recent interest.....

 

[CobraDave]

Not a law about hitches that I’m aware of. I would make an attempt to figure out the guys name and insurance info. Then let the insurance companies figure it out. If he is lying about hitting the car file a hit and run report. Don’t mess around with doing him a solid and not reporting anything. It’s obvious he can’t make adult decisions and be responsible.


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[Activated]

 

[WhatExit?]

Just back into him with your hitch and tell him what he's telling you.

Or you could shoot him with a super soaker and tell him, "hey, it's only water"

 

[Hypnautic]

Insurance works slow, but I’m sure the car has been fixed and and sold now.

 

[LuauLounge]

I’d forgotten about this thread, 2FF has built 10 houses and flipped 90 RV’s since this happened.

 

[CoolCruzin]

Screw it
Mine is in and it still has grease on it .lol

 

[CLdrinker]

Don’t matter what he hit her with.

He is at fault no matter what. The hitch is completely ill relevant

 

[boatpi]

No law for a hitch but it’s just like an extended load and as previously mentioned I believe it’s 3 feet.

 

[2Driver]

Maybe I'll be wrong but, I'd be surprised if its not a stall tactic or worse case he's going to argue over the estimate saying its way too high.

I cant see a new cover with paint being less than $1500

I hate blatant liars and think he's doing construction for people. Bet its fine work.

 

[Yellowboat]

No law for a hitch but it’s just like an extended load and as previously mentioned I believe it’s 3 feet.

0-48" in ca no flag 48.1-96 flag any thing over that = ticket

 

[BajaMike]

Can’t find anything in the law about leave your ball in the hitch receiver........here, read it your self.

https://law.justia.com/codes/california/2010/veh/29000-29009.html

 

[Ziggy]

View attachment 783649

LOL, an almost 9 year old thread still giving advice to OP
NO WAY!!!! LOL

 

[Wavemaker]

Tell him you need his insurance info and call it a day. Doesn't matter if you were parked in front of his house or not. Keep it cool and calm. The insurance company will take care of it. Have her call her insurance company and they might even be able to take care of everything for you with some simple info. If he doesn't give you the info, call the police dept. Nice neighbors btw..........

The street is not private property, is either a city road or a county road. The guy is just being a jerk. Go through your insurance and they will deal with guy that struck her vehicle.

 

[Shrub Lurker]

actually take height measurement pics of said ball mount and dent and overall images of both vehicles along with license plate of offending vehicle and then call the insurance company .