Roll Pans.

[85ChevyJRF]

I have a 01 s10 that I use as my daily driver. Its slammed on 17's with a shaved tail gate handle and the roll pan is welded in. Well me and my buddies were sittin around tonight and a state trooper pulls in to check i.d's and stuff and he looks at my truck and thretens to tow it because of the roll pan. We'll does anyone know the law in TN about roll pans because I see no problem with it? I need help guys because this is my everyday driver and he thretened to tow it if he see's it out again

[VileZambonie]

What's wrong with your roll pan? I would have asked him to please see the law requirements for rear bumpers. Most cops don't know the law from their butts. Hardly sounds like a towable offense.

[69byrd]

I live in Tn and years ago I had a state trooper threaten me over the roll pan thing also. I went to court over it and the judge told me to reenforce it and it would be ok. So I put one of those hidden hitches behind it and never had any problems again. Years later I built another truck with a roll pan and didnt put anything behind it and never got pulled over, I also drove with out of date tags for 3 months before I sold it and still no problems but I was older. I sold it to a younger boy and he was pulled over in less than a week, so I think age has alot to do with it.

[Lt.Del]

Most cops don't know the law from their butts.

Ouch!

If we were lawyers, we wouldn't be cops, right?  There is only so much an academy will teach (6 months versus 2 years of law school--and most of what they teach isn' the law, but cultural diversity and such)

You know, if a summons is written, and the case is dismissed in court, the supervisors see this.  After a few nonsense summonses and court cases, not only does the supervisor get angry at the cop, the judge starts to throw everything the cop writes up out of court for wasting his time--so it is not like there is no checks and balances.  There must be something behind what the cop said, unfortunately I don't live in TN and cannot elaborate, But, Vile is right about the citing of state code---that's all you need to ask, of course, it will be written on the summons if it comes to that.   

Here's what you do, google Tennessee state code.  then search for roll pan.  Print out the code and keep it in your glove box.  If it details the strength of it or something, have digital pics of the welds.  You're set. 

title 55 of TN State Code....
http://www.michie.com/tennessee/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&cp=tncode


Just a quick search I found this....so it seems the real issue is energy absorption.

55-9-215. Operation of motor vehicle without adequate energy absorption system prohibited — Alteration of altitude from ground level of passenger car prohibited — Modification of front end by lift blocks prohibited — Modification of steering mechanism prohibited — Exceptions — Enforcement — Penalties. —
 
 
 

 
   
 
 (a)  No person shall operate a motor vehicle on any road, street or highway unless the vehicle is equipped with a bumper or other energy absorption system with an analogous function.
 
 
 
   
 
 (b)  (1)  No person shall operate a passenger vehicle, except a four-wheel drive recreational vehicle, of a type required to be registered under the laws of this state upon a public highway or street modified by reason of alteration of its altitude from the ground if its bumpers, measured to any point on a load-bearing member on the horizontal bumper bar, are more than twenty-two inches (22²) above the ground, except that no vehicle shall be modified to cause the vehicle body or chassis to come in contact with the ground or expose the fuel tank to damage from collision or cause the wheels to come in contact with the body under normal operation, and that no part of the original suspension system be disconnected to defeat the safe operation of the suspension system; provided, that nothing contained in this section shall prevent the installation of heavy duty equipment to include shock absorbers and overload springs; and provided further, that nothing contained in this section shall prevent a person from operating a motor vehicle on a public highway with normal wear of the suspension system if normal wear does not affect the control of the vehicle.
 

I am going to assume a sheet of fiberglass DOES NOT constitute energy absorption during an impact.   And if it is "slammed on 17's" that does also constitute a violation of altitude from ground level.

Don't get mad at the cops---get mad at your state legislature.  Turning this thing around a little, you'd think the state legislature would have other better things to consider.  Apparenlty the cop was't a B.A. or he would've cited you.

[VileZambonie]

A few weeks ago my buddies sister was getting threatened by her b/f. Her name is on the lease and he was staying in her apartment but she told him to leave and he refused. So me and about 8 other guys went over there and told him to get out and gathered his belongings and put them in the basement. When the cops showed up they said, well if he stayed here 3 days in a row he technically lives here so you'd have to go to the family court and evict him. Then another cop told us if he threatened her she has to file a complaint and a restraining order to make him leave. Then another cop said if he threatened you and he's not on the lease he needs to go. I don't see how they can enforce laws when they don't even know them. Not all cops are ding dongs just too many of them. busting your chops over a roll pan is ridiculous. I'd like to see the law that says you cannot have a rear rolled pan.

[Lt.Del]

I see the frustration, but, I know in VA, if someone can say they "live" at a place, and that is the person's only residence, then yes, an eviction procedure must be conducted--no matter what the lease says.  That is a pain in the butt for landlords, but, it is the law.

Be careful, because if 8 people come in to the residence and the person feels threatened in any way, he can call the police and a judge will side with the resident because of the number of people will be seen as a threat in the law. An illegal eviction is grounds for financial punitive damages and possible prosecution...be careful with that.

[80stepsideguy]

I hate to say it but the age thing MAY have something to do with it as they see a hotrod truck with the lowered suspension.I got a 2001 dodge ram 4x4 sport that has a rollpan on the back and never got my chops busted.I could be a cop looking to just scare you a bit.IF he pulls you over again ask for another police officer to arrive and talk to that 1 instead of the 1 thats harassing you. Explain to him or better yet tell him you like to have the 2nd police officer to follow you to the police station and be polite and ask him to show in the law book where it says anything about rollpans. Remember be polite tha drives them nuts if you backtalk to them thats not a good thing to do on your part.I had a problem a long time ago with a cop my mother knew in high school that use to bust my chops and gave me a speeding ticket cause i was going 5 over and when i was comming to a stop to turn into a plat he pulled me over.Then when my car caught on fire in my garage he was the 1st 1 to arrive before the fire department arrived and looked at me and laughed at me.I was ready to  tell him off so i kept my cool and just said nothing.

thanks
pat

[VileZambonie]

No person shall operate a motor vehicle on any road, street or highway unless the vehicle is equipped with a bumper or other energy absorption system with an analogous function.

You could easily argue this point. The roll pan will absorb energy in an impact. Will it absorb as much of the energy as a bumper? Obviously not however it's there and if impacted will absorb energy.

To tow the vehicle from you for this I would file a lawsuit and a harrassment suit against the cop. Any decent judge would not consider this a towable ofense and would clearly see the cop is bullying you. Handing you a small ticket or warning is what he should do.

Does TN consider a motorcycle a motor vehicle? If so do you guys have bumpers on them too? lol 

[choptop]

Ive been stopped because one of the two liscense plates light were out. It was a resonable stop, but not the reason he stopped me. I had an 01 Crewcab swb 3/4 ton with dark windows in the back. I think he wanted to see who was with me, and check for alcohol. I didnt care.
  Oldyeller got stopped in her 01 Showtruck for supposedly making a rolling stop. The intersection she was at, you actually have to stop in two different areas to check traffic both ways. She waited for a truck to go by that was a long way infront of the trooper, and then proceeded. When he caught up to her, he pulled her over for a rolling stop. I told her we'd just pay the fine and go on since she doesnt do to well in public with people. She told me she was not going to pay a fine and we went to court.
  The trooper didnt show, so they threw it out, but the judge noticed she had a folder and wanted to see what she had. She had pics of the intersectection from both stopping places, and pics of her truck.
The judge asked her why she thought the tooper stopped her, and she said she felt it was because her truck was decked out resembling the local dealers and hoodlums. She stated we have worked hard for many years to get that truck into the shape its in, and the trooper just wanted to see if he could find something. The judge was impressed with her documentation, and even the DA admitted he would have thrown it out anyway. Its not that the trooper was trying to be a jerk, he just didnt see what he thought he would. Its understandable to be curious, but he should have admitted fault. If he'd just given a warning, we wouldnt have gone to court over it. I have vast respect for most of our officers, but some ( especially the Highway patrol, are morons. Here's her truck for those who havent seen it.

[fitz]

 85 Chevy, you have allot of us scratching our heads on this one.
 80'sstepside guy mentioned a rollpan on his 01' Ram. I had a 97' Ram I bought new and I bought the "Mopar" roll pan for it from the dealer. It didn't come with a disclaimer saying it was illegal in TN.
 Is your license plate in the stock location with a light over it? I see allot of lowered trucks with rollpans and the license plate relocated to the front of the bed, just in front of the cab rear window. I've seen others with smoothed tailgates with the plate mounted at a 45% angle. Both on these are Illegal in Mass (not sure about TN).
  Another thing to look into is to see if your truck even came with a rear bumper from the factory. Every state is different of course but back in the late 80's to early 90's lots of mini trucks were sold brand new in Mass without a rear bumper. It was a cost savings idea used on the base model trucks.

[69byrd]

Fitz the license plate at a 45 angle is illegal in TN also. But on the last truck I built it had a roll pan and the license plate at a 45 in the tailgate and I never got pulled over. Like choptop said I worked my butt off to get it in the shape it was in and I was in my late 20s so I wasn't out hot dogging and showing out ever time I drove it. So like I stated before I think age has alot to do with it. Anyway here is a couple pics of the truck.

[Lt.Del]

Reading a little further in that cited code, the minimum fine is $250----that's a little steep for a first time offense, 2nd offense is surrendering the registration and OL for 1 yr. Wow! 
If you B&E or armed robbery, the penalty wouldn't be that much.

What's so ironic is, as Fitz stated, I remember when a bumper was "optional" equipment as well. Perhaps due to increased insurance claims because of so much damage in rear end collisions, that may be when the states started enacting these "absorption" laws.  An easy fix to silence all the police and judges would be to weld a bar onto the frame running right behind the cosmetic roll pan, thus eliminating a lot of damage in collisions which is I suppose why the law was passed.  Then, after an explanation to the police if it comes to that, he'll see the reinforcement and "energy absorption".   end of case.
 

[85ChevyJRF]

I bought a piece of steel today to weld for support and thanks guys for the help and for 19 I keep my cool and don't go out here and act stupid because I have learned before hand that it gets you trouble so I quickly got out of my old ways. Here are some pictures of the truck. and Byrd I really like your s10 you had

[85ChevyJRF]

I will make sure that when I weld some steel in behind it that I take plenty of pictures of it and that it will be stronger than a stock bumper

[fitz]

Do you have a license plate light on it?