Mr. Smith Goes to Annapolis

[Ajax]

So...

The Maryland State Police (which runs the Automotive Safety Enforcement Division, hereafter refered to as the ASED) had issued a "bulletin" back in 1/2019 that attempts to ban all surplus military vehicles from Maryland public roads. Directly, it prohibits any Vehicle Safety Inspection from performing inspections on said vehicles for the purpose of obtaining registration and tags. Indirectly, it erronesouly states that ALL surplus military vehicles are unsafe, do not comply with the FMVSS nor Federal emissions regulations and other incorrect information.

This bulletin was (suppossedly) issued to all Vehicle Safety Inspection stations but seems to be rarely enforced. It also establishes a "beachhead" for future legislation to ban anything with a green paint job from the roads.

A House Delegate has sponsored a bill (HB-1148) which clarifies the description of "surplus military vehicle" and creates a registration category for these vehicles. He created this bill without knowing of the ASED bulletin. His main impetus for the bill was to legalize surplus HMMWVs on Maryland roads for military hobbyists and off-roaders. Yesterday, I met with the Delegate and showed him the bulletin. He was surprised and very irritated that the state police had issued this bulletin and it has given him an increased sense of urgency to get the bill passed.

Yesterday, I also testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee on the bill, answered some questions and urged them to give the bill a positive report.

As an un-washed, barely educated, Navy enlisted man I can tell you that this was one of the most nerve-wracking things I've ever done. No other Maryland hobbyists seemed willing to take up the issue so I kind of got drawn into it.

[Slick470]

Good for you Rich. Seems like overreach on the part of the state police.

[Audrey]

I'll second that. A few hobbyist vehicles are the least of the MD state po-po's problems. All too often they go after the easy legislation/enforcement instead of that which would actually make a difference.

[Ajax]

Basically, the MSP doesn't want to be bothered with having to differentiate. It's just easier for them to blanket ban anything green. So damned lazy and it just burns my ass.

If the MSP had their way, we'd all be driving 2018 Toyta Camrys. This state wants to legislate how I chew my damned food.

[Slick470]

I'd much rather them make sure people have working tail lights. Seems like a better use of their time and energy.

[Chris Chesley]

Thank you for taking your time and speaking up!

I'm never going to be affected by that little rule, but there are rules that will affect me in the future. How did you happen to get the 'opportunity' to advocate on this issue? Was there a comment period? Did someone in government ask you? Did you just 'happen' to know about it?

[LarryHoward]

I'd much rather them make sure people have working tail lights. Seems like a better use of their time and energy.

Seems my wife or daughter can't have a tail light bulb fail without getting pulled over but I followed a pickup truck out of my neighborhood yesterday with the right rear tail light broken out and significant rust on the crumpled corner that used to hold it. Obviously been that way for a couple of years or more.

[H B]

As an un-washed, barely educated, Navy enlisted man I can tell you that this was one of the most nerve-wracking things I've ever done. No other Maryland hobbyists seemed willing to take up the issue so I kind of got drawn into it.

This is why the average American won't participate in the political system..the politicians have made it too nerve wracking. It is just easier to generally stick your head in the sand and let them take taxes out for their paychecks.

I'd much rather them make sure people have working tail lights. Seems like a better use of their time and energy.

Exactly...and then when you or I smash into the back of them because they have no brake lights, it is your fault. "They worked last time I checked!!"..which was when, exactly???.
I actually check for the reflection in shiny grills and stuff to make sure all my shit works since my old '07 CIvic does not have any dash alerts for that sort of thing. I also recently just changed everything out to LEDs using the OEM fixtures, so I had a few extra hoops to jump thru on all that stuff to make sure they all worked correctly. An old stanchion off the boat was just the correct length to jam in between the seat back and brake pedal to activate the brake lights in the driveway.

[Ajax]

Thank you for taking your time and speaking up!

I'm never going to be affected by that little rule, but there are rules that will affect me in the future. How did you happen to get the 'opportunity' to advocate on this issue? Was there a comment period? Did someone in government ask you? Did you just 'happen' to know about it?

On a surplus mil vehicle forum, someone pointed me at the ASED bulletin, telling me that I'd never get my HMMWV on the road. I started contacting my state reps trying to get the bulletin rescinded. That was when I found out that some legislation had been drafted with input from SEMA (you'll have to Google that). I read the bill and I contacted the bill's sponsors, warning them of some unintended consequences in their bill.

The primary sponsor asked if I would testify as a subject matter expert or at least as an interested party. Most of my interactions were with the delegates' staffers who were very helpful. When I met the actual delegates, I discovered that they are pretty young, new-ish and one of them ousted a 20+ year incumbent. Because they're still sort of new, they haven't been totally compromised and they seem quite genuine.

While I was in a "holding pattern" in the primary sponsor's office, I took the time to ask a lot of questions about how he was drawn to run, what the job is like, impacts on his family life, etc. He was open and honest with me about all of it. He said "You really got to lift the skirt and look underneath today."

The delegates and their staffers both thanked me for testifying and were adamant that they wished more of their constituents would get involved.

[kimbottles]

Well done Rich, Bravo to you!

[Jamie]

SEMA did that? As if they weren't jackwagons enough...

[Ajax]

SEMA did that? As if they weren't jackwagons enough...

Yeah, my recent experience is that they accidentally suggest plenty of poorly worded legislation and they got my bill sponsor on that bandwagon. Fortunately I caught them in time.

[TheOffice]

Great job Rich! You've found a third career!

Larry, send you neighbor into the city of Annapolis. I guaranty you he will get pulled over fro a tailight. (I know this only from observation)