Contacting the City Attorney and the "goon's" boss might have the desired
result. Ask for their feedback IN WRITING so you have something to show the
goon. Talk to your Mayor and Council Members. You could "make a case of it"
and get civil libertarians up in arms (figuratively speaking only!) over the
issue. Local vintage car/Mustang clubs/newspapers etc. can put some pressure
on City Hall etc. Even a simple letter to the Editor of the local newspaper.
Is there an ombudsman for your city?
Sometimes you need to play a bureaucrats game - even in the USA! Consider
REGISTERING it, and putting storage insurance on it (theft, fire, flood,
tornado etc.). Also consider vintage or collector plates if you think it
will qualify for them. Sure, you should not have to do that, but if you are
getting hassled ....
Good luck!
Colin Macgregor Stevens
**** My e-mail system lost 34 messages 2001 July 28, and another 20 or so on
Aug 1/2.. If you wrote then and have had no reply, please send again. ****
NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS to try to avoid lost messages: seaforth72@hotmail.com
Can still reach me at old one: colin@pacdat.net
MVPA Member 954 (since 1977)
Editor: "Maple Leaf Up!" newsletter & Webmaster
of Western Command Military Vehicle Historical Society
(Established 1977) http://www.westerncommand.com
Pitt Meadows (East of Vancouver but not beyond Hope)
British Columbia, CANADA
Owner of:
1944 Willys MB jeep (ex-Norway)
http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net/colin_stevens'_1944_willys_mb_photos.htm
1942 BSA airborne bicycle
http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net/bsa_airborne_bicycles_(aka_parabike).htm
1943 Ford GPA amphibious jeep http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net/gpa.htm
Personal web site: http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jumpmaster" <the_real_jumpmaster@yahoo.com>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 26, 2001 11:30 PM
Subject: [MV] Possibly OT: Opinions, please?? Local "code enforcement"
idiots trying to steal your MV's?
> Need your opinions, folks...
>
> While this particular situation doesn't specifically
> apply to a military vehicle, it can. It almost did
> before when the city was harassing me about my M38A1.
> Now, they're trying to harass me about my '68 Mustang.
> My theory is that someone in the city government has
> seen it and is trying to confiscate it for their own
> personal use.
>
> I would like opinions on the interpretation of the
> following definition of "junk motor vehicle". The way
> I read it is apparently contrary to what the city
> believes it says. The code enforcement goon that has
> been continually harassing me over the past 5 years
> has asked me to demonstrate the vehicle is operational
> and I have done so. This time, she said she didn't
> care if it was operational and that it needed to have
> either a valid inspection sticker or registration or
> they would tag and tow it.
>
> The vehicle is *fully* operational and is not
> registered or inspected because I do not drive it on
> the street. It looks REALLY nice and is in no state
> of disassembly or disrepair. I drive my M1009 when I
> need to go places...frankly, I don't trust the
> 18-year-old freshmen here at Texas A&M not to rear-end
> me in the Mustang. If they rear-end me in the M1009,
> their car will be in a much bigger world of hurt than
> mine. :-)
>
> I've pasted the text of the definition below. Please
> let me know what you think and whether or not you have
> any legal training. I want your opinions either way
> though...this could happen to you. Be careful...I
> know others have talked about this on the list and had
> specific comments on military vehicles in particular.
> They can apparently steal anyone's vehicle fairly
> easily with this particular statute...especially if
> the code enforcement idiot misinterprets the
> ordinance. I'm going to call the City Attorney in the
> morning and get his take one this...I'm sure he
> probably would rather not have the code enfocement
> polizei wrongfully applying the ordinance. I think
> their performance standards are on quotas and not
> accuracy though...
>
> Pay careful note to the placement and use of the word
> "AND" in the definition...to me, this means both
> conditions must be met for the definition to be true.
> I think the code enforcement yokels think "and" really
> means "or". Yes, I could go buy insurance (required
> to get registration or inspection) and get it
> inspected or registered but this really is a matter of
> principle. I don't drive it on public roads so I
> shouldn't have to do this...and it is fully
> operational.
>
> T. Bloxom
> 1985 M1009 CUCV
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> (1) Junked Motor Vehicle means any motor vehicle as
> defined in Article 4477-9a, Texas Revised Civil
> Statutes, as amended:
>
> (a) that is inoperative; and
>
> (b) that does not have lawfully affixed to it either
> an unexpired license plate or a valid motor vehicle
> safety inspection certificate, that is wrecked,
> dismantled, partially dismantled, or discarded, or
> that remains inoperable for a continuous period of
> more than forty-five (45) days.
>
>
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Sep 02 2001 - 11:15:40 PDT