Full time RVers wondering about Tow Vechicles

[Zennomad]

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to figure out the policy on tow vehicles for Fulltime RVers. Last year at the gate I was given a lot of grief for bringing my motorcycle on the back of my RV. But this is my home and my transportation goes with me everywhere. I have a lot of other fulltime RVers camping with us at campnomadia this year and the question has come up about bringing in their tow vehicles. These are not mutant vehicles.

I was told that if I drove my motorcycle in that it would not be a problem. So my wife would drive the RV and I would take down the motorcycle and drive it in. Do I need to tell everyone to disconnect their car and drive it in as well? This rule does not make sense to me.

Any info would be helpful.

[theCryptofishist]

We may not be the most useful resource. Some of us work on the gate, and might be able to tell you what there understanding of procedure is. I'm not sure that anyone here can comment on a policy level.

My gut instinct is that it would be like any other vehicle, towed or not--bring it in, don't drive it. I've certainly never heard of a fifth wheel having to detach from what it's towing. Although maybe I'm missing what you're saying. It can be difficult to contact the people who would know know, as many are on the playa and all are busy, busy, busy. And it may just end up depending on who's at the gate.

Good luck

[Zennomad]

Thanks for the reply.

Last year the supervisor at the gate allowed me to deflate the tires on the motorcycle so it would not be taken off the lift and driven. Many Large RV's tow a smaller vehicle around to be able to get around. I just want to prevent others from having any problems at the gate and getting things off to a bad start.

[Rice]

Thanks for the reply.

Last year the supervisor at the gate allowed me to deflate the tires on the motorcycle so it would not be taken off the lift and driven. Many Large RV's tow a smaller vehicle around to be able to get around. I just want to prevent others from having any problems at the gate and getting things off to a bad start.

Looking at this from what I have seen of Gate perspective: The RV is your vehicle, and obviously it will be parked and left at your camp during the burn. The motorbike (or car/suv/whatever) is a unregistered vehicle which simply looks like it could be driven at the event (regardless of you actual intent) so, according to gate policy, It cannot be brought into BRC ( http://www.burningman.com/on_the_playa/ ... iving.html ).

I hope this helps.

Love Rice

[portaplaya]

If your towed vehicles/motorcycle does not look like an unregistered Mutant Vehicle, you will almost certainly be able to talk the situation out with a Gate Lead.

But I would be surprised if your standard Gate volunteer has any idea what the policy is when you are not towing an art car. Just ask to talk to a lead to confirm that your towed vehicles is no different that any other driven vehicles in line behind you and that all vehicles will stay put once at camp. At worst you'll be leaving it at D-Lot which ain't so bad, since you weren't going to use it anyway. With negotiation, you'll be driving it in separately. With cooperation from the lead, you'll just drive the RV in, as-is.

[SnowBlind]

Let me explain where that policy comes from. People bring Mutant Vehicles in, usually towed. That could include motorcycles as well. Many years ago the DMV started requiring pre-registration for all Mutant Vehicles. However, some people would bring their vehicle, that wasn't pre-registered and wouldn't get a license from the DMV, and just drive it without a license.

As a result, there is now a policy that gate will not allow trailered vehicles in, unless the owner has the DMV invitation for that car. People used to talk their way around that rule the first couple of years, so Gate started being stricter on this policy every year.

Now obviously you are not the person this policy was intended for, but you will fall under it. I'm guessing so will people that tow a smaller car behind their RV. And of course it's silly that you can't tow it, but you can drive it. But this is why.

[gyre]

Regardless of how the policy is written, normal four wheeled vehicles shouldn't be affected, especially when they are tow vehicles.
A towed car behind a large bus or RV is also pretty standard, so shouldn't be a problem if it is a standard street legal vehicle.

Ask to speak to someone with more authority to make a decision if you have a problem.

Smaller things are where there might be an issue, motorcycles and offroad three and four wheelers.
You might bring a chain and offer to leave the key with someone in charge?

I am unaware of a policy for dealing with this issue relating to fulltimers.
All that is aimed at is the non-use of unauthorized vehicles.
I've seen this resolved in different ways, but not consistently.

I have heard of a running part being removed and stored, so it was not running.

I'm not speaking for the llc here.

[lemur]

the problem is that even with the vehicles approved by the DMV, many show up looking like "normal four wheeled cars" and are converted into a mutant vehicle somehow by attaching stuff/etc

[Igneouss]

Interesting problem. I'd be looking for a contact in Reno that might volunteer some driveway space for storage of extra vehicles.

This being BM, more than one person will try to bend the rules to suit their personal ideas about how things should work.

Certainly would be a big waste of resources if the Rangers had to worry about more unlicensed vehicles.

[gyre]

Having a car or truck at camp is simply not a surprize.

The rangers are quite good about checking anything running on the roads too.