No Plates for Trailers & the Saturation Point for Enforcemen

[teardropper]

This has been mentioned in some posts, but I don't think addressed. I don't need a plate for my utility trailer in Oregon but I have heard it used as a reason for various LEO's on playa to stop and then continue to to conduct searches as if the original reason were valid. While I don't bring contraband to BRC, I also don't suffer unwarranted searches kindly. The adage, if you got nothing to hide, it only takes a couple minutes... doesn't hold water for me. My trailer is legal and I don't think Nevada is so far away that any of these officers don't know that. Yet I hear this all the time. On a one to one basis I seem to have an approachable relationship with officers on the ground. Even have gotten some swell blinky swag a couple times, when giving them some of mine. But the outer ring entry LEO's tickets, the setups for bar violations, the rising cost of LEO in BM budget to use for more and rising presence at BM, which seems to have reached saturation. I don't think we have much say in this, in general, but why do I have to carry extra documentation to prove my trailer is legal. Do I have to read the mind of every officer and carry extra documentation for every possible scenerio that could possibly be construed? Or once I leave Oregon, is my trailer illegal, no matter what?

[gyre]

No, it's legal.
I have a trailer I can't get tags for, due to a quirk in the law here.
It's not rare for cops to not know their own state laws.
They can have different usage laws in other states, but can't change licensing rules.

As for saturation, it can happen.
There was a mountain folk festival near here getting very popular.
They started targeting young people for stops, etc.
No one went back.
We're grown up now.
I don't know of anyone from here that has ever gone back.
Burned can stay burned.

[BBadger]

The cops are going to find excuses to pull you no matter what you're carrying or doing. It could officer friendly informing you of a bad tail-light... or obscured plates... or trailer plates. You haven't received a ticket for out-of-state plates, so there is no law being broken here and it's beyond the officer's jurisdiction. Still, the cop is well within his rights to pull you over to ensure you have proper plating under the assumption that you're using an in-state registered vehicle. Once he is informed that the vehicle is not Nevada-registered, and therefore the Nevada plating laws do not apply, the ordeal should be quickly ended. Immediately ask if you can leave, if not, why you're being detained and on what evidence-based grounds. That'll give him much less time to try and formulate some sort of excuse to give you more grief.

As for non-consented searches, that'll be up to how you behave, the cop's discretion, and the alignment of the stars. I'd just stick to the script and try to keep the pull-over as short as possible.

I don't think we're at saturation. I'd consider "saturation" as having checkpoints like they do here on New Year's Eve to catch drunk drivers. It's not quite to that point, and the event will leave or end before it does. Yeah, it does suck having an ever-present police force waiting for you to slip up, but they're still within the law doing that, dedicating (hopefully wasting) extra resources doing so. Most people get caught because they're not voiced in the law and don't know how to conduct themselves.

[Elliot]

.
Yes, this was discussed in a recent thread.

Now... it took me just a couple of minutes to find this on the Oregon DMV web site:

A light trailer is any trailer having a loaded weight of 8,000 pounds or less, except trailers for hire (for rent), recreational trailers, special use trailers and fixed loads. Light trailers may include boat trailers or horse trailers. For information on how to register a for-rent trailer, contact DMV.

Note: You do not have to register a light trailer (which includes a utility, boat, or horse trailer) or obtain a trip permit to operate it on the road if the trailer, plus the heaviest load carried, weighs 1,800 pounds or less. However, you may wish to obtain a title for your trailer because most law enforcement agencies and insurance companies want to see proof of ownership if it is ever stolen. All trailers used on the road must be equipped to meet safety standards; see ODOT's Vehicle Equipment and Safety page for more information.

So... it says "You do not have to... ...1,800 pounds or less." But it does not say that you may not. So since you are going out of state, I would ask for a license plate.

[theCryptofishist]

That's what I'd do, as well. But, I'm betting that the liscense costs money. Perhaps that is Zeke's sticking point on that part of the matter. Or maybe that, too, is extra, unnecessary paperwork.

[gyre]

Often, not an option.
Here it's due to weird title laws.

[teardropper]

Elliot, I have been to DMV here in Oregon and have them tell me, while shaking their heads, I COULD get a plate, but it's really not necessary, even if I travel to other states. And yes, Fishy, Oregon is a no sales tax state which seems to make up for that in fees and licenses, so those tags are not a token. The idea is that even if you are pulled over as soon as it it seen you are Oregon, you are free to go. Mostly true. In the highly charged, revenue rich BM environment I fear that even for minor equipment stops officers are requesting more, like do you mind if we have a look in your vehicle. The two do not follow each other. Unless you like someone tearing apart all your neatly packed things on the side of the road, your answer could easily be a polite, no thank you, may I be on my way? Still, in this country, even at Burning Man, you do not give up your right to travel freely without some probably cause, and just going to Burning Man is not that. Like I've said I can easily survive a full roadside tear down, except for that one Cialias a friend gave me for my post Temple Burn ritual on the open playa.... for which I've probably said too much about, now, anyway. On a one to one basis I have a friendly rapport with law enforcement, BLM, Washoe and Pershing Sheriffs, Nevada Troopers, giving them BM stickers and sometimes getting very cool blinky cop stuff from them. But there are just lots of them and it seems they have a mission, which we can only make guesses at. Is it at saturation, I don't know, but it seemsthey keep asking BMORG for more money for even more presence. And to argue their presence sounds like I might want to do something really lawless were they not around. I doubt it would alter my behavior. They haven't busted me for being stupidly drunk and having a hard time getting 'home'. Do we need more? Could we do with less? Can't we all just get along...?

[Elliot]

...I COULD get a plate, but it's really not necessary, even if I travel to other states.

So it is a simple matter of the price of convenience. Your call.

[Bob]

And get a haircut, you dang diddly hippie.

[teardropper]

Well, BOB, not that you'd notice, but I get my hair cut every month, so that's a doable $20. My utility trailer a not so token $175, and as Oregon DMV says, an unnecessary expense. And then a recurring one. No, I am legal anywhere, and it it may take a possible stop to determine that. But after that, I believe I will be free to be on my way. I keep my papers in current and proper order. Because that's the law of the land...

[CornMan]

It cracked me up to see cars and trucks outfitted with battery powered LED lights mounted and pointed at the license plate. I've never seen such a thing in the default world. It's as if they knew law enforcement involved with Burning Man would be taking extraordinary measures to enforce compliance no matter how minor the offense. It reminds me of driving through Tijuana.