This is a bit scary: The Ocean City, Maryland Police Department just posted a notice to attendees of the H20 International Event (a VW/Audi based get-together that seems to welcome quite a few other classes, from what we can tell) that any car that attends must be within the legal limits of Maryland law, regardless of whether they are from the state or not, or the car will be impounded.
The actual post:
We completely get going after people driving recklessly. Nothing can screw up a good time faster that someone who went a little too far showing off their car and ended up injuring someone. But the part that raises eyebrows is that Maryland is going to impose their state law on any vehicle in attendance. Here’s the reason that’s a bad idea: If you drove from Arizona, there’s a good chance your windows are tinted deeply…they need to be in order to keep the occupants from roasting. And you wouldn’t have a front plate on your car, since the state does not issue a front plate unless you get personalized plates and request two. Driving into the H20 International show you’d already be guilty of two violations: no front license plate and a possible tint violation (especially if you went darker than 35% in the rear, since Arizona only regulates the front door glass to 33%.)
While it appears that the cops are going after the seriously “stanced” cars and people having a little too much fun in a parking lot, the wording is vague as all hell and is probably left to interpretation. Better yet, do the laws apply to the car when it’s parked (when the air is dumped and the car is stanced out) or just when the car moves on a public road? The way the statement is worded would be enough to keep me from attending the show, period. And no tickets, but straight-up impoundment is pretty alarming.
Photo: Patrick McCue
Boycott events in Maryland. I’m interested to know if this is truly legal.
If what they are doing is even legal, I might have good reason to boycott driving through Maryland, period! After all… it would make sense for the next step to be enforcing Maryland inspection rules at random traffic stops. What ever happened to full faith and credit?
No, it’s not legal. A lawyer would have a field day in court. And don’t use a lawyer from that city or tied to the local area. What they are banking on is you not fighting it cause your out of state and coming back wouldn’t be worth it. What the lawyer will do is inspect public records for violations throughout the year relative to the weekend. Then complain they are targeting a specific group of people. I’d go back and pay a
Lawyer well over what the ticket cost just to kick them where they are trying to kick us. And I pay anything, they will say, were gonna give you a non points tickets.
this sounds like fallout from their annual bikeweek
Ocean City MD is largely a drinking beach town- they have to keep on top of things because it would get out of hand quickly. That being said, they get way too enthusiastic with the enforcement of the law. A buddy of mine spend a night in jail down there- he was helping someone check their turn signals and brake lights, and stepped off the sidewalk and into the street while holding a beer.
I’m curious if they are actually allowed to enforce the MD-DOT regs on out of state vehicles. If they may and will, then pretty much everybody going to the spring and fall hot rod events in OC is pretty much screwed.
Sounds like a second state where I’m not welcome.
That’d be a no. I hate the new position of law enforcement where they you threaten you before you even leave the house. Sucks for the organizers of this event, anD the dollars the town lost. I’d last minute move the whole damn thing. F em.
Wonder how the TRJ Gathering is being treated in the same area?
Sounds like the East Coast Kalifornia.
Screw them, move the event. I’ll never set foot in Marystan
Yes move the event. It would cost the organizers some money, but do the leg work and find out if they are over stepping their authority. Be sure to inform all the restaurants and hotels why they are loosing the business. If its like that in the entire state then a state wide boycott sounds good, maybe for all types of sporting events. It sounds like someone at the top of ladder is being a richard head.
I was in OCM today to reserve a room for Endless Summer Cruisin in 2 weeks. Saw a ton of “stanced” cars, running and driving. In the 3 hours I was in town, I saw mostly “civilians” pulled over for doing dumb things in traffic. Did see a red ’90’s Jetta rear-end a car at an intersection though.
p.s. – even among imports, I got a few thumbs-up’s in my Chevelle. Felt like a fish out of water……
Revenue generation, it’s Maryland, you expected otherwise?
traffic violations and crabcakes… that’s what Maryland does!
my question is, will the police be issued factory manuals for every car in attendance? because how else would they know what the factory camber settings are?
I was in OC this staturday, it was pretty insane, and I saw dumb people doing dumb things, but legally, you cant enforce MD equipment violations on out of state vehicles. that gets into state sovereignty issues.
Bring it to Knoxville TN/ Pigeon Forge area. Lots to do and the Tail of the Dragon is less than an hour away.
Just got home from my 5th h2o tonight. The cops were not messing around. I did see a lot of people driving like fools but nothing like years past. Check out instagram for the images of the madness. Officers using tape measure on head lights, using camber gauge on rears of cars (I’m sure the were certified and calibrated too)
Good Lord, seriously don’t the cops have better things to do? I can see the speeding and burnouts, etc to keep stuff in check.
But if we as the automotive culture don’t watch this, the land of the free is going to end up just like the Aussies.
Death of freedom won’t go out with a bang, it’s going to die with a wimper.
I’ll stick to flyover country! At least the Nebraska county mounties have more important things like dealing with real police issues.
Wish they would have tried to pull me over I am a certified Pa state inspector and would have laughed in their face about my car. They have no enforcement of out of state vehicles unless it is unregistered or uninsured. If that were the case no one would be allowed to drive out of their own state.
As I would imagine this event and other car meet like bring in a economic boost to you state and communities, I can only suggest that this event and others like it be moved to a state more appreciative of any boost to its economy. So with that said your welcome here in Michigan with less worry about car inspections since we do not have regulated car inspections.
They’re horses are allowed to shit allowed the sidewalk but your not allowed to lower your car
Big Brother just wants you to know how much he loves you.
If they do ticket many people the best thing for all to do it fight it postpone as many times as possible it would end up costing the city alot of money.