Hassled by city for working on cars - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

boneheaddoctor · #16 10-20-2004, 08:41 AM

Not sure the details of the law in your area but in my area all you have to do to keep the town off your back about unregistered vehicles is a car cover.

Here if its in your garage or out of site by being under a cover it doesn't need tags.

I had my truck completely dissassembled for 2 years while I restored it. In my driveway. Of course it had valid tags on it the entire time.

About the neighbors........there is a saying.

"People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones"

If I catch hell, I generally have a good idea who did it. And believe me if I have ANY dirt on them, they get turned in too.

Have already done that. Someone I tend to reffer to as the big "browneye" (not the real word) paid me to replace timing belts and rebuild carbs on his car, only after hounding me to death I agreed to do it. Well bonehead managed to change his oil without draining the old oil first.........Ended up with 8 quarts too much oil in motor, calls me whining about what did he do wrong. Pointed this out to him.....and his wife says I should have done it for him......told he I wasn't paid to do it and I was not their personal slave-boy.

Well he car is now leaking oil like a sieve due to this. Appears he tried to run it like that. Get a leter from lawyer saying I was paid to fix oil leak and I either fix it or give money back.

1/2 of job I was paid for was in parts , none of it involved an oil leak that did not exist at the time. Called my lawyer showed two detailed reciepts for parts, which show part numbers to prove the job I did. He sent a letter with a countersuit for fraud to Mr. Browneye. I can prove my job was for other than fixing an oil leak they say now I was paid to fix. They have no such proof. THeir canceled check has no such reference on it. I know because I got a copy from the Federal reserve.

Well this fellow has been turned in to the County for a garage addition that had no permit, he has been turned in to the state and the EPA as he had removed all of the factory smog equipment, including the two catalytic converters. Adn My state is amoung one of the more strict anti-pollution enforcment states in the east.

What comes around goes around.

Turn in your neighbors............Maybe the next time they will think twice then.

Tirebiter · #17 10-20-2004, 11:00 AM

No good deed shall go unpunished.

Chamorro · #18 10-20-2004, 11:08 AM

I just had the same thing happen last week (in Sunnyvale). I called back to ask for an extension, and the person I spoke to said that the officers normally don't go back to check up for a week or 2. I ended up just taking the car off the jackstands and getting the wheel chocks out.

boneheaddoctor · #19 10-20-2004, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tirebiter

No good deed shall go unpunished.

In my case Mr. "Browneye" got a $5,000 dealer job done for less than $1,700 and wasn't happy with that.

I no longer consider them friends, and in fact will have them arrested for criminal trespass if they so much as set foot on my property.

These people can rot in hell before I help them again for any reason.

Payback is a *****.

dreamerof1 · #20 10-20-2004, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chamorro

I just had the same thing happen last week (in Sunnyvale). I called back to ask for an extension, and the person I spoke to said that the officers normally don't go back to check up for a week or 2. I ended up just taking the car off the jackstands and getting the wheel chocks out.

Really!?! Sunnyvale seemed to be the most lax place I've lived. We had an older house that was set-back on the property and 2 long driveways. As soon as I moved in it became the place that ALL my friends came to work on THEIR projects. At one point I had a half a truck, a truck without running gear on jackstands, a dead International Scout, a dead Jeep, a bare truck cab, a bare frame and 4 bare axles all in the yard, only the cab and the truck on jackstands were under covers. Didn't hear a single peep from the city (the landlord was another issue.) Learned my lesson. All projects (other than my own) have a 2-day limit. No exceptions! I don't ever want to be 'that guy' again.

gutefahrt · #21 10-20-2004, 01:41 PM

I agreed with Kmay the police won't allow a cover that is over the license plate. The license plate has to be visible or they will give you a warning.

boneheaddoctor · #22 10-20-2004, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gutefahrt

I agreed with Kmay the police won't allow a cover that is over the license plate. The license plate has to be visible or they will give you a warning.

Here, it doesn't have to be visible. If its off the street. If its off the street it doesn't need tags as long as its under a cover. You have to comply with whatever your local laws are because as you can see it does vary.

dieseldiehard · #23 10-20-2004, 01:47 PM

mattdave, car covers have to show the vehicle license on the ouotside, in San Mateo at least. The cops will cite you if the plates are covered and you didn't silk screen or mark with a felt tip the license on the outside of the tarp or car cover. If I were you I'd start calling in all the code violations (especially expired registration stickers) that you can see until they are swamped. Sink them in their own beauracracy.

RE: "Especially trigger happy cops" that has to be San Jose. A cop shot a man at a Starbucks last month for no apparant reason, he was unarmed, a ex-POW from Kosovo who was mentally unstable, was waving his arms and meant no harm. And there was the Vietnamese woman that waived a meat cleaver at a cop and he blasted her several times point blank (poor woman died on the spot leaving her kids in the world without a mother) Damn San Jose cops are some of the worst examples of public service at its worst!

GottaDiesel · #24 10-20-2004, 06:17 PM

I didn't read all the replies. But let me tell you the real deal.

Most municipalities have a "law" that if a car is on your property it still has to be registered. Some towns enforce the law, and some do not. The reason many do not is because just about every state has several actions pending where this has been deemed a violation of rights. Simply stated, you have the right to store a car or cars, uninsured/unregistered on your private property as long as that car does not pose a serious threat to other property or persons (i.e. if you leave it leaning on a jack stand by the property line... etc.) The best way for you to deal with this is to simply a) ignore them b) let them know that the cars are safe and are your "hobby" and you don't think they really want to violate your rights by a law that is simply arguable.

Now. If you live in a condo association or some such crap -- well, then, you're a little more screwed.

Good Luck,

Pete

P.S. Keep in mind, if a car that isn't insured/registered passes your property line, your screwed -- so keep that Benz on YOUR property.

#25 10-20-2004, 08:38 PM

This topic hits a nerve big time with me. Take a look at this site http://www.landrights.com

Code enforcement has no right on your private property period. I don't care what your local ordinances say, federal law rules and private property is just that, PRIVATE. Unless you are a danger to someone else, for example have an open sewer or a bomb on your property city codes can't do anything to you. I live in St. Petersburg FL. Code enforcement took me on last year because I have a 10 foot maintained hedge on my property blocking a busy street. They did not want to listen to me when I went before the board and told them they had no right to make me cut it down to 4 feet and fined me $100.00 a day then put multiple liens on my house. I not only had the liens removed because they violate the FL. state constitution (cost $44.00 in fees to file the paperwork) I went on TV (local news) and told everyone what the law was and caused the city to lose millions of dollars in liens they had planned on collecting when people sold their homes. Needless to say code enforcement no longer looks at my property. Know your rights and stand up and defend them. First thing you need to do is post your property with the free signs you will find at the above web site.
Second of all NEVER let them take you to court in a local or state court if they decide to push the issue. The ONLY courts that have jurisdiction when it comes to your property rights are federal courts. This is explained in the land rights site. Only if you agree to allow a local or state court hear any case can it be heard there. In other words only IF you give up your rights. The constitution is a wonderful thing that state and local government wishes you looked at as nothing more than a "guideline"

Hatterasguy · #26 10-20-2004, 09:05 PM

When I was working on my SDL last spring I had the rear end up on jack stands for 2 weeks and the front for a week. The car was unregistered and sitting in the driveway it was about 10ft from the street. I would get really &^%*%*( if an "inspector" tried to fine me.

It's my property I will stick a non running Mercedes on it if I feel like it!

btw did you know we really are only renting the our property from gov? Try not paying you property tax's and see what they do!

Realestate=Royal estate it dates back to the old fuedul(sp?) system. We are just more advanced and control it and can sell it but guess who still owns it!

Tirebiter · #27 10-20-2004, 09:21 PM

Good for ya, Bud. You have shown that the best place to find a helping hand...... is hanging on the end of your own arm.

All State and Federal laws can be accessed on line now. Many counties have web sites. San Mateo has one of the best. There are also sites that inform the pro per litigant how to proceed in court.

odie · #28 10-21-2004, 11:27 AM

curious...most of the people here who seem to be having problems are in states that are sometimes refered to as having socialist societies...funny what happens with big government

Lots of public servants who need to continually justify their existance

Just an observation.

BTW, I vote Libertarian

Look into it

I'll put my Nomex on now

boneheaddoctor · #29 10-21-2004, 11:43 AM

Well I am NOT left leaning, I hate homeowners associations (Bunch of people with socialist-Napoleon complexes) Bought my house in an area without one. Everyone keeps care of their property and NOBODY is trying to run someone elses life.

Flame away but most of these problems are brought on by the left. I think everyone needs to mind their own business and as long as your property does not take on the appearance of a junkyard then neighbors need to mind their own business.

#30 10-21-2004, 12:08 PM

The car is up on ramps I was going to take it down but they want to see it drive which it wont it will start though I am going to the junk yard too try and find the part it needs. But since it is currently up on ramps all four wheels and I just put it up why take it down. It is not a car at all it is a political statement about how German manufacturing is a cut ABOVE the rest and if we keep sending our manufacturing jobs over seas well you get the idea I will take it down and turn it back into a mere automobile after the elections. It might also be art but it is definitely covered by free speech