Hassled by city for working on cars
 

Am I the only one that gets hassled by the city for working on my cars? We are often working on one of our four MBZ. We never leave a mess we don’t work at night except in the garage our yard is immaculate. We have swapped engines never took more then two days we do all our own work and on four cars that’s a lot. The city has stupid rules that limit you to oil changes and belts if your lucky and code enforcement doesn’t drive by. Now the city just sent me a notice if I don’t prove all cars at are residents run by driving them around the block for the inspector there going to fine us $250 is San Jose CA the only city this anal or do other’s have this problem. I will gladly drive the cars around the block if they will pay rental insurance and fuel or is it me that is out of line and I should find one of those gas stations that rent out stalls to change brakes time IP do the one and only engine swap we have done and all the other maintenance owing MBZ from 1976 to 1985 it is our hobby after all. If I just called the city non stop on all the neighbors that are in violation of various codes they could never bother us they would not have time and these people get away with murder compared to us.
Feeling picked on in San Jose CA
Dave S
:(

The insurance and fuel would be what I ask for if they send an inspector.... they won't want to pay for that and probably won't want to fight about it and will leave you alone.

I doubt it. They'll probably then dig up the law that requires him to have tags and insurance on all cars, or else they are considered derelict. In Savannah, they have some tuff laws regarding derelict vehicles. Anything that can not crank up and move under it's own power is considered derelict. Depending who you speak with at the city govt., you also have to have a current registration and tag. Before you can get a tag, you must have insurance. The state now has a database that cross checks insurance records with a tag number and can be checked at any time. Major work is not permitted inside the city limits either. Most times they don't mess with you unless a neighbor complains or you are making money by working on vehicles (because they are not getting their cut :rolleyes: ). But I've seen quite a few people get ticketed, fined and threatened with jail time if repeated. I moved outside the city limits 7 years ago and couldn't be happier.

Yes...here in oregon (atleast our city) you are supposed to have current insurance, tags, the whole 9 yards on a car that doesn't even touch the street.
Sounds like pocket money plan for the insurance companies to me...very BS to me.
there are 6 cars at our house...our driveway looks like WWII re-enactment in progress...
Nobody complains...else they get their lawns salted...:-p

around here it needs to be registered if you park on the street.
and, of course, you can't park any car on any street overnight after nov 1st.. :eek:

This kind of crap gets me so damned pi$$ed off and I don't even have these problems!!! Pay attention to this kind of thing and what politician thought the law(s) up and make sure they don't get re-elected. America the "free" , what a load of crap. Do whatever it takes within the law to tie up the process with paperwork. There may be a way to find out if a complaint was made or an appeal process. Try to make their lives difficult by cranking up the red tape machine or, if you can afford it, hire a lawyer RT

As if the police departments weren't understaffed enough as it is...in general...

they decide to make crap up like this?
frustrating beyond belief...

That sounds wrong = not legal...
 

Are the cars on your property?
Can they see the plates from the street?
Did you give them permission to enter your property?
Have you shot any trespassers lately?
Code inspectors must be invited onto your property.
Ask a lawyer.
Sounds like a busy body neighbor.

You certainly aren't, but oddly enough, I have yet to be hassled by any "official" people regarding vehicle maintenance. This includes the 3 month head gasket/turbo project I did on my truck while it sat in the driveway in plain view, in one of the most expensive areas in Palo Alto. :eek:

I also never ran into any trouble while living in San Jose, although that was probably luck more than anything else...although I did once have a neighbor in SJ who complained at every opportunity (including when I parked on the public street and "blocked the view from her kitchen window")...

I have no intention of living within an incorporated city any longer than I absolutely have to... :mad:

we just looked into moving
 

We just looked in to moving into the foothills of the little city next door Morgan Hill you can live 5 miles up a dirt road half the houses run on generators to buy anything starts at 700k boy were we shocked. There are so many real code violations in this neighborhood boats RV’s trailers blocking the side walk if I were so inclined I could keep code enforcement so busy they would never have time to get back to me but that makes me just as bad as the snitch down the street that thinks his crap don’t stink and complains about me. But if I pay the $250 fine I guess I can run a junk yard right I paid my tax they can’t fine or tax me again for the same thing right?
Dave wouldn’t go down without a fight in San Jose CA
:D

Damn!! You just hit a nerve !!
 

Bad news is that the Building & Safety Code gives inspectors jurisdiction to inspect your property for code violations in most California cities. Tresspassing laws do not apply. Interfering with their duties IS a seperate violation. And you can't lock them out once a notice of violation or inspection has been given. Single family dwellings are exempt from interior inspections while apartments are not. For now anyway.

You can forget about asking the City inspectors to pay for ANYTHING. You do not have to drive around the block nor do you have to stand on one leg while singing Dixie. The burdon of proof is on them. Your word that the vehicles run or that they await repair is good enough.

Good news is that the inspectors are often dimwitted or outright idiots that cite the code incorrectly. Read it. There is and must be a reference to the code section they claim you are violating. The section dealing with working at home on your own vehicles is just an eyelash away from violating your Civil Rights under Federal Law.

In my case: Eight motor vehicles on my drive or in my garage. Two MB turbos, two motorcycles, three Porsches, one Chevy pick up (and a partridge in a pear tree ;) All but the Porsche in the garage are in perfect running order. They are each either currently registered or have a valid non-operation slip on DMV file. The code section describing derilict vehicles is vague and ambiguous on it's face. Make sure the code section refers to your situation.
There is no law that prevents you from storing your own vehicle on your own property even if you are waiting to have it towed to a repair shop (when you can afford it, eh? ;) That section is in place to prohibit commercial repair done at a private residence.

The Administration "hearing officer" sided with the inspector even though my case was bullit proof. That clown even wanted to be called "your honor" :eek: I filed a Motion for Reconsideration along with a copy of the Federal Complaint I had drawn up. It seems that their "implied immunity" evaporates on the Federal Courthouse steps when civil rights are ignored or denied "under color of law". The violations were dropped with prejudice.

We need to abolish ALL the implied imunity protections for our civil servants. I.E., make everyone responsible for their actions. Especially trigger happy cops and power hungry idiots.

Rant over unless it happens again.

A final piont. Be courtious and business like. Do not be abusive in any manner. And remember that anything you say may be written down and used against you later.

i get hassled all the time. i think they come by once a month just to check up on me. i get hassled for having it on jack stands overnight. when i needed to change my diff. mount i had to put it back together and on the ground before i got the part to avoid a fine.

What has happened??!!??
 

I have never heard such ignorance! :mad: The only laws that I am aware of here are that you must have current registration/insurance on all vehicles visible from the street. It seems we lose more personal freedoms day by day. Maybe some large hand painted signs (4x8 sheets of plywood) by every car saying "I run", or "Being Repaired" are in order. My neighbor kept getting mail delivered to the wrong address, so he did just that. Large plywood sign with name and house number spray painted on it. Didn't take the mail man long to figure out who lived there!!! :D

IMHO, you will get furthest by speaking politely with them at all times. Almost all officials just love to feel important, and the more you make them feel important, the better off you are.Still, you should show them that the vehicles are OK, but politely insist that you intend to keep them and will go to extensive lengths to do so - ask about the process, etc. There's a HUGE difference between rolling over and playing dead and being clever in order to get what you want. Been there

When we lived in Cupertino
 

When I was first married we did not have the money to pay for tags. The car sat unregistered up a long driveway barely visible from the street up comes a code enforcement officer “sir your car can’t be visible from the street with out current registration tags” With out missing a beat I picked up a tarp and through it over the car. He gave me a sour look but let it go at that maybe Ill go by car covers tomorrow and say what cars?
Dave S