You Know You’re From Upstate New York When You Haul ATV in Your Camaro
What in the hillbilly hell is going on here?
You know you're from Upstate New York when you haul an ATV in the trunk of your convertible Camaro. Torey Sweet captured the redneck moment at a Stewart's Shop near Lake George. "I saw it at the corner of 149 and Ridge road, right by Queensbury Country Club."
Is it Legal
I've seen people hauling everything in trunks and on the roof of their vehicles. There was one driver with a large piece of plywood and the two people in the vehicle were actually holding on to it. Not that it would have done any good if it slid off. Is this even legal?
Hauling something on the top of your car isn't necessarily illegal in New York but it could get you a ticket. The secured load law is a gray area when it comes to explaining the legalities of hauling something.
The Vehicle And Traffic Law Section 377 states:
“No vehicle which is designed or used for the purpose of hauling logs or other materials which by their very nature may shift or roll so as to be likely to fall from such vehicle, shall be operated or moved over any highway unless its load is securely fastened by such safety chains, cables or other suitable devices as will effectively prevent the shifting or falling of such load or any part thereof, from the vehicle”
The section appears to only apply to logging trucks but could be interpreted to any driver that has an unsecured load like a mattress on the roof of the car.
If you read a little further into the Vehicle and Traffic Law, Section 380-a makes it “unlawful to operate on any public highway any open truck or trailer being utilized for the transportation of any loose substances, unless said truck or trailer has a cover, tarpaulin or other devices.”
This section only applies to trucks and trailers so it's not relevant to someone driving a car with something not tied down on the roof.
There are tens of thousands of crashes each year involving debris flying from cars across the country. And two-thirds of those accidents are the result of unsecured loads. So next time you head out on the road, secure your load!