New Massachusetts hitch law

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Justjoshiny

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I used to leave mine in even though its illegal here in iowa. Never had an issue with it besides people walking into it. But in my opinion if you walk close enough to hit your leg on my hitch, youre too close to my truck anyways. I don't leave it in anymore because I don't have a receiver..
 

Ruger_556

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Laws of physics boys... You think it's saving your ass but I bet instead of just a bent bumper you now have a tweaked frame. I got rear ended in my 98 one time at a red light, guy was doing a solid 35-40 mph. My hitch wasn't in and it still didnt do anything to my truck but totaled his focus, it's the truck not the hitch that's gonna save you.

The bumper mount's to the frame in the same place... :think: I'm going to put a receiver hitch on my truck solely so that I can leave a hitch in it.
 

Jesse82nc

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I always leave my quad (tri + hook) in my truck. And on my little Elantra (DD 32 mpg, 80 miles per day), I always leave my hitch with a ball. I got rear ended in heavy Interstate traffic last year while driving my Elantra, the ball went through the lady's radiator. Not even a scratch on my car. I always leave it in now. God forbid if someone rear ends my truck, that quad would destroy the front end of a car lol.

Glad we don't have such stupid laws down in NC.
 

19trax95

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And then when then pull it off the hitch it rips the stuff out too. Haha. I should get one of those.
 

carnutdallas

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Glad I live in Texas! I wonder what they would think if this in Taxachusettes?
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Suburban1500

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New York has that law as well. There, it was to protect the dumb ***** that hit their knee on them then try suing the people of the truck. When I lived there, I always had the hitch in, and not once did a cop say anything.


Sent from my iPhone in some random spot of Texas.

I live in NY, had the hitch on the back of my truck ever since I brought it, and no one has ever bothered me about it....it saves my bumper from being dented...I love my chrome. I hear the law is in Iowa and IL too? Have stayed in Iowa for 2 weeks this summer and drove through Illinois, no one has bothered me there either.
 

volunteerff21

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I live in NY, had the hitch on the back of my truck ever since I brought it, and no one has ever bothered me about it....it saves my bumper from being dented...I love my chrome. I hear the law is in Iowa and IL too? Have stayed in Iowa for 2 weeks this summer and drove through Illinois, no one has bothered me there either.

It's rarely enforced here. A friend of mine did get a ticket for it though. I don't remember how much the fine was.

Another friend of mine has one of those hitches that's so rusted into the receiver it will NEVER come out. We've heated the receiver 'til it was glowing red, strapped it to a tree, and yanked for all the 7.3 IDI was worth. Didn't budge.

On my DMI the "hitch bar" sticks out a permanent 6" past the bumper. I'd be curious to see what the legality of that is. Not that I'm ever taking off that bumper regardless lol.
 

camok10

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I always leave one of my hitches in, in the winter I usually throw the tri-ball in, and so far this year the weight distributing hitch has not come out. Every time wife gets a couple of days off in a row and she opens the day we leave and close on the day we return she wants to go camping. I was wanting to get the hitch step for it and was reading by one of the companies they include bumper stops, something about how with the hitch in it doesn't absorb any impact and can harm the people inside worse. I know mine has saved my ass a few times, when I was towing with the minivan somebody lost their brakes and hit us did nothing to us but they were messed up. Also notice when you have them in people don't tailgate as much and back off. Odds are like you said a money making item and probably tickets are low enough so people will just pay them but still leave their hitches in, also wouldn't be surprised if it also has to do with insurance company lobbying.


MI has this same law also just a heads up for ya bud. I've never heard of it being inforced but it's there and also extends to having a ball mounted on your bumper. With that being said I'm my trucks I'm never with out my pintle 2 5/16 ball combo in.
 

mpyusko

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A ball mounted in your bumper can obscure visibility of the license plate so I can see that. Seriously, the government goes too far on way too many things.

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great white

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Mine is always out and a cover over the receiver unless I'm hauling something.

Looks like @$$ driving around with a rusty, greasy empty ball.

Might as well flip the dodge towing mirrors up too if leaving the ball in. Phantom trailer and all that.

Not to mention: whacked my shins once when parked in the garage and I care not to repeat that experience.

I could care less what the "hitch law" says....
 
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