Why are 4-wheeler's illegal to ride on public roads?

I've seen them with brakes, lights, etc... Some of the new ones can do 60+ mph...

If it's OK to ride 2-wheel motorcycles on pubc roads, why not 4-wheeled vehicles, such as ATV's? Neither has seatbelts, or anything like that...

Anyone in law-nforcement (or in the know) know why that is???

 

In Montana you can get it registered to ride it on the road.

 

I think it has to do with that most have M/T tires that arent exactly balanced. This makes them very unstable on paved roads. It also probly has to do with that they also easily roll.

 

Around here you can't ride a 4-wheeler on the road but they have no problem letting the elderly drive those little carts all over the road (sometimes the wrong side), sidewalks, etc.
I have nothing but respect for the elderly but I'm sure they're not driving cars for a reason so why allow them to cruise around on the roads on something that might do 10mph tops? I won't even get into how they pay no attention to the rules of the road.

 

Here in AZ it's just a matter of paying for the right tag. The law states you have to get a mirror, horn & blah blah blah. But you can back door the system and just pay the money. I see ATV's on the streets at least once a week where I live. I bought the tag to make my Polaris RZR street legal, I didnt have to pass inspection or anything.

 

The only place I have been that its legal to ride them in the streets like vehicles is Montana, but in New York your allowed to ride on the shoulder you just need to have your four wheeler registered and insured. But its different in every state.. ny has a lot of stupid laws. Thanks to NYC being attached to upstate.

 

I couldn't agree with you more Larry (not to derail Hershys thread)
I live in a major retirement city and the last 10 years have seen a huge boom in new retirement residences and drug stores, there's some old fker driving their electric cart on every single corner of the city, and they don't follow the rules of the road, they are all over the place.

I'm like you in that I respect the old farts but man, if that's the case, then let me drive an electric golf cart all over town during the summer.

I think the police are afraid to get into it with them because they would be made to look like the abusive bully picking on the wee old disabled people.

It's time we start hammering the old codgers because they have been getting away with this for far too long.

In all seriousness though, it will take someone getting killed before anything is done because that's always how it works. I say get those electric carts off the street and put em in the slammer for the week-end everytime they break the rules.

The old people are getting out of hand.

 

My guess is the Auto insurance companies don't want to deal with all the accidents that may result from this. Kind of a double standard becasue bikes are legal, but I don't think they want to open themselves up for more costly potential claims, which I'm sure would increase.

There was a big push here in Michigan a couple of years ago when gas prices were ridiculous ($4.00+ a gallon) to make them legal. Some places up in northern Michigan let you do it around the cities where there are a lot of state trails, not anywhere really in lower Michigan where there is a bigger population though.

Also, I tend to think that you have alot more people running from the cops also on 4 wheelers, because they could just jump off of a main street and jump off road, where most police vehicles wouldn't be able to catch you.

Just my opinion but I am sure this has something to do with it. I wish they would make them legal, I'd be one of the first to get mine street legal.

 

I got my golf cart street legal. Got a license plate and brake tag. It goes 25mph and has all the requirements. Its awesome, but i still get pulled over because they dont believe i got a plate and all on it.

 

Motorcycles just like cars have to pass DOT regulations.

While some people have "skirted" the law and gotten tags for ATVs, none of them have been inspected by the DOT. The tires are not DOT approved, they say in clear writing "for off road use only." Upsetting the wrong police officer on a bad day could get you in a heap of trouble real quick.

The manufactuer does some pretty heavy duty testing to pass DOT regs. Braking tests, stability concerns on low pressure tires, lots of stuff that in general ATVs dont do very well because of their small size and less stable platform.

 

I would think it's a liability issue of some sort... but you are right, if motorcycles are allowed, 4-wheelers should be too!

 

Around here you can ride them on the roads that has a speed limit of 35mph. But you'd get the people that think "I can take this bend at 50 in my truck so I can do it on my quad" then they'd end up rollin it and gettin hurt/killed.

 

Marvin has this one wrapped up. DOT is the approving authority with regards to a vehicles road worthiness. It can be done. Look at the Yamaha WR250R line of off/on road bikes. I imagine that there just isn't much demand for a street legal ATV so manufacturers won't be producing one.

 

The reason is they are traction machines and if you have ever driven one you know what i mean. If you turn the well just kinda fast on pavement then it is see ya bye and over you go.
Now the tires only hold a small amount of air and i know when we are riding off road you have to swing your azz pretty good to get them to turn with you completely.
I have driven them on blacktop and they stick to it like glue.

If your going 55 down the road and you need to maneuver quickly well then kiss your butt goodbye.
Now here your not allowed to ride them on any state land (woods)because people are idiots and when they ride them they have to be going 100 all the time and they tear the crap out of the woods while doing this to be "COOL".
I have seen the mess these things can make in just one pass. Some people just don't care on bit. I wonder if you put on different tires with proper inflation would that make it better.....

 

4-wheelers are just hard to control on pavement at speed. well, mine is atleast