Driver's license with no permanent home.

[Uplander]

I live in New York...I must have my motorized vehicles inspected every year for safety and pollution equipment....then I have to hitch up my travel trailer and drive it in for inspection....all they do is confirm that my brake lights , running light and directional signals work....collect my money and give me a sticker...takes about half a day all totaled. Back when I lived in Connecticut you only had to have your travel trailer inspected once and they at least checked your trailer brakes! After your initial inspection on first registration you never had to have your travel trailer inspected. Connecticut did however tax your travel trailer just like your real estate...heavily!

[Uplander]

Norm & Ginny, I just assumed you had to be full timers...always on the go and so knowledgeable about all things RV, from mail services to inside info on just about any destination.

When ever we return to home base I immediately start to plan our next adventure (right after we cut the lawns). No matter where we go I try to limit daily drive time to under 250 miles. I have a very bad back and long term driving causes me some extreme pain....even 250 miles is pushing the limit!
Getting there is often more than half the fun. I like to avoid the interstate highways and take the scenic routes whenever possible!

Leaving for the coast of Maine in about a week.


Happy Camping!

[Joy A]

I've contemplated full timing and got info from Escapee's. I thought if I make the move I'll disregard them as far as Texas goes. I read something about a periodic vehicle inspection, I believe every couple of years.

That made me think that I'd have to be in or near Texas. That might not work out because I certainly would not want to be on some sort of a schedule. The only schedule I'd choose would be a ferry from here to there. Or, there to here.

I believe the original question was about a Driver's License. Well, you'd get that from what ever State you choose for your domicile/address.

I'd probably go with South Dakota.

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by Uplander

Norm & Ginny, I just assumed you had to be full timers...always on the go and so knowledgeable about all things RV, from mail services to inside info on just about any destination.

When ever we return to home base I immediately start to plan our next adventure (right after we cut the lawns). No matter where we go I try to limit daily drive time to under 250 miles. I have a very bad back and long term driving causes me some extreme pain....even 250 miles is pushing the limit!
Getting there is often more than half the fun. I like to avoid the interstate highways and take the scenic routes whenever possible!

Patrick, I guess the amount of traveling we do and the length of time we're on the road suggests we're full timers; we've made 5-6 loops of the USA.

On one 8 month loop we averaged only 35 towing miles a day. Our general rule of thumb is no more than 150 miles of driving a day. I will say when we head up to Sunset Point in mid-August (we've ordered the lobsters already), we will drive about 250 miles in one day. We are avoiding driving up or back on weekends.

Like you we do like the ride and do avoid the Interstate except when there's no choice and generally in the northeast we just want to get through it, especially in NJ, lower NY, CT and MA.

We have a reputation as extremely slow travelers, our first 'fulltiming' trip was to FL. It took us 18 weeks to get to FL from NH.

Safe travels, Patrick.

[Gennaver]

I'm going to bump this thread, (as I'm reading to preparing for launching into full timing at the beginning of winter now.)

My vehicle plates are from Alaska, (and about to renew,) My drivers license is from Texas, (and good for a few years.) However, now I live in Tennessee and am about to purchase a trailer.

I have a PO box for my mail and due to my job and allowed to have multiple addresses. Although I do not live in Texas or Alaska anymore and do not have a hard address home.

Looks like I need to figure this one out.

Jen
p.s. if I am gone from the forums for a couple weeks its because I'll be in the mountains visiting friends.

[Alf S.]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Wouldn't want to pay taxes.
They might use it to build highways.

Hi: Glenn Baglo... It's legal to avoid paying taxes... but illegal to evade paying them!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie:

[honda03842]

A totally legal way to have a license and to be able to vote is to become an Escapee. As an Escapee you can have a legal address in Texas. Check Escapees.com .

[floyd]

Originally Posted by mbbear

I can't agree with you here. I have lived in CA and VA, and VA requires a once a year inspection on the car and pollution equipment, CA only the pollution equipment. To paraphrase a fellow who did odd jobs for me around the CA home, 'why heck I couldn't drive my car half the time'. What I've found is that if you keep your car in good repair the inspection is no bother. But for the folks that either don't care or can't afford safety repairs I'm happy to pay my $15 to keep them off the road or find a way to make the repair. It's far better than being hurt or killed. I learned a lesson recently myself. I purchased Michelin tires six years ago and the sidewalks and tread looked great. I was driving all over the place 60 to 70 mph. I stopped at Costco to ask them to check my tire pressure before traveling. The tech informed me that my tires were dry rotted. There were cracks between the adequate treads and it never occurred to me to look there. I've been driving 50 years and never knew that the rot could be there, i thought it only occurred on the side wall. I also found out that the tires that I bought in '09 were two years old when I purchased them - at that time checking the manufacture date was not so much on the radar screen. The older dog keeps learning and I love it!

The fact has been established over and over again in study after study over 4-5 decades, that car and light truck safety inspection has no impact on road safety. It is at best a placebo for hand wringers and at worst a nuisance and a waste of money better spent elsewhere.
It might help to to keep those Michelins off the sidewalks though, especially at those speeds!
Fortunately most dogs never get old enough to get a driver's license anyway.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Gennaver

I'm going to bump this thread, (as I'm reading to preparing for launching into full timing at the beginning of winter now.)

My vehicle plates are from Alaska, (and about to renew,) My drivers license is from Texas, (and good for a few years.) However, now I live in Tennessee and am about to purchase a trailer.

I have a PO box for my mail and due to my job and allowed to have multiple addresses. Although I do not live in Texas or Alaska anymore and do not have a hard address home.

Looks like I need to figure this one out.

Jen
p.s. if I am gone from the forums for a couple weeks its because I'll be in the mountains visiting friends.

I would read all I could in regards to what the rules are in the State you have/will declare as your residence for your drivers licence, as well as your auto insurance and plates.

For example here in BC Canada if you declare it as your address you have 90 days to switch your Drivers licence - after that your old drivers licence is deemed invalid. Should you get caught you may the first time get a warning & x so many days to fix the problem (normally about 10 days) but if the cop is in a bad mood you could be fine $500 and up to six months in jail. You can count on the later happening if the records show you have already received a warning. There is an exemption from this if you are a student from out of province and attending School in BC but you have to apply for the exemption.

As far as your auto or trailer plates go you have only 30 days once you declare BC as your home address to purchase BC insurance and change the plates. The fine is $600 if you get caught without valid BC plates on your car or your trailer (yup the trailer needs its own plates & insurance) and BC is your home address.

As I said I would read the rules and regulations very carefully for what ever state I was declaring as my home address.

[Bob Miller]

In most states, as soon as you establish residency, you have a very limited time in which to change your drivers license, insurance records, and vehicle registration(s). Triggering factors for residency may include if you buy or rent/lease a residence, take employment, or even submit a permanent change of address to the USPS. Of course there are exceptions, but be sure you fit into one before you are asked.


If you were stopped in California, with a Texas drivers license, Alaska vehicle registration, and an insurance card showing a California address (or any combination of the above) you would, most likely, get several citations, as well as an invitation to attend traffic school.


Waaaay back, when I was in grade school, I recall a new teacher seeing his vehicle being towed away because it had been seen parked in front of the school with out of state plates for several months, and had been ticketed a few times along the way. He was not a happy camper at all..... Don't become one either.

[Kardon]

Has it not occured to anybody that the reason most cars pass smog controls is that they know they have to get their cars checked every year or two? I lived in California until I was 55 and yes, I complained about the cost and hassle. But since I couldn't register my car without that slip of paper, it was always good. And one of the first things I noticed when I moved to Maine was how rare it was to see burned-out headlights compared to California. As for taxes, road repair, police, firemen (and even politicians salaries) don't come free you know.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Kardon

Has it not occured to anybody that the reason most cars pass smog controls is that they know they have to get their cars checked every year or two? I lived in California until I was 55 and yes, I complained about the cost and hassle. But since I couldn't register my car without that slip of paper, it was always good. And one of the first things I noticed when I moved to Maine was how rare it was to see burned-out headlights compared to California. As for taxes, road repair, police, firemen (and even politicians salaries) don't come free you know.

Actually, with 100,000 mile tune-up intervals and eighty thousand mile mandatory warranty on emissions equipment, there is no reason such a thing should occur to anybody.
No need for inspection for a burned out headlight since you can be stopped for that, and most people like to maintain their cars if they can.
The additional cost of inspection simply makes that more difficult and expensive.

[Bob Miller]

For emission inspections, California has a free pass for new vehicles, first sold in the state, for the first 5 years, and every 2 years thereafter. But, with more and more vehicles routinely seeing 250,000 and 300,000+ miles, problems do occur. We had an 14 year old Toyota Camry, with over 300,000 miles on the clock, fail due to a cracked vapor recovery canister. Maybe cars just last a lot longer in the Golden State.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Kardon

No real value? Maine's inspections used to be pretty much an auto-pass. If you failed, just go somewhere else. Then a woman died when her brakes failed right after they had passed inspection, so they've cracked down on the laws. I don't think the price has gone up and I feel better knowing the other cars on the road are safe.

Would you buy a new car without a warranty? I've seen them delivered new one day and break down the next, passing inspections meant nothing in the case you cited and it has proven to mean nothing to the many states who have dropped inspection for that very reason.
With the redundancy and quality of the components, a complete failure of the brakes on a modern car is extremely unlikely. Sounds like a high probability of an urban myth.

You know that the other cars on the road are safe about as well as you know that the other drivers are insured. We have had over thirty years of mandatory proof of insurance law with no real change in the number of uninsured drivers, It remains at about 25%.

[Darwin Maring]

The last state you were a legal resident in is your state of residence up until you establish a new legal residence. IT ALL HAS TO DO ABOUT MONEY. The money you owe in taxes, the inheritance tax and so forth.

Establish a residence in a state without income tax and go from there.

I have always been told about the 3 state rule, residence in one state, drivers license in another and insurance In yet another as being a big no no.

Get in an accident and you will be paying a lawyer many bucks to try and explain you are not a resident anywhere.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Kardon

Has it not occured to anybody that the reason most cars pass smog controls is that they know they have to get their cars checked every year or two? I lived in California until I was 55 and yes, I complained about the cost and hassle. But since I couldn't register my car without that slip of paper, it was always good. And one of the first things I noticed when I moved to Maine was how rare it was to see burned-out headlights compared to California. As for taxes, road repair, police, firemen (and even politicians salaries) don't come free you know.

TAXES... The taxes referred to in comments about no taxes are usually some type of income tax. You pay taxes when you buy many things. As far as roads are concerned gas taxes are generally consider the revenue to cover roads. In Oregon the state parks are part of highway department.

NEXT QUESTION... How many automobile accidents are mechanical failure.

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

TAXES... The taxes referred

NEXT QUESTION... How many automobile accidents are mechanical failure.

How many are human failure?

[Raz]

Floyd, no urban myth here I'm afraid. Raz

Mechanic charged with manslaughter for approving inspection of vehicle - VTDigger

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

.... In Oregon the state parks are part of highway department.

That's old information Byron. "The department was created as a branch of the Highway Department in 1921. The 1989 Legislature created a separate Parks and Recreation Department, effective in 1990." As found here at the bottom of the page: Oregon Parks and Recreation Department About Us

[floyd]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

Floyd, no urban myth here I'm afraid. Raz

Mechanic charged with manslaughter for approving inspection of vehicle - VTDigger

For those of you who may fail to recognize it, the following is pure sarcasm, the purpose of which is to lampoon those who wish to nanny adults everywhere...

Everybody knows that anything with a build date should have an expiration date.
(Hide your birth certificate!)

I wonder how that case came out? There is of course a build date right on the B pillar of the car. The article below states that the average life expectancy of a car should be 10 years or 200,000miles.
Mr Ibeys car was more than twice that age and he should have been forced to junk it more than a decade earlier. Surely the accident was due to the negligence of the state of Vermont for issuing license plates for a car which which should have been crushed a decade earlier based solely on the build date.
Better safe than sorry! (BTW,how old were the tires?)
After all, the benevolence of the federal government was extended just a few years earlier when they offered Mr. Ibey a $4000 incentive to turn his clunker over for the good of all mankind...or should I have said humanity, or human kind... Ah heck, All creatures great and small!

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