Not quite sure whom they are popular with, except the owners
NC Gov. Cooper signs bill banning popular ‘Carolina Squat’ modification to pickup trucks
Among a list of 11 North Carolina bills Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law last week was one generically called “Restrict Certain Vehicle Modifications.â€
The inconspicuous new law, also called House Bill 692, will essentially do away with a polarizing (and some say dangerous) height adjustment of pickup trucks called the “Carolina Squat.â€
The squat is much like its name — the back of a pickup truck is lowered or kept the same and the height of the front of the truck is raised. That makes a truck appear as if it is “squatting.â€
Pooping trucks? Potty squaties?
Some say this is dangerous because the driver is positioned well above the front of the truck with a view obstructed by the angle of the vehicle. The driver is not able to see down the road or cars just in front of their truck, critics of the design say.
The new bill outlawing the modifications goes into effect on Dec. 1.
There are other concerns, with some mechanics saying that these changes could effect the odometer, causing it to read lower than it should. Which is also illegal under state law, but, yeah, it’s very hard to see out of them as the hood rises higher than intended, putting other motorists, bikers, motorcycles, and pedestrians at risk. Some are more extreme than others. They all look silly, but, hey, your vehicle. You could have spent the money on a higher trim. Your money. Also your license.
And the penalty? A one year revocation of a license, which, seems a bit extreme, in my opinion. Even failing to stop for a stopped school bus only gets you points and a $500 fine. Do it twice in three years and you get a 1 year suspension.
As for popular? 70,000 signed a petition to ban them. I’m all for doing stupid things to your vehicle, but, if you’re making it more dangerous, well, driving is not a right.
The penalty is revocation for the same offense within a 12 month period – not just one offense.
source: https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2021/Bills/House/PDF/H692v1.pdf
That being said, this will not only be unenforceable, but won’t work.
The standard for the infraction is:
The problem will be that the police will have to know the specified height of every vehicle on the road. Secondly, one could lower the back an inch (or not at all) and then lift the front 4 inches for the same rake.
This was started because of a petition on change dot org and the basis is really that 70,000 people didn’t like the looks of the trucks. No evidence was ever shown that the truck was more dangerous or anything like that.
This is a law based on perception.
Like Teach, I think the trucks look stupid, but I think “donks” are stupid looking as well.
It’s a style that would have gone away like spinner wheels have.
Has anyone actually proven that such trucks are more dangerous? Has anyone done a study which demonstrates that there is a higher accident rate among such vehicles?
I will admit it: those things look stupid, but so what? They remind me of a truck in which the load has been placed too far to the rear, weighting it down in such a way that the front lifts up, and there is less weight on the steering tires; that actually can be dangerous. But absent some proof that trucks so modified are actually dangerous, this ought not to be any of the state’s business.