# Massachusetts plow headgear laws.



## Sharpshooter77 (Jul 19, 2006)

Hello everyone I wanted to know if anyone knew if there are any laws in massachusetts that say you can't have your plow headgear on in the off seaon months. I asking this because I was told yesterday by a friend that you can't drive around with the headgear on in the off plow months. I have never had any trouble with police, or getting pulled over for it. Also my insurance agent said that he had never heard of that law. I have always had the old style fisher plow mount on my truck, and my truck is also my daily driver. I hopeing that this law is not true because it would be a PITA to take it off.


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## gordyo (Feb 12, 2002)

Here is the law:

http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/90-19k.htm

Here is the part that states who is exempt which may or may not apply to you:

*This section shall not apply to hitching mechanisms which are permanently affixed through welding or other means, before the effective date of this section. However, it shall be unlawful, and punishable by the fines and revocations, for any person to permanently affix through welding or other means a hitching mechanism governed under this section after the effective date of this section. *


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## 02powerstroke (Nov 7, 2006)

Dose this mean that if you have a Fisher speedcast that dose not come off its ok but you cant leave the head gear from a minute mount on and drive around with it like that?


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*Take it off boys....*

Between May 15 and October 15 of each year, any vehicle with a gross weight of less than 26,000 pounds which is equipped with a plow shall be required to have removed the plow and hitching mechanism used with the plow. Vehicles equipped with an apparatus that allows the hitching mechanism to be folded flat leaving no protruding surfaces, shall only be required to have the plow itself removed; if the hitching mechanism is in the folded flat position while the vehicle is in operation. If snowfall occurs before October 25 or after May 15 vehicles subject to this act may be re-equipped with the plow and any apparatus necessary for clearing snow. Vehicles shall be required to abide by this section within 72 hours of the conclusion of snowfall.
Any individual found operating a motor vehicle in violation of this section shall be issued a warning for the first offense, shall be fined $250 for the second offense and $500 and revocation of the vehicle's registration for the third offense.


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## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

What is the point of this anyway?  So pedestrians don't get impailed?


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*Same reason for lower trucks....*



Banksy;353768 said:


> What is the point of this anyway?  So pedestrians don't get impailed?


 It is the same reason you cannot tell if a truck is a 4x4 anymore....The gov watching out for the little guy...Telling the people who own the big safe vehicles that they cannot be safer than everyone else....I don't know why they don't just put roll cages and harnesses in every car and be done with it!


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*Same reason for lower trucks....*



Banksy;353768 said:


> What is the point of this anyway?  So pedestrians don't get impailed?


 It is the same reason you cannot tell if a truck is a 4x4 anymore....The gov watching out for the little guy...Telling the people who own the big safe vehicles that they cannot be safer than everyone else....I don't know why they don't just put roll cages and harnesses in every car and be done with it!
Oh I forgot , and for Massachusetts to find another way to take more money from the hard working men and woman...


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## lieutlamson (Dec 4, 2006)

I have been to many accidents where guys with plow frames on their trucks have rear ended a car or suv. Those this do a lot of damage and Ive heard in some cases that the plow frame cam in contact with a rear passenger. Regardless, what is it two or four bolts to take the headgear off.


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## Winter Land Man (Aug 9, 2005)

Didn't someone say on this site that the plowframe hit the side of someone's car window and hit them in the head?


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## 04superduty (Jan 9, 2004)

Banksy;353768 said:


> What is the point of this anyway?  So pedestrians don't get impailed?


with the plow headgear on you remove and form of a crumple zone from one of the vehicles. it is also a smaller area to dissapate to crash impact, meaning it does a large amount of damage to the other vehicle.


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## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

The crumple zone and high impact makes sense, but I don't know. Old Fisher speed casters are my favorite plow. Only ones I ever used. You don't have to get rid of any old units that are still in use right? They are grandfathered in, aren't they?


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## Antnee77 (Oct 25, 2005)

It doesn't affect my MM2, but even if I did have an older Fisher with underhood hydraulics, I would put it on in December and take it off in March.


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## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

I used to take the head gear off for the off season and put a piece of angle iron over the push plates. Four bolts and it was back on.


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## 02powerstroke (Nov 7, 2006)

I see people with the new style MM and western plows and they leave the head gear on and take the plow off whats the point??


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## ThisIsMe (Oct 31, 2006)

_Nothing in this section shall apply to state, county or municipally owned or operated vehicles._

And why is this? Not for safety, because they cannot make any money by ticketing their own.

The old "Do as I say, not what I do".

I am pretty sure the Massachusetts will be the first communistic state.


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*You got it..*



ThisIsMe;354152 said:


> _Nothing in this section shall apply to state, county or municipally owned or operated vehicles._
> 
> And why is this? Not for safety, because they cannot make any money by ticketing their own.
> 
> ...


 Hit the nail on the head...It is all about revenue generation...If they wanted to save lives I think the teen driver issue(Or many others) kills allot more than Fisher plow frames...Our fearless Government at its best...Excuse me my ex fearless state gov at its best.


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## ThisIsMe (Oct 31, 2006)

Afterthought.

You know this law pretty much makes it illegal for a dealer to SELL a plow between those dates. or to bring you plow in for service in the off season, or to test drive a new truck and plow in the fall. 

Good forbid if you have to move your home or business. Plows will have to stay there until the appointed time.

Heck I purchased a new plow this past fall and drove it home about 60 miles.


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## ThisIsMe (Oct 31, 2006)

Oshkosh;354155 said:


> Hit the nail on the head...It is all about revenue generation...If they wanted to save lives I think the teen driver issue(Or many others) kills allot more than Fisher plow frames...Our fearless Government at its best...Excuse me my ex fearless state gov at its best.


True. Why would the state not take the lead and show by example? Or is it because town and state employees making $11 an hour are better drivers? Ya right.

Just like the state troopers do when they do 90 down the highway and tailgate everyone in their way.....oh wait that is a bad example.


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## gene gls (Dec 24, 1999)

*New Plows*

There is a "date" involved here. I for got when it was. I was told, after the date of this new law, all plow mfg's had to make the head gears removable. You can't take an old head gear and plow to transfer to a newer truck.


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*Here is a link to Mass DMV...*

http://www.mass.gov/rmv/rmvnews/2005/SnowplowAnnouncement.pdf


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## Winter Land Man (Aug 9, 2005)

ThisIsMe;354157 said:


> Afterthought.
> 
> You know this law pretty much makes it illegal for a dealer to SELL a plow between those dates. or to bring you plow in for service in the off season, or to test drive a new truck and plow in the fall.
> 
> ...


I think you can drive around with a plow on. But it's the little trinagle on a plow frame that they are worried about.

*EDIT*

No, it says you do have to take the plow and frame off. But what about guys who use YORK RAKES? They need the plow hitch on!


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## ThisIsMe (Oct 31, 2006)

Winter Land Man;354259 said:


> I think you can drive around with a plow on. But it's the little trinagle on a plow frame that they are worried about.
> 
> *EDIT*
> 
> No, it says you do have to take the plow and frame off. But what about guys who use YORK RAKES? They need the plow hitch on!


Not sure.

_*shall be required to have removed the plow and hitching mechanism used with the plow.*_

If you follow the law to a "T" then any officer that sees you on the road with a plow is required to pull you over and give a ticket for such. Doubt a judge would enforce it. Still silly to see no thought or brains put into these laws.

BTW Try to find the list from the RMV that was required according to this law. Not to be found.


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## itsgottobegreen (Mar 31, 2004)

Winter Land Man;353824 said:


> Didn't someone say on this site that the plowframe hit the side of someone's car window and hit them in the head?


Yep that was me. A very dear friend, Sherri Crow was in her 2001 PT crusier. She took a 1985 Chevy 2500 with a meyer classic lift frame to the driver door of her crusier. She had to have the entire left side of her face rebuilt. She was out of school for like 3 months because of it.

Can't seem to figure out why I can't get her to go plowing with me. :b:


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## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

02powerstroke;354127 said:


> I see people with the new style MM and western plows and they leave the head gear on and take the plow off whats the point??


I'd say looks or keeping the whole thing from being stolen.

As far as mounting a Speedcaster on a different truck, who says it wasn't already on there?  And who welds a plow frame to a truck??? 
How about Westerns and Meyer who are behind the bumper? Ya I wanna remove that every year. Ridiculous law.


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## Sharpshooter77 (Jul 19, 2006)

The date that this law went in to effect was July 1, 2004. My truck came factory from ford with the fisher plow installed off the show room floor. So I don't think that this law applys to me because my truck came with the plow in 1985. I also talked with my insurance agent and he said the law does not apply to me because of the year of my truck.


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## Yaz (Apr 13, 2005)

I believe the old lift arm and triangle plate that is at window side impact hight was the main reason for this law. As for state owned vehicles not having to to remove them is stupid.


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## DugHD (Nov 1, 2005)

My favorite part is everyone has to abide by this law , EXCEPT the state.


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## Oshkosh (Sep 11, 2005)

*How about this one.....No CDL Needed...lol*

I took this right from the State Of Colorados CDL Manual..The State of Maine also has this clause......If it is an emergency they will waive the CDL requirements...Go Figure....

Emergency Snow Plowing. During declared emer-gency snow removal operations, non-CDL holders may operate snowplow vehicles. The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) determines when an emergency snow condition exists.


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## PaulT (Jan 2, 2007)

Take that big piece of steel OFF your truck when the roads are clear and dry, & you have traction.

Put it back on when the roads are icey & you can't stop


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## 04superduty (Jan 9, 2004)

ThisIsMe;354152 said:


> _Nothing in this section shall apply to state, county or municipally owned or operated vehicles._
> 
> And why is this? Not for safety, because they cannot make any money by ticketing their own.
> 
> ...


it could also be because its alittle harder to remove the plow headgear on the county or DOT trucks.


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