Recreational vehicles must stay off city streets – Coshocton Tribune

COSHOCTON — Warnings will be issued the next few weeks for illegally operating recreational or farm vehicles on city streets, but beginning April 1, those warnings will turn into tickets.

Side-by-side, four-wheel and two-wheel-drive all-terrain vehicles, golf carts and the small imported Japanese mini trucks, which are gaining local popularity, all fall under motor vehicles that cannot be operated on city streets without proper licensing.

The Coshocton County Sheriff’s Office recently has noticed an increase of these vehicles on city streets.

“When someone comes around the corner and they’re facing a John Deere Gator … it generally causes a distraction (for the other driver),” Lt. Bill Kobel said. “But there’s a bigger problem besides safety. (Motorists) pay for license plates and have insurance, and people driving around with these vehicles are driving around without license plates, have no requirements for insurance, and (their use) is just strictly against Ohio Revised Code and city ordinances.”

In 2009, West Lafayette’s Village Council was approached by residents and developed an ordinance making the use of golf carts on village streets legal. The push for the ordinance began in 2008 when gas prices continued to rise and were about $ 4 per gallon.

West Lafayette Police Chief Terry Mardis said there has not been any issues in the village with allowing the golf carts on the streets, nor does his department notice many out.

Kobel said the sheriff’s office understands the need to find fuel-efficient vehicles for travel to and from work and other obligations.

“If these people feel strongly enough about wanting to (be able to drive these vehicles) they need to follow the proper course about changing the ordinance that would allow it,” Kobel said.

Deputies will start charging people using the vehicles on city streets with a minor misdemeanor of failure to display a license plate, which carries a $ 30 fine plus court costs.

“The first offense, we’d follow them home to make sure the vehicle is off the street,” Kobel said.

A second offense would get costly, as the vehicle will be towed at the owner’s expense and additional charges would be issued, Kobel said.

To have a vehicle licensed in Ohio, the vehicle must come from the manufacturer with a title, must have all safety equipment required by Ohio Revised Code, must carry liability insurance and must be inspected by the Ohio Highway Patrol. Slow moving vehicle signs — which many have been displaying locally when on the streets — cannot be used for non-farm use activities and are not a replacement for Ohio license plates.