Legal Help Needed

Howdy, I'm from Missouri I am haveing some problems with our local law enforcement. Our city does not have an ordinance that prohibits ATV use on the city streets however our county does. If I have that permit can I ride in the city streets? PLease I need to know where I can find this information. Also, if a police officer is not impounded my atv can he legally sieze and have it towed my who he pleases where he pleases? I had a way to tow but he said he had the right to call a towing company to do it. But I had a truck and trailer ready to take it off the street. FYI the towing company owner was the father of the police officer.
PLease I need help soon. It's assholes like this that are threatening ATV's everywhere.

City laws take precedence over county laws, so you are bound by any city laws that are more strict than a county law. A county permit will do you no good in the city limits.

It is sort of a chain of command type thing. The pecking order starts at the top, and as you work your way from Country, State, County/Parrish, to City, all laws apply. A city law will always take precedence if more stringent than other laws, while at the same time, if your city has no specific law against something, but your county or state does, then you are bound by the County or State law.

That probably sounds all kinds of confusing, I think it sounded confusing to me when I said it, LOL. It was very confusing to me as well when I was studying it.

The best thing to do in situations like that (even though it's also the hardest) is to cooperate no matter what.

"Kill em with kindness" and smile. If he intends to impound it, then most likely no matter what you do he's going to.

Just because the city doesn't have rules... remember the city is still "within" the county and bound by it's laws.

Check your local laws and speak with (other) law enforcement officials locally and see what the laws are pertaining to riding the ditches. I know here, if you're in the ditch... they can't do squat to ya.

Or if you have a slow-moving vehicle sign on the back of the atv, on rural county roads and are below 30 mph obeying traffic laws they can't touch you.

This is of course in Texas and has no bearing or influence on what Missouri laws state.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

Ride Safe,

Chuck