Bumper Delete in California

[fiasco]

Are there any legal issues with removing the bumpers in CA?

[So Cal Mark]

vehicle code says that any vehicle delivered with bumpers requires them.

[SpiderHead]

...Mark is right about the law, but there is no system in place to check. They only care if you pull off your smog gear.



-Ryan

[So Cal Mark]

Ryan is right, there isn't a list of cars and how they were equipped. It would be up to an officer to decide if it looked like bumpers were originally installed. Of course, there are certain bumper laws that went into effect in various years

[mbouse]

yup, the definition of the word bumper is in the eye of the beholder.

[bajacalal]

My observation is that around here unlike other states they don't give a f*** what you do in or with your car even if it is not "safe" so long as the "smog control" parts are in place if so required.

However I am going to offer this piece of advice:

Keep your bumpers.

People here in So Cal seem like they learned to drive in some third world country where getting a driving licence involves only a $10 bribe to the appropriate local official and nothing else. I have driven around various parts of Latin America and the driving "style" here is not that much better.

Also, last summer my Fiat was parked on the street in front of my house and my neighbor backed into my 124 Spider pretty hard. He said he did not see it. The funny thing is he's an Italian car fan and has owned a steady parade of Fiats and Alfas.

I saw him do it but after that happened we agreed that the federally-required bumper on my Fiat saved the car from needing a bunch of expensive body parts and since there was no damage to the Fiat we both laughed about it.
Despite that these bumpers are ugly I am not taking them off. I am convinced the worst drivers in the USA live here.

[fiasco]

I've live many years in both Dallas and here in SoCal. In my experience, Dallas drivers are worse - but I'm sure that's pure subjectivity.

-- se

[So Cal Mark]

I think the problem in socal is drivers in a hurry; willing to cut in and out, tailgate, whatever it takes to get there first. Most don't have the ability to drive as fast as their car will go