Ontario By-laws on No Fenders

Hyway Hauler

Hyway Hauler

Member
Does anybody know if there is a law in Ontario that forbids a car or truck to run without fenders, I'm asking because I always assumed that when I put my truck on the road, I'll get the mechanical with the fenders, then once I get the plates and inssure it, take em off and play ignorant if I get stopped.
Is there such a law out here? Is this a stupid question??:eek:
 
Don't know for sure about Ontario, but it is illegal in B.C. Lots of fenderless cars here though. Cops leave you alone unless you deserve it. How ICBC views it in terms of a claim though is probably another matter.
 
:mad::mad::mad::)the one downside of this is if you get caught after the fact then the authorities come down on the guy that inspected it! so as an inspector i am already gunshy about inspecting a homemade car.and if i get hung out to dry and lose my inspecting priveliges,i will be very angry.so if a guy did such a thing and got caught,you must take all the heat!! and say you did it,otherwise sooner or later no one will bee willing to mvi hotrods, then we are all screwed
 
Couldn't agree more Haney. Down here, inspector guys are taking pics of vehicles when they inspect them. That way, if a person wants to take off the fenders later, the inspector's ass is covered. And I don't blame them one little bit.
 
MR HANEY said:
:mad::mad::mad::)the one downside of this is if you get caught after the fact then the authorities come down on the guy that inspected it! so as an inspector i am already gunshy about inspecting a homemade car.and if i get hung out to dry and lose my inspecting priveliges,i will be very angry.so if a guy did such a thing and got caught,you must take all the heat!! and say you did it,otherwise sooner or later no one will bee willing to mvi hotrods, then we are all screwed
Click to expand...

In Ontario isn't there a limit of time that the inspector can be held liable for their inspection. I can't recall if it is 30 or 60 days, after that time they are no longer liable.

As for fenders (coming from the offroad world) you have to have an effective way of reducing overspray, be it fender coverage or mudflaps as per the HTA. No where does it state that you need these things, just states you have to control the overspray, so if it is not raining, they have nothing to go on and you can fight the ticket. The HTA is pretty vauge and leaves alot to be interpreted in this area, but seems to mostly come down to the weather.
 
Last edited:
Alberta has fender laws as well, yet there are a ton of fenderless cars running around that province. I ran a fenderless t-bucket in calgary for 7 years and never got hassled.

Manitoba, OTOH, is VERY anal about fenders. :(
 
There are two issues here – first, what is legal when you’re on the road, and second, what is required for the safety inspection (Safety Standards Certificate in Ontario). Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act requires “mudguards or fenders or other device adequate to reduce effectively the wheel spray or splash of water from the roadway” (section 66(3)). Enforcement of this is entirely up to the officer doing the deed. Many rodders have operated fenderless cars for years without problems but that’s not a guarantee of success by any means. It’s a chance you take, but most officers are cool with this as long as you’re not stupid or otherwise asking for it, just like missing licence plates, mufflers, etc. Some officers don’t care if it’s raining or not so the weather isn’t a good excuse in most court rooms. As for the safety inspection, Ontario’s regulation 611 states that “no…fender or mudguard shall have been removed” (schedule 1, section 1(1)(a)). Did your ’32 have fenders when it was built? Then it requires them for the inspection, period (bumpers too, but that’s another day). If an inspecting mechanic wants to ignore this requirement they’re taking a chance. As for scratch-built cars, the mechanic might rely on the excuse that “it was built without fenders so there are none to remove” and that might work if there is a challenge to the inspection, but no guarantees there either. In Ontario, the station licensee and the mechanic can be charged for issuing a certificate improperly up to 6 months from the date of issue, and the fines can be up to $20,000 and revocation of the licence or mechanic’s registration in the program. Taking photos of questionable vehicles is a very good idea. As already stated, what is illegal on paper doesn’t always mean you can’t do it, just that you’re taking a chance that your good poker face and good manners will keep you safe if you’re stopped. Happy motoring!!
 
Sorry to burst any bubbles but "Road Spray" according to the Ontario government doesn't just mean water. it can mean dust, gravel etc. as well. I've had quite a few fenderless cars over the years and I received one ticket a few years ago with my Deuce roadster. That was when the tube chassis/no body dune buggiies were real popular and I heard some cop's girlfriend was sprayed by one of those. I took my ticket to the police station to talk to the sargeant and he agreed it was dumb to ticket me on a nice dry day, but called the ministry and they told him about the road spray deal. I'm still driving a hiboy and that was the only time I ever had a problem. I'm sure if you were screw'n around speeding or whatever a cop would probably ticket you but normally you're pretty safe.
 
QUOTE
the one downside of this is if you get caught after the fact then the authorities come down on the guy that inspected it! so as an inspector i am already gunshy about inspecting a homemade car.and if i get hung out to dry and lose my inspecting priveliges,i will be very angry.so if a guy did such a thing and got caught,you must take all the heat!! and say you did it,otherwise sooner or later no one will bee willing to mvi hotrods, then we are all screwed


I take pictures to cover my ass
 
johnny37 said:
Don't know for sure about Ontario, but it is illegal in B.C. Lots of fenderless cars here though. Cops leave you alone unless you deserve it. How ICBC views it in terms of a claim though is probably another matter.
Click to expand...

If in an accident, ICBC looks for anything that is not kosher and will use the inspectors pics as comparison. If the fenders are off, that could void the claim.
Same in Alberta, but we are dealing with independent insurance companies, and each one is different depending upon your relationaship with.
You take your chances modifiying a vehicle after inspection.
 
TIME TRAVELLER said:
There are two issues here – first, what is legal when you’re on the road, and second, what is required for the safety inspection (Safety Standards Certificate in Ontario). Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act requires “mudguards or fenders or other device adequate to reduce effectively the wheel spray or splash of water from the roadway” (section 66(3)). Enforcement of this is entirely up to the officer doing the deed. Many rodders have operated fenderless cars for years without problems but that’s not a guarantee of success by any means. It’s a chance you take, but most officers are cool with this as long as you’re not stupid or otherwise asking for it, just like missing licence plates, mufflers, etc. Some officers don’t care if it’s raining or not so the weather isn’t a good excuse in most court rooms. As for the safety inspection, Ontario’s regulation 611 states that “no…fender or mudguard shall have been removed” (schedule 1, section 1(1)(a)). Did your ’32 have fenders when it was built? Then it requires them for the inspection, period (bumpers too, but that’s another day). If an inspecting mechanic wants to ignore this requirement they’re taking a chance. As for scratch-built cars, the mechanic might rely on the excuse that “it was built without fenders so there are none to remove” and that might work if there is a challenge to the inspection, but no guarantees there either. In Ontario, the station licensee and the mechanic can be charged for issuing a certificate improperly up to 6 months from the date of issue, and the fines can be up to $20,000 and revocation of the licence or mechanic’s registration in the program. Taking photos of questionable vehicles is a very good idea. As already stated, what is illegal on paper doesn’t always mean you can’t do it, just that you’re taking a chance that your good poker face and good manners will keep you safe if you’re stopped. Happy motoring!!
Click to expand...

That sums it up nice

As quoted from the HTA http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90h08_e.htm#BK110

Mudguards

(3) Every motor vehicle and every trailer shall be equipped with mudguards or fenders or other device adequate to reduce effectively the wheel spray or splash of water from the roadway to the rear thereof, unless adequate protection is afforded by the body of the motor vehicle or trailer or by a trailer drawn by the motor vehicle. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 66 (3).

Exception

(4) Subsection (3) does not apply to motor vehicles or trailers in an unfinished condition while proceeding to a works for completion. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 66 (4).

So read it as you will and the police will read it as they will...you just better be reading it the same:D
 
If you want to walk that narrow line and not use fenders, be prepared to be stopped and hastled by police. Do your due dilligence and have a disposible camera to show that at the time of being issued a ticket, there was no mud or water spray on your fenderless car, so it obviously could not be a hazzard to other motorists. Then hope the judge is willing to listen to logic and reason instead of cut and dried.:D

Russ
 
I have no problem taking the heat for my own actions of taking off my fenders. I thought that Alberta had a fair weather act? not true?
 
Hammer396 said:
I have no problem taking the heat for my own actions of taking off my fenders. I thought that Alberta had a fair weather act? not true?
Click to expand...

Not sure about that Hammer, it could be an old wife's tale, but then again I've got fenders on mine...and maybe I should go fenderless....LOL
 
I doubt that playing the "weather" card would hold much water (no pun intended). Heavy trucks are required to have mudflaps and if one is missing, the DOT will pull the truck over and, if he's in a bitchy mood, will not allow the truck to be moved without a flap installed. A sunny day would be a poor defence as I doubt you could convince a judge or cop that, should a storm blow in while you are out and about, you would pull over and wait for the storm to pass and the roads to dry before heading home. Also, someone could have an accident and claim that a rock or some other debris came off your car as it passed, hit his window and caused him to lose control.
 
Hammer396 said:
I have no problem taking the heat for my own actions of taking off my fenders. I thought that Alberta had a fair weather act? not true?
Click to expand...

Saskatchewan is the only province in Canada with a "fair-weather" law. However, as I mentioned earlier, I never got hassled for running fenderless in Calgary, or anywhere else for that matter. I put 40,000 kms on my old T-bucket (below) in 7 years and only got asked about them once. No ticket, he was just curious if I knew that it wasn't legal. :cool:

hotrod5.jpg
 
I always remember the story that was told to me by an Alberta rodder who (shall remain nameless) dared to come over the Rockies into B.C. for a rod trot in the lower rainland. His fenderless rod got stopped by Constable A. Retentive. He was given no choice but to commercial flatdeck his rod home to Alberia. Years later, new rod (also fenderless) he was plenty apprehensive to drive to a trot in PTP territory. No problems this time.

I asked an RCMP officer that I know recently what his view (or the view of his superiors) was of fenderless rods. He brushed it off saying if the guy was driving reasonably, he could care less. He was intent to focus on all the lifted pick-me-up trucks!!
 
Fenders... no fenders. It all pretty much boils down to if you flunk the attitude test or not, and the mood of the cop that day. I've run fenderless roadsters for over 20 years in California (fenders required on ALL vehicles) and North Carolina (fenders required) driven across country several times, Canada twice and never been stopped for anything. Is it legal? No! Will I do anything different? Only if I'm forced too.
I had a shop in California in the 80's and 90's, and guys with mini trucks with the tires sticking outside the body line would come in to "borrow" a set of stock style tires and wheels to get fix-it tickets signed off for fender violations. All the while my track roadster sat in front of the shop, and it never had a fender on it. I'd run cycle fenders if needed, but I'm not a fan of them.
As far as the inspector goes, I would never ask a guy to put his
bread and butter on the line. It would be easier to install a set of temporary fenders, get the inspection done, and break the rules all on your own. If I'm gonna ask a guy to do something illegal for me, it's gotta be big. A friend will help you move... A true friend will help you move the body.
Clarke
 
I think we're worrying a lot here about nothing. I drove a T Bucket in the early 70s, a Deuce Highboy all through the eighties and now I have a '34 Hiboy coupe that I'm driving the wheels off of. One ticket by a single cop in Windsor who had it in for fenderless cars because his girlfriend got splashed. Even if you get a ticket it's not a whole lot of money - consider it a tax and drive on. I have a buddy who's been driving a 29 HiBoy all over Canada and the States including many trips to Californis and back to Ontario and he got one ticket about the same time I did and by the same cop. Drive cool, don't be a squirrel and they'll leave you alone. I have a guy around the corner from me who was smoking his T Bucket's tires at a small town car show (on the street) and the cops were standing there watching him. One cop said he shouldn't do that. That, blew me away!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom