Subject:  Three Wheels = Motorcycle, Four-Wheels=Felony

To: Senator Hanger

Over the last six months, I have been trying to work with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to try setting up reasonable, official, and clear guidelines for titling and inspection of dune buggies for street use in Virginia. This has lead to some pretty serious legal implications. A DMV detective has taken it upon himself to shut down my business and needlessly ruin my life.

DMV Detective Bill Bralley first began his harassment of Va Dune Buggy by first filing a groundless Cease and Desist order for sales. After weeks of trying to cooperate with Bralley, I contacted the Virginia DMV Deputy Director and he lifted the Groundless Cease and Decist order. Within hours of being notified, Detective Bralley came to my shop and told me “I don’t agree with the Administrations Decision” and I should “watch out.” Days later, he became the driving force behind Felony charges filed against me for registering two dune buggies as motorcycles (rather than passenger car) for street use in Virginia. The initial buggy passed a DMV Safety inspection prior to registration as per the procedure indicated by the DMV and was registered without incident.
On 2/26/2010, while trying to correct the previous titling mistake, I was told that I could not. I was then contacted by the DMV’s Titling department and told that under the direction of that DMV Detective and others, policy has been crafted to prevent registration for street use:

* Any vehicle with “dune buggy” on the previous title
* Any vehicle with “off road use only” on the title or MSO no matter how many modifications even if it passes a Virginia Vehicle Safety Inspection.

I’ve been trying to work with the DMV but their agenda is to create policy which will prevent me from fixing the registration mistake that resulted in Felony charges against me. While this decision is a slap in the face to me, it is a tragedy for the people of the commonwealth. Citizens have lost the ability to register these highly efficient and fun dune buggies for street use.