South Carolina Requiring 3 Wheel Certification
June 19th, 2008 at 10:09 am by Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider"It looks like South Carolina is now requiring a separate 3 wheeler certification if you’re going to be riding a trike or sidecar outfit. Previously a waiver was issued to allow 3 wheel operation, the waivers have been eliminated.
Anyone wanting to drive a three-wheeled motorcycle needs either a C Endorsement allowing them to drive all types of motorcycles, or a D Endorsement restricting them to just three-wheeled motorcycles.
With the rapidly growing 3 wheeler segment I hope there will be some agreement among the states about what sort of training is necessary for their new certification. With regular trikes, reverse trikes, tilting trikes and sidecars, the whole field will get crowded fast.
I wonder what happens to the thousands of current 3 wheeler owners. Will they be automatically certified or given a certain amount of time to get certified? I’m guessing the latter.
Link: Myrtle Beach Online
Related: 3 Wheeler Motorcycle License Proposed in Colorado
Related: Delaware Law Requires 3 Wheeler Motorcycle License
Related: Driving a Sidecar Outfit
Posted in Three Wheel Motor Vehicles
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9 Responses to “South Carolina Requiring 3 Wheel Certification”
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June 19th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
I appreciate the need for vehicle-specific training, most US drivers are woefully undertrained. Driver education mostly consists of how to operate the car itself with no focus on how to interact with the ebb and flow of traffic.
This, however, seems like a preemptive CYA action on the part of the individual states as more alternative wheel count vehicles appear. And probably a fund-raising device as well (in WA if you increase your skill set by learning to ride a motorcycle you also get to pay double for your license). Mostly, though, it’s indemnifying the states against some unfortunate CanAm owner’s overly litigious next-of-kin.
If it results in more people operating smaller, lighter, less stupid vehicles I’m for it. Even if it adds yet another 100% to the fee.
PS. How many licenses do you think it would take to operate a street-legal Kettenkrad in South Carolina? Is it different from a regular Tank license?
June 19th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Frankly, I think it’s kind of silly to evaluate the skills of somebody who wants to drive a Can-Am Spyder by watching him drive a scooter around cones. And just as silly to wave the driving test if he has taken an MSF course on a Sportster. Three-wheelers are as different from motorcycles as they are from cars. 3-wheel-specific licensing makes sense to me.
June 19th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Here here. Sounds Reasonable. It probably won’t happen here in California because of the whole meter maid thing and Arnold.
-todd
June 19th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
I’m somewhat of two minds about this:
On one hand, appropriate licensing and testing of operators is usually good.
On the other hand, more meddling by the assorted governmental bodies in what was originally a very much untouched mode of transport seems irksome.
Hmm.
June 19th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
JUST MORE MONEY FOR THE STATE. BUT I DO AGREE JP &COHO.
June 19th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Not a bad idea, to include an extensive vision and dexterity test with the 3 wheeler test.
June 20th, 2008 at 11:19 am
I live in SC, and I can almost guarantee no one who enforces this law will know what’s going on. I have a friend who is a state trooper and one who is a driver tester for the DMV, I will ask them what’s up next time I see them. I know there is a trike course already set up at my local DMV, I talked about it to my friend when I finally got my MC license. MC permits are good for a year here and eternally renewable, and thre is very little reason for people to get their license.
June 22nd, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Roughly 3 years ago SC DMV stared this idea. Originaly it was and extra type of endorsment to your M Licence. Those carrying an M License only had to fill out a state form and they were grandfathered in. That lasted for roughly 6 months. After which you were required to take a writen test specific to 3 wheeler operation.
This was an enevidable requirment once the 3 wheeler market started to pick up. And yes, it’s just more revenue and restriction posed by the great state of South Carolina…
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:44 am
It is all about the money