Airstreams in Museums

[melprice]

I live in a city that like many others doesn't allow trailers to be stored in my driveway, or any other driveway for that matter. I am in the process of sending a letter/rant with regards to this. My question is:

Are there any museums that have an A/S as an exhibit. There must be some museums of industrial design or similar that recognize the historical value of an American icon that has been around since 1936.

My point is going to be along the lines:

Why is it that my neighbor can park his rusted 1982 Honda Civic in his driveway with impunity yet I can't park my vintage Airstream, an American icon that is proudly displayed in the following museums:

1. etc...

I know it won't make one iota of difference to the rules but I feel it has to be said.

[Andy R]

I found this article while trying to find the website of the Ford Museum. They have a photo of the Airstream housed there somewhere on the net.

Excerpt from RacerChicks.com Article
Click Here To Read The Article @ RacerChicks.com
Airstream's long tradition of design and manufacturing excellence led Money magazine to declare them one of "99 things that, yes, Americans make best." Airstream are found in both the Smithsonian Institution and the Henry Ford Museum. An Airstream trailer was selected by NASA to house the first astronauts back from the moon. Airstream motorhomes continue today to be an integral part of the space shuttle program. Airstream have truly become an American Legend.

[thenewkid64]

One of the things that Good Sam and WBCCI work on is trying to stop passage of laws that restrict RV owners from Parking in their neighborhoods, or requiring CLD type licensing to Motor Home drivers. If you want to try to get something changed in your area you may want to join Good Sam. They have a great roadside assistance program as well as doing stuff like this. There may be someone in your area that can help you to change this restriction.

You also may want to check with the city regarding the actual rule. The attached picture shows how I was able to park it legally and keep it by the house.

http://www.airstreamphotos.com/photo....php?photo=265

Good luck

[winner]

With reference to Driveway Parking - See Page 80, of "Higways" for July 2002 (Good Sam Club). Letter entitled "Parking Help"
Good Sam Club has a publication called "RV Parking Rights Manual" and a Committee that works on this problem at 1-800-880-0440. There is a counselor at that numbert by the name of of Lucy Huddy. According to this authority, the US Supreme Court has an existing ruling that this is an unconstitutional law.
Call Lucy - She can give you the ammunition you need to go to your local zoning authority

[canny_banjo_man]

Hi Melprice...
I know there are LAWS and laws out in the states, but I have NEVER heard of anything so STUPID in all my life, if you ever come to the U K , You'll realy go home nuts, we have rubbish skips, scrap cars, lorries and buses, it is the way we are, people DO frown upon it , being untidy, but sadly it is a fact of life, I for one would be very HAPPY and proud to exhibit such a masterpiece in my driveway, mind you, I doubt if it would last the night, as someone will try to pinch it !!!....
I WOULD complain, STRONGLY...so I'll back you on that one buddy..." GO FOR IT "...
Best of luck...Chris.....

[Chuck]

Where I live, they can only restrict unregistered vehicles from being stored at private homes, which I think is a good idea. Keeps people's neighborhoods from becoming "junk-yards". I think the limit in my town is "2 unregistered vehicles". Since my TT is registered and has a plate on it, there's nothing they can do. Not like anyone can see the thing at my house, anyway....;-)

[melprice]

Thanks for all the replies.

I am going to park in the driveway and use the resources I've been given to fight any opposition to it. I think the first thing is to join the Good Sams club, now where's that subscription card that came in the mail.

In your opinion which way would you go:

1. Tell them they can't stop me and fight them to get the law changed. Wait untiul I've won (hopefully) before I park at home.

2. Park and not say anything until I get a knock on the door then fight them from there.

[83Excella]

There is probably a clause in that law that will let you park there for a certain time, a day, 3 days, a week. You may have to get permission from the 'block police' aka homeowners association or at least inform them before parking there. Before joining Good Sam contact them and see what they can do for you first before you give them any money. Lastly, living in a community that has deed restrictions such as no rv parking, cant park in the street, garbage bags must be black (we dont want to see what you throw away), you can only paint your house a certain color (and it must blend with neighbors color), and I could go on... really sucks! talk about losing civil liberties and control freaks.
"I know it won't make one iota of difference to the rules but I feel it has to be said." Your right it wont, it's the control they have over you that they feed off of.


John

[Chuck]

I've often wondered why anyone would be willing to buy property in a place like this. A condo is one thing; but a house w/ a piece of land over which you have no control......forget it.

[thenewkid64]

You may want to call your local code enforcement office to see exactly what the rules are. That was how I found out about the "behind the front of the house" issue. I live in a deed restricted area, but the restrictions are really only enforced if some neighbor complains. I drive thru the negiborhood and see tons of violations, but they only seem to cite ones that occur on the county property or if there is a complaint. Even if they come and say I am in violation I get 10 days to remedy it. So my advice would be to gauge your neighbors and call the local code enforcement for the "Rule". If you are comfortable with the chance of the "knock on the door" go for it. You may find that the neighbors do not care and there will be no problems. I have crabby neighbors so I had to build the "Landing pad"

[ViewRVs]

Not being one to go against the flow... ....deed restrictions which prevent RV's and boats are a right that is voluntarily given away when purchasing a home in a restricted neighborhood. It is not a law but a deed restriction. Properties with deed restrictions (less ownership rights) are desired by many people and tend to increase the value of the property due to the improved appearance of the neighborhood. The only deed restrictions that are illegal are ones that discriminate (i.e. race, color, national origin, gender, etc...) like the ones in the south that used to prevent ownership by African Americans.

As an RV owner, I lived and live in a restricted neighborhood. That's my choice. My RV is in storage.

The reason these are there is because someone abused their rights in the past. If you don't like it, thank the RV or boat owner that had no class and parked a heap of junk in their front yard!

Fighting it or ignoring the restriction will only cause friction with your neighbors. My suggestion is to look for a reasonable solution like parking it as descretely as possible and covering it or hiding it with fencing or landscaping. No may have no other choice but to keep it in storage. It's kinda hard to hide a 345!

[canny_banjo_man]

Hi ALL....
Well U learn something every day....I always thought AMERICA was the Land of the FREE...FREEDOM and all that stuff, have I been yet MIS-LED, once again, being British, ( and PROUD )
..." let the BULLDOG BITE BACK..." I DO NOT wish to fall out/upset anyone at all, but surely if it belongs to you...why can't you park it where you wish to, if it's on YOUR land, over here WE pay ROAD-TAX, so if I wish to park my car outside next door's house, I will, and there is NOTHING anyone can do about it, but I don't , simply as I have to walk further...and it's just NOT good manners either, so I use my driveway, we use ANY colour bin bags, other wise we would only be able to buy one colour in the first place, so there IS something " G R E A T " in Britain after all...
I understand your problems, and hope all will soon be sorted very soon, but UNTIL then, B-Good, stay within the law, and DON'T upset your neighbours, you may NEED them one day...
...Chris.....

[kzener40]

I think it comes down to your neighbors and when they see your trailer or motorhome do they see and appreciate a classic or consider it an eyesore? There are alot of crazy laws out there that never get enforced. Most cities are so tight on their budgets they don't have the resources or dollars to manage some of these crazy laws. I live in the middle of Portland, in a very old and traditional neighborhood. We wanted chickens. We found out that there was a law against farm animials in the city.....6 years later with 8 chickens running around our property no one has ever knocked on our door. Bottomline is who in the city is in charge of tracking down Chicken Law Breakers???? Now if one of my neighbors made a fuss and called the city I would probably have a problem. I think if you respect your neighbors and put your vehicle in an area that doesn't intrude on them you'll be fine. Personally I wouldn't raise a red flag.......If you get caught fight the system but until then just enjoy waking up with a hot cup of coffee and staring at your classic.


Ken

[jcanavera]

Mel,
Good luck with your challenge to the system. Obviously as others have stated, if you are dealing with a local law, with the help from Good Sam you possibly can get a change.

Subdivision restrictions are something else and I am pretty much in the same boat and can't keep my trailer at home (although in all honesty the driveway is not the place).

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and personally I understand that some may not appreciated the beauty of my trailer. Especially since it casts a much bigger profile than my Honda.

Jack