Want to register an Ariel Atom? Don't mess with Texas.

"StingrayJake" (stingrayjake)
03/27/2015 at 14:24 • Filed to: Ariel Atom

Saw this bit of info while cruising some message boards. After previously allowing the registration of Ariel Atoms as road-legal vehicles, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles reportedly started revoking said registrations in February.

The reason? They changed their minds. From poster CobraCollecter on !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! :

I received a letter today from Texas DMV stating that they had mistakenly issued my Atom's title 3 years ago, and the Atom was not designed to be driven on the street only on closed course tracks. They went on to say that the Atom was a threat to the safety of other motorists, so they have revoked my registration and title. They enclosed an envelope and demanded I send the plates, stickers and title back to them. This in effect leaves me with an untitled car that I can use as a $70,000 paperweight. I am so mad right now I can't see straight.

Some believe this decision is tied into the last year's ruling that the Polaris Slingshot could not be registered as a motorcycle and did not pass state safety regulations for being registered as a regular motor vehicle. Did Polaris pull a "But you let Ariel Atoms be registered" move and it backfired?

Not that I have any intent (or money) to purchase one in the foreseeable future, but this is a big pile of garbage. It especially stinks considering owners were initially allowed to register their vehicles and will now likely be on the hook for more taxes on their purchase.

What could have possibly happened short of mass amounts of traffic collisions/deaths involving Atoms to make this reversal needed? Texas — Not quite the land of the free.

DISCUSSION (22)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > StingrayJake
03/27/2015 at 14:30

A danger to other motorists? How is there any justification at all for that. They may be less safe for the occupant than a modern production car, but to others it makes no damn difference.

Tina Corbett > StingrayJake
03/27/2015 at 14:30

Will they also be getting 3 years of registration fees and taxes back?

MonkeePuzzle > StingrayJake
03/27/2015 at 14:31

not sure I'd want to drive an atom in the brotruck infested texas anyway. but that would be infuriating! like he said, super expensive paper weight!!!

jariten1781 > StingrayJake
03/27/2015 at 14:31

Nah, it can't have to do with the Slingshot ruling. That was because of the weird wording that they had in their regs which stated that 3 wheel vehicles are motorcycles then in another spot stated that motorcycles had to have saddles. I suppose it could have made them look at the Atom again, but they couldn't revoke the registrations for the same reason they denied the Slingshot.

EL_ULY > StingrayJake
03/27/2015 at 14:32

there are sooo many Atoms with Texas plates. People are going to be pissed

StingrayJake > Tina Corbett
03/27/2015 at 14:34

Worse, they'll probably owe more taxes on it.

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > StingrayJake
03/27/2015 at 14:34

You can register them in Tennessee. And if you choose the correct county to do it in (Shelby) there are no inspections to fool with after you add another turbo and much more power to it.

\my mechanic in my home town DD's an Olive Drab one during summer and DD's his PMY manual Gallardo with straight pipes during bad weather and winter. He is a silly person, but a good dude and fo sho a jalop

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > StingrayJake
03/27/2015 at 14:44

that is an utter pile of garbage, what you have to do then is register it in someone in your families name who doesn't live in Texas

this is another good reason to live in a small state, small states generally mean less government and therefore less regulation.

that is quite odd to me that they can just up and revoke a states title and registration for a road legal car. and it seems odd to me that they would do that in Texas which is quite republican, and so likes less government interference, not more.

Svend > StingrayJake
03/27/2015 at 14:49

So the track car designed for the road and everything that comes with it, according to Texas ISN'T a road car and is merely a track car? I hope Ariel have been told this. Ariel will feel suitably embarrassed that they have in fact designed and built the wrong thing all this time. Thank goodness the feckless idiots with their heads up their arses at the Texas DMV have been so vigilant.

jariten1781 > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
03/27/2015 at 14:55

Beaurocrats are the same everywhere. They don't really care about ideology, they just follow their interpretation of the 'rules'. I'm sure if you polled all the state reps they'd show support for allowing the Atoms to be registered, especially if you framed it as an individual's right to choose their transportation. However, some rich dudes not getting to play with their toys won't be a high enough priority for a bill to actually go anywhere.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Svend
03/27/2015 at 15:08

wha? your saying its right? it was designed and is road legal in 49 other states, so why should it not be road legal? a motorcycle is far less safe than an ariel atom ever will be.

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > StingrayJake
03/27/2015 at 15:12

And I'm probably safe in assuming they won't be getting their $ back from registrations and/or fees.

Svend > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
03/27/2015 at 15:23

I wonder how they feel on the Ariel Ace and Nomad.

Kinja'd!!!

cornerslide > StingrayJake
03/27/2015 at 15:25

Went to get a business license in Texas once. Handed the application to the lady at the counter. She handed it back and said I had answered a question wrong. When asked if my corporation was foreign or domestic I answered domestic. WRONG. It's incorporated in St. Louis. If I wanted the license I had to answer foreign. So now I can only assume we are adding to the states description. Arrogant and stupid.

Chase > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
03/27/2015 at 15:54

this is another good reason to live in a small state, small states generally mean less government and therefore less regulation

Counterpoint: Massachusetts

Chase > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
03/27/2015 at 15:56

/sarcasm

Tapas > StingrayJake
03/27/2015 at 15:57

God damn it! Can't believe they're pulling this shit.

The political majority is already a wasteland full of unfortunately politically powerful fact-allergic nincompoops. We could use a little less of their mistakes.

Fucking Texas.

Tapas > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
03/27/2015 at 15:59

Dude, publicly trumpeted political positions and promises are less valuable than bull shit. Cos You can at least compost bull shit.

This is especially true for Texas.

StingrayJake > cornerslide
03/27/2015 at 16:08

Come on, bro. REPUBLIC OF TEXAS! WOOOOOOO!

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Chase
03/27/2015 at 23:23

im certianly hoping he was being sarcastic?

Chase > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
03/27/2015 at 23:55

given that he referred to the staff of the Texas DMV as "feckless idiots with their heads up their arses", I would imagine so

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Chase
03/28/2015 at 02:41

well, that is how the local DMV people are, one of the people in the office is really sour and obnoxious, and so I try to avoid her like the plague.