A Minnesota bill would sharply limit when classic cars can legally be driven. Collector vehicles may only be allowed on weekends or at organized events. Critics warn the proposal could hurt car culture and local businesses. Seeing a classic car on the road is one of those rare moments that still brings a smile to anyone who appreciates such machines. That experience might be about to become even rarer in Minnesota. A new law there would limit classic cars to driving only on weekends or at special events. In fact, it goes so far as to limit their driving to only between sunrise and sunset on the weekends. A newly introduced bill, HF 3865, would overhaul how the state handles collector-class vehicles. On paper, much of the legislation looks harmless. It updates definitions, standardizes registration language, and tweaks paperwork for everything from pioneer plates to collector motorcycles. Read: A Famous Porsche Collector Is Letting A Few Very Personal Cars Go Under the bill, any vehicle registered with Minnesota’s collector, classic, pioneer, street rod, or military vehicle plates could only be driven for “collector” purposes. That includes club activities, tours, parades, exhibitions, and similar events. Outside of those situations, owners would only be allowed to drive their vehicles on Saturdays and Sundays between sunrise and sunset. Weekday Driving Ban Details In other words, the state appears to be proposing a near-total ban on weekday cruising, nighttime drives, and spontaneous midweek trips for anyone with collector plates. Here’s the crazy part: the law in the state is already quite restrictive for cars in this class. As The Blaze points out, collector cars cannot currently be used for general transportation. Owners can still take their cars out for test drives, informal meetups, or the occasional evening cruise without worrying too much about whether they technically qualify. HF 3865 would replace that flexibility with a far more rigid framework. That said, the bill also leaves some important questions unanswered. Terms like “exhibition” and “similar use” are not clearly defined, which could leave enforcement up to individual officers. Gray Areas In Legal Language The bill doesn’t explain why lawmakers believe these restrictions are important. It’s likely tied to ensuring that people don’t take advantage of classic car registration fees. Even if that’s the case, it would be nice to see a little more transparency surrounding the situation. For now, HB 3865 still has to pass the house, the senate, and then get signed into law before it impacts enthusiasts. Photos Stephen Rivers for Carscoops
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