There’s a Hitch (And it’s a Rack)

Q: What are the limitations on bicycle racks or other attachments that extend beyond the rear bumper when not being used? Especially when painted flat black and therefore difficult to see? This is an increasing problem on oversized, badly-parked SUVs and pickups in parking lots that have spaces marked for something the size of a Camry. Perhaps the installers should be encouraged to put reflective tape around all edges instead of leaving them flat black.

A: Your question brings up another question: Why is it that nearly every attachment you can buy for your vehicle, whether it’s a bike rack, a tow hitch or a cargo deck, only comes in black? I’ve banged my shin on enough trailer hitches (most of the time on my own vehicle) to believe that maybe they should be neon green. Or maybe I should pay more attention when I’m walking.

And now back to your question. There are some limits on how far something can protrude from the back of a vehicle, but if you’re hoping they’ll put some restraints on the racks you commonly see, you’ll be disappointed. By law, nothing can stick out 15 feet beyond the rear axle of a vehicle on a public road. That seems a little excessive to me. I went out and measured my neighbor’s Ford F350; the distance from the rear axle to the back of the vehicle? Four feet. That leaves 11 feet of overhang available before exceeding the limits of the law. I don’t even know what kind of load that would be.

You can’t just strap in a load like that and go. Any load that protrudes more than four feet beyond the rear of the vehicle has to be marked with red or orange fluorescent warning flags at the end of the load. And if you’re driving in conditions that require headlights, your load needs to be lighted too.

But none of these rules apply to a rack mounted on a trailer hitch. At least I’ve never seen a bike or cargo rack that stuck out more than four feet. The original question focused on how these trailer hitch attachments affect parking, and there is a law that addresses that situation (sort of). The Washington Administrative Code has a rule called, “Parking not to obstruct traffic,” and is pretty much what it sounds like; you can’t park in a way that leaves less than 10 feet of roadway available for traffic. This rule is part of the Model Traffic Ordinance, which jurisdictions can adopt in entirety, or choose not to adopt some sections and change or add others. Several jurisdictions in Whatcom County have chosen to write their own parking rules. In Bellingham your vehicle can’t extend beyond the stripes of the parking spot. Lynden has a vehicle length limit of 21 feet for angled parking; Ferndale limits it to 20 feet. Blaine and Everson have adopted the MTO as written.

In a parking lot though, none of those rules apply. A vehicle with a protruding hitch attachment isn’t violating the four foot rule, and in a grocery store parking lot it isn’t obstructing traffic on a public roadway. So what to do? I can’t find a law in the RCW called, “Be a good human,” but this would be a place where that applies. If you have a bike rack, a cargo deck or any other projection on the back of your vehicle, keep it in mind when choosing a parking space. Make sure your rack isn’t encroaching into a pedestrian walkway or otherwise blocking the way for people on foot.

I should note that I shortened the original question; in one part that I left out the writer told about the time they were on crutches and tried navigating around a hitch-mounted bike rack that was blocking the narrow walkway of a parking lot, and ended up colliding with the rack. It’s not illegal to park like you’re the only one that matters, but that doesn’t make it okay.

While we’re on the topic of things that project off vehicles, I’ll mention a few more rules for anyone who is curious. You’re allowed a three foot projection on the front of your vehicle. (I’m hoping that it’s extending off a roof rack and not strapped to a hood.) A passenger vehicle can’t have any load projecting beyond the fenders on the driver side of the vehicle and is limited to a six inch projection on the passenger side. If you have a bike rack or cargo box on the back of your vehicle, your tail lights still need to be visible.

And one more thing. Even if manufacturers aren’t making bright colored attachments, I like the suggestion in the original question about adding reflective tape around the edges. I think I’ll add some to my bike rack.