Full Timing and Traveling with a Stocked Liquer Cabnet, after all it's our Home

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Reading all this, I have been trying to recall a two word phrase often used by Harry Morgan while playing the role of Colonel Sherman Potter in the old TV series Mash.

Polite enough to be on TV back in those days, but made the point.

If I could only remember what it was..........
 
Old Racer said:
Reading all this, I have been trying to recall a two word phrase often used by Harry Morgan while playing the role of Colonel Sherman Potter in the old TV series Mash.

Polite enough to be on TV back in those days, but made the point.

If I could only remember what it was..........

Sufferin' Saddle Soap!
Pig Feathers!
Buffalo Chips!
What is this cow flubdubbery!
Mule Fritters!
Sufferin' Sheep Dip!
Shiverin' Shinbones!
Mule Muffins!
Buffalo bagels!

 
The laws, including those referenced in the link above, all refer to "motor vehicles' or similar wording. I don't know of any states that have written laws that exempt motorhomes. But in practice (case law), courts everywhere have held that there is a distinction between the driving area and the rest of a bus-type vehicle, including motorhomes. The, "home" aspect contends with the motor vehicle aspect and courts everywhere have ruled that the "motor vehicle" restrictions do not apply to areas designated for other uses. Just where the line is drawn, however, remains a matter of interpretation by both LEO and the courts and is done on a case-by-case basis.  For practical purposes, I think you can say the "home" part of a motorhome begins a few feet behind the driver seating.

States that have laws that specifically address passenger behavior can be somewhat more problematic. Again, there is some interpretation as to whether a person riding in the living area of a motorhome is a "passenger" or simply someone enjoying his temporary home. In most cases the question won't ever arise, but if the behavior is flagrant enough to attract attention, the law might be applied by a LEO and it will be up to the courts to determine after that.
 
Happy Wanderer, thanks for all those Potter quotes!  So many possibilities, so many places to use them.
Great show, just keeps on giving.
 
BinaryBob said:
Good link but again, it depends on the state. Technically, Minnesota and Wisconsin have no exception for motor homes.
As noted by Happy Wanderer, from a practical standpoint, if you hide it away from the driver area you shouldn't have any concerns.

Unless of course you're the type to give the trooper probable cause to search your vehicle.... such as excessive speeding then telling the officer jokes.. ;D
As far as Wisconsin while there is no exception for Motorhomes, the laws seem to say it is OK to have the alcoholic beverage in a "space not accessible to the driver".  (My paraphrasing)
(1) No person may drink alcohol beverages or inhale nitrous oxide while he or she is in any motor vehicle when the vehicle is upon a highway.

(2) No person may possess on his or her person, in a privately owned motor vehicle upon a public highway, any bottle or receptacle containing alcohol beverages or nitrous oxide if the bottle or receptacle has been opened, the seal has been broken or the contents of the bottle or receptacle have been partially removed or released.

(3) The owner of a privately owned motor vehicle, or the driver of the vehicle if the owner is not present in the vehicle, shall not keep, or allow to be kept in the motor vehicle when it is upon a highway any bottle or receptacle containing alcohol beverages or nitrous oxide if the bottle or receptacle has been opened, the seal has been broken or the contents of the bottle or receptacle have been partially removed or released. This subsection does not apply if the bottle or http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?action=post;quote=906409;topic=100786.0;last_msg=906744receptacle is kept in the trunk of the vehicle or, if the vehicle has no trunk, in some other area of the vehicle not normally occupied by the driver or passengers. A utility compartment or glove compartment is considered to be within the area normally occupied by the driver and passengers.

Everyone should read the info and see if they are comfortable with their own interpretation. 
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
The laws, including those referenced in the link above, all refer to "motor vehicles' or similar wording. I don't know of any states that have written laws that exempt motorhomes. But in practice (case law), courts everywhere have held that there is a distinction between the driving area and the rest of a bus-type vehicle, including motorhomes. The, "home" aspect contends with the motor vehicle aspect and courts everywhere have ruled that the "motor vehicle" restrictions do not apply to areas designated for other uses. Just where the line is drawn, however, remains a matter of interpretation by both LEO and the courts and is done on a case-by-case basis.  For practical purposes, I think you can say the "home" part of a motorhome begins a few feet behind the driver seating.

States that have laws that specifically address passenger behavior can be somewhat more problematic. Again, there is some interpretation as to whether a person riding in the living area of a motorhome is a "passenger" or simply someone enjoying his temporary home. In most cases the question won't ever arise, but if the behavior is flagrant enough to attract attention, the law might be applied by a LEO and it will be up to the courts to determine after that.
Texas seems to exempt RV's with this wording:
Tex. Penal Code Ann. ?49.031
(b) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly possesses an open container in a passenger area of a motor vehicle that is located on a public highway, regardless of whether the vehicle is being operated or is stopped or parked.  Possession by a person of one or more open containers in a single criminal episode is a single offense.

(c) It is an exception to the application of Subsection (b) that at the time of the offense the defendant was a passenger in:
(1) the passenger area of a motor vehicle designed, maintained, or used primarily for the transportation of persons for compensation, including a bus, taxicab, or limousine;  or
(2) the living quarters of a motorized house coach or motorized house trailer, including a self-contained camper, a motor home, or a recreational vehicle.

I have seen similar wording for other states. 
 
Even if you COULD fit in all that booze, you need to remember that RVs are not homes.  The "house" part can get very hot while you are driving.  And it can get even hotter while parked while you go inside someplace for a meal or shopping.  In addition, the underneath storage bins can get even hotter because they do not get AC down there. 

I don't know about hard liquor, but I am certain beer is NOT meant to be stored beyond a certain temperature.  Wine also spoils very easily in the heat.  So you will need some sort of refrigeration for all of those barrels you are carrying.

My suggestion is to carry small amounts in an inside cabinet and to wrap those bottles in bubble wrap while on the road.  There are stores all over the U.S. that sell alcoholic beverages and bars along the way, as well.  If you are not willing to make these sacrifices, you are not really a traveler and would do better to stay home and off the roads for the rest of us. 
 
A friend of mine keeps a decent stock of liquor in his RV. It is in a locked cabinet. That cabinet is only unlocked when he is docked. To date, he has never had any trouble, even on a venture through Ontario and Quebec.

 
Just to be on the safe side. I would not have any open containers while driving in the MH. No passengers drinking either. I keep my 3 liter barrel of moonshine in it's own cooler when traveling.
 

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AStravelers said:
Here is a link to the laws of the 50 states about alcohol in a vehicle:  http://www.ncsl.org/research/financial-services-and-commerce/open-container-and-consumption-statutes.aspx

In general it is OK to have alcoholic beverages inside a motorhome, but not in the driver area, or consumed while driving, even by passengers sometimes.

I stopped reading after Florida, because as AStravelers noted there are exemptions for motorhomes, just not in the driver or passenger seats.
 
Thanks for all the responses from everyone,

Beaver Biscuits !!!

Guess I'll have to shrink the barrel size to a few liters in size and give up on pumping to the inside of the coach.

I'll just put all the pretty unopened aged liquor bottles in the Lighted Liquor Cabinet and stash the open bottles in the basement cooler while traveling.

Thanks Again
Edit: Removed white space.
 

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JudyJB said:
Even if you COULD fit in all that booze, you need to remember that RVs are not homes.  The "house" part can get very hot while you are driving.  And it can get even hotter while parked while you go inside someplace for a meal or shopping.  In addition, the underneath storage bins can get even hotter because they do not get AC down there. 

I don't know about hard liquor, but I am certain beer is NOT meant to be stored beyond a certain temperature.  Wine also spoils very easily in the heat.  So you will need some sort of refrigeration for all of those barrels you are carrying.

My suggestion is to carry small amounts in an inside cabinet and to wrap those bottles in bubble wrap while on the road.  There are stores all over the U.S. that sell alcoholic beverages and bars along the way, as well.  If you are not willing to make these sacrifices, you are not really a traveler and would do better to stay home and off the roads for the rest of us.

Thanks for the advice on the bubble wrapping the bottles while traveling.

We intend to purchase a high end unit with basement AC&Heat and could care less how long our generator runs to keep us comfortable.

My oldest son and nephew sell navigation equipment and install wind & solar power systems on huge sailing vessels. We plan to add as much solar power as possible to our coach as it will be our Home on Wheels until we get board of land.
 
---nota___ said:
Thanks for the advice on the bubble wrapping the bottles while traveling.

We intend to purchase a high end unit with basement AC&Heat and could care less how long our generator runs to keep us comfortable.

My oldest son and nephew sell navigation equipment and install wind & solar power systems on huge sailing vessels. We plan to add as much solar power as possible to our coach as it will be our Home on Wheels until we get board of land.
While you may not care how long you need to run your generator, just don't park within 200 yards of your neighbor if/when you boondock.  There is little which makes those of us who boondock out in the boondocks than to have some @#$% person pull up 20 yards away from this very nice quite place we are parked at and then proceed to crank up "their nice quiet generator" and sit inside. 

Doing the same in BLM and NF campgrounds really makes you neighbors mad as well.
 
AStravelers said:
While you may not care how long you need to run your generator, just don't park within 200 yards of your neighbor if/when you boondock.  There is little which makes those of us who boondock out in the boondocks than to have some @#$% person pull up 20 yards away from this very nice quite place we are parked at and then proceed to crank up "their nice quiet generator" and sit inside. 

Doing the same in BLM and NF campgrounds really makes you neighbors mad as well.
Unfortunately I am not lucky enough to be able to boondock without running my Genny. So far no one has complained. I don't park 20 yards from the next camper, but I'm not camping 200 yards away if there isn't space. Especially if I'm boondocking in the boondocks. You must be one of those lucky people that never has to run their generator.  Batteries never run down. Have enough solar to run a/c, microwave etc.
 
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