‘Not on my watch,’ drivers scream over ‘ridiculous’ law requiring all owners of a specific model to hand over registrations

A car reviewer highlights the flaws of a new ban on allegedly dangerous imported vehicles, comparing it to a Jeep.

A vehicle with weak brakes and a steering wheel that can and will impale you is perfectly legal to drive compared to the prohibited vehicle with modern amenities.

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Tommy Mica, host of The Fast Lane Car, sent a recent video to the outlet’s subchannel covering classic cars, TFLClassics (@TFLclassics), to discuss a recent ban against Kei trucks.

Kei trucks are popular Japanese compact utility trucks mainly used by farmers to transport goods, and state governments are fighting to stop people from importing them.

According to the five states that have successfully banned them, Kei trucks are “mechanically unsuitable” for operation on American roads because they do not comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

Their small size, fragile structure, light and weak engines, and low top speeds have convinced lawmakers that they are dangerous enough for an outright ban.

In Rhode Island, for example, drivers are being asked to turn over vehicle registration for Kei trucks past the DMV because they are dangerous.

Mica, who works in Colorado, positioned a Kei truck next to an army jeep and commented on how one vehicle was banned from Colorado streets, while the other was perfectly legal.

“This is ridiculous,” Mica said.

“A 1945 military jeep – maybe goes 42 mph, barely has any brakes. What about seat belts? No, no seat belts.”

Moving into the interior, Mica pointed out an extremely dangerous side effect of the steering column.

“The steering wheel will impale you in any type of collision and it has fewer doors than a Boeing in mid-flight,” he said.

Next to the retired Jeep was a Kei truck.

“Here’s a 1997 Honda [Kei truck],” he said.

“It has modern fuel injection, very good emissions capabilities, full seat belts inside with headrests, has real brakes and goes from 55 to 60 mph quite comfortably – it’s a modern vehicle, but it’s not allowed to be driven on the highway in Colorado.”

Mica’s viewers echoed his sentiment, saying that the state governments’ ban on Kei trucks had nothing to do with safety.

“Nothing to do with safety,” wrote one viewer.

“Everything that has to do with corporations, government procurement and market regulation.”

A user posted an image of a Kei truck on a white flag with “COME AND TAKE IT” written in big, bold letters.

“Rhode Island is trying to ban Kei trucks? NOT ON MY WATCH!” read the image caption.

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Another Mica viewer detailed his experience driving a similar Jeep.

“I drove a jeep in the army,” they said.

“Don’t worry about getting impaled on the steering wheel in a collision. You’ll be thrown so far from the jeep it’ll be amazing!”

In the midst of all the comments, one user encouraged other viewers by mentioning how other states kept Kei trucks legal.

“In some states, it is legal to drive Kei trucks on the road: Washington state, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, and a few others,” the comment read.

“How Did They Become Legal in These States? The Voice of the Public.”