--- title: "OK, Maybe You Do Need More Truck Than a Honda Ridgeline Sometimes" date: "2024-12-20" modified: "2024-12-20" authors: - name: "Byron Hurd" job_title: "Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/byron-hurd" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/ok-maybe-you-do-need-more-truck-than-a-honda-ridgeline-sometimes" categories: - "News" tags: - "Christmas Tree" - "Traffic Stop" --- # OK, Maybe You Do Need More Truck Than a Honda Ridgeline Sometimes ![A Honda Ridgeline that has been pulled over for carrying an unsafe load of what appears to be Christmas decor.]() *\California Highway Patrol\* Need to pack everything but the kitchen sink into your [Honda Ridgeline]() this holiday season, but running out of vertical space? Cops hate this one weird trick, but as it turns out, they *can* stop you. And then they'll cite you, take a picture, and blast you on social media for illegally (and unsafely) overloading your car. This Honda Ridgeline wasn't [just overloaded](), it was over-*everythinged*. If you look carefully amidst the large helping of stuff, you'll see deliberately placed Christmas decorations. That white squiggly thing on the tailgate is not some sort of strap securing items in place, dear reader. That is a string of lights. [We have talked about this](), folks. The California Highway Patrol office in Madera [posted the photo to Facebook]() earlier this week along with the details of the stop. If nothing else, they're entirely predictable. "This vehicle was observed traveling southbound on SR-99, in the area of Avenue 18 1/2. Due to its unsafe load, debris kept flying off onto the roadway," the post said. "It is important to always secure your load/cargo and not exceed your vehicle’s load capacity. It can make it difficult and unsafe to operate. Flying debris can make motorists take evasive action and potentially be involved in a traffic crash," it continued. Several commenters shared their encounters with the precariously loaded Ridgeline; one even offered their own photo of the rig underway. Another claimed to have met the driver hanging out in a parking lot. While such a story may normally strain credibility, we're talking about somebody who was pulled over for hauling half of Santa's workshop in a Honda. Life imitates art, and in this case, that art is the Grinch's sleigh. *Got tips? Send ’em to [tips@thedrive.com]()* ## Author Byron is an editor at The Drive with a keen eye for infrastructure, sales and regulatory stories. He brings a light, punchy style to all of his content, believing that there's plenty out there to be laughed at—himself included. Born and raised in Maryland but now based just a stone's throw from Detroit, Byron is an auto enthusiast and generalist who enjoys building and tinkering with things of all kinds, from cars, computers and digital cityscapes, to the new garage that will soon house his fleet (a CT4-V Blackwing, a JK Wrangler and an NA Miata). Inspired by an early love of rollercoasters, Byron quickly caught the high-performance driving itch. He's been tracking and auto-crossing his cars since 2007. In his downtime, Byron enjoys reading, playing city builders, and studying the history of the Motor City. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()