The following letter to the editor of TCPalm is expressed tongue-in-cheek to make the writer’s point that manufactured homes are neither mobile nor vehicles. Quoting in its entirety:

Jerry Nashel, Vero Beach

Letter: Manufactured homes have to be registered as ‘vehicles’

Once upon a time, manufactured homes were mistakenly called “mobile” homes, obviously absurd since there’s nothing mobile about them.

Apparently this absurdity was lost on our “astute” state legislators who seem to think that mobile/manufactured homes should be classified as vehicles. What else could explain why these homes fall under the Florida Dept. of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles? As such, these manufactured home “vehicles” must be registered with that department and their “vehicle” registration renewed every year, just like we do with our real vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles, RVs, and boats). Of course, annual registration renewal requires a fee: $51 for a single-wide “vehicle” and double that amount ($102) for a double-wide. Adding to the absurdity, you’re given one or two stickers (with the expiration date) to affix to a window facing the street as proof your manufactured home “vehicle” is currently registered (hey, I couldn’t make this stuff up).

It’s comforting to know that when my car is in the garage for repairs, I could simply uproot my manufactured home “vehicle” and run errands (never mind there”s no engine or tires on this “vehicle”). ##

(Photo credit: MHVillage–Wyngate Farms MHC in Kalamazoo, MI)