"Now that we know about this guy and we've thought about this a little bit, we probably will keep an eye on him just to make sure there aren't issues that arise out of it," said Ferndale police spokesman Baron Brown. "This is a family-fun event and we don't want anything bad to happen because of what's going on in the country."
Brown notes that with trailers and vehicles weighing over 10,000 pounds barred from participating in this year's cruise, Cortis' bridge probably won't make it far enough to cause problems anyway. To get on Woodward, he would likely have to remove the bridge from the Trump-sign-covered Winnebago that tugs it, but even then it could still weigh too much, especially if he plans to bring other people aboard. For reference, a regular sedan weighs about 3,000 pounds.
"It's gonna be close," said Brown. "We're gonna do a little research on the weight of that vehicle make and model ... [but] that's the only thing that we can focus on."
"We are bound by the U.S. constitution," he added, referencing the free-speech issues that could arise from keeping Cortis off the Dream Cruise strip simply due to his message.
Cortis, for his part, remains hopeful his bridge and Winnebago will meet the requirements to make it onto Woodward Saturday.
"I pray it does," he said. "I’ve driven down Woodward, I’ve driven through Royal Oak, through Ferndale, Detroit, Mexicantown. I’m registered with the state of Michigan, I’m plated with the state of Michigan, I met all the requirements to drive all up and down the road.
"I’ll do the best I can, so whatever I’m allowed to do, I’ll follow the rules. If I’m not allowed to do something, I’ll just promote somewhere else."
There are no rules that would bar Cortis from driving along the almost equally-crowded thoroughfares that intersect Woodward.
We welcome readers to submit letters regarding articles and content in Detroit Metro Times. Letters should be a minimum of 150 words, refer to content that has appeared on Detroit Metro Times, and must include the writer's full name, address, and phone number for verification purposes. No attachments will be considered. Writers of letters selected for publication will be notified via email. Letters may be edited and shortened for space.
Email us at letters@metrotimes.com.
Detroit Metro Times works for you, and your support is essential.
Our small but mighty local team works tirelessly to bring you high-quality, uncensored news and cultural coverage of Detroit and beyond.
Unlike many newspapers, ours is free – and we'd like to keep it that way, because we believe, now more than ever, everyone deserves access to accurate, independent coverage of their community.
Whether it's a one-time acknowledgement of this article or an ongoing pledge, your support helps keep Detroit's true free press free.