Heads up!! Road Checks in Colorado!

[jrandol]

Hey all, the DOT is getting pretty aggressive here in Northern Colorado on DOT checks for pickups. I drive I-25 from Highway 34 down to Denver and back every week day. I have noticed alot more patrolling going on. This morning I saw a loaded powerjoke with gooseneck in tow pulled over and they were doing a tank check. I am sure with the rising fuel prices people are thinking about running Red Dye in their road trucks and thats why the DOT is getting after it.

Just last weekend while filling up a guy pulled up in a brand new F350 and tried to pump Red in his tank right next to me! The attendant came our ranting and raving and scolded the guy. Funny thing is he tried to justify "its for on the farm, dont drive on the roads" but yet the station is right off a main highway he just pulled of off! I dont think he will try that again!

I talked to a guy today while filling up that has a Duramax and he has a transfer tank in the bed that he hauls gasoline in for equipment. He got pulled over by state patrol and they were giving him a hard time (said they pulled him over for a burned out taillight at first, it wasnt) but they swabbed his tank and took samples from his transfer tank and were looking for piping that would lead the transfer tank to his main truck tank. Trooper told him they are really taking a look at the light duty commercial type rigs as they feel alot are running off road diesel on the roads.



I have no intentions of using red dye in my truck but was planning to install a bed tank so I dont have to fill up every 4th day. Forget it! I can appreciate their mission but if I get pulled over and hassled just because I have an auxillary tank which might make my truck look like its for industrial use I'm out!



Heads up to everyone running in or thru Colorado!!

 

[Chipstien]

I am still considering heating oil. Price of gas is just too much and while watching the news and they showed a construction rig that got caught running red diesel. Guess what they fined him? A measily 1000 bucks. This is in WA but anyways, with the price diference it wouldn't take long before you made up for a grand.

 

[SkipLieder]

Those highway "law enforcement" officers are nothing more than IRS agents for their states. They are REQUIRED to issue a large number of tickets to supplement the state coffers. Any that don't do enough, don't get promoted.

It used to be that they had a lot of discretion and generally had safety as their main interest, now with all the pressure to raise revenues they rarely can execute good old fashioned common sense.

Since I'm on my soap box --- In the past you got a ticket and you paid your fine, BUT, they said that that wasn't a big enough deterrent so they set up this point system. They now say that that is really working well --- if the fines didn't work and the points do, name me ONE community or state that did away with the fines. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$IRS Agents $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Before anybody cries sour grapes --- I havn't had a ticket in five years (getting good lookin out for them Revenuers). I wish you all proficient avoidence behavior.

Skip

 

[Hummin Cummins]

Guess what they fined him? A measily 1000 bucks. This is in WA but anyways, with the price diference it wouldn't take long before you made up for a grand.

And in PA, you can use the "easy payment plan". I'll send ya 10$ a week for the next 100 weeks. LOL No interest rate either.

 

[midwestdually]

Originally posted by Hummin Cummins

And in PA, you can use the "easy payment plan". I'll send ya 10$ a week for the next 100 weeks. LOL No interest rate either.

and how would you know that??

 

[LRamey]

OK, I'll take a shot @ the soap box.

I think the fines should much stiffer for those who try to run on off road diesel. As far as I'm concerned it's called tax evasion.

Sure I don't like to pay taxes any more then the next guy but part of the reason we have to pay higher taxes to begin with is because of all those who are cheating the system. If we all had to pay a flat rate tax & then did it, the rest of us wouldn't have to make up for those who are theves and aren't paying their share. Running off road is called stealing.

 

[willyslover]

LRamey... so is the states collecting the taxes and then not using them on the roads as they were intended. . instead they use the tax $$ in the general fund for their favorite liberal adjenda program. .



I do not use off road fuel. . but the government using the tax dollars is a pet pieve. . kinda like the smoking settlement $$ going to fund stop smoking education and paying the medical bills of the sick smokers ya sure and I have a green cheese moon

 

[LRamey]

willyslover,

Oh yes, I totally agree with you. We have our share of that going here in Ore. & it upsets me to no end.

But my issue remain's the same, not paying the tax if its the law is stealing, & just because I don't agree with the way it gets spent doesn't mean its OK to not pay. If it was I'd have stopped paying years ago.

Its just one more reason I vote, but you know "hope springs eternal"

 

[QRTRHRS]

I don't much like it any more than the next person but 1000 bucks? Last time I bought red and road fuel at the same fillup, the difference was 39 cents. Doing the math, I don't see the merit for the risk. I guess it depends on your circumstances.



I run an aux red fuel tank all the time so it would be stupid for me to risk it being so obvious. Then, the roads I mostly travel are heavily traveled by 18 wheelers along with the DOT boys looking after things.



I buy red at three places. One is a fuel dealer and they don't ask because they know me. The other two are service stations and they want my name and address along with a statement about what it's for.



Don't forget now that the weather is breaking, the DOT boys will start to venture out more often too.

 

[jrandol]

Well, saw it again this morning on I-25. CSP are out and on on the loose! Swabin tanks left and right, I think their new motto here in Colorado is "If you are pulling a trailer or look industrial, we are going to heckle you. "