Pulled over by Illinois State for speeding

[Flying_gage]

Quick and dirty details... .



I was coming off shift at the fire dept and heading west on I-88. Saw a trooper on the side of the road with his laser. Was at 69 mph and thought nothing of it. Looked up and there he was in my mirror pulling me over.



He stated that due to my one ton status, I was speeding and had to abide by the 55 mph for vehicles over 4 tons. Anyone else experience this? I always "assumed" that I fell into that category when I was actually at that weight versus potential.



Look forward to the responses. I will also get in and clarify this with local Sec. of State branch, but am just curious in the meantime.



Pete

 

[dresslered]

Wow, and I am from the lovely state of Kalifornia with all kinds of rules. I would imagine that it varies from state-to-state, but I thought that "light duty" trucks were excempt from weigh stations, truck speed signs, 'trucks use right lane signs', and even our exhaust brakes are allowed in "No Jakes" zones. The 3500 is considered a light duty truck. I'm curious too.

 

[fox]

He is right until jan 1!!!



i just slow to below 65 when I see them.



Sorry!

The law has been changed but some will do it by the book.

 

[Grumpytrkr]

Quick and dirty details... .



I was coming off shift at the fire dept and heading west on I-88. Saw a trooper on the side of the road with his laser. Was at 69 mph and thought nothing of it. Looked up and there he was in my mirror pulling me over.



He stated that due to my one ton status, I was speeding and had to abide by the 55 mph for vehicles over 4 tons. Anyone else experience this? I always "assumed" that I fell into that category when I was actually at that weight versus potential.



Look forward to the responses. I will also get in and clarify this with local Sec. of State branch, but am just curious in the meantime.



Pete

Fight the ticket. I drive a semi up and down I-57, and I-55 every day at 65 MPH, and have never been stopped. And, I don't understand Illinois and there "D" truck status for pick-up trucks. Did you have a safety inspection sticker on your truck? I got a warning ticket for no safety inspection on my pick-up that had "D" plates.



When my father-in-law got stopped for speeding, the trooper saw his fire fighters badge, and told him to slow down, and have a nice day.



I've been stopped more times then I can remember, and there are some Illinois troopers who are just dicks.

 

[EGroeneveld]

wow, always wondered about the 4 ton rule in Illinois, I have taken my dually through there on the ways to Michigan (from Oregon) and just kept at about 65 with the flow of traffic. Pretty stupid rule if you ask me. About the same level as towing = 55MPH no matter if its a small utility trailer behind a dually or not.

 

[Batphreak]

I'm guessing it's because the actual vehicle weight is 4-tons. I know my little 2500 gets by because it only weighs in at 7k lb. I believe the 3500s weight in just a tick over 8k, which puts it just inside the stupid speed limit rule. I hate teh built in speed differential around here.

 

[LRutigliano]

Sorry to hear about your recent issue...



RECESSION and UNEMPLOYMENT = loss of tax base for law enforcement...



Therefore, within the last year... speeding ticket occurances have gone up like 4x here in Oregon. They are everywhere and don't listen to any excuses...



We live near a hill and my wife was coming down the hill doing 46mph in a 35mph zone (coasting... ) and at the bottom of the hill was a motorcycle cop with a radar gun just waiting for her. He was there all day making his quota... Gave her a $181 ticket...

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

If it were me I'd get the truck weighed and do it with a full gas tank and you sitting in it and get pictures taken while it is being weighed with a cell phone display in the picture showing the time and date (they get their time and date from the cell carrier) to prove when it was taken. Then if I was under 8k (you might be) I would fight it and enter it as evidence.

 

[CDonaldson]

My 2006 1-ton with a full tank of fuel and me sitting in the drivers seat weighs 8400lbs. Granted I also have a tool box with an additional 100lbs of weight, but that would only reduce me to 8300lbs, still OVER the 4 tons.



I guess I will not do any driving in Illinois regardless of traveling at the speed limit as designated to my vehicle. These kinds of laws are rediculous when they are applied to private non-commercial vehicles.



And YES, it's about revenue . .





CD

 

[DZink24]

hmm. so am i correct in assuming that it is 55 mph for the bigger trucks, and 65 for passenger vehicles?? that is the most asinine thing i have ever heard, and i live in the most asinine state in the union. NY. if that right there isn't the most unsafe thing i have ever heard, i dont know what is. do as others have said, with the weights and pictures/timestamps, maybe talk to some other cops who aren't Barney Fife, get their opinion, and/or a consultation with a traffic attorney. i am no lawyer, but if you aren't running USDOT # or commercially, i don't see how they can touch you, unless they rolled you across scales. they cannot tell exactly how much the truck weighs by looking at it.



and yeah, it is 110% about revenue. . keep us posted, good luck



and if this cop ever needs assistance on the road, and you are on the engine or rescue... be sure not to speed to get there. . :-laf

 

[EBansberg]

That's pretty ridiculous. You might be under the weight limit and I too would try and make them look a little silly for it if you could. Your 2nd gen extra cab I would assume to be lighter than CDonaldson's MegaCab. It really is dumb how much the laws vary from state to state. There needs to be a little more consistency.

 

[mickeyblueyes]

The OP did not state that he was issued a ticket? Maybe it was a warning or being a FF he gave him grace?

 

[GaryOwen]

I looked up the Illinois law a couple of years ago, and it stated that the weight is based on GVWR - not actual weight. I was commercial at the time and cannot remember if the laws applied to only commercial, or all trucks. I tried to avoid Illinois as much as possible and keep it to 62 mph or less when there.

 

[fox]

Yes they go by GVW and tags.

 

[Regcabguy]

A rant.

Looks like nationwide it's all about revenue. Law enforcement formally was about just that, pursuading people to obey the law for the good of the population as a whole. If everybody obeyed the law it'd be a better world. Warnings used to be the norm for no prior offenses but no more. And the price of tickets fa exceeds the harm done by the infraction. Ridiculous. As long as I'm on a rant,I just paid my $529 for registration for a year and our highway system that used to be a shining example for the world is shot to hell. Where'd the bucks go?:{

 

[Flying_gage]

In my glove box I have a recent, (within last week) weight of 7400 empty. Just in case anyone is wondering what an older dually weighs...



I did get a pass... He was very decent and I have no complaints there. Just suprised at being stopped. Normally it wouldn't be a issue as I am pretty fastidious about driving 62 mph. Just had to get home this day!



Thanks for the replies!

 

[Bob Cochran]

I agree weigh the truck it is very likely under 8,000#. It really is you only recourse unless the weight rule here is specific to commercial then you have another out. I had a friend who was ticketed for 55 in a 45 zone. The ticket showed mile post marker he was stopped at. He took a picture and it showed mile marker and beyond it the speed limit sign. So he had not gotten to the zone yet so was not speeding. It was thrown out by the judge. I do not fault LEO if you are speeding or over weight I can expect to be ticketed and i will not complain. If not a WHOLE different story.

 

[GAmes]

According to this web site http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/enforce/speedlaws501/toc/ilspeed.pdf you have to actually weigh more than 8000 pounds. If the law applied to GVWR 2500 and 250 pickups, 250 Ford vans, Excursions and some Suburbans would have the same speed limit. My 97 club cab duelly weighed 6700 pounds when new. I have had it Rhino lined, added a 50 gal aux tank, a rear mounted tool box, 5er hitch and carry a lot more stuff when working. The truck still weighs less than 8000 with tanks full of fuel. I know this for a fact because I weigh it every now and then when I pass thru Oregon (their scales stay on even when closed). The OP didn't say if he got a ticket, but if the officer didn't drag out his portable scales that ticket can be beat.

 

[jheier]

Sorry guys, being a motor cop in Ca and know a lot of LEO's from other states. We do not have a quota system. We have NOT been instructed to write more tickets. We have actually been advised to give MORE warnings. And it sounds like the officer just gave a warning.



At first I did not agree with the dual speed limits for truck and auto's w/trailers having to drive 10 mph less than other vehicles. But I've worked enough truck related accidents that were speed related. I now realize we have to many vehicles out here to let the heavy trucks or combination vehicle drive that fast. Other than CDL drivers most people pulling a trailer don't know how to handle that vehicle at high speeds.



Happy new year to all... .

 

[bmoeller]

Pete-

He must've been bored. I'm almost ALWAYS running 70-75 mph with my dually trucks (with the 12k D tags and running empty or no trailer) here in IL and 65 with the KW. NEVER been pulled over in IL for speeding. A light out, yes, but not speeding. Actually the only state I've been pulled over for speed is IN. I think it was a fluke, though. A 'Vette passed me. Whatever. Was cheaper to pay the ticket than deal with it in court. Only speed ticket EVER for me in 1. 5 million miles.

The posted limit has been 55 for however long in IL, but pretty much not enforced anywhere I've been in IL (which has been nearly the whole state, minus the sw part from the area of US51 west & south of I-64, plus most of the Windy. Set the cruise on the big road at 64-65 and roll.

I'll be in Dixon tomorrow, so I'll see what the cop does to me, if he sees me. :-laf

Haven't weighed the '99 yet, but the '97 weighed 7k flat, bone stock. Heaviest it ever was, was with a crossover toolbox, 105 gal transfer tank, heavy deer strainer bumper , and a heavy Schuck cushion hitch. Weighed in at 7920. Had 8k "B" plates then as well. :-laf