Rumor has it........

[ndennis]

A friend of mine lives in Auburn CA and had heard that officials were stopping diesel fueled vehicles and dipping the tanks and handing out the appropriate citations. They apparently tagging the red-dye violators and those using home brew. That's the current rumor. Anyone have any experience with the stop and dipping tactics? Kind of curious as to the way around the 4th Amendment. I don't do red dye nor the home brew, but I am not likely to roll over for a fishing expedition type search request either. Any thoughts out there?

N Dennis

 

[MMichaels]

Dipping For Diesel

This happens fairly often in the more rural areas near Scottsdale, here in the Arizona Territory.



I've always wondered if you could add another dye to the red stuff and come up with some completely different color, like, maybe, magenta...

 

[ndennis]

If my friend is correct, they are not only looking for red-dye violators, but are also looking to cite the home-brew bio-diesel crowd too.

N Dennis

 

[catoiler]

Yep they want their piece of the pie! It's time for a tea party!!

 

[FYarcho]

OK I don't know how true this is but this is what I heard from a third party. Guy told me a friend of his was stopped and dipped in Oakdale, Ca. He was running a home brew veg oil. Apparenty he was told by the Officer if he said it was Red Diesel the fine would be $3000, But if he siad it was a home brew fuel the fine would be $10,000. I don't know how true this is but knowing California it's possible. I know what my answer would be.



I too have wondered about the legal right to just single out and stop diesel operated vehicles (except semi trucks) without probable cause. I am sure someone will challenge it. I know there was a big debockle regarding that when they started the DUI checkpoints as being unconstitutional unless it was random. But we will see.

 

[EArp]

They don't cite for bio-diesel that you can buy at certain places do they? If they don't, i'm wondering how they would know the difference between biodiesel that you bought somewhere or some you "brewed" at home????

 

[FYarcho]

I don't know for sure but my understanding is they do some sort of color test. Even if the fuel is not red it has to match the color. If not I guess the burden of proof is on you.

 

[EArp]

I guess my point is, if they are going to cite even for biodiesel you buy somewhere then it shouldn't be sold in the first place if it's against the law to run it.

 

[BrianJ]

While off road fuel is dyed a shade of red, when they dip they are not looking for color, rather a chemical reaction to test paper. Color has nothing to do with being dipped by the DOT. In addition to the dye there are chemicals added to the off road fuel that they are really testing for.

 

[BrianJ]

Not sure about California if they have seperate state rules, but I believe the Federal limit for production of "home-brewed" fuel is 400 gallons per year.

 

[bigdaddydieseldan]

OK I don't know how true this is but this is what I heard from a third party. Guy told me a friend of his was stopped and dipped in Oakdale, Ca. He was running a home brew veg oil. Apparenty he was told by the Officer if he said it was Red Diesel the fine would be $3000, But if he siad it was a home brew fuel the fine would be $10,000. I don't know how true this is but knowing California it's possible. I know what my answer would be.



I too have wondered about the legal right to just single out and stop diesel operated vehicles (except semi trucks) without probable cause. I am sure someone will challenge it. I know there was a big debockle regarding that when they started the DUI checkpoints as being unconstitutional unless it was random. But we will see.

This wouldn't surprise me in the very least especially in the russian republic of kalifornia what a load of bs #@$%!#@$%!#@$%!#@$%!#@$%!#@$%!

 

[nickleinonen]

if you add a whole whack of blue dye into red fuel, you end up with purple fuel... i see that from time to time when i get a locomotive that has been filled up with red diesel and we top it up with the bluish colored diesel we have/had. .

 

[AMink]

I don't think it's illegal to run homebrew, but they want their "road tax" paid on it. You get a certain amount, then have to pay, as stated above. I don't know how they'd prove how many gallons you've brewed. I'm still ticked 'cause I'm paying road tax on the gas I use in my mower, quad, chainsaw, weed wacker, etc.