Towing story with BIG fine involved

[Briar Hopper]

They use the $$$ to pay the salaries of road crew like our esteemed friend, Sled Puller, who ostensibly works on a few potholes, every now and then.

Come to Kentucky, I'll show you over-taxation and over-enforcement of traffic laws and DOT regs. The truckers HATE Kentucky, for good reason. I'd guess Pennsylvania has it good, in comparision.

 

[DarrellB]

I love whatching State workers

There is always one guy working and seven standing around holding up shovels whatching that one guy working. If you think State workers are bad you should see our county workers around here they take naps while parked on the back roads, and drive the dump trucks home. Wish I could get away with that.



Darrell

 

[The patriot]

One of the reasons I got out of trucking... . state police with portible scales. You CAN NOT get weights & measures to certify a portable scale in NJ, but the NJSP has them in every other trunk. WTF is that?

Eric



NJDOT= No Job Done On Time.

 

[Prostock]

Originally posted by danandme

What really makes this funny is from what I've read and heard, Penn. has some of the absolutly suckiest roads in the entire nation. Wonder what they're doing with all the money they're collecting?



nevergoingtoPenn Dan

You heard right. The PA turnpike, which is a toll road, is probably one of the worst I've ever been on.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Originally posted by danandme

What really makes this funny is from what I've read and heard, Penn. has some of the absolutly suckiest roads in the entire nation. Wonder what they're doing with all the money they're collecting?



nevergoingtoPenn Dan

True but we have Yuengling beer so if you don't come your missin' out. Good balone too!



I haven't read Overdrive in years. Where does PA rate with them these days? I think we may have actually come up a notch or two.

 

[rob10858]

the worst road we run is i-81 thru va. i hate to say it because it is our home state, but this interstate is a death trap. lots of semis, lots of hills, and still only four lane. also alot of rvs and underpowered and underbraked "vacation pullers".

 

[RJ2]

Went to the DOT web site , and what I got out of it was I can

load the truck and gooseneck to capacity as long as it is for personal use.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Originally posted by RJ2

Went to the DOT web site , and what I got out of it was I can

load the truck and gooseneck to capacity as long as it is for personal use.

I don't agree. You can load all you want but you still need to be licensed for the weight or if you get caught it will cost. Personnal use has more to do with meeting DOT requirements for those engaged in commerce.

 

[Firedup1]

I Don't like this!

Below is text right from the “big book” from DMV in NY State. Sometimes I question how these people word this stuff, makes me wonder.

For New York State, the “operator-class D” is for the normal license that any “Joe Blow” applies for when they become of age. The Non-CDL is the watered down version of the “full blown” version CDL.



Operator, Class D- Minimum age is 18, or age 17 with driver education. Allows you to drive a vehicle with a manufactures gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 18,000 lbs. or less, and a towed vehicle with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs. Or less, if the gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of the two vehicles together is no more the 26,000 lbs.



Non- CDL Class C- Minimum age is 18, allows you to drive a vehicle with a manufactures gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of more than 18,000 lbs. Up to 26,000 lbs. that does not require a CDL endorsement. You may tow a vehicle with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs. or less.



Bottom line for NY State is. If your trailer weighs more than 10,000 lbs. You must have a CDL to pull it. My 5ver weighs in at 10,200 lbs. with everything in it. In NY State this would now require me to carry a valid “full blown” CDL to legally pull it with my truck. Now if that isn’t a crock! By the way, each class does require a road and written test.

 

[Goddard]

i don't think so on your 5ver because this is a rec vehicle. as far as the gooseneck and truck, as long as you stay under 26000 lbs and it is for your own use only then you are ok. ther are some stipulations on miles from home. as far as going into another state, it is for your own personal use and you are NOT FOR HIRE. rvs do not fall under these rules, look at diesel pushers with big motors, all kinds of weight and air brakes! only a basic drivers license is required to drive one of these as long as it is not for hire and you are not getting paid for this like a tour or such. a late model driver around home has a kw converted to a hauler for the race cars. the truck has living quarters in it and pulls a 38 ft trailer for two cars and such, it is registered as an RV, no cdl required!

 

[klenger]

I looked at the registration for my truck, and the fields for the weights are all blank.

 

[Goddard]

COOLOo. unlimited gvw!:--)

 

[Bigsaint]

Sounds to me that the LE in that area has too much time and not enough real Police work to occupy their TDY. I can't imagine spending that much time, less than dragging you to the scales at that hour, for a petty weight violation. It would be one thing if your rig caused a major accident, but for them to be waiting at the Motel is absolutely ridiculous. Sorry to hear of your misfortune and fine.



Scott W.

 

[Firedup1]

Goddard,

That makes sense to me, and is how I understood how the whole structure worked. I insisted that I used it for recreation and they insisted that the rules where the same. I will be investigating further to satisfy my curiosity. This whole subject just gives me a headache.



Bob

 

[RJ2]

That is about the way Florida 's read.

 

[Prostock]

Originally posted by Goddard

COOLOo. unlimited gvw!:--)

UNcool! Instead of a fine for 9,400 over weight, that truck would be fined for the full amount of 19,xxx pounds over.



If the 9,400 over was a $1,200 fine, imagine what 19,xxx over would be!



Some people seem to be confusing the "combination registration" with the CDL license requirements. They are two totally different situations, and are basically unrelated.



I think the police in some areas enforce this more because of the revenue it brings in to the local town. Think about it, some of the money indirectly goes into their pocket!

 

[RustyJC]

Reciprocity

I guess what I don't understand in this whole discussion is that the concept of reciprocity between the states seems to be ignored. Reciprocity means that, as far as non-commercial operators are concerned, if one meets the legal requirements of his/her home state, they are legally permitted to visit or traverse other states. That is, if my vehicle license and drivers license satisfy the state of Texas (my state of residence), then they are honored by the other states through which I might travel.



If what I'm being told is that I'm going to be fined and/or jailed because I don't carry vehicle registration (not required in Texas) or because I don't have anything other than a normal operator's license (CDL not required in Texas until 26,001 lbs GCVW), then I guess the only safe thing to do is not to travel outside Texas.



In reality, though, on another forum we were discussing some of California's drivers license requirements as they relate to large RV's - the final sentence in the California legislation we were evaluating was a statement to the effect that, if the operator/vehicle met the requirements of his home state, the legislation did not apply to non-residents of California (i. e. , reciprocity applied). In that regard, I would hope that Pennsylvania isn't making a body of unique vehicle and traffic law and then applying it to every visitor traveling across their state.



Rusty

 

[Prostock]

If what I'm being told is that I'm going to be fined and/or jailed because I don't carry vehicle registration (not required in Texas) or because I don't have anything other than a normal operator's license (CDL not required in Texas until 26,001 lbs GCVW), then I guess the only safe thing to do is not to travel outside Texas.

Yep. That's basically it, or you need to make sure you comply with all of the laws of the states you plan to travel through.



I believe there is reciprocity as far as drivers licenses go, but not for registration or vehicle code violations. Again, this fine, and CDL licenses are two different issues.



One is licensing, and one is vehicle code.



Tinted windows are legal in the south, but you can be cited for them on PA roads even if it's legal where your car is registered.



Most cops don't, but legally they can.

 

[Mark_Kendrick]

Originally posted by Prostock





Yep. That's basically it, or you need to make sure you comply with all of the laws of the states you plan to travel through.



I believe there is reciprocity as far as drivers licenses go, but not for registration or vehicle code violations. Again, this fine, and CDL licenses are two different issues.



One is licensing, and one is vehicle code.



Tinted windows are legal in the south, but you can be cited for them on PA roads even if it's legal where your car is registered.



Most cops don't, but legally they can.

Legally they CAN'T!!!!



All licensing laws are vehicle code. If my vehicle and trailer are legal in my home state they are legal in all states. It is federal law. the only exception being permit loads on commercial trucks(hazmat, heavy, wide, long etc) and the only reason for them is that these loads must follow special routes to prevent damage to themselves and structures on the route.

 

[Prostock]

Originally posted by Mark_Kendrick



Legally they CAN'T!!!!



All licensing laws are vehicle code. If my vehicle and trailer are legal in my home state they are legal in all states. It is federal law. the only exception being permit loads on commercial trucks(hazmat, heavy, wide, long etc) and the only reason for them is that these loads must follow special routes to prevent damage to themselves and structures on the route.

According to the PA Department of transportation, that is not true. It is for drivers licenses, but not for vehicle code.



See my earlier post which came directly from them. It applies to all vehichles no matter where they are registered.



According to her, they can and have fined out of state registered trucks and trailer's.



I'll give you another example.



A friend of mine has a 70 Coronet with a built 440. It has 4 inch exhaust with flowmaster mufflers.



The exhaust is legal in PA, but he was pulled over and cited in Ohio at the PA/Ohio border (Turnpike interchange) by an Ohio trooper and cited for his exhaust being too loud.



Even though it was legal in PA, it wasn't in Ohio.



I have almost the exact same setup on my 68 Super Bee and I cringe every time we go out there for a show.