Towing story with BIG fine involved

[Spaceace]

Probably

I think it is. . You would only see it from the Northbound side. Between Shoen and Ship on the Northbound Rt 100.

 

[watt]

Hi i think i need help here to i have a 2001 3500 reg at 11000 and pulling fith wheel of 11500 . gvw of 14000 i weigh it in ny this weeken steer axle 4700 drive axle 5520 trailer axle 9060 gross weight 19280 was thinking of taking trip to mo in sept thr penn mabe not ?any help also go to ny too thanks

 

[Prostock]

Originally posted by watt

Hi i think i need help here to i have a 2001 3500 reg at 11000 and pulling fith wheel of 11500 . gvw of 14000 i weigh it in ny this weeken steer axle 4700 drive axle 5520 trailer axle 9060 gross weight 19280 was thinking of taking trip to mo in sept thr penn mabe not ?any help also go to ny too thanks

You'd have to have your truck registered for whatever the combined weight of the two is to drive legally through PA.

 

[watt]

do i need cdl A to tow rv at 11500 and gvw of 14000 or just truck plates to cover the 20,000 lbs total gross weight oh truck and fith wheel rv is 19280 Thanks

 

[jimk]

fines

I would Never go to Penns. state again. Not spend a --- penny there again. I would make it my mission to do so.

I go a ticket on Texoma Lake that cost me a 100$, 10 years ago, that was the last ---- penny that I spent there. No more evertime I go to the lake and spend 150$ on bait and fuel and groceries. No one will ever care, but is it a consolation.

It is all about money. I know a 80 year old guy that has a wench truck an it he got stopped and the cops told him he was going to jail or pay a fine. He said no problem, he told had nothing better to do and he was not making any money so some free meals would suit him fine. The officers told him to load up a leave, he said ok, but he sure would miss the free food.

JIm

 

[TowPro]

Re: fines

I just called up Harrisburg (PA DOT) and asked them about truck and trailer tags.



Here was there answer.



"Because your truck is tagged for XXXX lbs, you can be fined if you are found to be over that amount. You can not tag your truck for more then the manafacture says its GVW is, but you can be tagged for less".



My truck GVW is 8800 lbs. The current tags are for 7000 lbs. The next tag up is for 9000 lbs, but she says I can not put the 9000 lb tag on it because the truck has a GVW of 8800 which is less then 9000 ).



So I ask about towing an 11K camper.



She says "your trailer is 11K lbs, and your trailer tags are for "over 10K lbs" (which cost over 2X more then under 10K lbs). When you hook your trailer up to your truck you are not gaining weight on your truck" (I did not remind her about toung weight, its a 5th wheel) "so you will be ok".



Now I am more confused then before. Guess I will take the "wait and see" approch since I have not been pulled over yet.

 

[Prostock]

From everything else that I have read from PennDOT and elsewhere, I think she was mistaken.

 

[TowPro]

thats the confusing part, she was DOT! Where else should I try? I called the state police barricks and they did'nt know, they told me to call the trouper in charge of state inspection (who is on the other side of the state by the looks of the area code) I called the local notory and they were clueless.

Originally posted by Prostock

From everything else that I have read from PennDOT and elsewhere, I think she was mistaken.

 

[Prostock]

Email Amy Harper at PennDOT. She seems VERY knowledgable on this.



I did stump her on this one. What if I bought an Phord Excursion, and towed a trailer over 10,000?



They are registered as a station wagon here in PA, and don't fall into the weight classes.



She said she would have to have someone investigate that scenario.

 

[MidwestMotorman]

check out the "flip" side

Here may be a better solution. Instead of just looking into the DOT regs, take a look at the REAL issue- the court's decisions upon precident for enforcement. Remember that the law enforcement falls into the JUDICIAL system of our government. The officers can write tickets for nearly anything, but the real factor is whether they can get away with the citation in court.



If I was the one getting ticketted, I would have a lawyer not researching the DOT code, but researching the courts decisions on the DOT code. If there are none, I would take the case to the highest courts possible to establish a precident. That is the ONLY way that the law/laws will be set straight and on a uniform basis. Find out what the courts' decisions are, and that WILL be the CORRECT basis for enforcement.



If the court finds one not guilty under the law, then all are not guilty. There will be different precidents for commercial and non-commercial towing laws.



One has to use the system for their benefit, and not just bash it.



STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS!!!

 

[rob10858]

that's exactly right. just because you get a fine does not mean that you have to buckle down and pay it. the officer could be wrong in his judgement, or not up to date with current rules and regs. from our experience with fighting different states on what is supposed to be a federal, uniform code , most times, in front of the judge, the argument pretty much stalemates on pickups. sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, but in the long run we have won, because a 250 dollar lawyer fee sure beats a 2500 dollar fine, and most courts that i have been to have bigger fish to fry... sometimes the little guy still has a chance... .