Warning to 5th wheel tailgate trucks (one tons only)

[DerekW]

Locally, in Cincinnati, They have been real pricks. Our trucks have been getting stopped 2-3 times a day. THey are measuring mudflaps and if you are off by an 8th inch, 103 dollars please. If your licence plate bulb is out, $103 please, ect... One of my trucks was cited for not having a plastic reflector at the rear side. (I installed a marker light there. The plastic reflector kept getting broke off) Cincinnati is in a budget crisis and is making the trucker pay for it. Big Time. Total from us is over 2,000 in 1. 5 months.

This is real bull****. I live in MD and they are pricks but I haven't been cited for any of this yet. What can we do to fight all this bull****. They are taking like bullys taking candy from the weak. Could we get together and file a lawsuit against the DOT stating that we were not given proper notice and time to correct this issues to meet the new laws or even grandfather law some of this stuff. I personally bought a 04. 5 3500 DRW for the abuse it can handle, to have a diesel, DRW for sled pulling, and the possibility of getting into autotransport (although idea is shot down). SO thats how I got stuck with a 1 ton DRW truck that now I intend to use as a daily driver/ go to the track install my "race package" then compete then reverse to stock package and go home. I personally do not have a operaters license and can't afford to get pulled over again but have no one to drive me. But if the cities and states are having budget problems I am sorry you should manage my tax money better or raise tax on something up 0. 00001. If that don't cover I guess you need to cut expenses in some form. for starters maybe the police cars shouldn't be driven like race cars around town when not trying to pull someone over. They are not a race car and you are wasting my tax dollars then trying to get even more out of me. Another thing why I am paying for the officer to drive "my" police car home. thats fuel and maintanence costs coming out of my pocket. If they want something to take home they can spend the money they have to work for to get to work like every single one of us. Those who don't get these benifits shouldn't have to pay for that kinda crap. also I am all the time seeing officers out on the major roads running radar all the time. you haven't got me and you won't but you would get so many if you had automated crap that doesn't require 4 paid officers with alot of expensive equipment putting their lives on the line dealing with the people while being parked in the middle of the road. Theres a expense slashed cuz less insurance, less gasoline (ugh hate gasers), less maintanence on the gaser, less equipment needed, less lives put at risk, less money spent repairing the ditch (like the one time I got pulled over in virgina I made sure I tore up that ditch and threw in the grille of the cop car when he let me go), less paid employees trying to keep occupied, etc etc all you would need is an automated radar and you'll catch so many more and save money doing it.



But back to the lawsuit Idea I don't like the word lawsuit and I once was subject to severe personal injury and in todays world could have sued and recieve big dollars for the injury that will affect me most likely the rest of my life. But when it comes to this bull**** The people need to be aware of these new laws before they come in affect and given time to correct them before tickets are handed out. But how do you know to correct them if you don't know legislation is being passed? I personally don't feel like spending the rest of my life at all the congress meetings just to find out when a law is gonna be past why cost the guy above $2,000 in 1. 5 months? he probably had to get a loan from the bank just to feed his family. why are you picking on us just to make ends meet for yourself. You probably get a memo as soon as the legislation is past and say "hey we are low on money and this is a new law nobody knows about, lets do some literal highway robbery". There are so many out the that probably feel the same that this isn't right and that they should at least talk to magazine publishers of lets say "Diesel Power" and get the word out about the new legislation or some other outlet so that we know and either correct or try to get this stuff grand fathered. thats my 2 dollars

 

[DerekW]

My 2004. 5 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW is schedule at the medium and heavy duty truck shop and will be getting a DOT inspection that meets medium truck specs. Since I just found out that legislation is changing in a disgusting way and the police are being responded being even more rediculous then ever I decided to jump the gun on the legislation. The bill will be big to correct alot of stuff but its better than spending more money on tickets and a lawyer for getting pulled over and finding out I have NOL (no operaters license) and writing me up for so much crap then I have to pay the city and have to pay to get my truck fixed. I think they you write you a warning the first time then you should have 2 weeks to fix it (some shops may not be able to see you right away), then they should be able to write you a citation of which you pay the city. Now I wouldn't mind as much if they said "you have two options. Option A: $20 now with a warning and after two weeks if we pull you over and not fixed $120. Option B: $120 right now and have 2 weeks to fix it" That would be better than stealing from someone who has no knowlodge of hot off the press legislation that was not markets to the general public.

 

[DerekW]

Oh heres an idea for everyone: everyday get fresh donuts and keep them in the truck just in case you get pulled over. at the end of the day if you still have them, eat 'em. This may however **** the cops off since it would take them longer in line to buy donuts at dunkin donuts since so many people would be buying just to save some dollars on a ticket.



or maybe there should be a program at dunkin donuts called "donuts for cops" hour where on duty officers get donuts half price, so we are safe for that hour!!!!

 

[Ragain]

Its no secret... ... these states consider comm. vehicles as "an endless source of revenue"! Wouldn't it be nice if they would enforce the laws of the general motoring public half as much as comm. vehicles? Come on DOT, focus on the REAL problems!

 

[DerekW]

I took my 04. 5 3500 DRW to the medium and heavy duty truck shop for DOT inspection and repairs and they treated me like an ***** cuz they couldn't come to understand why I was asking them for a DOT inspection. Hopefully they will do it right so I know the difference between what passes DOT and what doesn't pass on my truck so I have a heads up and can get my truck as close to meeting these laws the DOT commercial vehicles have to deal with. It may actually be helpful in the long run. i do put on 80K miles a year and do travel out of state maybe 3 times a month short distance and 1 once every 2 months on a long trip. Since I travel on long road trips alone at when everyone is in bed, laws such as having a fire extinguisher make perfect sense. Laws requiring added lighting are reason to add lighting that neglectful previous owners disgarded, can be nice for at night time hooking up a trailer or something like that. I did make the mistake the otherday in front of a state trooper to put my truck in park but the reverse lights stayed on when I got out and walked around. So simple things that these laws mandate can't be all that bad. Its jus the hassle of dealing with a state trooper who has an attitude and paying to correct the problem

 

[Ragain]

Derek... this is what I do, I have blank DOT Annual Vehicle Inspection forms that I fill out myself. Don't pay some shop $60 to fill out a form that will mean ABSOLUTELY nothing during an actual DOT roadside inspection. Oh, but heaven forbid, if you don't have a current DOT Annual Inspection in your possesion though!