SRW vs DRW

4x4ord wrote:
How British Columbia views weight ratings.

Basically:
What are the penalties for driving a
vehicle loaded above its GVWR?
Regulations in BC were recently changed to
address consumer and industry concerns about
the GVWR. If a vehicle, with a GVWR of
5,500 kilograms (kgs), or less, that is
manufactured before January 1, 2001 is loaded in
excess of its GVWR and enforcement officer
deems it to be unsafe, the driver of that vehicle
may be given a Notice and Order. Most light
trucks and RVs have a GVWR of less than
5,500 kgs. If a vehicle with a GVWR of more than
5,500 kgs, regardless of the date it is
manufactured, is loaded in excess of its GVWR,
the driver of that vehicle may be given a violation
ticket. Driving a vehicle loaded above its GVWR
creates a potential safety hazard because the
vehicle’s frame, suspension, brakes and tires are
not designed for weights above the rating the
manufacturer has set.

And citations can be based solely on the officer's =opinion= as to what constitutes a "safe load". Also, lots of "may" and "potential", without proof. Again, also, it can be proven that many trucks use common components between models and the weight designation can be solely for registration and has nothing to do with actual capacity. How many 250/2500 models with a "camper package" are, in fact, 350/3500 trucks in 250/2500 disguise? Same frame, same suspension, same tires, different placard. I'm =not= arguing that there are a =lot= of truly overloaded trucks out there, but I =am= arguing that there are a =lot= of trucks loaded under their GVW that are just as unsafe, if not more, than trucks that are slightly over. Given all this, it still falls on having accurate scales that are measuring the weights and, especially, portable scales are notoriously inaccurate. I know of at least 6 truckers who were weighed on the roadside by DPS and ADOT and shown to be well over legal limits, yet when they went to a certified scale, were shown to be well =under= their legal limit. One guy was cited for being ~3,500 lbs overweight (~83,000 lbs), yet I witnessed him being weighed across the certified scales at our cotton gin at ~79,500. I heard later that the gin scale operator was called as a witness in court and the judge tossed the guy's ticket and was so pissed that he questioned every single overweight ticket that came through his court for the previous couple of years. :B

Lyle