The weight police

Lantley wrote:
90% of the time everything is fine. It's the 5% of the time when the unexpected happens that all the precaution and parameters suddenly matter.
That means many are correct being distracted by a cell phone is not a good thing when Instantly something happens. It also means being overweight can also instantly be a problem when something happens.
Knowing your weights and staying within your ratings is just as important as not being distracted or texting while driving.
The catch is you can put your cell phone down and not use it. You can't lose 1000 pounds of cargo quite so easily.
The OP mentions CHP scales.
Why do you think the enforcement people go to the trouble of having weigh stations? Part is to protect the infrastructure, part is for taxation and lastly is for safety because an overweight rig is unsafe.
Experience and skill can compensate for a lot of things but it won't compensate for physics. Simply put stopping distances increase significantly with weight and speed.
I'm not suggesting the sky will fall if you're overweight, but I am suggesting that everyone weigh their rigs and know where you stand within your parameters.
Weight is not the non issue some pretend it to be.
The OP post is about knowing your weights amazingly some of the responses refer to cell phones and distracted driving? There are also drunk drivers and drugged drivers. But that doesn't make it OK to be grossly over your tow ratings

Usually the 5% of the time when the unexpected happens, too many drivers can't process the information presented in front of them quickly enough to make a good decision.
I see way too much tailgating, and drivers only looking as far ahead as the car in front of them, I was taught to be looking at least six cars a head and as far as I can when possible.

Well I know the 1,000# extra pounds is there, the driver with the cell phone usually won't put it down until it is too late!!

My point is the one is not unsafe just because they are over weight, just like someone who is well within all limits is safer just because he is within limits, it is at least 90% the skill of the driver!!

To the CHP weight station.
#1. Reason is to protect infrastructure, there is weight and location of the weight when large trucks cross scales. Axles need to be the correct distance apart to carry max weight.
#2. Reason is to collect fines, to support the operation.
#3. Safety? Do you really think a 80,000# or 105,000# semi being 5,000# over is way safer than one at the correct weight??