weight police?

Helped the kid do a research paper a few years back regarding civil lawsuits. In the US, in general they aren't driven by "Right or Wrong". The likelihood you will be sued following a crash are primarily driven by how much of a payout you might be capable of. If you have good insurance, or an obvious net worth over a million dollars or so you almost certainly will be sued following a major mishap. Figuring out what the "fault" was will come later.

SabreCanuck wrote:

NorthwestBound wrote:
Anyone ever get pulled over for too heavy a load? What was the outcome?

LOL>.. Excellent Question!

and I will comment that only ONE reply in this entire thread mentioned they had actually been pulled over "with no issue". Every other reply has delved immediately towards the fear factor "what if's".

I am aware of my weights but by no means do I consider myself the weight police. I've seen your other threads and feel sorry for those trying to follow and figure out the weights.. Especially when replies start flying in that you cannot pull anything heavier than 11,000 lbs with a 3/4 ton truck that is rated for 16,000 lbs.

We ALL have our COMFORT LEVEL and I have no doubt my 11K fifth wheel trailer would pull easier with a 5 ton truck but that does not mean it's required by law, nor does it mean that I would be any safer with that big truck than my smaller one. I've seen drivers with 3 ton duallies pulling a small fifth wheel at 80 mph and dodging traffic "because they're truck is big enough and they have american made tires".. That doesn't mean they are any safer than you/me that are at the top of our 3/4 ton range and cruising down highway at 55-60 mph.

I guess I'm on the opposite end of the worry wart spectrum but I can tell you what I've seen in campgrounds means I'm not alone. If anything I pay more attention than most.

Start bashing here>>>>>>>>>

The only issue with that 3/4 ton truck and rated to tow 16K is the way that 16K rating is achieved ----base model 150# driver and 20# cargo.

1/2, 3/4, 1 ton etc will reach GVWR, RAWR and/or Rear Tire MAX Load Rating LONG before every getting close to that mfg. magical max tow rating.

One only need to look at the * and fine print to see those max tow numbers are bogus.

YES....the other truck ratings are more informative in the real world

wing_zealot wrote:

romore wrote:
The RCMP periodically will pull over non commercial trucks and check for weight violations particularly if they see more than one snowmobile on a standard box half ton or an oilfield pickup sitting on the spring blocks, those guys are always overloaded. Normally they leave us rv'ers alone but do conduct random roadside checks, we have been stopped without problems. However if we were to get into a pileup and were shown to be overweight, rest assured charges would be laid and the mandatory government insurance agency would bail on us.

I don't know what it's like in Canada, but here your insurance company doesn't get to bail just because you were in an accident. In fact, you can be driving drunk and get in an accident and your insurance company still has to cover the damage you caused. They can cancel for you any future events, but they don't get to walk away from their liability while you were insured by them.

In Canada, an insurance company will pay if you have an accident while impaired, then they will come after you in a civil suit to recoup their loss. Impaired driving is a felony in
Canada. Depending on the circumstances, the same might apply if you were overweight and in an accident.

Wadcutter wrote:
... Let's get real people. The general max weight is 80,000 lbs. Do you really think your pickup and 5er weighs anywhere near 80,000 lbs? Just think about it. No way is anyone pulling a 5er anywhere near those max limits..

Those weights are not what we're talking about here.

We're talking about the weight ratings for a particular pickup truck, and whether anyone's been cited for exceeding them. Has nothing to do with OTR weights. Am I missing something?

As for civil liability, I'm a truck driver, it's immediately assumed my fault....

filrupmark wrote:
Down here in Texas if Bubba can hook it on his Dodge he will try to tow it!

Hahahaha you just described every male in my family in missouri!

I really was a weight police. I was one of the first certified motor carrier safety officers in the state of IL. I weighed a lot of trucks in my career. I was in command of the largest fine producing fixed scale in the state and an active portable scales detail. I also taught truck and weight laws. I was recognized by the state and federal courts as an expert witness in truck weights and laws. I didn't get my knowledge sitting around a campfire talking to some guy in a flannel shirt who thinks he knows all there is to know about everything.
First, it doesn't matter whether commercial or non-commercial. Weight laws apply to both. Weight laws also apply to farm vehicles altho there may be variances during certain times of the year.
Think about it. Weight laws were passed due to road surface damage. Does a 100,000 commercial vehicle do the same damage as a 100,000 non-commercial vehicle?
Now as far as someone being pulled over for overweight with the RV. Let's get real people. Do you really think your RV is anywhere near the upper limits of the weight restrictions? The general max weight for a single axle is 20,000 lbs. Do you think even your F-350/3500 has 20,000 on a single axle? Seriously?
The upper weight limit for tandem axle is generally 34,000 lbs. Do you think your 5er axles are anywhere near 34,000 lbs?
The general max weight is 80,000 lbs. Do you really think your pickup and 5er weighs anywhere near 80,000 lbs?
Just think about it. No way is anyone pulling a 5er anywhere near those max limits. With a big heavy 5er you might be in the 25,000 range for total weight.
For states that sell license plates by weight limits it's possible you could be over for your state depending on what plate limit you've purchased. That's not the same as being overweight. That's being over registered weight. All that means is you didn't pay enough tax (registration fee) to haul the weight you are hauling.

NorthwestBound wrote:
Anyone ever get pulled over for too heavy a load? What was the outcome?

LOL>.. Excellent Question!

and I will comment that only ONE reply in this entire thread mentioned they had actually been pulled over "with no issue". Every other reply has delved immediately towards the fear factor "what if's".

I am aware of my weights but by no means do I consider myself the weight police. I've seen your other threads and feel sorry for those trying to follow and figure out the weights.. Especially when replies start flying in that you cannot pull anything heavier than 11,000 lbs with a 3/4 ton truck that is rated for 16,000 lbs.

We ALL have our COMFORT LEVEL and I have no doubt my 11K fifth wheel trailer would pull easier with a 5 ton truck but that does not mean it's required by law, nor does it mean that I would be any safer with that big truck than my smaller one. I've seen drivers with 3 ton duallies pulling a small fifth wheel at 80 mph and dodging traffic "because they're truck is big enough and they have american made tires".. That doesn't mean they are any safer than you/me that are at the top of our 3/4 ton range and cruising down highway at 55-60 mph.

I guess I'm on the opposite end of the worry wart spectrum but I can tell you what I've seen in campgrounds means I'm not alone. If anything I pay more attention than most.

Start bashing here>>>>>>>>>

romore wrote:
The RCMP periodically will pull over non commercial trucks and check for weight violations particularly if they see more than one snowmobile on a standard box half ton or an oilfield pickup sitting on the spring blocks, those guys are always overloaded. Normally they leave us rv'ers alone but do conduct random roadside checks, we have been stopped without problems. However if we were to get into a pileup and were shown to be overweight, rest assured charges would be laid and the mandatory government insurance agency would bail on us.

I don't know what it's like in Canada, but here your insurance company doesn't get to bail just because you were in an accident. In fact, you can be driving drunk and get in an accident and your insurance company still has to cover the damage you caused. They can cancel for you any future events, but they don't get to walk away from their liability while you were insured by them.

JIMNLIN wrote:
All vehicles on the road come under some type of weight regulations.

Its rare someone pulling/carrying a RV would be pulled over for too heavy a load unless their rig was over weight to the point the combo was all over the road and creating a hazard to other vehicles.

Never been pulled over with an RV but got caught back in my "driving days" at a scale in Wisconsin 1,700 lbs. over on the drives. They gave me a $350 fine and couldn't leave until I could make it legal.

I totally agree with what JIMLIN said....

Take your chances with an RV even though you aren't for the most part required to enter a scale BUT if you cause or get into a wreck being over weight "your on your own". Better have a GREAT attorney! :B