weight police?

Wadcutter wrote:
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.

Thanks for this post Wadcutter,
I hope this clears this subject up once and for all. I just don't understand why everyone makes something so easy, so hard. :)

2oldman wrote:

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?

Yeah, you're missing a whole lot.
First, read the OP's question. It's easy to find. It's the first post of this thread.
The weight sticker on a vehicle isn't a legal weight restrictions. Manufacturers don't set weight laws. That's the job of the legislature, not some manufacturer. The fed sticker is similar to the stickers on a mattress. They tell you how the vehicle was rated by the manufacturer. They aren't the law. A lot of vehicles won't even have the sticker if they've been damaged where sticker was applied.
This comes up every month or so. People don't learn and sure don't bother to try. They just keep repeating the same untrue internet rumors. Fed stickers are not the law.

Coach-man wrote:

avvidclif1 wrote:
AZDRYHEAT..... Why is it illegal to stop a vehicle to check license status? Driving is a privilege, not a right guaranteed by the constitution. Show me where driving licenses are mentioned in the constitution.

This may have been covered, but a few years back the Supreme court ruled that just as in your home the police must have probable cause to pull you over. Even when checking for drunks, they can slow you down and the officer has to determine by looking as you drive by if you appear to be impaired. Then they can ask you to pull over and check things further!

Not exactly accurate coachman. The USSC ruled that stopping vehicles in such roadside checks are legal. Vehicles can be stopped for reasons of enforcing DUI. The driver can be asked to show ID during the stop. No probable cause is needed.
For commercial vehicles, which doesn't apply to anything on an RV forum unless you're in the business of transporting RVs, probable cause is not needed for a stop for purposes of enforcing motor carrier safety laws.

avvidclif1 wrote:
AZDRYHEAT..... Why is it illegal to stop a vehicle to check license status? Driving is a privilege, not a right guaranteed by the constitution. Show me where driving licenses are mentioned in the constitution.

This may have been covered, but a few years back the Supreme court ruled that just as in your home the police must have probable cause to pull you over. Even when checking for drunks, they can slow you down and the officer has to determine by looking as you drive by if you appear to be impaired. Then they can ask you to pull over and check things further!

Two years ago I passed a weigh station going from Greenwood, NE into Lincoln. Had a portable reader board a mile out. "ALL RV'S MUST ENTER WEIGH STATION". I was not in tow at the time, but did see several RV's in the line. Who, what, why: I don't know. Outcome: Unknown.

In all the years I have been reading various RV forum, no one has ever posted that they were pulled over because of overweight or to check it.

Hondavalk wrote:
If I'm having trouble controlling my vehicle because I've exceeded my trucks capability its "failure to control".

Let's hope it's never "negligent homicide."

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

Back on topic.

Answer = NO

happy camping.

150 to 200,000 is actually very uncommon, non permitted loads cannot exceed gcwr 80,000lbs.

Hondavalk wrote:
This is from Ohio revised code:

GROSS WEIGHT: The weight of a vehicle
combination without load plus the weight of any
load thereon. the maximum overall gross weight
of vehicle and load imposed upon the road
surface shall not exceed eighty thousand
pounds
SINGLE AXLE WEIGHT: The total weight
imposed upon the road surface by all wheels
whose centers may be included between two
parallel transverse vertical planes forty inches
apart, extended across the full width of the
vehicle. The maximum single axle weight shall
not exceed twenty thousand pounds
TANDEM AXLE WEIGHT: The total weight
imposed upon the road surface by two or more
consecutive axles whose centers may be
included between parallel transverse vertical
planes spaced more than forty inches but not
more than ninety-six inches apart, extending
across the full width of the vehicle. The
maximum tandem axle weight shall not exceed
thirty -four thousand pounds.

Kinda dought many RVs have much to worry about.

That should read "Without a permit" 150-200,000 lbs GCW on a big rig is not uncommon.

2oldman wrote:

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 far as the law is concerned it is only about the OTR weights. The police cannot sight me for abusing my equipment. If I'm having trouble controlling my vehicle because I've exceeded my trucks capability its "failure to control".