Who has been pulled over for double towing illegally???

transamz9 wrote:

Wadcutter wrote:

n7bsn wrote:
A few years back a retired LEO from the mid-west posted he had once stopped someone using a pickup to pull three trailers!

3 trailers is an illegal combination in a lot of state, IL included.
The weirdest combination I ever stopped was about 10 yrs ago. A Class A pulling a box trailer which had a ball hitch on the back. To the box trailer he had connected a Dodge Dakota pickup which had a tow bar on the front. To the Dakota he had hitched a boat. 4 units in tow. He had crossed into IL just south of St Louis on I-255. By the time I had stopped him he had traveled over 100 miles into IL. He complained that if he was illegal he should have been stopped 100 miles sooner. He got tickets for illegal combination and overlength. Had I written him everything that was wrong I could probably still be writing.

Hey Wadcutter, When you stopped this guy, can you remember what caught your attention? Was it an unsafe looking rig, going to fast, doing something stupid (besides having a load hooked like that) or just on patrols? I'm just curious.

I was heading southbound on the interstate and saw him going northbound. My first thought was "that pickup and boat is riding that Class A's butt." Then when they got even with me I could see they were all connected. Such a combination sticks out.

Me Again wrote:
So do you think the Anderson hitch which connects via a ball in place on the king pin is a "fifth-wheel type assembly" per the code above? Would an Anderson hitch require safety chains in your state? Chris

I'm not familiar with an Anderson hitch. The definition of a 5th wheel assembly is in the IL statutes:
(625 ILCS 5/1-120.5)
Sec. 1-120.5. Fifth wheel assembly. A coupling device connecting 2 or more vehicles operating in combination. The lower half of a fifth wheel assembly mounted on a truck tractor or converter dolly must be secured to the frame of that vehicle with properly designed brackets, mounting plates, or angles and properly tightened bolts of adequate size and grade or devices that provide equivalent security. The installation shall not cause cracking, warping, or deformation of the frame. The installation shall include a device for positively preventing the lower half of the fifth wheel assembly from shifting on the frame to which it is attached.
The upper half of a fifth wheel assembly must be fastened to the motor vehicle with at least the same security required for the installation of the lower half on a truck tractor or converter dolly.
Every fifth wheel assembly shall have a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism and any adapter used in conjunction with it must prevent separation of the upper and lower halves of the fifth wheel assembly unless a positive manual release is activated. The release may be located so that the driver can operate it from the cab. If a motor vehicle has a fifth wheel assembly designed and constructed to be readily separable, the fifth wheel assembly locking devices shall apply automatically on coupling.
The lower half of a fifth wheel assembly shall be located so that, regardless of the condition of loading, the relationship between the kingpin and the rear axle or axles of the towing motor vehicle will properly distribute the gross weight of both the towed and towing vehicles on the axles of those vehicles, will not unduly interfere with the steering, braking, and other maneuvering of the towing vehicle, and will not otherwise contribute to unsafe operation of the vehicles comprising the combination. The upper half of a fifth wheel assembly shall be located so that the weight of the vehicles is properly distributed on their axles and the combination of vehicles will operate safely during normal operation.
(Source: P.A. 90-89, eff. 1-1-98.)

MrVan wrote:
In a lot of the agriculturally predominate states the farm lobby has been successful in getting exemptions for many of the traffic laws specifically for the farmers. Off the top of my head I can immediately think of one in Iowa. Over width rules. Farmers can be way over width on the highways and not require a permit whereas every one else has to get an over width permit and abide by the rules of the permit.

In some of the Upper Western states, you see commercial triples. I remember the first time I ever saw one. Damn near drove off the road! :-) Was a UPS or FedEx truck, IIRC.

Lyle

MrVan wrote:
In a lot of the agriculturally predominate states the farm lobby has been successful in getting exemptions for many of the traffic laws specifically for the farmers. Off the top of my head I can immediately think of one in Iowa. Over width rules. Farmers can be way over width on the highways and not require a permit whereas every one else has to get an over width permit and abide by the rules of the permit.

It's called "implements of husbandry" rules. If you have something that's too wide or too tall, you can move it with no permits. Not sure about weights, but I would suspect it's the same, provided you use proper equipment to spread the load. When I was at UC Davis back in the late 70's, we had a Caltrans letter stating that anything we wanted to move fell under the husbandry rules. In '75, the Antique Mechanics Club moved 5 hay trucks of stuff down here to Phoenix for the State Fair. One piece, an 1880's vintage Bronson-Pitts threshing machine, ran 17' high sitting on the hay truck. Not a single permit issued. :-)

Lyle

Wadcutter wrote:

IL does not allow 3 vehicles in tow except in certain agricultural uses. The only legal multi-vehicle tow is a 5th wheel towing a boat, jet ski, ATV, or motorcycle. Max length is 60'.

5 ILCS 5/15-107
(5) Recreational vehicles consisting of 3 vehicles, provided the following:
(A) The total overall dimension does not exceed 60 feet. (B) The towing vehicle is a properly registered vehicle capable of towing another vehicle using a fifth-wheel type assembly. (C) The second vehicle in the combination of vehicles is a recreational vehicle that is towed by a fifth-wheel assembly. This vehicle must be properly registered and must be equipped with brakes, regardless of weight.
(D) The third vehicle must be the lightest of the 3 vehicles and be a trailer or semitrailer designed or used for transporting a boat, all-terrain vehicle, personal watercraft, or motorcycle.
(E) The towed vehicles may be only for the use of the operator of the towing vehicle.
(F) All vehicles must be properly equipped with operating brakes and safety equipment required by this Code, except the additional brake requirement in subdivision (C) of this subparagraph (5).

So do you think the Anderson hitch which connects via a ball in place on the king pin is a "fifth-wheel type assembly" per the code above? Would an Anderson hitch require safety chains in your state? Chris

Wadcutter wrote:

n7bsn wrote:
A few years back a retired LEO from the mid-west posted he had once stopped someone using a pickup to pull three trailers!

3 trailers is an illegal combination in a lot of state, IL included.
The weirdest combination I ever stopped was about 10 yrs ago. A Class A pulling a box trailer which had a ball hitch on the back. To the box trailer he had connected a Dodge Dakota pickup which had a tow bar on the front. To the Dakota he had hitched a boat. 4 units in tow. He had crossed into IL just south of St Louis on I-255. By the time I had stopped him he had traveled over 100 miles into IL. He complained that if he was illegal he should have been stopped 100 miles sooner. He got tickets for illegal combination and overlength. Had I written him everything that was wrong I could probably still be writing.

Hey Wadcutter, When you stopped this guy, can you remember what caught your attention? Was it an unsafe looking rig, going to fast, doing something stupid (besides having a load hooked like that) or just on patrols? I'm just curious.

sleekcrafter wrote:
Illinois is specific on length for two vehicle tow 60', but unclear on three vehicle tow. ( Only with fifth-wheel trailer in AZ, IL, MI, MN, MB (maximum length 23 m.), SK and YT.)

IL does not allow 3 vehicles in tow except in certain agricultural uses. The only legal multi-vehicle tow is a 5th wheel towing a boat, jet ski, ATV, or motorcycle. Max length is 60'.

5 ILCS 5/15-107
(5) Recreational vehicles consisting of 3 vehicles, provided the following:
(A) The total overall dimension does not exceed 60 feet. (B) The towing vehicle is a properly registered vehicle capable of towing another vehicle using a fifth-wheel type assembly. (C) The second vehicle in the combination of vehicles is a recreational vehicle that is towed by a fifth-wheel assembly. This vehicle must be properly registered and must be equipped with brakes, regardless of weight.
(D) The third vehicle must be the lightest of the 3 vehicles and be a trailer or semitrailer designed or used for transporting a boat, all-terrain vehicle, personal watercraft, or motorcycle.
(E) The towed vehicles may be only for the use of the operator of the towing vehicle.
(F) All vehicles must be properly equipped with operating brakes and safety equipment required by this Code, except the additional brake requirement in subdivision (C) of this subparagraph (5).

In a lot of the agriculturally predominate states the farm lobby has been successful in getting exemptions for many of the traffic laws specifically for the farmers. Off the top of my head I can immediately think of one in Iowa. Over width rules. Farmers can be way over width on the highways and not require a permit whereas every one else has to get an over width permit and abide by the rules of the permit.

n7bsn wrote:

Wadcutter wrote:
....
Second - I spent 42+ yrs in LE including 27 yrs at the state level. Illegal combination is a commonly written cite. The usual violation is over length and illegal 2nd trailer such as pulling a 2nd car/Jeep behind a 5er.

A few years back a retired LEO from the mid-west posted he had once stopped someone using a pickup to pull three trailers!

Used to be a cotton farmer down in Yuma that would pull up to 4 fully loaded cotton trailers, using a "farmer's pin hitch", each trailer weighing about 8,000 lbs, down I-8 at 60 mph. He'd pull EIGHT empties back to his farm at 60-70 mph. My dad knew the guy and actually saw him do it at some point in time. :-)

Lyle

Here in CA, there hasn't been a problem. Yes, the plates have been run numerous time, but not problems.

I was stopped in Florida for pulling doubles (jet ski, behind a jet ski trailer). When I was pulled over the officer had that section highlighted in his code book. He told me he specifically looked for people pulling doubles since so many people come from up north and want to bring all their toys. He ticketed me $35 and let me go on my way. He did tell me he could make me disconnect and that I could still be stopped while in the state since it was illegal. This was approximately 15 years ago so things could have changed especially the price of ticket for doing it.