10,000 lb Vehicle weight and the law

In looking through the Washington and municipal laws regarding whether or not truck campers are RV's I noticed the laws are rife with definitions involving 10,000 lb vehicle weight (with an occasional 12,000 lob or 1 ton reference). Below it, for the purposes of the law, you are just a "car". Above it you are a "big" truck with many more restrictions. This goes to chaining up requirements, car pool lanes, parking etc.

It sure helps me understand the 10,000 lb GVWR option that Ford has on its pickups. Just change a sticker and all is well. It does seem rather outdated though with so many of today's pickups having higher limits. I also suspect it is one of the more commonly ignored aspects of the law. I've gone by lots of state troopers in the car pool lane in my DRW pickup with the camper and they haven't payed any attention.

By the way, some of the laws refer to 10,000 lb vehicle weight so I guess officially you can be in trouble if you weigh more than 10,000 lb independent of what your GVWR is.

I suppose this sort of thing is common in other states and just as commonly ignored?

Many of these laws are confusing, especially so as it relates to non commercial operations like RVs. Some states simply exclude RV's from most commercial carrier weight laws; for example truck weight stations. Most states enjoy resproicty that allows you to be recognized as legal in another state as long as you are legal in your home state.

You are correct, many of these laws probably need to be revisited and the weight thresholds raised as many one ton pickups today are over 12,000 gross and are used for recreational vehicle towing or hauling and never used commercially.