Survey - who has had a citation for RV overweight?

moresmoke wrote:

LarryJM wrote:

demiles wrote:
The only one I've seen was down in NC leaving ZMAX dragway and wasn't the normal trailer/fifth wheel. I was following a friend pulling a 30Ft racecar trailer with living quarters and he was pulled over and weighed. He was over his registered GVWR and received a fined which was $150 I think. They told him he was considered commercial because he received money and or products for competing. He also had the usual product stickers all over the side of the trailer.

Over the years I've also read more than a handful of first hand posts usually from Pa concerning weight and or registration fines with these race car trailers with all the advertising and even some where because they could win $$$ they were considered commercial rigs.

Larry

The most common test of this I have heard of is: If you are guaranteed money for showing up at the event - then you would be considered commercial. You are being paid as a performer.

Now some states interpret these rules to their own likes. The 10,000 lb trailer rule is one. Some states have it worded as a trailer over 10000 and GVW over 26000. Others use a trailer over 10000 or GVW over 26000.

I run around to motorsports events in the summer, if I ever get accused of being commercial, I am going to start filing my expenses on my taxes. I bet the IRS will claim its a hobby!

Those numbers are the determining factor that requires one to have a CDL. To be considered commercial your GVWR or combined truck and trailer GVWR will be 10,001# and up. Our F150's and Tundra's are considered commercial as soon as one is hooked to any of our trailers. Our lightest duty trailer has a GVWR of 7'000#.

Wadcutter wrote:

I have been held for a period because another company driver owed a fine, so they confiscated my truck until the company paid up (still was not wadcutter).

Nope, never did that.

VIRGINA.

Drove on to scales in a daycab, officer asked if I was an hourly employee. When I said YES, he sent me around back, told me to come inside. Showed me a fine the company had, as well as a regulation that stated they had the right to confiscate my truck as collateral until the payment was received.

He had several of our trucks cross the scales that day....I was the first HOURLY employee. He was apologetic, but also figured the company may let a mileage driver sit, but would probably use a bit more haste with an hourly employee. He was right, took me less than 15 minutes to get a comcheck, be on my way.

In IL only the State Police has the authority to enforce Motor Carrier Safety regs. We received extra training and certification for MCS levels

Several years back, PA started to allow locals to enforce carrier safety. A lot of municipalities, mostly near industrial centers, are operating portable scales in vacant lots.

See a lot of tri-axle coal trucks, and steel haulers pulled in....I HAVE NEVER SEEN AN RV.

rhagfo wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

the bear II wrote:
Lawyers will look for overweight RVs involved in accidents
http://www.justaccidentlaw.com/motor-vehicle-accidents/rv-accidents-motor-homes/

Link

LOL, you don't have to be overweight to have an ambulance chaser after you!

Be way over weight and side swipe someone and you're at fault.........guess what....you're at fault.

Be under weight by thousands of pounds and side swipe someone and you're at fault.....guess what....you're at fault!

The problem comes when some idiot pulls out directly in front of you, or pulls directly in front of you and "Break Checks" you and you hit them. They will say it's your fault.
This is the reason I run with a Dash Cam, underweight or overweight, I would strongly suggest all RV's run with them!!

My favorite is always passing lanes on hills, I will be climbing at the speed limit or a bit better, and as I see the lane ends there is this sect in my rear-view mirror and it is trying for all it is worth to get a head of me. If they make it they may need to squeeze into a the space the following space I allow, then typically because that were speeding about 15 mph over what we were all going, slam on their brakes to keep from hitting the car in front of them!!!

Once again, best defense is a dash cam.

It just doesn't work that way in real life. At least in my area. The HP just doesn't have time to mess with this stuff. If an accident occurs they don't break out the scales and start weighing things. Even in a fatality case. They sweep the glass off the road and get on with getting on. It's just not like CSI on TV.

And they can't weight it later either because of chain of custody issues. This actually happen in my area. There was a fatality and the vehicles in question (boats)were taken to storage. This was a VERY high profile case which garnered nation wide attention. There was a controversy whether a light switch was on or not. The police took pictures of the switch being off in storage. It was thrown out because there was no chain of custody at all while in storage.

Dash cams are good................or not. :B They are a double edge sword. They can prove your case.................or they can convict you!

Be careful out there.

I can only attest to my experiences in CA. I have done my best over the years to comply with all applicable laws as I have had truck camper, pulled doubles, and now the DP with toad or cargo trailer.

First off overweight is an issue with the RVs as well as the SUV running down the freeway with 6 passengers and all their luggage.

CA DMV is most concerned with correct drivers license and tags and only seems to concern themselves with weight if they can collect a separate fee for registration.

CHP and local law enforcement also seems to care less about weight but rather just enforcing the correct license is held for each rig setup. I was lucky enough to experience one of CHP's roadside portable smog emission testing stations and to my surprise the DOT officer pulled out his commercial vehicle corner scales. Knowing I was going to be found over the manufacturers weight ratings I began to explain the upgrades I had made to my truck and FW so the officer might take these into consideration. The nice officer quickly stopped me and stated towing recreational he would or could not ticket me for being overweight in an RV. He stated that I could be pulling my 40' FW with a Toyota Tacoma and would still be legal as long as I had made honest attempts to make the setup safe and was operating in a safe manner. He also said in a civil (financial) case with that setup I would be up a creek without a paddle but still unlikely to get a moving violation.

As it turned out I was over but not grossly on trailer axle weights and the front truck axle but just under on the rear truck axle weight. I was also impressed and surprised how thorough the officer was in inspecting trailer brakes, lights, and hitch attachment. This seemed to be his biggest concern.

We see truck campers get nailed for overweight from time to time. There are a few choke points. One close to the BC Alberta border another close to an underpass near us. If it doesn't look right "big slide type campers on 3/4 ton trucks etc, they will weigh them with 4 scales and have them offload. You will see the campers on the side of the road from time to time at the pull outs. No idea what the fine is.

They do RV stings in BC. No safety chains, no battery on the trailer, safety pin in the hitch, lights, no brake control etc. I like it.

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

the bear II wrote:
Lawyers will look for overweight RVs involved in accidents
http://www.justaccidentlaw.com/motor-vehicle-accidents/rv-accidents-motor-homes/

Link

LOL, you don't have to be overweight to have an ambulance chaser after you!

Be way over weight and side swipe someone and you're at fault.........guess what....you're at fault.

Be under weight by thousands of pounds and side swipe someone and you're at fault.....guess what....you're at fault!

The problem comes when some idiot pulls out directly in front of you, or pulls directly in front of you and "Break Checks" you and you hit them. They will say it's your fault.
This is the reason I run with a Dash Cam, underweight or overweight, I would strongly suggest all RV's run with them!!

My favorite is always passing lanes on hills, I will be climbing at the speed limit or a bit better, and as I see the lane ends there is this sect in my rear-view mirror and it is trying for all it is worth to get a head of me. If they make it they may need to squeeze into a the space the following space I allow, then typically because that were speeding about 15 mph over what we were all going, slam on their brakes to keep from hitting the car in front of them!!!

Once again, best defense is a dash cam.

CA has non-commercial driver license endorsements if you tow a heavier trailer or fifth wheel RV. Evidently they have emphasis patrols in known areas where big toy haulers go to ensure the driver is properly licensed. I'm not sure of the fine, but your RV will have to stay parked until an endorsed driver can move it for you. Although this is not what the OP was asking, it is along the same lines.

LarryJM wrote:

demiles wrote:
The only one I've seen was down in NC leaving ZMAX dragway and wasn't the normal trailer/fifth wheel. I was following a friend pulling a 30Ft racecar trailer with living quarters and he was pulled over and weighed. He was over his registered GVWR and received a fined which was $150 I think. They told him he was considered commercial because he received money and or products for competing. He also had the usual product stickers all over the side of the trailer.

Over the years I've also read more than a handful of first hand posts usually from Pa concerning weight and or registration fines with these race car trailers with all the advertising and even some where because they could win $$$ they were considered commercial rigs.

Larry

The most common test of this I have heard of is: If you are guaranteed money for showing up at the event - then you would be considered commercial. You are being paid as a performer.

Now some states interpret these rules to their own likes. The 10,000 lb trailer rule is one. Some states have it worded as a trailer over 10000 and GVW over 26000. Others use a trailer over 10000 or GVW over 26000.

I run around to motorsports events in the summer, if I ever get accused of being commercial, I am going to start filing my expenses on my taxes. I bet the IRS will claim its a hobby!

demiles wrote:
The only one I've seen was down in NC leaving ZMAX dragway and wasn't the normal trailer/fifth wheel. I was following a friend pulling a 30Ft racecar trailer with living quarters and he was pulled over and weighed. He was over his registered GVWR and received a fined which was $150 I think. They told him he was considered commercial because he received money and or products for competing. He also had the usual product stickers all over the side of the trailer.

Over the years I've also read more than a handful of first hand posts usually from Pa concerning weight and or registration fines with these race car trailers with all the advertising and even some where because they could win $$$ they were considered commercial rigs.

Larry

Glad to see Mr Wadcutter backing up what I have said many times on here. Usually get told I am wrong. It would take a LOT for an RV'r to be over weight. Even if you include the max per tire width here in Wa st, you would only get about 10K-11K lbs per axel with a single tire axel. Tell me, how many of you with single tires per axel are over this amount? thought so!
As one has also asked. Does this mean I can be over the manufactures rating.....not sure how many times I have been pulled over at 150% of manufactures gvw, and NOT gotten an over weight ticket. As I was UNDER my paid for license/registration, along with under the bridge law max per axel.
As far as ambulance chasing lawyers......well, you can be UNDER said manufacture warranty/performance ratings, and still get sued for ALL you are worth and then some......
GCWR is not an enforceable weight by ANY weight LEO/CVEO etc. Only the manufacture, and RV.net weight police.
As I understand the weight laws, one can not be jailed per say for being overweight! you will have time to move the load as many stated, so you are under weight. Along with the fine is not considered a moving violation, so it does not go against your actual driving record. Get caught speeding is worst than being overweight!

At the end of the day. I am NOT worried about my manufacture ratings from a legal standpoint when it comes to Wadcutter and his buddies in the scale house, vans etc with portable scales. AS LONG, as my paid for gvw rating for my truck is over what I weigh. Which means, if I run down the road at 8600 lbs per my door sticker in my 2000 chev C2500. I could/might get an overload ticket for 600 lbs! as that is what I have paid for license at. My Navistar with a 26K paid for plate, has a door sticker of 18200. Got pulled over once at just under 27K, told to get a 28K plate within 10 days......but that rock coming out from the barn doors ticket was painful!

Marty