Towing Doubles

[Greg_The_Hammer]

I am a Michigander with a CDL and proper endorsements pulling a fifth wheel with a ball hitch motorcycle trailer behind. Total length is less than 65' . We've towed all over, and want current input regarding lawful towing in Alabama and Georgia. I would appreciate SPECIFIC reference to statute, not generalities. And advice is appreciated

[travelnutz]

We got stopped while double towing our boat we kept in Clewiston, FL of all places right on Long Key Bridge going to Marathon (Florida Keys) in the mid 1990's by a Monroe County sheriff. His first words were "do you know how long you are? "You looked awful long". In my mind I was thinking, of course I know, stupid, but I didn't say it. He got his wheel out of his patrol car trunk and fumbled around for a long time and then measured our rig twice. When he came up to me I said it's 64'11" long and he said "well I get 65 feet". I said 65' is legal in Florida and he looked at me and just said "have a nice day and drive safely" and got back in his car and did a "U" turn right on the bridge and took off. Now a long line of traffic stopped behind us. What a jerk! He didn't even notice my truck plate was expired but I did and had the dealership overnight a new plate to us as it was leased to my engineering business and back then the dealer had to get the new plate each year in Michigan.

BTW, we just got back home April 7th from Florida's west coast going on 19/98 and I-10 and up thru thru Alabama on 231 and I-65 and saw over a dozen double tows in Florida and Alabama both. 3 on Dothan Circle. All were 5th wheels and mostly with boats in both Florida and Alabama and ZERO pulled over. We see them every year all on our way from Michigan down to Florida and again going back north. Never seen one double tow pulled over yet the last 15 years or more. We'd kept a 16' on up to 22' boat in Florida for 19 years so we didn't have to double tow one back and forth.

[Francesca_Knowl]

ricatic wrote:

...and I was stopped and the first question out of Bozo the Clowns mouth was "when are you returning that South Dakota licensed truck" to South Dakota

Dunno why out-of-Staters continue to register vehicles in South Dakota or Montana, or any of those other "tax-dodge States".

That tax dodge has become so well known that I wouldn't be at all surprised if Cops in ALL the ripped off States were on the alert to pull such rigs over. Might just as well drive down the road with a sign that says "I'm a tax-evader"!
If/when the Local Constabulary picks such rigs out for Special Attention, well, I guess that's just part of the game. C'est la vie!

The folks I feel sorry for are those that actually LIVE IN those States, poor chumps. Gotta wonder how many times they get pulled over, LEO's all interested in establishing that they actually are residents of those havens of nonresident tax-evaders.

[tomman58]

ricatic wrote:
oops...again

Do the crime pay the fine, simple biz.

Call it what you want , if you are not following the rules then you hang out there till someone decides to let you know what the rules are!

[ricatic]

oops...again

[ricatic]

dezl_dr wrote:
BTW - notice that everyone that has gotten stopped is on their way OUT of FL?! Hmmm....

...and I was stopped and the first question out of Bozo the Clowns mouth was "when are you returning that South Dakota licensed truck" to South Dakota...but it's not about the revenue-ING...my situation was not in any way a safety issue so I do not want to hear the "public safety" nonsense...

Also, before the law enforcement zealots get all wadded up, my stepson is a cop in western Michigan...and he absolutely acknowledges the "revenue-ING" aspect of the traffic bozo's...he calls them stalkers...when his chief told him he needed to write more tickets he told her that he did not become a police officer to collect taxes for the city...he is also strongly against all the ridiculous "mission statements" that are plastered all over some departments cars...

Just like the town in Florida that was in the process of getting it's Charter revoked by the State Legislature over speed trap revenue-ING, people need to stop supporting these communities and their businesses...the lack of business will get the nonsense halted in a hurry...

But if you are a beneficiary of this municipal welfare scheme, I am sure you will disagree...

Regards

[dezl_dr]

BTW - notice that everyone that has gotten stopped is on their way OUT of FL?! Hmmm....

[dezl_dr]

It gets real, towing in say Atlanta with a semi on each side of you while your following some exit or lane shift. Maybe road construction with barrier on one side and big rig in a hurry on the other. All done in heavy traffic and at least 60 mph.

I do think the overall length is an issue, all states limit that.

[tomman58]

I see the comment "I do this each year" on some of the posts. The problem I see in your double is you aren't really that experienced to do this. I am sure you can tow this with a smart car but the real deal is the open road at 60+ mph.

Most folks only tow a few times a year and their just not that road savey. Even with just their trailers I see chances taken and bad things in their future.
Just saying, I tow around 8 to 10K a year and have seen a lot and prayed for many around the USA and their rigs.

[ricatic]

more likely he is a ticket seller...never saw a speed trap or other traffic trap he did not like...

Regards

[dezl_dr]

Someone has been drinking the kool-aid.

[Wadcutter]

Here's a 100% sure fire way to beat the state's "fundraising". Obey the law.
You violated the state's law, was found guilty, yet it's somehow their fault. Man up and take responsibility for your actions.

[ricatic]

ol Bombero-JC wrote:

laknox wrote:

ricatic wrote:

Greg The Hammer wrote:
I had my court Date in Bay County (in absentia) a couple weeks ago. I posted bond of $110 and pled my case that under chapter 322.XXX (previous post) I was legal in Florida. They found me guilty, took the bond as a fine, but did not adjudicate, which simply means I was not charged points. I won't be back in Florida. I'll spend my cash elsewhere.

sorry about your lack of success in dealing with the law enforcement fundraising operation...but I like your plan about spending your money elsewhere...I received the most CS ticket last week ever...the old fundraising traffic cop could not even defend his position but knows it will cost more to fight than not...quota's you know...I told him I despised the fundraising and would not spend another penny in his town...he laughed as he walked away...

...and they wonder why respect has all but disappeared and has been replaced by fear...

Regards

Sometimes you just need to bite the bullet and fight this crap.

Lyle

You will have to bite the bullet and fight it -in person!.
(Which may be a waste of your time)

BTW - No "quotas" - the term is - being "productive" - especially for motor cops...:W

On edit:
Yikes! - HEAVY censorship. - Gotta watch my harsh terms!
For whatever reason the forum wouldn't let *me* use the same term in - "fight this crap." Changed letters to asterisks.
Wow - that's *really* taking a "family" forum to the utmost, LOL!

~

exactly...I head for Iowa in ten days...when the bozo stopped me in a parking lot, his first question was when my South Dakota licensed truck would be leaving Michigan to return home...when I told him two weeks, he smiled...I think we threw some tea in a Boston harbor over taxation without representation...and make no mistake...revenue-ING is all this is about...

Regards

[ol_Bombero-JC]

laknox wrote:

ricatic wrote:

Greg The Hammer wrote:
I had my court Date in Bay County (in absentia) a couple weeks ago. I posted bond of $110 and pled my case that under chapter 322.XXX (previous post) I was legal in Florida. They found me guilty, took the bond as a fine, but did not adjudicate, which simply means I was not charged points. I won't be back in Florida. I'll spend my cash elsewhere.

sorry about your lack of success in dealing with the law enforcement fundraising operation...but I like your plan about spending your money elsewhere...I received the most CS ticket last week ever...the old fundraising traffic cop could not even defend his position but knows it will cost more to fight than not...quota's you know...I told him I despised the fundraising and would not spend another penny in his town...he laughed as he walked away...

...and they wonder why respect has all but disappeared and has been replaced by fear...

Regards

Sometimes you just need to bite the bullet and fight this crap.

Lyle

You will have to bite the bullet and fight it -in person!.
(Which may be a waste of your time)

BTW - No "quotas" - the term is - being "productive" - especially for motor cops...:W

On edit:
Yikes! - HEAVY censorship. - Gotta watch my harsh terms!
For whatever reason the forum wouldn't let *me* use the same term in - "fight this crap." Changed letters to asterisks.
Wow - that's *really* taking a "family" forum to the utmost, LOL!

~

[Francesca_Knowl]

Greg The Hammer wrote:
I had my court Date in Bay County (in absentia) a couple weeks ago. I posted bond of $110 and pled my case that under chapter 322.XXX (previous post) I was legal in Florida. They found me guilty, took the bond as a fine, but did not adjudicate, which simply means I was not charged points. I won't be back in Florida. I'll spend my cash elsewhere.

Thanks for letting us know the outcome- lots of folks don't bother, especially if things don't go their way. It's real good of you to post this as a heads up for other folks.