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

[Ezbagr]

I see so many posts on here where people say it is illegal to double tow in such a such state and so and I am wondering if anyone has ever been pulled over? Please leave out the wifes brothers cousin stories.
I want real experiences.
I live in Illinois and it is against the law to double tow but I see people doing it all the time.

[Katman1100]

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.

[sleekcrafter]

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.)

[DennisVR]

Here in CA it is legal if,
You have a CDL with doubles endorsement
The first trailer is a 5th wheel
No trailer over 28'
Combination of set not over 65'
This is all I can remember now.
Back to your original question, yes I've been pulled over once. Well my SIL got pulled over, we were both pulling two trailers. By the time I got my rig stopped and walked up to the officer that was talking to my SIL, my SIL had the officer pi$$ed off by saying he know all the rules and was legal. The one thing my SIL didn't realize was that his 5th trailer was 30' long. After I told the officer he should give him a ticket because he (SIL) is a know it all, he loosened up a bit and sent us on or way with a warning.

[Wadcutter]

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.

[Wadcutter]

laknox wrote:

Doesn't mean that some bored pot-bellied Fed isn't just looking for any excuse to pull someone over to hassle. A-holes everywhere...
Lyle

When you write a citation for a violation you have to list the statute number of the violation. If there is no violation then there is no statute number to put on the citation.
Again, when a person doesn't know how things really work then they'll believe just about any campfire story. Any just about everybody's pot bellied uncle is full of stories. The story doesn't make any sense. You don't change to DOT reg requirements just by 're-tagging'. DOT regs don't work that way. Bet your uncle is full of good stories. Next time just nod your head and say "Yeah, that's a good one uncle."

[n7bsn]

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!

[n7bsn]

filrupmark wrote:
I have pulled a boat behind my fifth wheel here in Texas with no problems .

Fairly certain it's legal in Texas

[n7bsn]

ScottG wrote:
It's illegal here but my FIL pulled them from Wa. to Fl. and around the country without being stopped.

A guy I know is a WSP and he has stopped people for double tows.
I've also seen doubles in state, once around Battleground, north-bound, so he had come out of Oregon!!

Just 'cause someone else has gotten away with it, doesn't mean you will.

[dahkota]

towing laws by state

[midnightsadie]

dall your state DMV office they should be able to e mail you the rules.I think each state will have there own rule.

[JEBar]

3 years ago we were pulled over northwest of Winston-Salem NC near Pilot Mountain .... we got off with a warning after our daughter drove from Raleigh, hooked up to the golf cart trailer and left the Pilot Mountain overlook .... if I hadn't of had a Class-A driver's lisence, I would have ended up with 2 tickets .... the officer sat right there until she drove off

Jim

[laknox]

Wadcutter wrote:

laknox wrote:

JnJnKatiebug wrote:

But, I do know this for a fact. My uncle lived in Phoenix, AZ and had a fifth wheel and a bass boat that he pulled all over the country and even into Mexico. He was stopped in AZ by a federal DOT officer and had to drop his boat, go drop his trailer and come back and get his boat. After doing some research he re-tagged his one ton truck as a commercial truck/tractor (he is a retired truck driver with a CDL and a doubles/triples endorsement). He was then stopped by the same officer at the same location again only this time the officer let him go and told him all was good.

Where was he pulled over? The =only= place a Fed could claim jurisdiction would be on a Rez. Even then, AZ law does allow doubles up to 75', with no endorsement and no commercial requirement, AFAIK. Besides length, there is a requirement that the first hitch =must= be a fifth wheel and the second a ball or pintle. IMO, the guy was just looking to hassle someone the first time.
Lyle

His story doesn't make any sense. Anyone who is familiar with fed DOT regs would know that story is BS. It takes more than just 're-tagging' a vehicle and then fall under commercial regs. At the very beginning of the DOT regs is the definition section which covers what vehicles are covered. Personally owned RVs are exempt by statute.
I enforced DOT regs for over 25 yrs, taught DOT and MCS law, and was recognized by the courts as an expert in DOT/MCS laws.

Doesn't mean that some bored pot-bellied Fed isn't just looking for any excuse to pull someone over to hassle. A-holes everywhere...

Lyle

[Wadcutter]

laknox wrote:

JnJnKatiebug wrote:

But, I do know this for a fact. My uncle lived in Phoenix, AZ and had a fifth wheel and a bass boat that he pulled all over the country and even into Mexico. He was stopped in AZ by a federal DOT officer and had to drop his boat, go drop his trailer and come back and get his boat. After doing some research he re-tagged his one ton truck as a commercial truck/tractor (he is a retired truck driver with a CDL and a doubles/triples endorsement). He was then stopped by the same officer at the same location again only this time the officer let him go and told him all was good.

Where was he pulled over? The =only= place a Fed could claim jurisdiction would be on a Rez. Even then, AZ law does allow doubles up to 75', with no endorsement and no commercial requirement, AFAIK. Besides length, there is a requirement that the first hitch =must= be a fifth wheel and the second a ball or pintle. IMO, the guy was just looking to hassle someone the first time.
Lyle

His story doesn't make any sense. Anyone who is familiar with fed DOT regs would know that story is BS. It takes more than just 're-tagging' a vehicle and then fall under commercial regs. At the very beginning of the DOT regs is the definition section which covers what vehicles are covered. Personally owned RVs are exempt by statute.
I enforced DOT regs for over 25 yrs, taught DOT and MCS law, and was recognized by the courts as an expert in DOT/MCS laws.

[laknox]

JnJnKatiebug wrote:
We live in Arkansas and do it all the time. I pull my boat/kayak trailer behind my Jeep which is pulled with the MH. I have been told by the state troopers that it is OK. If you look at the federal regulation for double trailers, there is not an overall length limit. It only says that each trailer can be no longer than 28 1/2 foot. So I guess if you were pulling a trailer longer than that you would be in violation. But, this is federal law for commercial motor vehicles so who knows on an RV. I even see bumper hitch travel trailers pulling small boats and golf carts in trailers. I have never seen or heard of anyone getting stopped around here. We were in Branson, MO and there were over 20 rigs at the WalMart, all fifth wheels pulling big bass boats there for a tournament.

But, I do know this for a fact. My uncle lived in Phoenix, AZ and had a fifth wheel and a bass boat that he pulled all over the country and even into Mexico. He was stopped in AZ by a federal DOT officer and had to drop his boat, go drop his trailer and come back and get his boat. After doing some research he re-tagged his one ton truck as a commercial truck/tractor (he is a retired truck driver with a CDL and a doubles/triples endorsement). He was then stopped by the same officer at the same location again only this time the officer let him go and told him all was good.

So my answer would be to give it try but be prepared to get stopped. If it is illegal then everyone else doing it does not make it right.

Where was he pulled over? The =only= place a Fed could claim jurisdiction would be on a Rez. Even then, AZ law does allow doubles up to 75', with no endorsement and no commercial requirement, AFAIK. Besides length, there is a requirement that the first hitch =must= be a fifth wheel and the second a ball or pintle. IMO, the guy was just looking to hassle someone the first time.

Lyle

[RAS43]

Ezbagr wrote:
I live in Illinois and it is against the law to double tow but I see people doing it all the time.

Are you sure about Illinois? In the Good Sam book it states that it is legal with a 5th wheel and 60' length. Just curious. Opps, Wadcutter beat me with an answer!
I have double towed in the west for 17 years and have never been pulled over. I do avoid the coastal states though.