Who has ever been stopped by the Weight Police?

[Slow Moon]

Originally Posted by D W

In Alaska, if you pull a non-commercial rig onto the scales at the Weigh Station you will draw the ire, and ugly looks from the AKDOT personnel as well as the Troopers. Most likely they will signal you (furiously), to get off the scales and leave the Weigh Station, or you might be told to pull off to the side and you'll wind up getting a lecture from a Trooper. Now, if you driving down the road, and a Trooper notices your rig squatting, constantly over steering on turns and multiple lane departures you can bet that you will be pulled over for the Trooper to have a "look see". The outcome depends on your attitude and cooperation. What you don't want to do is get belligerent or obstinate. That will only get you marked as "Trooper Unfriendly", and that will stick with you long after the stop.

D W is my pick for the best all-around answer. I don't know if there is really a "Trooper Unfriendly" rating, but I act as if there is, because why not be friendly and polite to everyone, including [especially?] a trooper doing his job?

As for being pulled over, if you look unsafe, be ready for it. If you don't look unsafe, why would anyone pull you over?

[High Country Duramax]

Not sure about over payload laws, they would be almost impossible to enforce with the many variations. But there's a lot of pickup trucks over tire weight ratings on the drive tires.

[Cover Dog]

Originally Posted by NXR

Back when I worked on a fire department in Ohio the City installed a certified scale behind the fire station. Because I-71 ran through the city they were authorized to enforce weight limits on I-71. And keep a chunk of the fines. The scale was paid for in the first year.

It wasn’t Linndale FD ? Their PD has the worst speed trap on I-71. Fines from speeding has to be the majority of the city’s budget.

[dahagen]

My brother used to work in the state weigh station, and he said they hated it when RV's pulled in. But they left the scales on when closed and had no problem is RV'ers using the scale to weigh themselves. I weigh every fall when heading to Arizona.

[BarabooBob]

Never got pulled over for weight but I did get pulled over on Independence Pass for length. The max length is 35'. I was pulling a 10' Scamp with my Mercury Grand Marquis. I was 34' 9" bumper to bumper. I was glad that I put the spare in the trailer before going over the pass.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by Ohio_john

Never! Have never heard of nor seen anyone either! Other than the “pros” on here warning you’ll get ticketed, get life in jail, and are just plain unsafe to not only yourself but everyone on the the road if you’re 5lbs over! Oh, and you have to have a 10 ton truck to pull that pop up because the trailer can never weigh more than the truck, (that’s just unsafe) plus you’ll be hauling 10 kids, 4 dogs, 6 friends, gas grill, 14 bikes, 3 cords of wood, 4 canopies, 100 gal of water, 2 generators,..oh, and another kitchen sink..just in case!! all the while doing 70-75 mph! Then blame the blow out on the China bomb tires!! LMAO!! Gotta love the weight police on here! The real police just wave and wish that they were going camping!

You forgot the MIL in her rocking chair on the roof.

[Oaklevel]

I have towed campers for 35 plus years, and other utility trailers for many years. I have never been stopped or weighed nor have any of my friends.

I do know of a few that have been ticketed for inspection sticker or plates out of date but not for weight.

[James Storm]

I was traveling very slowly in the third lane on the blue route near Philadelphia when a nice trooper pulled me over. Didn’t buy the line that I couldn’t get over. He took my paperwork to do the write up and came back at me with you know you are over weight. I argued this is a 1 ton Ram duelly made for towing this 5ver at 19000 gross. He said I didn’t have my truck licensed right. Had to register for gross combination weight. I took that as a warning and got it registered right.
Stormy

[LittleBill]

Originally Posted by James Storm

I was traveling very slowly in the third lane on the blue route near Philadelphia when a nice trooper pulled me over. Didn’t buy the line that I couldn’t get over. He took my paperwork to do the write up and came back at me with you know you are over weight. I argued this is a 1 ton Ram duelly made for towing this 5ver at 19000 gross. He said I didn’t have my truck licensed right. Had to register for gross combination weight. I took that as a warning and got it registered right.
Stormy

I gather that is a Pennsylvania law. In Illinois, I believe, we only license the UVW not the GCVW.

[moose074]

I asked this question several times in different ways thus far same results. I even asked how hot shot/ commercial drivers who appeared ( 4 and 5 car carriers with at least 1 or 2 cars) almost directly over the truck) over weight get thru the weigh stations. Other than a few who out right said 100% not over payload, had one say it’s how they registered the truck not the payload of the truck. Like you my reasons were not to stir the pot. I like to ask lots of questions, observe and read to learn. So I am more knowledgeable.

[Trawlerphil]

I put on over 30,000 towing miles with my Tundra and a 9,000 lb. 5er and never got stopped. I recently sold the Tundra and bought a 2018 F-150 Ecoboost with tow max and 7050 load package. I'm actually legal now!

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by James Storm

I was traveling very slowly in the third lane on the blue route near Philadelphia when a nice trooper pulled me over. Didn’t buy the line that I couldn’t get over. He took my paperwork to do the write up and came back at me with you know you are over weight. I argued this is a 1 ton Ram duelly made for towing this 5ver at 19000 gross. He said I didn’t have my truck licensed right. Had to register for gross combination weight. I took that as a warning and got it registered right.
Stormy

Same in Virginia you can get a ticket for not having the truck registered for the truck and trailer weight combination. To be stopped just for that would be rare though.











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[Grumpy7159]

My brother was pulled over and ticketed for over weight because his truck was licensed for minimum weight. He said a couple bales of hay would put him over weight. He was towing a boat at the time.

[Jim34RL]

Originally Posted by LittleBill

I gather that is a Pennsylvania law. In Illinois, I believe, we only license the UVW not the GCVW.

This is the real regulation in IL for truck plates. "The law requires that all second division vehicles (trucks/trailers/buses) be registered, and the registered weight must cover the weight of the vehicle plus the load. This is found in 625 ILCS 5/3-401D. As stated above, there are many different kinds of registration available to owners of second division vehicles, however the most common found on trucks in Illinois are regular flat weight plates with a letter designation. The list of these plates are found in 625 ILCS 5/3-815."

I have been debating on getting a "C" plate when the Sectary of State for IL offices get back to normal and being open full time after the PANDIMIC is over.

I can never get the correct answer from the State if pulling a 5er for personnel use requires a higher truck licenses plate in IL on the truck. I was told by the Sectary of State Police that the driver licenses most corresponded to the GCWR of truck and trailer when towing. Thus if you have a truck which has a GWR of 10,000 LBS and a Trailer GWR over 16,001 LBS, than you will need a NON-CDL Class A to be legal in IL.

[LittleBill]

Originally Posted by Jim34RL

This is the real regulation in IL for truck plates. "The law requires that all second division vehicles (trucks/trailers/buses) be registered, and the registered weight must cover the weight of the vehicle plus the load. This is found in 625 ILCS 5/3-401D. As stated above, there are many different kinds of registration available to owners of second division vehicles, however the most common found on trucks in Illinois are regular flat weight plates with a letter designation. The list of these plates are found in 625 ILCS 5/3-815."

I have been debating on getting a "C" plate when the Sectary of State for IL offices get back to normal and being open full time after the PANDIMIC is over.

I can never get the correct answer from the State if pulling a 5er for personnel use requires a higher truck licenses plate in IL on the truck. I was told by the Sectary of State Police that the driver licenses most corresponded to the GCWR of truck and trailer when towing. Thus if you have a truck which has a GWR of 10,000 LBS and a Trailer GWR over 16,001 LBS, than you will need a NON-CDL Class A to be legal in IL.

Thanks, I will have to re-look up the regs on the truck license as I'm not completely familiar with them. Dealer initially registered mine basically based on it being a pickup at 8,000 lbs.

I currently have a Class B CDL that I needed to drive a bus when I volunteered with a drum corps group (The Cavaliers). I haven't done that for a while and am due for a road test (because of age I believe). Being I no longer have access/need to drive a bus, I was looking at changing it to a Non-CDL Class A as eventually plan on getting a dually. Currently I am right at 24,000 lbs GCVW and figure going to a dually could very well put me over 26,001 lbs.

So I called one of the local CDL DMV offices to find out what I would need to do and was told that I didn't need a Non-CDL Class A being I would be driving a RV.

On the first page of the Non-CDL Vehicles booklet I have from the SOS (can get on-line it needed) it states on the first page of the booklet under the section 'Operators Exempt from Obtaining a CDL' subsection 'Recreational Vehicle - When using a recreational vehicle primarily for personal use, you do not need to obtain a CDL'

I wouldn't have a problem with getting one as I figured I would need it eventually. But they don't feel that I have a need one for it. The person I talked to on the phone, did confirm with another on what she told me was correct - 'That I won't need a Non-CDL Class A to drive a RV'

I was due to have my road test and license renewed this past November. Due to the virus they have put off of me having to go to the DMV till my next birthday (November) and even sent me a sticker to attach to my driver license stating that the expiration date has been automatically extended one year.

Will question further when I actually go in to renew my license.

Take care and be safe

[D W]

Originally Posted by Slow Moon

I don't know if there is really a "Trooper Unfriendly" rating,

OT: Here, it's a real thing. Not only are there "people" on the list, but there are entire outlying neighborhoods, and villages that have earned the rating. Mostly due to factual illicit activities taking place. I'll leave it at that.

[NXR]

Originally Posted by Cover Dog

It wasn’t Linndale FD ? Their PD has the worst speed trap on I-71. Fines from speeding has to be the majority of the city’s budget.

No. And several years ago Linndale got a law passed against them by the state legislature that revoked their ability to patrol I-71. So they went to automated traffic cameras on their streets instead and then that law got changed to require an officer's physical presence when a camera was in operation. I think Linndale still exists but they're a non-event anymore.

Ray

[J Man]

The only thing I have ever heard is that a few people have been stopped/warned about pulling doubles in CA, not even sure if any of them were ever ticketed.

I drive semis for a living and have never seen DOT even care about non-commercial vehicles in the slightest. Honestly, they are too busy dealing with us to care about stopping a private party and figuring out what their weights should be. There are simply too many configurations and variations for them to keep up on. With us they have our weights standardized so it is easy for them to tell if we are running heavy or not. And we commercial carriers have deeper pockets for DOT to reach into. LOL

[Markt1993]

I own a trucking company and at times have to drive semi’s myself to various parts of the country. I also have a camper. Once (in the semi) I was pulled in for a inspection, in think it was in IN. As I’m in the building a camper crosses the scale. So I asked the officer if they ever worry with RV’ers being over weight. He said the only time they stop RV’s is if it’s obviously over weight. His example was “if I see a Ford Ranger pulling a 35’ fifth wheel, he’s going to be pulled over”. He also said that he does note RV’s but only for safety stuff. He said if he’s passing a bumper pull camper he’ll glance to see if all tires are inflated, and a quick check at the hitch area. He says not for find reasons, but safety.
Here is the kicker though (from the same officer) he said the real issue is if you have a accident. So if your overweight and loose control and hurt/kill someone, and that person gets one of those traffic lawyers and he can prove you were over weight you’ll have issues.

[Clark W. Griswold]

Is there anyone on here that is familiar with the insurance industry?

Something worth mentioning, is that if you are in an accident. Once an accident occurs, I would not be surprised if an insurance company would investigate the vehicles and their weights.
If overweight, this could result in a liability claim or a denial of payment.

For this reason, I would never risk being overweight. Not worth losing everything I own.