Who has ever been stopped by the Weight Police?

[LittleBill]

I've seen in different threads and forums, comments about how the weight police could ticket you if you are overloaded on your payload. My curiosity is getting the better of me and I have to ask a couple of questions.

My questions are
1) Have you ever been pulled over or had to enter a weigh station to go across scales to determine if you are overweight with an RV? Yes or No
2) If so what kind of TV/Motorhome where you driving and pulling what (Toad, TT or 5th)
3) What was the result of your having to do so?

To be fair, back around Oct 2014, driving my Avalanche pulling my TT on I-80 east of Lincoln, NE there was an electronic sign on the side of the road about a mile or so before the entrance to the weigh station. As I was passing it, it illuminated saying PICKUP w/Trailer must enter. So I did so, but I was routed immediately to the non-scale side which was the pass through lane with no stopping at the station. My DW looked up and was confused as to why I was going through the weigh station. Told her was instructed to do so. Only thing that resulted was driving through the pass through lane.

I have traveled past that weigh station several times before this encounter with the same setup and several times since with my new 2500 HD and 5th wheel since, but have never been asked to enter other than this one time. I think they thought maybe I was commercial hauling trailers.

So, if you don't mind, have you ever had to weigh while traveling in your RV, what were you driving/towing and what was the result?

This is only to be taken lightly (no bashing), just how many of us have had a LEO stop us and weigh our RV's?

Take care and be safe.

[Qwkynuf]

I can't tell if this is tongue-in-cheek or not?

I think that "weight police" in the context of this forum is a slightly derogatory term used to describe those users who jump into every slightly weight-related thread to criticize anyone who even *thinks* about towing above their published limits. Or even within limits, but exceeding some ill-defined "safety margin" that they have decided on.

The real "weight police" is typically either the state DOT or the Highway Patrol (or both)(and yes, Texas probably does it differently), and I have never seen nor heard a first-hand account of them stopping and weighing a non-commercial vehicle, and I am not aware of any state that requires (or even allows) non-commercial vehicles to weigh at weigh stations.

[Thomas ho]

i have been to arkansas, h.p. helped me with a flat on boat , pulling doubles ,took escorted us to tire shop. said have a good trip . Colorado flat tire , h.p. blocked rear off and helped us locate a tire . Pass them frequently on i 40 hwy 287 to dallas tx . no problem. duramax 2500 30ft toyhauler and a 17.5 bayliner.

[Sunseeker16]

Originally Posted by LittleBill

I've seen in different threads and forums, comments about how the weight police could ticket you if you are overloaded on your payload. My curiosity is getting the better of me and I have to ask a couple of questions.

My questions are
1) Have you ever been pulled over or had to enter a weigh station to go across scales to determine if you are overweight with an RV? Yes or No
2) If so what kind of TV/Motorhome where you driving and pulling what (Toad, TT or 5th)
3) What was the result of your having to do so?

To be fair, back around Oct 2014, driving my Avalanche pulling my TT on I-80 east of Lincoln, NE there was an electronic sign on the side of the road about a mile or so before the entrance to the weigh station. As I was passing it, it illuminated saying PICKUP w/Trailer must enter. So I did so, but I was routed immediately to the non-scale side which was the pass through lane with no stopping at the station. My DW looked up and was confused as to why I was going through the weigh station. Told her was instructed to do so. Only thing that resulted was driving through the pass through lane.

I have traveled past that weigh station several times before this encounter with the same setup and several times since with my new 2500 HD and 5th wheel since, but have never been asked to enter other than this one time. I think they thought maybe I was commercial hauling trailers.

So, if you don't mind, have you ever had to weigh while traveling in your RV, what were you driving/towing and what was the result?

This is only to be taken lightly (no bashing), just how many of us have had a LEO stop us and weigh our RV's?

Take care and be safe.

I have got the same message from a wayside sign at a weigh station, can't remember where. I blew it off and didn't get stopped. I have never pulled through a weigh station with the current motorhome or when I was pulling a fifth wheel.

[JWood422]

Not really what you’re asking but I used to own a sailboat that was 9’ wide. The legal width for trailers without a special permit in most states is 8.5’. I pulled it from SC to VA and home again twice, passing through NC on both trips. The only reaction I ever got from any law enforcement was an occasional admiring wave.

[Reverse_snowbird]

1. No
2. 1st rig a Toyota Tundra Double Cab and 20' trailer
2nd rig a Class B+ RAM Promaster 3500
3...... not applicable

The only time we absolutely had to stop were Border Inspection Stations in Texas and they weren't interested in the weight of the vehicle.

[flyflotrtim]

I've owned everything from Cabovers to Class A motorhome. Never been pulled over or stopped except at Ag inspection stations on entering the state.

[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!

[BigH]

A couple years ago I asked a state trooper friend of mine if he ever pulled anyone over for being over weight. He said he does and he will call the commercial vehicle enforcement guy on duty with his portable scales to check it out.

He also said it has to look like its overloaded before he will do anything.

[jenandjon]

I never have but I know people who have and got tickets. Not for being too heavy but for being too long.

[wwestman]

When we first bought our coach we had no clue what it weighed. The nearest place to get weighed was on I-5 at the DOT station. We pulled up on the scales and nothing happened on the display. An officer walked out with a questioning look and asked what we needed. We asked what we weighed, he told us, we thanked him and went on our way. Probably gave them something to talk about for a few hours.

[Cabinfever97]

[QUOTE=Ohio_john;2489180] I think you left a few things out!

[wanderingbob]

Little bit different story , pulling TT past weigh station on I-10 in Florida , in rear vue I saw a " weight police ' officer coming up , lights on . Pulled over , he wants to see in my homemade topper on pickup . He sez since the topper has no windows my truck is a commercial vehicle and must pull through weigh station . Same day on return we pulled into weigh station and asked if I should stop by in the future . Man at desk sez , " that guy is nuts , do what ya want ."

[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.

[Mike134]

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!

Those weight police are everywhere, online..........ready to brow beat you to death....

Real life NOPE!!!

[5er_tom]

There are many weigh stations “out west” that leave the scale turned on 24/7. If no one is there you can pull onto the scale and your weight will show on the lights. No charge. No fuss.
I have used the one that is south of Waldport on Hwy 101 many times.

[Randy-2198]

I've never been pulled over. I've never stopped at a weigh station. I triple tow. I watch my total length vs the state limits and stay under.

Where you get looked over if they think you are commercial vs recreational. When in INTERstate commerce the DOT regulations come into play. Driving hours, max gvwr combined, etc. A big pickup and a small utility trailer is big enough to exceed the regs when in commerce. The regs on recreational or INTRAstate are much less stringent. I have heard of several folks getting checked for commercial vs recreational with out of state plates.

[Palinduff]

I’ve heard of 1/2 tons with truck campers on them getting weighed in BC, but not trailers or 5th wheels. Here in Alberta I’ve talked to people that have been measured for length, but I see lots on the roads that are obviously too long, and some with their rear bumpers not far off the road.

[Chaplain Kent]

We recently returned from Arizona and I saw several 5th wheels in line at weigh stations on I-40. What I believe it was is a commercial carrier towing a new 5th wheel to the dealer. The road was thick with new RV transports.

[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.

They often pulled various trucks over and they would be parked behind the FD until their weight problem was fixed. Usually it was an overweight axle violation, occasionally an unsafe condition, and only rarely was it a true overweight violation. Didn't matter, though.

The trained officers could tell at a glance whether a truck appeared to be overloaded and they usually were correct.

Residents with RV's would stop at the FD and ask how they could get permission to weigh their rigs and the cost. The PD's position was that there was no way they could break the scales so they just allowed it. They had to look through the window and write down their weights, though.

Ray