Rocky and list. Interesting thread. We tow a lot and have for many
years. The one thing we never do is put a name on tow vehicle or
trailer. As soon as there is a name, the appearance screams
"commercial". Then you get all the fun of scales, different plates,
changes of insurance and more. Same thing goes for DOT #. For the small
amount of fuel $$ savings in some states, the grief of filing reports,
going over scales, having a log book, etc far exceeds any saving on fuel
price. Ted
Rocky Entriken wrote:
> The first thing the trooper is going to do is eyeball what it APPEARS
> you are doing, and if it APPEARS commercial he may stop and check you
> out.
>
> Hauling a Spitfire on an open single-axle trailer behind an automobile
> (originally; behind a van* the past many years) I never created that
> image, although I did get stopped once in connection with a curious
> Kansas law -- trailers under 2000 lbs loaded weight are not required
> to have tags. But mine looked as if it might be over 2M.
> Trooper (very politely): "You know you're required to have a tag on
> that trailer."
> Myself (very innocently): "But officer, the car only weights 1405 lbs,
> I can show you in the rulebook, and the trailer's only 500."
> Trooper (very gently): "Well, I guess you know what you're talking
> about." And he went back to his car and drove off.
>
> We won't get into how much overweight my car is. :-) But soon after
> I went to a local TV shop and bought one of those tags that say
> "KANSAS - Under 2M." Never had a problem since. Not even in other states.
>
> * Another Kansas quirk -- a van used as personal transportation is a
> car and carries car tags; a van used commercially is a truck and wears
> truck tags. Mine has car tags, of course.
>
> --Rocky Entriken
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Babcock" <Billb@bnj.com>
> To: <fpspitfire@comcast.net>
> Cc: <Fot@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 10:15 AM
> Subject: Re: [Fot] towing and DOT
>
>
>> I only wish the regulations were consistently enforced and perhaps a
>> bit more rational. The idea that someone can go to an RV store and
>> buy a rig that weighs more than 20,000 pounds and drive off without
>> special training is disconcerting. For that matter the idea that I
>> don't need any special training or licensing to hook a 34 foot
>> airstream up to my F350 and drive all over the country seems absurd.
>> I'm pretty sure everyone that tows their car to the track has had
>> one of those moments when you realize that you're driving a very
>> compromised vehicle.
>>
>> On Apr 22, 2009, at 7:47 AM, fpspitfire@comcast.net wrote:
>>
>>> A couple years ago the MazdaTrix guys were headed to runoffs and had
>>> their
>>> Toterhome/trailer impounded at a DOT inspection station in Arizona
>>> for not
>>> complying with the regs.B The rig wasn't released until a licensed
>>> commercial
>>> driver showed up to take it away.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> There is a big gray area with racers tow vehicles and the
>>> requirements.B
>>> Certainly in the SCCA world because of contingencies it is considered
>>> commercial.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I think someone else was hit for violating the per axle weight on a
>>> toter on
>>> the Pennsylvania turnpike.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The regs are too confusing for me.B I'll keep the 16' trailer and
>>> explorer to
>>> tow with
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> aaron johnson
>> _______________________________________________
>> Support Team.Net http://www.team.net/donate.html
>>
>> http://www.fot-racing.com
>>
>> Fot mailing list
>> Fot@autox.team.net
>> http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/fot
> _______________________________________________
> Support Team.Net http://www.team.net/donate.html
>
> http://www.fot-racing.com
>
> Fot mailing list
> Fot@autox.team.net
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/fot
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.287 / Virus Database: 270.12.3/2075 - Release Date: 04/22/09
17:25:00
_______________________________________________
Support Team.Net http://www.team.net/donate.html
http://www.fot-racing.com
Fot mailing list
Fot@autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/fot
|