I had a close call ...

[TexasTimbers]

Yetsreday my long g-neck wasn't available. I usually pull my little welding trailer and my skid steer up on it, and still have room to spare for metal or whatever I'm working with. But yesterday I had to do this:



Have no idea if that's legal or not in Texas, but seeins how we NEVER see a DOT guy here in Fannin County I knew it wouldn't be a problem. the Sheriff's Deputies all know me and would just wave. I think I have seen a DOT guy maybe 3 times in nearly 20 years. Not just a "State Trooper", for those that don't know, they are Troopers who are specially trained to gig truck drivers and trailer-pullers for all mannner of violations. They won't even bother with car and passenger truck speeders unless it is really excessive. They are out for the commercial people.
Man I had all kinds of glaring violations. No trailer brakes, no break-away brake system, no signal lights (used hand signals wasn't un-safe : ), no safety chain for the g-neck in the bed, expired tags on the welding trailer, improper safety chain on the welding trailer, non-secured load in the welding railer, improperly secured load on the g-neck (can't use straps) all my chains and boomers were at the jobsite oin the big trailer, and plethora of other violations that any DOT man worth his salt would gladly point out. You see these guys NEVER give you a break. So you can imagine my what my "pucker factor" was when I saw this on the horizon. There was no where to stop and turn around. All I could hope for was that he wouldn't see me. Sure enough, as I passed by, holding my breath, his head was down writing that other poor fella his bevy of tickets.



No telling how many hundreds, nay probably over a thousand dollars that would have set me back. I made it all safe and sound. Can you believe I had the where-with-all to grab the camera out of the bag and snap that going down the road with my heart racing and my wallet trying to jump out of my pocket and hide in the glove box? :D

Geez. What are the odds of that.

[sawguy21]

Some days you just get really lucky. I wouldn't try pushing it.  A stunt like that would get a LOT of unwelcome attention here. :D :D :D :D :D :D

[sawdust]

I love travelling in B.C.  And the Mounties love us Albertans, I am convinced that B.C. stands for Bring Cash!
:D

sawdust

[Brad_S.]

Here in NY they drive blue vans (so they can carry scales in the back) and they are all over the place.  Nothing makes your heart skip a beat faster than seeing one of those on the horizon. Even if you think you are in compliance, they always seem to find something. :

[Corley5]

I had a similar experience but it wouldn't have been anywhere near as costly as yours coulda been.  My dump (firewood delivery) trailer had the license plate mounted underneath on the frame with a plastic hanger :  You can guess what happened between cold temps, heavy road slop, and backing into snowbanks ;D ;)  One day I noticed the plate wasn't there anymore and had now idea how long it'd been gone.  Off to the Sec. of State I went I went, gave em $5 and got a new plate and registration slips.  It was cold with highs in low teens and I didn't feel like messing around with it and besides I was behind by about 30 face cords.  I put the plate on the front seat and kept on hauling wood with the intention of dilling some holes in the tailgate to mount the plate on a warmer day.  Several days later maybe a week even, it was just getting dark, I was on my way home from a delivery and  pulled out from a stop sign when I saw the car coming was turning.  After I pulled out I saw the bubble on the state cop car :.  His signal went off and he followed me around the corner when I turned again to head towards home.  I knew I was about to be pulled over and had the new plate in my hand before he turned on the red lights ;)  When he walked up to the truck door I was holding the plate up.  He asked if it was for the trailer and yes was my reply.  He asked when I was going to put it on and I told him in the morning.  He told me to have a good evening, I told him the same with an added thank you and attached the plate the next morning ;D ;D ;D

[beenthere]

kevjay
Are those just frivolous laws on the books, or are they there for a good reason?  :D : ???

I'd say the 'lucky' ones were really the men, women, and children along the way who didn't get wiped out because of an accident from one of the many violations.    Sorry for the rant.

[SwampDonkey]

Your braver than I am. I wouldn't even try that if it were legal. Never know what kind of bind your going to end up in and might have to turn all that stuff around.  :

[Qweaver]

Pulling two trailers is legal in Texas and in most other states also.  We often pull two trailers on our trips between Texas and WV but we do make sure that they are up to snuff on lights, brakes, safety chains, etc.  Our route does take us thru about 15 miles of a state that does not allow pulling two trailers but we have never been stopped even tho' we've been passed by the law on several occasions.
Pick fuel stops with care!  There is no backing up.
Quinton

[TexasTimbers]

Well it's good to know it's legal to pull two - I sorta thought it was. You are right about backing up. Forget it.

Beenthere it looks worse than it was. I had pretty much a straight shot of good FM (Farm to Market) highway and only about 12 miles of it. And although I didn't really endanger the lives of men, women, and children I do agree most, if not all, traffic laws are good ones. I guess when I do something stupid next time I will keep it to myself ...

[Furby]

Well, some States require the forward trailer to be a 5th wheel type connection.
The rear can be a bumper hitch or pintle.
Some States require a CDL to pull doubles of anykind I have been told, have to confirm that one though.

[Corley5]

I'm sure you need a CDL with a doubles endorsement to pull anything that could be classified as commercial in Michigan.  You need a "recreational doubles edorsement" to pull a fifth wheel camper and a boat trailer or something similar.

[isassi]

Made my heart skip a beat seeing a picture of a DOT stop. As an ex trucker, I have my own feelings of the enforcement actions. Of course, we all have heard of or seen wrecks involving big rigs, and maybe some were unsafe, but the vast majority of all big rigs are maintained to run miles, and do so safely. Some drivers leave a lot to be desired though. In trucking, we refer to the "billy bob truck school graduates" as the 30 day wonders of the highway.  >:(

Last time I had contact with a DOT cop, I was in Tennessee, and hauling a load of tires in a van trailer. I picked up the trailer, and srossed the scales at a truck stop, all was good, 60,000# gross or so...nothing to even think about. As I was tooling along down I-40 westbound, I pulled into the scales and was expecting the green arrow meaning hammer down, but no, red light to the scale house. I pulled up and the DOT guy came out with his tape measure...6 inches out of trailer axle/kingpin length. 6 whole inches when I was 20,000# lighter then gross, and that little six inches cost me $25 an inch, just to remind me about check the position of the trailer axles every time the Tennessee line comes into veiw  >:( That is the only ticket I ever got while trucking, a pretty good record for the miles I ran. 8)

[sawguy21]

In Alberta where I used to live recreational doubles are legal on certain highways as long as the lead is a fifth wheel. Here doubles under 11000 kg, 24000 lb, are illegal. Of course, kevjay, nothing is legal without plates, brakes, lights.... ;D

[Dana]

The Michigan Farm Bureau paper just had an article on this. It was written by a trooper from the State Police Motor Carrier Division.  A farm tractor can pull two trailers, such as farm wagons or gravity boxes. However a pickup truck may tow only one trailer.  Semi's can of course, pull doubles.