Trailer hauling gone someday?

[Cowboyjg]

I remember being told by my grampa over and over as I grew up...."Son, you can't legislate stupidity" Needless to say at age 9 I wasn't quite sure what he meant but I get it now. I feel pretty confident that if they enforce the laws they currently have, alot of this would be a non issue.

 

[neverenough]

Yesterday afternoon, I had a discussion with a friend who happens to be a "Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer" ("D.O.T. cop") in the state of Kentucky. He told me about a "movement" towards reducing and restricting the numbers of "haulers", both "not quite legal" commercial haulers, as well as private haulers with trucks and trailer combo's that fall between the cracks when it comes to licensing (both drivers and vehicle), and truck/trailers that are borderline heavy enough to be pulling the loads they haul. It seems the general thinking amongst the "higher-ups" in DOT is that people are pushing the safe and reasonable limits of even 3/4 ton and 1 ton pick-ups far beyond what the DOT considers safe. There may be an effort in the future to restrict "non-commercial haulers" clear off the road. (I see some validity in that arguement, but I also see "big brother" overpowering the people they are hired to protect.)

For reasons I never did quite get a clear explaination for, it seems they want to target gooseneck trailers more than bumper pulls.

Now this COULD be "one mans opinion" more than actual fact, but it's not the first time I've heard this.

Thoughts?

(Since this ISN'T anything more than pure speculation at this point, no need to quote current laws. At this stage, I'm just interested in peoples opinions on how far the laws should extend into the non-commercial realm.)

(My personal opinion? Further restrictions should be limited to vehicles using interstate highways. Anything beyond that will restrict us "little guys" to hiring haulers every time we want to move our tractor across town, or else buying expensive truck/trailer combo's and becoming over-the-road truckers (CDL,Med card, costly insurance for commercial carriers, ect)

We are having a simular conversation on another website I go to. I say anyone who pulls more than 2000lbs should be required to take classes just like CDL, but not the Haz mat part. Also anyone who owns a pick up should need to take calsses too. Too many people out there that think their half ton can haul almost as much as the bigger trucks. It's gotten to be a free for all on the roads. Too much speed, too little knowledge, it's a dangerous/deadly mix on the roads.

 

[neverenough]

I came upon a scene recently where a guy had stopped for a red light. When he accelerated on green, his load of 2x4s and plywood slid out of his pickup all over the road.

Ron

True story...

My B-in-L and I were building his garage. They only lived 2 miles from the "box store" so he decided to just take the pick up to the store as we needed lumber, windows, roofing, ect...to build the garage. It end up working out just fine. Anyway's, we made 9 trips to the store in three weekends to build the garage. The store is lower than the road, so you have to go up hill to the light in order to get on the road. EVERY time we went to the store, there was at least one truck sitting at the light reloading their truck becouse the stuff slid out the back. Anyone who doesn't think you should be trained to own a pickup should spend some time at stores like that, it will change your mind real quick.

 

[MarEng]

We aren't the problem. And the real problem is that no matter how much legislation is passed, and even with some enforcement, a better idiot will just come along and make it moot.

Despite the problems I had with the trailer - listed above - I could have bought a tractor/trailer package from the dealer. The trailer was rated for 4000lb GVW (not net) and did not have brakes. The tractor weighs somewhere around 5200lbs (with FEL, backhoe, a full tank of diesel, chains, binders, extra fuel cans, etc.)

We have too many laws now (and I'm a peace officer saying that) and all passing more does is make it more expensive for us (those who follow the law) to pursue our way of life. I didn't get a trailer with brakes because the law requires them (I could have easily skipped this step and never been called on it), I got a trailer with brakes because my son often rides with me and because I suspect other people's kids ride with them.

 

[Highbeam]

Trailering isn't as easy as riding a motorcycle. When I got my motorcycle endorsement for my driver's license I had to take a one time special written and riding test. Stopping, going, maneuvering, etc. is different on a motorcycle just as it is with a trailer. If a new law must be passed I would choose a trailering license endorsement for any size trailer, the written portion to include concepts such as GVWR, GCWR, tongue weight, and electric brakes.

Amazing how many people aren't aware that a modern half ton can out tow (by the ratings) a 3/4 ton of just a few years ago because they aren't looking at hard numbers.

That said, I will vote against any new laws if given the chance. As it is I need to choose which laws to disobey on a daily basis. Speed limits, nah, 5+ over.

 

[FarmGeek]

... a better idiot will just come along and make it moot....

So true, so true...

Men of character do not need laws. Men of low character do not obey laws.

Stupid people do stupid things and no amount of new laws will change that.

Interesting thread – I’m enjoying it.

 

[Bird]

Oh, and I had to pay to have it inspected. Seems they don't do that either, as most people don't realize anything over 4000lb GVW must be inspected. He tried to convince me he was doing me a service - "cause DPS might see an expired inspection sticker and ticket me. If you don't have one - most of the Troopers don't know you need one."

MarEng, he was probably right that most officers don't know you need one. When I had travel trailers and took them in for new inspection stickers, the guys doing the inspections usually had no idea what they were supposed to inspect. So the "Inspections" were always a joke, but I always had a valid sticker. Of course, I always did the inspection myself before going for a new sticker to make sure it would pass, just in case I accidentally ran into an inspector who knew what he was doing.

And this little, high priced, 4' x 8' Big Tex trailer I currently have is the first one I've had that actually came with good safety chains. In the past, I've always added the chains myself.

 

[CDsdad]

Acute lack of common sense is the problem, more so than needing new laws.

Around here, the guy pulling a 25' gooseneck with a 1 ton dually that has 3 ZTRs on it usually doesn't have sense enough to operate the mowers correctly much less the truck and trailer.

And it ain't just them, lot's of professional contractors hauling equipment on junk, too.

And don't even talk about parents who bought JR a 3/4 ton double cab 4wd with powerstroke hemi vortec 454, jacked it up 2', and put 45" tires on it and said have at it. Least the teenagers have a reason to be stupid, they're teenagers. Makes you wonder about the grown folks though.

 

[Iowachild]

I guess there are stupid people everywhere!

jb

And unfortunately Big Brother can never legislate away ignorance.

"Government doesn't grant freedom. It eliminates risk by depriving it's citizens of their freedom of choice. Statute by statute, decision by decision, rule by rule, government reduces the universe of possibilities one by one. For our own good, they say. So people will be safer."

 

[gordon21]

FarmwithJunk;

Why would they want to target goosenck trailers? Those type are by design far more safe and stable than the typical bumper hitch trailer you see going down the road. Once you put the trailer swivel point in front of the rear most axle you gain tremendous stability. A tractor trailer combo is very stable because of this. The worst possible combo is a Jeep Wrangler (33" wheelbase or so it seems) and a heavily loaded 20' trailer where the swivel point is 2' behind the rear axle.

I drove my Jeep over 120,000 miles and lots of towing miles. There is no way I would ever tow a trailer with it longer than 8'. I hauled many pallets of sod weighing about 1500-1800# about 45 miles on a 8' trailer and that was the absolute limit of my pucker power.