Where have you've been stopped for trailer violations and why?

[Looking4new]

One day, many years ago I had just finished dropping off a load of really ripe cow manure and got stopped in a check. The O.P.P. were looking for a bank robber outside of Barrie,ON. The cop wanted to know what was in the trailer and I told him 'nothing but cow chit'. He went back and checked it out, the stink was overpowering. He let me go in a hurry.

 

[jshwhite]

I'm curious to hear someone from KY on this. They're pretty lax about stuff here - don't even need registration/plates for utility trailers. Of course "utility" can be stretched a lot of ways
Anyone from ky want to chime in?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Thanks people. I was expecting more horror stories, We seem to do an awful lot of worrying on this board about compliance, but it seems if we keep our 'stuff" clean, safe and looking good we won't be pulled over.

That's 1/2 the battle there. If it looks like a junk truck pulling a junk trailer with junk on it then you are a easy target.

Chris

 

[tcartwri]

I passed a guy last week with a Cut, with FEL and BH on a flat bed. No head board or sides on the trailer, and a single yellow nylon strap across the operators station.... Incredible.

 

[creekbend]

Only once and that was last summer. One of my trailers is homemade . It consists of a frame and body from a full size Dodge Power Wagon. It it titled and tagged. The officer was just checking me out to see if the trailer was legal. I was on my way to the landfill. BTW, the load was covered by a tarp and met all the regulations.

 

[3930dave]

Subscribed.

D.

 

[RobertN]

If you want horror, come tow in California. I am not concerned about LEO pulling me over. Our roads are awful!

I had only towed very locally till we got our 5th wheel. Now, go over to the coast, and a couple years ago a trip to Texas. We have a smaller(27' no slides) 5th wheel. Even going the Ca mandate 55mph towing limit, it still bounces around. New Years, was following someone in the slow lane, another 5th wheel. We were both taking it easy on Interstate-5. Oh my! I actually got to see how bad it was watching his rig.

Two years ago when we went to Texas, the best part of the trip was the second we hit the Az border; presto the roads were better!

Thanks people. I was expecting more horror stories, We seem to do an awful lot of worrying on this board about compliance, but it seems if we keep our 'stuff" clean, safe and looking good we won't be pulled over.

 

[zlock24]

only once, early this year, we were bringing the kubota home from sis's on our 2 year old 18ft carhauler, a wire for the running lights snapped. not sure how. but we made 300 miles all the way back to our small town. we were pulled over 1/2 mile away from home at 11:30 at night. The sherriff comes up to the window.... looks in and says "hey i know you!" it was an old buddy from highschool. he just gave us a "verbal waring" hahaha

 

[jeffsw6]

I had a tire blow on my small 6x12 enclosed trailer about 1 mile from my house. I did not have a spare, and after "assessing my situation" (standing in the street cussing because I had just priced new tires a few days earlier and hadn't bought them yet) I decided I would just tow it back home 1 mile on the blown tire.

I got about 300ft before encountering a state trooper at a stop sign. Of course he followed me, so I turned into a large parking lot and told him where I lived. He told me to be careful and let me go

I did get the trailer home without serious incident, but in retrospect, I will never do that again. I could easily have caught my trailer on fire!

 

[crazyal]

While towing a snowmobile trailer ,I notice a police vehicle behind me for about 30 miles. I assumed he was just going the same direction I was. Until he turn on my road and then followed me up my driveway. I get out to talk with him and he tells me that there was no license plate on the trailer . He was right he bracket had rusted off! Why he didn't pull me over soon , didn't ask. No ticket . I did order a new plate thought

I have a 4x6 little trailer that I can pull behind the car. It had one of those plastic license plate brackets. Key world being had. About 400 miles from home when stopped at a Burger King I noticed that it snapped off. With another 200 miles to go I just continued. Not sure if it was pure luck or if NH and MA just don't register small trailers but somehow I made it down and back without a problem.

I have heard that VT and NY are in a p*ssing match along the Canadian border and are pulling anything with dual wheels towing a trailer if there's no DOT number. I've heard that they can give you a real hard time if you answer wrong. Things like "heading to a friends to cut his lawn" or "going to my other farm land" will get a warning or worse.

My gripe is if you spend $50k on a nice shinny new 1 ton dually to pull your 5th wheel around or your toys to the sand pit the last thing you want to do is put DOT numbers on the doors to avoid being harassed. I understand a carpenter pulling an enclosed trailer or farmer pulling his stock trailer but I guess the all mighty quest for dollars from fines over rule common sense.