Gale Hawkins
Super Member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2009
- Messages
- 8,268
- Location
- Murray, KY
- Tractor
- 1948 Allis Chambers Model B 1976 265 MF / 1983 JD 310B Backhoe / 1966 Ford 3000 Diesel / 1980 3600 Diesel
newbery if you come to a set of "OPEN" inspection point (closed more these days it seems) I think it is pretty much a sure thing but not sure if they look hard or just check paper work if commercial because I avoid those places.
I have pulled 20-25' empty trailers without working brakes or lighting and never been stopped. When coming home on a Sunday afternoon we pasted a KY State Trooper setting facing on coming traffic on a four lane US highway. He did not flash us or follow us. We were pulling an empty 23' three axle heavy equipment trail with the old 1989 F700 16' flat bed dump. It was me and the 12 year old twins.
That profile just does not seem to attract much attention in the west end of the state. Most of the ones I see pulled over are semi rigs at do not look like farm rigs, logging trucks that may be pushing weight/lighting/etc laws.
I think 100% of the readers here tense up when out of their state or regions where they are somewhat known.
We bought the white unmarked/untagged F700 in 1999 in Cleveland TN and drove it home 300 miles hauling the Nissan PU with the rear showing. We took I-75 to Chattanooga then took I-24 over Moneagle to Cadiz KY exit. Never once were we stopped or even tailed that I noticed. There was a heavy chain showing from the rear and the PU had KY tags and was heading towards KY so it was not hard to figure out what may have been going on.
Based on my experience the law does not mess with private usage and can tell the difference at a glance. Now if one's truck is marked as Master Landscapers and towing a tractor or trailer with two $8K mowers and lined with trimmers, gas cans, etc they can bet you are not going to mow your grandmaw's yard. :thumbsup:
As others have noted the key is not to do stupid stuff that is clearly endangering the lives of others. I am teaching the kids to strap down any load even if it is a go-cart.
When we brought home the 3 bottom plows and 9' 3PH heavy disc last week the daughter and I strapped it really well. We had them load the plows in front so they were trapped by the disc setting crossways on a wooden deck with 18" sides supported by channel steel standards. The disc was not coming out under normal conditions and we were only going 40 miles on very rural roads.
Number one I wanted to set a good example for the daughter who did the connecting of the straps (son was getting ready for a BSA hike). Second I try to act in a way where should I wind up in court I can truthfully state I acted in a manner to meet the "reasonable man rule".
