Warning Ohio: DOT Inspections in all Rest Areas

So why dont you two explain how your going to get an inspection if your off duty?

Ohio pulled this crap on me last year, said I'm "off duty" the officer went to pick on another driver.
Drivers need to learn their rights and stand up for themselves. Instead of rolling over like dogs.

Seems every year I stay out here the quality of drivers just keeps going down.

 

Ohio has been doing this for years. Nothing new. Just close your curtain and dont answer the knock. And if they persist,.. do like I do,.. I say Off Duty and let the curtain close and lay back down. They cant force you on duty while your on your break as your 10 would then need to reset and start over.

PA DOT on i80 is good for snagging guys first thing in the morning at rest stops. I usually play possum and they go on to the next guy.

Hurst

 

Probably not the best analogy. Trucks are not repaired going down the road either. Planes, like trucks, can be inspected wherever they stop. And not all airports have full repair facilities. Planes, like trucks, have to use mobile repair sometimes.

 

claiming to be off duty doesn't always work and yes i have seen them make you drop down to line 4 for an inspection because they can do what they want no matter the law and its hard to fight them in court. however as a tip if you do play that game with them make sure that while they are there if you need to leave your truck always exit through the passenger side you leave through drivers side technically you sit in that drivers seat even to exit truck you are automatically on duty they see that your screwed.

 

Hurst beat me to it, Ohio has been doing this for years! The worst are the I-70 rest areas west of Columbus, they work those hard during day hours. The North 71 scale I forget the MM also has a lot of inspectors at it. Also they just reopened the south bound 75 scale just south of Toledo about a month ago.

 

The way I see it, the ONLY time law enforcement cannot inspect your truck is if it will cause you to be on duty for more than 8 straight hours. You are REQUIRED by law to take that half hour. Otherwise, there is nothing stating that you can't be ON DUTY NOT DRIVING continuously (minus your half hour breaks) for days on end if you can stay awake that long. You just can't legally DRIVE past your 14. Or start driving again without a 10 (unless doing a split). Ohio cops do not usually care if you're on your 10. You having to restart your 10 is your problem not theirs. Born and raised in the Buckeye. They are indeed AS#####S.

 

In order to force you to go on duty they would have to force you out of the truck. I don't think even the bad ##### of the Ohio Highway Patrol wants to get into the legal quagmire of forcing entry into a truck for a fishing expedition.

 

Do you have a link to that regulation to back up your claim.

I cant say it enough. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS. the dot love drivers who believe everything they say.

 

They changed the regs about 3 years ago, parked, popped brakes in a commercial vehicle-- the driver is OK to be in the front seat Off Duty.