Dot run ins

My very worst, absolutely the worst run in with the DOT was nothing at all. There just was nothing for me to complain about.

Those folks are doing their jobs, just like we are. Sure, sometimes you are gonna find a jerk wearing a DOT uniform. But then sometimes you find a jerk driving a truck.

 

KDOT - did a level 3, and gigged me for a drive tire that was getting down to the minimum in one place. Fix-it ticket.

Gotta agree with Big Don... mostly they're just doing their job.

 

No doubt.. I've had a bunch of "over on the drives" in Va and actually got to know the people in the scalehouse.. Had to laugh - they have a sheet with the company info on it and Con-way Freight was on top of the list..haha.. They're just doing their job waiting for that loudmouth trucker/lawyer to roll in so they could nail him as hard as possible..haha..

 

As I read this posters thread I don't recall anywhere in his post about him asking if they are "doing their job" I thought he just asked for worst "run ins"?

 

If everybody is "doing their job", how bad could the "worst run in" be?
I think that point was made several times.

 

I will try to explain ted.....you can do your job as in having a perfect truck/equipment as well as perfect logbook (which doesn't exist) and a good attitude to top it all off. BUT its very easy and very likely you can run into a smart mouthed arrogant know it all officer that has the biggest chip you've ever seen on his shoulder that talks to you as if you are a 4 year old. But hey....he's "doing his job"....that would qualify as a "bad run in" ted.

 

Not really horrible, but ... Chicken coops, W. Memphis, AR, red light, pull around for level 3. Sharp young eager beaver DOT guy who practically ran across the parking lot.

He checked every thing thoroughly and finally came up along side me while I was in the driver's seat. He asked if I was wearing my seat belt when I came across the scales (du uh!) and asked me to fasten it again "to see if it was working properly."

I complied, then he asked me to step down so he "could check it." I did, he hopped up in the seat, fastened the belt and tugged on it. I was still thinking "what a dummy" when he unfastened the belt, quickly spun around and immediately gave my sleeper a search.

The score at that point: DOT 1, me 0.

I couldn't help but admire his cunning and the little jerk clearly conducted a search without my consent. I guess I could have made a scene over it but my log was pure fiction and I didn't know how sharp he really was. Turned out he didn't spot it and he cut me loose, but I do tip my ball cap to him for his neat trick.

Final score: a tie.

 

TN DOT near Knoxville.
I had a load of cotton that came out of south Texas right at the Mexican border.
They looked at my Bill of Lading and said there must be drugs in the truck or trailer.
They tore that truck apart,had dogs in the cab and trailer.The cop even emptied my pack of cigarettes from my shirt pocket.
They had my bedding,clothes and everything thrown on the ground.

All they ended up getting me for was a marker light out..

That was about 4 hours wasted.