If a bridge says 35 Ton Limit, would you cross it?

Giving the rigid structure time to compress only means that the structure might just collapse at any moment.
Most bridges are designed to flex otherwise they would crack and buckle

 

I cross bridges all the time that I shouldnt . Most of the time all they are is metal pipes that go under the road and they call it a bridge so basically only one set of wheels is on it anyway. I crossed one the other day that said 28 ton , but it was the only way in . They dont put some of the hog farms I go to in the best places.

 

Bridges will almost never fall down on you if you go over them overweight. What happens is that every time an overweight vehicle goes over the bridge structural cracks become bigger and bigger on the bridge. Eventually the bridge will have to be rebuilt or replaced. States will often lower the weight limit on a bridge to extend the life span of a bridge. If you are going over a bridge overweight you should drive slowly. The best way I can describe this is would you rather I gently rested an Anvil on your thumb, or would you rather I dropped if from three inches onto your thumb. BTW, the fines can be real expensive. There was a case (I think Pa.) where a trucker got fined $17,000 for driving over a bridge with a 5 ton limit with a truck weighing 60,000 lbs. If you have to cross a 35 ton bridge and you know it, you should tell the shipper you will not exceed that limit.

 

I understand your thinking but if you haul Arkansas you better stay on the interstate. There are a LOT of under weight bridges on the Arkansas major truck routes.

 

Laws are made to be broken . Hahaha

 

And there is people in jail, prison, & who have paid many fines because they've broken the laws. And there's dead people because they've broken the law, such as crossing a bridge that would not hold the weight of their load.

I refuse to laugh about any of that.