Brake Check areas: pull off mandatory?

I usually pull in if its mandatory, many want you to stop and look at the sign prior to downgrade.

I specialize in mountain and live for it. I go into those pulloffs to check that thing and make ready for any defects before I come off a hill.

Many time I never get a chance to do it. Two lane road 24% 3 miles and zoom there you are. No pulloff or signs anywhere. Except one at the bottom, no engines less 350 horse for heavy trucks.

Donner is one of the better downgrades. Signs telling you what you need to do all the way down in your own language. Most of the time that applies nicely in sunshine. Not in winter storms.

 

Have a question for you about brake check areas in BC....
I have been told by other drivers the only mandatory one going 1 west is at zopkios. It is the only one with a large black and white sign stating mandatory. There are others with black and white but no others say mandatory.

I am a bad boy... I blow past all of them except the one that says mandatory. Only in summer when the roads are good. I don't run there when the snow comes..

 

I ran hwy 5 into Kamloops from Merritt a lot last summer and while the brake checks where not market "mandatory" but all the trucks where stopping at them. So I think its an understanding that you always stop.

 

I saw everyone else stopping...... as I carried on....
The answer I am looking for is am I legally required to.. seeing as black and white signs are the law, however only one of them uses the word 'mandatory'....
There are about 5 of them, and seeing as I rarely even have to use my service brakes much all day.... I see no benefit in my situation to stop every time unless it is legally required...

 

last night the spring that holds my airlines up on the gladhands broke and the airlines were rubbing on the driveshaft I'm glad I did a quick walk around instead of losing all my trailer air going downhill .. stuff happens and a quick walkaround may save grief or even a life just a thought. PS now I'm adding a extra catwalk to my t680 so it never happens again

 

There are no specific requirements as far as the length of time. However, if it is a mandatory break stop required by the state, it does have to be flagged on your log.
According to FMSC 395.8, any change of duty status that is less than 15 minutes can be logged simply by drawing a line down and listing the geographic location.
This would be the same for mandatory stops at port of entries, like in Wyoming. Takes less than 10 minutes to walk in and show them your legal.
Drivers don't do this simple step because they think it will take away from their drive time, which in reality it doesn't. These would be just like sitting at a long red light. The only real difference is that you are performing a function of business for the truck and it needs to be flagged.
During an audit of your logs, a DOT officer could actually site you for not doing this if he really wanted to press the issue. Most over look it, but if you're being a real jerk to the officer, he will scrutinize everything.
If he knows there was a mandatory stop but you have know record of it, hand him the vaseline, your wallet, and bend over, because he's about to prove that he can be the bigger jerk.

 

I assumed they were mandatory and always stopped and as others have pointed out a inspection on paper should reveal the stop on your log book.
Good a time as any to count the wheels and drain the big blue vein

 

I just got a ticket at a brake check area (I 15 south CA) I was tying my boots to get off and check my brakes when an officer approached me and asked me how I was doing I said good thanks and he proceeded to ask me for my licence and registration so I handed it to him thinking nothing of it and he went back to his car, so I got off checked my wheels and brakes got back on the truck and waited for my documents as he handed me my licence and registration he gave me a ticket for treating it like a rest area and I asked him of he was serious he said you'll get something in the mail and walked away. Can I fight this ######## ticket? I was there 2 min when he approached me. Plus all the time he took to get my docs back.

 

There are plenty of areas that have a 6% grade, but no safe space to stop, and when I was over the road, and came to such places I’d slow to a safe speed to. Descend down the hill

 

I’d definitely would fight it!