Discussion about weight and # of miles driven in a year

In Canada, there are many exceptions to the rules during harvest season. In Saskatchewan, a class 5 (regular class c in the states) driver can operate a semi combination during harvest season between growers and mills or grain depots. The routes used are well marked where bridges will only support so much weight, so the drivers there know where they can and cannot go on the secondary highways that avoid the scales. Oil trucks often have to do the same things because of the remote location of many well sites. The rules and scales are mainly in place for the general freight haulers to keep the highways from taking unusual or excessive wear and tear, and specialized carriers with special equipment designed for weights like that are not a problem as long as they are properly maintained, just like any other truck. Tag axles are common on equipment that hauls or pulls heavy items like grain, dirt, and rock, and actually help keep the truck legal, but care is needed driving those extra heavy loads...

 

Sounds like some of the drivers I see at truckstops!

 

Sorry Iceman, but this sort of sounds like, "MOMMY, he's picking on me!" Frankly, if you are not bright enough to see the correlation between speed and injury and death in an accident, then you are not bright enough to drive. ANYTHING. It is like saying, "the fall won't hurt you." (Because it is the sudden stop at the end of the fall.)

I wish you could spend a few shifts as an emergency responder to motor vehicle accidents. You would see first hand what I am talking about.

I agree that there are areas where speed laws are abusive. And the enforcement is MORE abusive. But that is the minority, not the majority of the country. Of course if you happen to live or drive on a regular basis in one of those areas, just knowing that the rest of the country isn't run that way is of no help.

As to your statement about turning someone else in, this is going to vary with different states. In most states, a speeding violation is something that has to be WITNESSED for a ticket to be written. That means that either the cop has to see it himself, or the complainant will be required to put in writing what he observed. VERY few people are really willing to do that.

 

I read this about being over weight is unsafe with amusement. As a O/O who pulls 132k+ its not unsafe if you slow down, take your time, and plan. That permit that I buy don't make it safe or unsafe. It makes it legal.

 

Being heavy does not in itself make it unsafe...

I remember doing that a lot back in the day....

excellent point!

Another excellent point!

No...It's illegal, Big difference!

And I probably drive more miles a year than you do...And that too is completely irrelevant!

Still irrelevant!

I do because I can...Some are not that lucky I suppose.

Oh my....Are you serious?

More people die in accidents that don't involve trucks than in those that do...Driving is serious business regardless the size/weight of the vehicle and I personally would rather be next to a driver in an "overweight" truck that takes driving seriously than be next to some ####### in a Smart car the size and weight of a football helmet that's texting and eating a sandwich or reading a book.

I regularly run at 84,000 to 87,000 pounds loaded in most of the western states...Legally!
Does that make a difference?
I think not!

I'm not running any specialized heavy tractor or trailer just a spread axle flat and my KW.

All of these crybabies worried about their families that have to share the road with trucks...If you're that scared maybe you should just make them stay home!

Seriously...These weight laws are primarily about MONEY! It has #### all to do with safety!

Well said Les, How many mega fleet school drivers are there that are unsafe even when driving an empty truck?

I'd rather hear it from a "halfbreed chick" than some halfwit knowitall.

And there it is...Right there!

 

No where did I say that a slow speed wreck is the same as a high speed wreck. My point is that speed does not cause accidents, substandard drivers do. I'm not saying don't write speeding tickets, but in LA you can drive 100 miles on I-20 and see 15 State Troopers checking for speeding. But, in that same area I will see agressive driving, inattentive drivers almost wrecking each other, but that kind of thing isn't enforced. But, as far as speed, only 5% of wrecks in LA are attributed to speed, the others are inclimate weather, poor driving skills, etc. etc..

Oh, and also, Tell Elliot Sadler that high speed crashes kill. LOL

 

Oh yes Big Don, I spend 8 years riding on a wrecker with my grandfather in the days before airbags, safety glass, good seat belts, and crumple zones. I have seen some horrible crap, most of which was due to drinking and driving.

 

That right there is the whole problem! We are just a cash cow for morons! Then the lawer and judges let them win! Come on He was drunk! End of story!!!

 

It was turning into a whose "push rod stroke" is longer thread.