Must read!!!! Stopped by FL DOT yesterday....

Ok, here we go.... alot of you know me the Driver of the year. Im known for playing the paper log and going through Floridas back roads and avoiding scales at all cause! Im a Port Container hauler. Now the reason that i avoid scales is not because im having mechanical issues, it's because i do it as protesting a Fed. Dept. overlooking an American small business and being stopped without doing something illegal! yesterday i was traveling through one of my three secret Floridas back roads going to the other coast Port to drop a container heading towards Trinidad and Tobago, i know when i encounter one of these FL DOT's, and being a Container, they will stop you even though i dont agree because it's like an illegal search and seizure in a small business without probable cause or breaking any laws like speeding or driving reckless! but ok, these are back wood roads and he followed me trying to see if i sped, i saw when he sneaked half a mile behind me. Then the lights go off and i parked in a safe yard. He approches my driver door and ask for Drivers License, registration, logs. Another driver from my company was stopped and seems they want to see our logs, long story short, i was legal on the level three Driver only and he says that the only problem is that i had a 14 HOUR violation? i told him, i only drive florida intrastate mostly less than 100 mile radios and use the logs only when i go to the port on the other side of the state? THIS IS WHEN IT GET'S INTERESTING and i need anybodys advice if you know that what the dot officer said was true? ( not that i think he is lying) He told me that even though i only run the state of florida, that because im hauling a container, it falls on the INTERSTATE rule! i said why? he explained me that when i pick a or TAKE A CONTAINER FROM A PORT, THAT THE CONTAINER GOING OR COMING FROM ABROAD AND THAT MAKES IT AN INTERSTATE RULE? just like crossing the florida border with georgia but in my case, it's crossing floridas coast so it cross state line? I called my boss after i left and he thought it was bull? what do you guys think? a container that leaves a state through it's coast and not the tractor, makes the driver fall unto the 14 hour interstate rule and not the 16 intrastate rule? (no ticket or no out of service because i had a 10 hour off duty so i left after 45 min. inspection)

 

No, he din't issue me a ticket, just said that i had violated the 14 hour rule because it's a Container that leaves state line through the coast? no $$fine, no court date, i guess it's a warning but now this leaves us with questions? we have to run over the road interstate rules rather than the 16 hour intrastate because the stupid container leaves the coast through the oceans and how will this affect me as s the driver? i dont leave with that container so this is another example of politicians doing laws that make no sense and why i avoid scales? now i got to travel through back road #3 until they start showing up over there! The good news no ticket, no out of service or court date and made my best week since working in Containers! $3,200 and off weekends! Ok forum, i'll wash my truck and appreciate any input on that 14 hour intrastate rule?