[Fot] towing and DOT

[WILLIAM TOBIN]

  Rocky, in PA if the van has windows, it's a car. If not  it's a truck with
higher priced tags.
  We always went for window vans!
  Bill----- Original Message -----
  From: "Rocky Entriken" <rocky at spitfire4.com>
  To: "Bill Babcock" <Billb at bnj.com>; <fpspitfire at comcast.net>
  Cc: <Fot at autox.team.net>
  Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 5:07 PM
  Subject: Re: [Fot] towing and DOT


  > The first thing the trooper is going to do is eyeball what it APPEARS
you
  > are doing, and if it APPEARS commercial he may stop and check you out.
  >
  > Hauling a Spitfire on an open single-axle trailer behind an automobile
  > (originally; behind a van* the past many years) I never created that
image,
  > although I did get stopped once in connection with a curious Kansas
law --
  > trailers under 2000 lbs loaded weight are not required to have tags. But
  > mine looked as if it might be over 2M.
  > Trooper (very politely): "You know you're required to have a tag on that
  > trailer."
  > Myself (very innocently): "But officer, the car only weights 1405 lbs, I
can
  > show you in the rulebook, and the trailer's only 500."
  > Trooper (very gently): "Well, I guess you know what you're talking
about."
  > And he went back to his car and drove off.
  >
  > We won't get into how much overweight my car is.  :-)  But soon after I
went
  > to a local TV shop and bought one of those tags that say "KANSAS - Under
  > 2M." Never had a problem since. Not even in other states.
  >
  > * Another Kansas quirk -- a van used as personal transportation is a car
and
  > carries car tags; a van used commercially is a truck and wears truck
tags.
  > Mine has car tags, of course.
  >
  > --Rocky Entriken
  >
  > ----- Original Message -----
  > From: "Bill Babcock" <Billb at bnj.com>
  > To: <fpspitfire at comcast.net>
  > Cc: <Fot at autox.team.net>
  > Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 10:15 AM
  > Subject: Re: [Fot] towing and DOT
  >
  >
  > >I only wish the regulations were consistently enforced and perhaps a
bit
  > >more rational. The idea that someone can go to an RV store and buy  a
rig
  > >that weighs more than 20,000 pounds and drive off without  special
training
  > >is disconcerting. For that matter the idea that I  don't need any
special
  > >training or licensing to hook a 34 foot  airstream up to my F350 and
drive
  > >all over the country seems absurd.  I'm pretty sure everyone that tows
  > >their car to the track has had one  of those moments when you realize
that
  > >you're driving a very  compromised vehicle.
  > >
  > > On Apr 22, 2009, at 7:47 AM, fpspitfire at comcast.net wrote:
  > >
  > >> A couple years ago the MazdaTrix guys were headed to runoffs and had
  > >> their
  > >> Toterhome/trailer impounded at a DOT inspection station in Arizona
for
  > >> not
  > >> complying with the regs.B  The rig wasn't released until a licensed
  > >> commercial
  > >> driver showed up to take it away.
  > >>
  > >>
  > >>
  > >> There is a big gray area with racers tow vehicles and the
requirements.B
  > >> Certainly in the SCCA world because of contingencies it is considered
  > >> commercial.
  > >>
  > >>
  > >>
  > >> I think someone else was hit for violating the per axle weight on a
  > >> toter on
  > >> the Pennsylvania turnpike.
  > >>
  > >>
  > >>
  > >> The regs are too confusing for me.B  I'll keep the 16' trailer and
  > >> explorer to
  > >> tow with
  > >>
  > >>
  > >>
  > >> aaron johnson
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