Afternoon campers, I'm starting to hear some horror stories, all be it second hand of caravaners being pulled over for a weights and measure check. Victoria not being to strict just a warning, but Queensland! caravan and tug both being checked,any if overload told to get rid of it now and fines based on commercial carriers [trucks] and on the spot.Would like to hear first hand from any members.Regards Bill
Santa said
02:24 PM Jun 19, 2017
Guess if your not over weight you won't have a problem.
the rocket said
03:01 PM Jun 19, 2017
Hi bill85', i have never spoken to anyone who has been pulled over n weighed let alone fined. This does the rounds every now and again. We have been fulltime on the road for coming up 3 years. i take no notice cos, we are legal. Kind regards. Rocket.
Dougwe said
03:14 PM Jun 19, 2017
How, Bill.
I also haven't heard of anyone being pulled over, YET. It will happen though and probably not in the too distant future. I have undergone a big exersise of checking my Tug and aluminium TeePee to make sure all is under. Tug is way under and TeePee is under but not lot under so all good in my world.
That all said, I know of two occassions in VIC, only recently where people were pulled in for weights and measures but only given warnings as it was an education excersise. I read the authorities will be doing the same thing in all states as time allows. Maybe that was what you heard. I would love to be checked to see what and how they check as knowone seems to actually know when I ask.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
Aussie said
03:33 PM Jun 19, 2017
I wonder if anybody has any information regarding total number of prangs on the road, and the percentage of that, that involves caravans. Either Aust wide, or state by state. I am only guessing but, I reckon the number of caravan accidents would be fairly low.
Possum3 said
03:43 PM Jun 19, 2017
Dougwe, I have mentioned on here before we were pulled over and checked outside of Mt Isa in 2016. They use portable scales (similar looking to bathroom type) you drive up on to them with all wheels and they calculate GCM. If over they break rig and weigh units separately.
They also do PCA & MDT, checked chains, tyres and rego. We were OK but another chap there was pinged, canary placed on van and told to get his van lifted to Mt Isa on Tow Truck - Real case of "Not Happy Jan". There were several Qld Police bussed in from from Cairns LAC assisting the Qld Transport mermaids.
the rocket said
03:54 PM Jun 19, 2017
Dougwe wrote:
How, Bill.
I also haven't heard of anyone being pulled over, YET. It will happen though and probably not in the too distant future. I have undergone a big exersise of checking my Tug and aluminium TeePee to make sure all is under. Tug is way under and TeePee is under but not lot under so all good in my world.
That all said, I know of two occassions in VIC, only recently where people were pulled in for weights and measures but only given warnings as it was an education excersise. I read the authorities will be doing the same thing in all states as time allows. Maybe that was what you heard. I would love to be checked to see what and how they check as knowone seems to actually know when I ask.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
Hi dougwe, i believe they were not pulled in but rather if they wanted to participate they were welcome to stop. Nothing compulsory.
Bagmaker said
03:55 PM Jun 19, 2017
Possum3 wrote:
Dougwe, I have mentioned on here before we were pulled over and checked outside of Mt Isa in 2016. They use portable scales (similar looking to bathroom type) you drive up on to them with all wheels and they calculate GCM. If over they break rig and weigh units separately. They also do PCA & MDT, checked chains, tyres and rego. We were OK but another chap there was pinged, canary placed on van and told to get his van lifted to Mt Isa on Tow Truck - Real case of "Not Happy Jan". There were several Qld Police bussed in from from Cairns LAC assisting the Qld Transport mermaids.
LOL. (mermaids)
Surprised the pinged fellow couldn't empty the contents of his van in a few trips and deal with it himself.........
Radar said
04:09 PM Jun 19, 2017
Hi All
If the Authorities do come down on the travelling public will they treat you like a criminal first like they do for transport drivers.
Believe me it gets a bit annoying being stopped with no introduction and then demanding licence, log book/work dairy, blow in the bag followed by do you have documents to prove weight of load. If they don't get you there, they start looking for something else, maybe tyres, then lights but don't annoy them, because you have know rights, your driving a truck, your a crim. After that without pleasanties told to you can go now.
Forgot to mention interesting one, the good old tape measure.
Remember he has your name, you do not get his name ask for it the man with the Authority looks harder for something to wasitbyour time on.
You make go across a weighbridge 200 times legal in a year but THAT one time your vehicle is overloaded and you go to court the Judge will not take in to account those last 200 times.
Yep your a crim.
It not pretty out there in the real world.
After 43 years as a long distant transport driver and now retired asked if I had my time over would I do it again, a big yes.
Radar said
04:29 PM Jun 19, 2017
Bagmaker wrote:
Possum3 wrote:
Dougwe, I have mentioned on here before we were pulled over and checked outside of Mt Isa in 2016. They use portable scales (similar looking to bathroom type) you drive up on to them with all wheels and they calculate GCM. If over they break rig and weigh units separately. They also do PCA & MDT, checked chains, tyres and rego. We were OK but another chap there was pinged, canary placed on van and told to get his van lifted to Mt Isa on Tow Truck - Real case of "Not Happy Jan". There were several Qld Police bussed in from from Cairns LAC assisting the Qld Transport mermaids.
LOL. (mermaids)
Surprised the pinged fellow couldn't empty the contents of his van in a few trips and deal with it himself.........
_________________676____
Myself have trouble believing this he may of been grounded and told to adjust his weights, as for being car and caravan disconnected and then weighed, no way.
I like to see them ask a semi trailer driver to disconnect.
Yes he may of been weighed and a yellow sticker placed on it but really what for?
Possum3 said
04:46 PM Jun 19, 2017
The old Landcruiser in question was packed to the gunwales and boat on top - they definitely made him disconnect and arrange a tow for van - Definition; Mermaids are a "part" of the female anatomy with scales.
adreamer said
05:02 PM Jun 19, 2017
Radar wrote:
Hi All
If the Authorities do come down on the travelling public will they treat you like a criminal first like they do for transport drivers.
Believe me it gets a bit annoying being stopped with no introduction and then demanding licence, log book/work dairy, blow in the bag followed by do you have documents to prove weight of load. If they don't get you there, they start looking for something else, maybe tyres, then lights but don't annoy them, because you have know rights, your driving a truck, your a crim. After that without pleasanties told to you can go now.
Forgot to mention interesting one, the good old tape measure.
Remember he has your name, you do not get his name ask for it the man with the Authority looks harder for something to wasitbyour time on.
You make go across a weighbridge 200 times legal in a year but THAT one time your vehicle is overloaded and you go to court the Judge will not take in to account those last 200 times.
Yep your a crim.
It not pretty out there in the real world.
After 43 years as a long distant transport driver and now retired asked if I had my time over would I do it again, a big yes.
You are only a Crim if you committed a crime. Getting pulled up for whatever means the authorities are doing what they are paid for.
The rigs are getting bigger and if the driver is 'over' bad luck.
Helen
Bruce and Bev said
06:27 PM Jun 19, 2017
We're in Mandurah, WA, which is a major through way for RV's heading around the WA coast line. So far the only scalies Ive seen around here are busy in Maccas eating
Kebbin said
06:37 PM Jun 19, 2017
Remember you are what you eat!
Aussie said
06:52 PM Jun 19, 2017
Bruce & Bev, I think you have been caught!!!!!
cjt55 said
07:00 PM Jun 19, 2017
We came through Bowen, QLD just over 2 weeks ago and the police were set up on either side of the road. I didn't get pulled over but I heard over the UHF that 2 caravans were pulled over who were following me. My weights are all ok and my rig sits level. I did see the vans who were behind me further back down the road as they were pulling out from a rest area as I passed them and you could see that they were "heavy" with the back of their tugs sitting down considerably. Don't know what happened with them.
Desert Dweller said
07:20 PM Jun 19, 2017
WELL DONE RTA intercepting overweight Mexicans on their annual migration North to avoid the Southern Winter. We've been through weight checking roadblocks in VIC & seen the pulled
over to the side of the highway long faced cheaters standing next to their overweight rigs. Welcome to the future. You can't take everything with you. Get off the road until you dump some
gear & become legal. Job done.
dogbox said
08:39 PM Jun 19, 2017
adreamer wrote:
Radar wrote:
Hi All
If the Authorities do come down on the travelling public will they treat you like a criminal first like they do for transport drivers.
Believe me it gets a bit annoying being stopped with no introduction and then demanding licence, log book/work dairy, blow in the bag followed by do you have documents to prove weight of load. If they don't get you there, they start looking for something else, maybe tyres, then lights but don't annoy them, because you have know rights, your driving a truck, your a crim. After that without pleasanties told to you can go now.
Forgot to mention interesting one, the good old tape measure.
Remember he has your name, you do not get his name ask for it the man with the Authority looks harder for something to wasitbyour time on.
You make go across a weighbridge 200 times legal in a year but THAT one time your vehicle is overloaded and you go to court the Judge will not take in to account those last 200 times.
Yep your a crim.
It not pretty out there in the real world.
After 43 years as a long distant transport driver and now retired asked if I had my time over would I do it again, a big yes.
You are only a Crim if you committed a crime. Getting pulled up for whatever means the authorities are doing what they are paid for.
The rigs are getting bigger and if the driver is 'over' bad luck.
Helen
sorry adreamer but in the trucking game you are always guilty of something people wonder why truck drivers are always in a hurry they probably got held up somewhere longer than expected running a bit late run over on log book could end up in jail
Eaglemax said
01:38 AM Jun 20, 2017
Disagree. There us no excuse for speeding...zero. truckies speeding is, like anyone else- no excuse.
If a truckie doesnt allow enough time to get his rig inspected then he's unprofessional. Its part if the gig. Cant handle the gig? Get a job elsewhere.
I agree with Santa and others, if you aint illegal you got nothing to worry about. Let them inspect. As for their attitude maybe if you received dozens of angry cowboy drivers you'd expect all of them to be the same after a while. Stay legal be safe. Have all your document ready and let them go for it. I get annoyed at people justifying illegal acts when families, kids lives are at risk.
TheHeaths said
03:21 AM Jun 20, 2017
Sorry Eaglemax, but there is a limit.
As you say, truckies doing the wrong thing is not acceptable, and I am certain a majority of them would agree. That said, here is the experience of my son recently, during one trip from Adelaide.
He was about 190 kms north of Adelaide, and pulled over for a check at the side of the road. Truck checked, log book checked, drug and alcohol checked. All clear, and as Radar says, done with little pleasantry. This was done by Dept Of Transport staff. Time taken about 25 minutes.
Drives another 20 kms, pulled over again, this time by Highway patrol. Explained to officer he had been stopped down road, and told him the name of the officer who had done it. Doesn't matter, log book again, drug and alcohol again, 10 more minutes.
Drives a further 30 kms, and Dept of Transport stop him again. Same process, no please, thank you or kiss my bum, no acceptance that he has been checked twice already, and log book, drug and alcohol and truck are checked again for further 20 minutes.
And if he had argued about it, you can bet your life they would have booked something.
This is unusual, but tell me how people can make allowances for this?
He is checked an average of twice a week for at least 10 minutes a time. No need to be doing anything illegal, just being on the road is enough.
As I say, illegal activity is not acceptable, but trust me, there are a great deal more decent drivers out there than your so called cowboys. In general terms they are much better drivers than we are, and do not deserve the attention that they attract.
Why, even you drove over weight with no brakes recently when you went to check your weights after you changed things with your van! What would your reaction been then if your had been checked? Would that have been reasonable? Could you have justified that illegal activity with families and kids lives at risk?
Magnarc said
09:37 AM Jun 20, 2017
Some years back I was driving home empty from a removals job. Stopped in Sale, Vic, by motorcycle cop. Checked the licence, rego then asked for the logbook. This fellow went back six months found an anomaly in my figures and fined me. The highway patrol don't have quotas???? Don't make me laugh.
Eaglemax said
10:48 AM Jun 20, 2017
Hi theHeaths
I hear you and do agree there are limits. One difference is that there is no way I could know my van was overweight considering the add ons like solar panels, extra steel on the drawbar for strengthening etc etc. If I was pulled over on my way to the scales I'd tell them what I'm doing and if that genuine story is not swallowed and subsequently I was fined then thats the luck of the draw...I'd accept it, seriously. But truckies calculate every kilogram they have on board and being checked is part of the life of working on the road.
Regardless, I take your point. I also acknowledge that reason isnt a quality many law enforcers possess.
PeterD said
12:54 PM Jun 20, 2017
Radar wrote:
If they don't get you there, they start looking for something else, maybe tyres, then lights but don't annoy them, because you have know rights, your driving a truck, your a crim. It not pretty out there in the real world.
No you are not. You are only a crim if you have been convicted of something in the Crimes legislation. Motor traffic offences do not appear in the criminal legislation.
You have only committed a misdemeanour not a crime.
Bill85 said
01:08 PM Jun 20, 2017
Thank you campers for your info, I had intended to ask the RTA inspector [politely] if I could site the annual inspection certificate for his weigh bridge/scales but on reflection I think I will stay dumb.Regards to all Bill [NO I'm not 85]
TheHeaths said
01:35 PM Jun 20, 2017
Eaglemax,
I do know that the cowboys in the industry also upset my son.
He is a qualified Heavy Vehicle Driving instructor, and it irritates him some of the people who do get behind the wheel.
As you say, they do have to accept that their job will include the checking to ensure safety, and the good ones try their best to remain clean.
All the best and enjoy your current trip.
Phil C said
02:09 PM Jun 20, 2017
Bill85 wrote:
Thank you campers for your info, I had intended to ask the RTA inspector [politely] if I could site the annual inspection certificate for his weigh bridge/scales but on reflection I think I will stay dumb.Regards to all Bill [NO I'm not 85]
Gday Bill and welcome to the forum
You have certainly opened a can of worms here. I believe (and smarter heads can correct me) that all the devices used by traffic enforcement must have current certificates of compliance and NATA lab test/calibration certs with each instrument. I think they get calibrated and tested every 12 months.
While I agree weighing is for safety etc. I cant agree we are treated badly. I put on my RAAF baseball cap and have been asked a number of times what I did in the RAAF. Every time I have been treated with respect even if I was over the speed limit. Also told the cop "yes I was speeding" when he asked me if I knew I was speeding, no excuse but they do treat you with respect if you show it first. Just my opinion.
We have a set of scales I purchased a while back, before each trip I do a weigh in. Most times I dont have to shed any gear. Best to be safe and save a few bux in fines.
Cheers
Dougwe said
02:51 PM Jun 20, 2017
"Most times I don't have to shed any gear"
Shut the front gate!
Thank goodness for that Phil
Here's the can of worms for ya Phil.
adreamer said
04:25 PM Jun 20, 2017
I say 'bad luck'! I got pulled over three times on Monday long weekend for a drug and alcohol test. I was just glad the authorities were out there doing their job.
They may only catch one out of 100, I am truly happy for that one person to be taken off the road.
Good on the Police and other authorities for keeping our roads safer.
Woody n Sue said
08:11 PM Jun 20, 2017
Agree with some posts here disagree strongly with others I am a farmer and sometimes deliver my own grain to geelong a 5 1/2 hour drive I load to my max weight when at home I go 10k in to my local weigh bridge and back some times twice to get it right for the trip, that's 40 k at 2 k per litre of fuel, no two weigh bridges will necessarily give you the exact same weight after doing all this I drive to geelong, a trip which Burns about 300 L ( read 300 kg ) of fuel to get there only to have their weigh bridge check me in at 40 kg over weight, but if I had been pulled up all what I did to get it right would have carried zero weight with the RTA they wouldn't have given a rats ass as trucks are just a revenues source for the government, weather anyone on here wants to agree with me or not , I done care .
My point here. Sometimes you can do everything right and still somehow stuff up
I have zero simpathy for anyone truck or van that deliberately or knowingly takes an over weight or un roadworthy rig on the road.
Most not all but most truck drivers by far, are very good at what they do, and do care about getting home safely to their own family and want your family home safe also, I know i do .
I do not see any difference in checking caravans V checking trucks for roadworthy or weight if your over weight than you are over, bring it on, along with a seperate endorsement for towing a trailer , you can tell them a heart sobbing story for as long as you like it shouldn't make any difference it sure dosnt if you are in a truck.
The law is the law and its up to you to know it, ignorance of it, is not an excuse.
And you don't have to like the laws either .
This is one subject that gets me going every time
Santa is right if your not over weight or unroadworthy you have nothing to worry about, or stayed too long at happy hour .
Afternoon campers, I'm starting to hear some horror stories, all be it second hand of caravaners being pulled over for a weights and measure check. Victoria not being to strict just a warning, but Queensland! caravan and tug both being checked,any if overload told to get rid of it now and fines based on commercial carriers [trucks] and on the spot.Would like to hear first hand from any members.Regards Bill
Guess if your not over weight you won't have a problem.
Hi bill85', i have never spoken to anyone who has been pulled over n weighed let alone fined. This does the rounds every now and again. We have been fulltime on the road for coming up 3 years. i take no notice cos, we are legal. Kind regards. Rocket.
I also haven't heard of anyone being pulled over, YET. It will happen though and probably not in the too distant future. I have undergone a big exersise of checking my Tug and aluminium TeePee to make sure all is under. Tug is way under and TeePee is under but not lot under so all good in my world.
That all said, I know of two occassions in VIC, only recently where people were pulled in for weights and measures but only given warnings as it was an education excersise. I read the authorities will be doing the same thing in all states as time allows. Maybe that was what you heard. I would love to be checked to see what and how they check as knowone seems to actually know when I ask.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
They also do PCA & MDT, checked chains, tyres and rego. We were OK but another chap there was pinged, canary placed on van and told to get his van lifted to Mt Isa on Tow Truck - Real case of "Not Happy Jan". There were several Qld Police bussed in from from Cairns LAC assisting the Qld Transport mermaids.
Hi dougwe, i believe they were not pulled in but rather if they wanted to participate they were welcome to stop. Nothing compulsory.
LOL. (mermaids)
Surprised the pinged fellow couldn't empty the contents of his van in a few trips and deal with it himself.........
Hi All
If the Authorities do come down on the travelling public will they treat you like a criminal first like they do for transport drivers.
Believe me it gets a bit annoying being stopped with no introduction and then demanding licence, log book/work dairy, blow in the bag followed by do you have documents to prove weight of load. If they don't get you there, they start looking for something else, maybe tyres, then lights but don't annoy them, because you have know rights, your driving a truck, your a crim. After that without pleasanties told to you can go now.
Forgot to mention interesting one, the good old tape measure.
Remember he has your name, you do not get his name ask for it the man with the Authority looks harder for something to wasitbyour time on.
You make go across a weighbridge 200 times legal in a year but THAT one time your vehicle is overloaded and you go to court the Judge will not take in to account those last 200 times.
Yep your a crim.
It not pretty out there in the real world.
After 43 years as a long distant transport driver and now retired asked if I had my time over would I do it again, a big yes.
You are only a Crim if you committed a crime. Getting pulled up for whatever means the authorities are doing what they are paid for.
The rigs are getting bigger and if the driver is 'over' bad luck.
Helen
over to the side of the highway long faced cheaters standing next to their overweight rigs. Welcome to the future. You can't take everything with you. Get off the road until you dump some
gear & become legal. Job done.
sorry adreamer but in the trucking game you are always guilty of something
people wonder why truck drivers are always in a hurry they probably got held up somewhere longer than expected running a bit late run over on log book could end up in jail
As you say, truckies doing the wrong thing is not acceptable, and I am certain a majority of them would agree. That said, here is the experience of my son recently, during one trip from Adelaide.
He was about 190 kms north of Adelaide, and pulled over for a check at the side of the road. Truck checked, log book checked, drug and alcohol checked. All clear, and as Radar says, done with little pleasantry. This was done by Dept Of Transport staff. Time taken about 25 minutes.
Drives another 20 kms, pulled over again, this time by Highway patrol. Explained to officer he had been stopped down road, and told him the name of the officer who had done it. Doesn't matter, log book again, drug and alcohol again, 10 more minutes.
Drives a further 30 kms, and Dept of Transport stop him again. Same process, no please, thank you or kiss my bum, no acceptance that he has been checked twice already, and log book, drug and alcohol and truck are checked again for further 20 minutes.
And if he had argued about it, you can bet your life they would have booked something.
This is unusual, but tell me how people can make allowances for this?
He is checked an average of twice a week for at least 10 minutes a time. No need to be doing anything illegal, just being on the road is enough.
As I say, illegal activity is not acceptable, but trust me, there are a great deal more decent drivers out there than your so called cowboys. In general terms they are much better drivers than we are, and do not deserve the attention that they attract.
Why, even you drove over weight with no brakes recently when you went to check your weights after you changed things with your van! What would your reaction been then if your had been checked? Would that have been reasonable? Could you have justified that illegal activity with families and kids lives at risk?
Some years back I was driving home empty from a removals job. Stopped in Sale, Vic, by motorcycle cop. Checked the licence, rego then asked for the logbook. This fellow went back six months found an anomaly in my figures and fined me. The highway patrol don't have quotas???? Don't make me laugh.
No you are not. You are only a crim if you have been convicted of something in the Crimes legislation. Motor traffic offences do not appear in the criminal legislation.
You have only committed a misdemeanour not a crime.
I do know that the cowboys in the industry also upset my son.
He is a qualified Heavy Vehicle Driving instructor, and it irritates him some of the people who do get behind the wheel.
As you say, they do have to accept that their job will include the checking to ensure safety, and the good ones try their best to remain clean.
All the best and enjoy your current trip.
Gday Bill and welcome to the forum
You have certainly opened a can of worms here. I believe (and smarter heads can correct me) that all the devices used by traffic enforcement must have current certificates of compliance and NATA lab test/calibration certs with each instrument. I think they get calibrated and tested every 12 months.
While I agree weighing is for safety etc. I cant agree we are treated badly. I put on my RAAF baseball cap and have been asked a number of times what I did in the RAAF. Every time I have been treated with respect even if I was over the speed limit. Also told the cop "yes I was speeding" when he asked me if I knew I was speeding, no excuse but they do treat you with respect if you show it first. Just my opinion.
We have a set of scales I purchased a while back, before each trip I do a weigh in. Most times I dont have to shed any gear. Best to be safe and save a few bux in fines.
Cheers
"Most times I don't have to shed any gear"
Shut the front gate!
Thank goodness for that Phil
Here's the can of worms for ya Phil.
I say 'bad luck'! I got pulled over three times on Monday long weekend for a drug and alcohol test. I was just glad the authorities were out there doing their job.
They may only catch one out of 100, I am truly happy for that one person to be taken off the road.
Good on the Police and other authorities for keeping our roads safer.
My point here. Sometimes you can do everything right and still somehow stuff up
I have zero simpathy for anyone truck or van that deliberately or knowingly takes an over weight or un roadworthy rig on the road.
Most not all but most truck drivers by far, are very good at what they do, and do care about getting home safely to their own family and want your family home safe also, I know i do .
I do not see any difference in checking caravans V checking trucks for roadworthy or weight if your over weight than you are over, bring it on, along with a seperate endorsement for towing a trailer , you can tell them a heart sobbing story for as long as you like it shouldn't make any difference it sure dosnt if you are in a truck.
The law is the law and its up to you to know it, ignorance of it, is not an excuse.
And you don't have to like the laws either .
This is one subject that gets me going every time
Santa is right if your not over weight or unroadworthy you have nothing to worry about, or stayed too long at happy hour .
Ok I'll get down from my soap box now .
Woody