The DOT stopped me this morning!

[BobGed]

Did your wife's truck have commercial plates on it?

[3665RE]

There were several questions ask.

First the wall is there to retain fill dirt. The tie beam failed because of a concrete contractor that was to busy managing his business from the air-conditioned office instead of on the job and the steel at the top column wasn’t lapped and tied just butted. When the crack opened up I fabricated a steel bracket and bolted it to the tie beam to keep the retaining wall from failing completely. By removing the load from the wall I was able to stand it back up where it belongs and I will now pore an additional column to hold it all in place.

Here are more pictures.

New Page 1


Second it is in Florida about 20 miles north of lake Okeechobee.



Third the wife took the pictures but she didn’t have any concern for the fence she never liked it in the first place. LOL

Forth it is topsoil from the surrounding area that is used for cattle and farming. The block layer was very sloppy and the blocks you see in the pile are a very small portion of what we dug up.

Fifth there is no such thing in Florida as a “commercial tag” there is an “Apportioned” tag for commercial vehicles that cross state lines.

3665RE

[Conquest102]

Now it makes sense the fence sits on the retaining wall. Lazy contractor shoddy work POOR supervision. Probally over paid as well. Don't forget to put some drainge in the bottom next to the wall.

[Scout1947]

Does he need drainage in sand and on that slope? Sand should perk well. It certainly absorbed a spilt drink last year.

Possum, who writes your script? If I had any idea of what you were asking, I would attempt to answer.

Re the backhoe operator, he doesn't look like he has been towing for 53 yrs...probably dad with the traaaaain on his T shirt.

[Possum]

Originally Posted by Scout1947

Does he need drainage in sand and on that slope? Sand should perk well. It certainly absorbed a spilt drink last year.

Possum, who writes your script? If I had any idea of what you were asking, I would attempt to answer.

Re the backhoe operator, he doesn't look like he has been towing for 53 yrs...probably dad with the traaaaain on his T shirt.

I have no idea how that happened. I did start a separate thread though.

[Conquest102]

Originally Posted by Scout1947

Does he need drainage in sand and on that slope? Sand should perk well. It certainly absorbed a spilt drink last year.

Possum, who writes your script? If I had any idea of what you were asking, I would attempt to answer.

Re the backhoe operator, he doesn't look like he has been towing for 53 yrs...probably dad with the traaaaain on his T shirt.

I was thinking thats what caused the original problem on top of the shotty work.

[JIMNLIN]

Just curious how different states size and weight folks work but was he a actual your state uniformed DOT officer or another type on leo (state/county/etc) ??

[3665RE]

Originally Posted by JIMNLIN

Just curious how different states size and weight folks work but was he a actual your state uniformed DOT officer or another type on leo (state/county/etc) ??

Hi

It was the DOT. They work the trucks and busses only.

This time of year we have the Orange harvest in progress. They check the old school busses that carry the workers to the groves. The passenger vehicles are exempt if they are configured to carry less than 16 passengers so they don’t bother the passenger vans even if they are towing a trailer that weighs less than 3,000 lbs.

All trucks used commercially are required by Federal law to operate under the commercial vehicle regulations except “personal use vehicles”. I qualified under the personal use vehicle.

We use to have a lot of the transit workers hauling Oranges in ½ and ¾ ton pickups. The DOT has pretty much put a stop to that.

One other thing.

DISCLAMER

I have been informed but haven’t read the new regulations. I am sure one of the attorney’s that I consult for will get around to asking me to read them.

I have posted several times on truck forums and RV forums about this idea people have that “RV’s are exempt” or “if no money is paid” exempts vehecles form the commercial vehicle regulations. This is not correct. The exemption is for “Personal Use” vehicles. This includes 18-wheelers that are owned / leased by the driver and all items carried are for the owner / driver’s personal use.

I have made the statement that so many of the people operating RV contrary to certain safety regulations that the states would start regulating the RV‘s.

Well Florid in the latest changes of the Uniform Traffic Codes has regulated RV’s. They pretty much have imposed all of the Commercial Vehicle regulations on RV’s except the requirement for a CDL or RV endorsement.

Now the good news is they now allows the 2-trailer tow. Previously the 2-trailer tow was only allowed for Commercial Vehicles. The 2-trailer tow is limited to the front trailer being a 5th wheel and both trailers are limited to 28.5 feet each and both trailers must have a breaks.

They now limit a single unit RV to 53 feet. This applies to Class “A” or the trailer being towed. How ever the overall length for all combination units is still 65 ft.

I would expect to see the requirement for RV’s to go thru the weight stations in Florida before much longer.

Before you all get on your high horse about this read my “DISCLAMER”

I haven’t read these new regulations yet.

3665RE

[tuffr2]

Good idea, now the dog can not easily dig under the fence.

[Dogpatch]

I'd use crushed gravel at the base. Sand on top.

[Francesca]

Originally Posted by 3665RE

I have been informed but haven’t read the new regulations. I am sure one of the attorney’s that I consult for will get around to asking me to read them.
.....................................snip......... ............................................


Now the good news is they now allows the 2-trailer tow. Previously the 2-trailer tow was only allowed for Commercial Vehicles. The 2-trailer tow is limited to the front trailer being a 5th wheel and both trailers are limited to 28.5 feet each and both trailers must have a breaks.


Before you all get on your high horse about this read my “DISCLAMER”

I haven’t read these new regulations yet.

3665RE

O.K.! I did read the disclaimer...

Thing is, that "Florida does now allow double tows" tidbit is really big news- that's a subject that gets a lot of discussion at this and other Rv sites. But I can't find any reference to it anyplace else- can you post a link to the new code, wherever it must be published?


Thanks!

[wa8yxm]

The thing you have to remember when talking about state laws on double towing is something we used to say alot on the Compuserve Diabetes Forum, back when there was a Compuserve Information Service to host it. (Forums till exisits, CIS, not so much).

"Your millage may vary"

Laws differ state to state.
(And in this case, as I said up thread, even within a state on a city to city or county to county basis)

[3665RE]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

Laws differ state to state.
(And in this case, as I said up thread, even within a state on a city to city or county to county basis)

The Florida Uniform Traffic Code has very specific items the local county and city governments can change. I know they can change the parking regulation and I am sure there are other items that are allowed but I am not aware of what they are. The size, combination and length are not changeable except by state permit and then the state can’t permit over length and weight on the Federal Highway System.

The Florida Uniform Traffic Code sets the maximum weight for 18 wheels at 88,000 lbs on state highways but not on the Federal Highway System because the Federal regulations only allow 80,000 lbs.

Francesca

Like I said I haven’t read the new regulations and they are not on the Internet yet. At the same time the real limiting thing now is the trailer length of 28.5 feet each and the requirement for brakes and a brake-away brake system on both trailers.

This will require the front trailer to be 28.5 feet or less regardless of how short the second trailer is and the second trailer can’t exceed 28.5 regardless of how short the front trailer is. Then how many Bass boat trailer have brakes and a brake-away breaking systems?

Prior to this the prohibition for the 2-trailer town was contained in the 2-trailer tow regulations for commercial vehicles with a statement that 2 trailer towers were not allowed on non commercial vehicles.

3665RE

[3665RE]

Originally Posted by Scout1947

Re the backhoe operator, he doesn't look like he has been towing for 53 yrs...probably dad with the traaaaain on his T shirt.

I am the guy in the T shirt.

The backhoe operator is my son.

3665RE