Share Pics of People Hauling or Towing Something Wrong

[MechE1]

Clearly, we all enjoy this thread. But here is a question for you all. What would you do if you knew someone towed incorrectly/unsafely every day? Let's just say I know someone that has a business. Concrete contractor. Equipment always beat to heII. Constantly hauling mini excavator and a track type skid steer. I've witnessed hundreds, if not thousands, of times towing without a strap/chain. Latest offense, flatbed trailer (no sides) with an 8 inch bed of sand on the deck. Mini excavator parked on top of that. One worn out large ratchet strap over the tracks, side to side. Impossible for that strap to stay tight. By the way. This is the only time I have seen a strap/chain on any equipment. Ever. So what would you do? This guy and his team are unapproachable for sure.

 

[BigBlue1]

Clearly, we all enjoy this thread. But here is a question for you all. What would you do if you knew someone towed incorrectly/unsafely every day? Let's just say I know someone that has a business. Concrete contractor. Equipment always beat to heII. Constantly hauling mini excavator and a track type skid steer. I've witnessed hundreds, if not thousands, of times towing without a strap/chain. Latest offense, flatbed trailer (no sides) with an 8 inch bed of sand on the deck. Mini excavator parked on top of that. One worn out large ratchet strap over the tracks, side to side. Impossible for that strap to stay tight. By the way. This is the only time I have seen a strap/chain on any equipment. Ever. So what would you do? This guy and his team are unapproachable for sure.

If you don't think he would respond to friendly advice then report him to to local PD or highway patrol commercial division and they can set him straight with appropriate financial pressure. That's an actual safety risk to someone other than the operator so a valid reason to get attention to it. Not like riding in the bucket of a boom truck...

 

[two_bit_score]

Clearly, we all enjoy this thread. But here is a question for you all. What would you do if you knew someone towed incorrectly/unsafely every day? Let's just say I know someone that has a business. Concrete contractor. Equipment always beat to heII. Constantly hauling mini excavator and a track type skid steer. I've witnessed hundreds, if not thousands, of times towing without a strap/chain. Latest offense, flatbed trailer (no sides) with an 8 inch bed of sand on the deck. Mini excavator parked on top of that. One worn out large ratchet strap over the tracks, side to side. Impossible for that strap to stay tight. By the way. This is the only time I have seen a strap/chain on any equipment. Ever. So what would you do? This guy and his team are unapproachable for sure.

If you don't think he would respond to friendly advice then report him to to local PD or highway patrol commercial division and they can set him straight with appropriate financial pressure. That's an actual safety risk to someone other than the operator so a valid reason to get attention to it. Not like riding in the bucket of a boom truck...

I agree with BB1 - drop a dime on him.

TBS

 

[mrmikey]

If you don't think he would respond to friendly advice then report him to to local PD or highway patrol commercial division and they can set him straight with appropriate financial pressure. That's an actual safety risk to someone other than the operator so a valid reason to get attention to it.

Yup, without a doubt. Around here our VTI guys would be over that like a soup sandwich and rightfully so.
Hers a couple of pics that they've pulled over:
This was actually going down the road, how'd you like to get one of those puppies thru the windshield:

4.37M (14.3') high, 2,100KG (4,600lbs) over on the steers, 2,200KG (4,900 lbs) on the tandem drives not to mention the straps holding down the scrap.

 

[Industrial Toys]

It's a tough one. I don't like to encourage the Nanny State. And I don't think we should all strive to live in a bubble wrapped world. My thinking is that he has (obviously) not met with disaster despite this report of his wild and crazy safety infractions. Makes we wonder a bit.

It's kind of funny, because I know a guy like that, that the DOT doesn't bother. They could write him up for a hundred infractions, but don't seem to want to bother. BUT, they bother the guy that is clean, and sharp, for some stupid infraction. It's almost as if they just want to levy a little additional tax on the guy that looks like he can afford it.

 

[BigBlue1]

It's a tough one. I don't like to encourage the Nanny State. And I don't think we should all strive to live in a bubble wrapped world. My thinking is that he has (obviously) not met with disaster despite this report of his wild and crazy safety infractions. Makes we wonder a bit.

I don't interpret it like that. Nanny state is government protecting you from your own (often minor) bad decisions. Responsible enforcement is protecting others from your egregiously bad decisions.

 

[DavesTractor]

I don't interpret it like that. Nanny state is government protecting you from your own (often minor) bad decisions. Responsible enforcement is protecting others from your egregiously bad decisions.

Well said BigBlue1.

 

[MechE1]

Where I'm at, the local and county PD do not have much training on safely towing (son in law is LEO in the town we reside and self admitted lack of knowledge). They also do not have scales. State boys do, but I'm guessing this guy doesn't ever get close to the interstate. I've heard of neighboring counties pulling over for length and weight for general pick up towing checks, but I've never heard of it here in this county/city. Always eyeballing the tandem dump truck chock full of busted up concrete. The truck is old, but tagged for this year. Assuming he cannot get tags unless the truck was inspected so that is less of a concern. Thanks for the input. I always had the attitude of non-reporting and he'll get caught eventually, but the sand deal a week ago was just too much for me to ignore.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Just watch your own motives. Some people will be attracted to any situation that can give them the slightest bit of power over another.

I still think that if an idividual did horribly dangerous things on a regular basis, it would catch up to him pretty quickly if not law enforcment.

 

[Fallon]

Just watch your own motives. Some people will be attracted to any situation that can give them the slightest bit of power over another.

I still think that if an idividual did horribly dangerous things on a regular basis, it would catch up to him pretty quickly if not law enforcment.

The problem there is who pays the price for the idiots negligence? I could care less if it was him. However if he's towing on public roads is more likely to be me, my family or some unsuspecting innocent member of the public.

The laws were originally put there to protect others & to a lesser degree protect people from themselves. They may have been subverted into power grabs or revenue streams, but almost all are there for legitimate public safety reasons.