Michigan Votes Forum

 Why on earth would you want to increase the length limit. There is no special training required to pull one of these heavy rigs. Anyone with the money can get a Diesel pickup and latch onto a 14,000 lb trailer and go merrily down the road with it. Most of the owners are elderly with decreasing vision and response times and only qualification is the money to buy such a rig. Apparently their influence and the influence of trailer manufacturers is enough to override the common sense of the legislators who would sponsor such a bill.

 Why stop at 75 feet? Perhaps you want to increase the lengths until you find the length of mass destruction.

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 I drive a semi for a living and you might be surpised to know (if you even care) that there are more soccer moms causing accidents in their SUV's then there are caused by old people hauling heavy trailers.

My father has one of the 5th wheel campers that weighs 6000 pounds and a boat that weighs 4500 pounds, he can not legally haul that under the old law because of the length restrictions. Many single unit camper trailers weigh more then his combination, yet you seem mad that he will be able to take one vehicle when they go camping instead of having my mom pull the boat with a seperate vehicle.

 Well.you may be interested to know (if you even care) that I am retired and have owned a tent camper, a motorhome, pull behind campers and a fifth wheel that I pulled behind a Ford Dieisel pickup. I have pulled my units thru most of the U.S., Canada and Alaska and I can assure you there are a lot of old people that should not be driving big rigs or pulling Michigan trains. They are a hazard on two lane roads. I speak from having encountered many of them. I know for a fact that the brakes on pulled units are poor at best, especially when used in combos and the manufacturers towing capacities are greatly exagerrated and at best would be applicable to someone with better reflexes etc.

 Alrighty then. I guess my 17 years as a company driver and 2 1/2 years as an owner operator mean I know nothing about the subject of length of vehicles. I only drive for pay 110000 miles per year so I guess I don't ever see any accidents.

I will offer you a challenge just to "prove a point", install a camera on your vehicle and in 1 year if you can show more accidents caused by old people pulling 2 trailers then by soccer moms driving SUV's, I will not only pay for your camera but will also buy you a red lobster dinner. I will simply take an apology when you show the results are not as you describe.

BTW: This bill is about length not weight. My fathers setup weighs 10000 # and is pulled with a 2500HD with a diesel that is rated at 15000.

Do you think this law is not going to give those pulling over weight, non maintained vehicles a free pass? If folks are pulling stuff with equipment not rated for the duty at hand, we already have dozens of laws on the books for that topic.

The brakes on my fathers setup are fine for what is there, all axles have brakes and are maintained as they should be, I have seen his equipment and have no reason to believe it is unsafe.

I ask that you actually look into what you think you already know, because you are mistaken.

I also love the "Michigan Train" comment, that is awesome. Are you aware that Michigan is not the only state in this country that allows doubles for recreational use?

Are you aware that the heavy haul commercial vehicles that pull doubles in MI (which is what I did as a company driver for 17 years) actually do less damage to the road then a "normal" 18 wheeler.  I watched a documentry on this subject about 10 years ago and it showed that since the heavy haul trucks are allowed less weight per axle and have more axles closer together the ground can not move (flex) as much in between each axle crossing over it, there for less movement by lighter axle weights would cause less damage then the heavy axle weight spread farther apart.

I would love to discuss this subject with you if you are interested , over an iced tea sometime.

 Awww c'mon. How many soccer moms in SUVs are on the road at any given time VS RV's pulled by Geezers?  Haven't seen any Geezer trains but plenty of Soccer moms in the last few weeks. Besides, soccer moms atre more likely to be in heavily traveled areas where the Geezers would not take their trains. They only go there after they have unhooked their Buicks from behind their motorhomes. As far as the studies showing better weight distribution per sq. ft, on the multi axle rigs how does that compare to the TOTAL weight over a bridge or section of pavement? Studies can be bought to show whatever results you wish them to show. Example- A recent study by a consultant hired by a local grocer in So. Haven described the effect the building of a Meijers store might have on Mom and Pop businesses. It barely mentioned the effect on the consumers in the area. I have no doubt the study you mentioned was influenced the same way, either by direct payment or thru trucking lobbyists. Hiring a consultant or having a "study" done is a lot like hiring a defense attorney, you find one with a record of finding for your cause.

How many of those geezers do you think went to any trining or testing to show they could handle the rigs or are pulled over by Diesel bears to check their equipment and hours on the road. None. If they can afford to pay for the rig, they are free to haul it down the road. You had to meet special requirements-why shouldn't they have to?

BTW-How'd you know I liked iced tea?  Also I am a .40 fan. Took the course and got the license when it was first offered.