From: DDoyle9570@aol.com
Date: Sat Jan 01 2005 - 11:32:00 PST
I am not an expert, the only thing that is fact in what I am about to say is that this is my experience.
The MVs I drive are either as used recently by the US Army, or as delivered. That means they are either NATO three-color camo, MERDC 4-color camo, or SG OD with large white stars. Some of them exceed 26000 lbs unladen.
I always wear a white tennis shoes, blue docker pants, and a OD club T-shirt when driving. My vehicles are licensed as antiques, and are never used to haul anything commercially.
I have driven past scales in Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and I think North Carolina, and military installations in those states. I have never had the inclination to pull in the scales, and am not so inclined now.
My license is a "normal" Tennessee operators license. Previously I had a special chauffers license, years ago when the CDL was adopted, I could have gotten one for 12 bucks, no paperwork, no hassle, no school, nothing else. I didn't feel it was worth it, still don't. (I had the special chauffers because at one time I worked for a truck leasing company.)
I have been stopped once while oerating an MV, in September or October of 2001, while driving near an airport. The officer said "this your truck?" I showed him receipt from DRMO - I hadn't bought tags yet. "Why haven't you bought tags?" I haven't had it long, don't drive it much, money's tight, and I'd rather spend it on this insurance." "Can I look in the back?" Can I look at your driver's license?" His next words were "Thanks, have a good day, and you really ought to buy tags for that truck."
On another occassion, a van pulled into the path of my 6 x 6...the subsequent collision brought out the highway patrol and the sheriff. They looked at my license, looked at the truck, recorded the vin number off of the data plate (near the GVW), and said "You can go ahead sir, we're gonna be a while with this other fella."
So, it seems that by and large law enforcement does not have a problem with what I am doing. To those that think "They are just being nice they could have.......", I have a bit of news. If the Secretary of Transportation personally inspects your vehicle and the governor of your state adminsters your driving test, and the vehicle has 0 miles on it - fresh from the factory - yet you piss off the DOT, YOU'RE GONNA GET A TICKET! One of the quickest ways to piss off the DOT is trying to prove to them how much smarter than them you are.
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