Get ready for some "NEW, IMPROVED" reg's...

[9Axle]

Just another day in paradise

I agree with you lowboy.a chain well should be effecient along with the weight of chain.i to have an open well that is 4ft x 24"deep x28 ft long that would be one heavy door i have'nt had any issues yet out in ca.the thing i see the most is a loose chain, strap on a load witch tends to fall off.if drivers would stop and do a spot check with in the first 25miles or so we'ed probably see fewer load securing devices in the middle of the road.i can't tell u how many bungies i run over every day . with 58 tires on the ground and 11ft wide unlaiden if its in the lane its done maybe i can get a big cargo net or better yet I'll just tarp it. out of site out of mind:beatsme

 

[LowBoy]

I agree with you lowboy.a chain well should be effecient along with the weight of chain.i to have an open well that is 4ft x 24"deep x28 ft long that would be one heavy door i have'nt had any issues yet out in ca.the thing i see the most is a loose chain, strap on a load witch tends to fall off.if drivers would stop and do a spot check with in the first 25miles or so we'ed probably see fewer load securing devices in the middle of the road.i can't tell u how many bungies i run over every day . with 58 tires on the ground and 11ft wide unlaiden if its in the lane its done maybe i can get a big cargo net or better yet I'll just tarp it. out of site out of mind:beatsme

You're saying it like it is, 9Axle.I wish I had a buck for every bungee I've run over, or at least a magnet that would pick them up as I did, I'd either be a millionaire or have enough straps to stretch from my house in Vermont to yers.
Last week I left West Point, NY with a 5 ton military truck that had a box strapped into the dump body. Headed east into the Communist State, (I..I mean Connecticut,) I didn't get 1/2 mile across the line when I looked in the right mirror, and one of the military's fancy strap tails was blowing in the breeze. It was still secured and tight; just the last 10 feet of excess was blowing around. It wasn't life threatening to the public, wasn't going to cause a horrific, traumatic situation or anything, and I was planning on going 20 more miles and do my typical multi-tasking and fix that, check everything, and grab a coffee to go home.
As I cross the state line, guess who's getting onto I-84 at exit 1 along side me....that's right. The Man With The Plan. Took about 10 seconds for him to put his light on. I just shake my head violently, and give up immediately. I pulled over once it was wide enough, and without hesitation I jumped out of the truck, grabbed my gloves, and climbed up onto the right side of the 5 ton to fix this hazard to society. Smokey comes over to me as I'm hanging onto the side of the truck like a chimpanzee with one arm, duct taping the strap to itself and says, "You know why I stopped you, don't you?" Boy, what an opportunity to be sarcastic...but wisdom prevailed at that moment.
I answered, "I'll bet it was this strap. It JUST came undone at the state line, but I'll get it straightened out right now". As we were having our rather awkward visit, another flatbed or something went by, dragging a chain 10 feet behind himself. The cop says, "look at that idiot, he's dragging his chains down the road, scaring the people around him to death". (Perfect escape plan now.) I say,"You'd better go get HIM then, 'cause I'm all set with this..."
He leaves, and I finish my duct taping, and it's all paradise from there.
The smallest things can lead into bigger problems in today's world, so it's safe to say that it's easier to play their "safety game" and keep from getting a fine than it is to defy them and end up paying in the end anyways. After all, it's only MONEY...a few more dollars spent on a piece of plate, some hinges, and you're back in the compliance game. We can go make some more MONEY tomorrow...:drinkup

 

[Grader4me]

LowBoy...Sounds like you have it all figured out. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us...Your stories are very entertaining, and we can learn from them :thumbsup

 

[9Axle]

lowboy i have a good one for you.i got pulled into a inspection station last week. i got the logbook,drivers license,greencard etc. shut the truck off release the brakes.as the inspector checked lights turnsignals he keeps looking at my axles brake area,so he called one of his buddies over to take a look. i could hear him ask the other inspector how do you check brake adjustment on this:beatsme so im sitten trying not to laugh and i know he's going to ask me how.so here he comes i get the how do u adjust your brakes you dont there disk brakes if you want you can remove my wheeles and check brake pad wear 48 wheeles.so he gave my paper work back to me give me 4 new vehicle inspection sickers:cool2 now get on out of here as i was leaving im thinking WOW theres a couple smart inspectorsointhead

 

[LowBoy]

lowboy i have a good one for you.i got pulled into a inspection station last week. i got the logbook,drivers license,greencard etc. shut the truck off release the brakes.as the inspector checked lights turnsignals he keeps looking at my axles brake area,so he called one of his buddies over to take a look. i could hear him ask the other inspector how do you check brake adjustment on this:beatsme so im sitten trying not to laugh and i know he's going to ask me how.so here he comes i get the how do u adjust your brakes you dont there disk brakes if you want you can remove my wheeles and check brake pad wear 48 wheeles.so he gave my paper work back to me give me 4 new vehicle inspection sickers:cool2 now get on out of here as i was leaving im thinking WOW theres a couple smart inspectorsointhead

Yeah, a couple of rocket scientists, indeed. That's the norm nowadays, unfortunately. I really think the key to surviving a DOT inspection is all in your first initial impression to them, however "sharp" they may be...
If you act like you're actually ENJOYING your time spent with them at first, giving them everything and anything they are asking for, and even volunteering stuff they didn't ask for, (i.e; medical card or something,) it usually works as a "softener" when you are gentle spirited to them. Come across as you're being bothered by their presence, and it will most likely be...a bother. That's just been my personal experience. Worked so far, but tomorrow's another "Day in Paradise", as I like to say...:drinkup

 

[LowBoy]

LowBoy...Sounds like you have it all figured out. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us...Your stories are very entertaining, and we can learn from them :thumbsup

Boy, Grader...if you are insinuating that I've got it all figured out, you're in a heap of trouble.:dizzy

I just do my best to "share the love" as it comes along, with the heart of a teacher or better yet, an entertainer. The everyday grind in this world we work and live in can get a man down pretty fast unless you are lucky enough to view it all with a humorous, but sensible wit.

As I sit here now realizing we are one kid short in the house, I realize that life just whizzes by before you know it when you're taking it all for granted, working and sweating and worrying to get things accomplished, just to be all worn out at the end of it all.

What I mean is, we just got back a 1/2 hr. ago from hauling the last of my 18 yr. old son's earthly possessions down to Ct. to his new dorm, which is 15 min. from Baran Institute of Technology, the tech school that accepted him for the next year to learn about diesel technology. I'm down there with my wife and daughter (13,) standing in a room that's about 10' X 10' square, that houses 3 young adults. My son was fortunate to have a local kid he went to high school with have him there also as a room mate, but they have been put into this postage stamp sized room with an existing boarder. They didn't meet him yet, and we're all hoping that they all mingle and co-exist for the cause.rofessor

My point is, it's funny now that I've been doing something that I really could have done without for over 20 years, but now that I can see the fruit of my labor in where my son is now, and what he's about to do with his life and future...I'm suddenly realizing that maybe all this madness just might have been a little bit worth it.:beatsme

Did that make any sense?

 

[2004F550]

Thats a good program lowboy, my buddy is in it, the school is only 10 miles from my house.

 

[LowBoy]

Thats a good program lowboy, my buddy is in it, the school is only 10 miles from my house.

Yeah, it seemed to have gone rather smoothly right from the beginning stages of acceptance, to today. I actually know a kid in New Haven that went to Baran for diesel tech, and not that I'd have him rip into a brand new 15 liter Cat engine or anything, but all in all..he's got the fundamentals to make a good wrench someday. There's still no substitute for boots-in-the-field, sweat equity...

Thanks for the reinforcing words, F550...:thumbsup

 

[surfer-joe]

That's pretty good 9axle. I'd like to have seen those inspectors faces when the realization suddenly hit them that they weren't going to be able to set you up with a citation for bad brake adjustment. That's just too funny!!!!

Ya got lucky LowBoy with the fella going by with the sparkler hanging off the trailer. Impeccable timing.

 

[Grader4me]

My point is, it's funny now that I've been doing something that I really could have done without for over 20 years, but now that I can see the fruit of my labor in where my son is now, and what he's about to do with his life and future...I'm suddenly realizing that maybe all this madness just might have been a little bit worth it.:beatsme

Did that make any sense?

Makes perfect sense

 

[JDOFMEMI]

.....
Monday I think I'll give 'em a call and order a piece of 5/16" plate cut to size, and I'll electrically glue a pair of Home Depot hinges onto it and call it done and over with. Then my compliance woes will be soon forgotten.:cool2

Lowboy

I just hope your valiant effort at containing those notorious jumping chains does not cause the larger problem of getting a load secured, then finding out you have chains, binders, etc that need to go back into the box, and now you can't put them in, because .... you can't get the lid open when loaded, or worse yet, when you for some reason need another chain, and can't get it because the lid won't open when loaded:Banghead

 

[LowBoy]

This can lead into an issue of great importance, JD...

I've been there multiple times before WITHOUT this cover...In a little hurry to do whatever, or the shipper insists on loading it themselves thinking I'm not capable, which is fine, the gloves don't get as dirty that way, but they walk away to do something else and all of a sudden I realize the extra :cussing chains and binders are underneath the bucket, boom, wheels, drum, whatever. End up doing it twice as usual...That's why my attitude about the covering of the nutorious jumping chains remains the same...It's unnecessary.