Legal discussion thread so why don't clog up Chris' cool thread

[Wood Kutter]

OK. A friend of mine is a Sheriff so I asked him to look into this. He said right off the bat that a flatbed does make a truck commercial and a lot of the gardeners out here do get pulled over. It jacks up your registration by $200. The problem is that when you put on a flatbed it is assumed that you WILL carry more weight than the truck is probably rated for. He will see if there are any Loop-Holes for an R/V.

 

[Eaglefreek]

Man, I'm loving Tennessee more, every day.

 

[MicroBird]

OK. A friend of mine is a Sheriff so I asked him to look into this. He said right off the bat that a flatbed does make a truck commercial and a lot of the gardeners out here do get pulled over. It jacks up your registration by $200. The problem is that when you put on a flatbed it is assumed that you WILL carry more weight than the truck is probably rated for. He will see if there are any Loop-Holes for an R/V.

A pickup is also commercial registration. I was talking about losing the pickup exemption from going through the scales if you remove the pickup bed.

 

[Bandit]

" Man, I'm loving Tennessee more, every day. "
Hi EagleFreek
We have actually considering Tennessee as a place to move ( Home Base ) , along with Florida , Maine and New Hampshire . We love Nh. but it is just an extension of Massachusetts now , with a little more freedom but high cost of living and in Maine You have to go so far North to get above " The Volvo Line " ( no offense met to the yuppie members that have volvo's ) that with the cost of gas it isn't worth it for us .
We rent out party tents and do flea markets , fairs and festivals so only have to really be here in the Spring , Summer , and Fall and don't own any property .
Regarding Tn. we have only checked out the area around Johnson City as We were transporting a van full of Dog's from the Newland Nc. area and it was hard to sight see , but there were a lot of eyes at every window . LOL ( something else we do in the off season for $$ )
Bob

 

[ExpoMike]

Well crap! My plan was to put a flat bed on my Dodge and put the FWC on. I was going to add some storage boxes down the side for some extra storage space. Guess those plans are out the window as I don't want to have to pay MORE for registration AND have to stop at every weight station.

Anyone looking for an aluminum flat bed... since it's looking like I am not going to be using it?

 

[MicroBird]

Well crap! My plan was to put a flat bed on my Dodge and put the FWC on. I was going to add some storage boxes down the side for some extra storage space. Guess those plans are out the window as I don't want to have to pay MORE for registration AND have to stop at every weight station.

Anyone looking for an aluminum flat bed... since it's looking like I am not going to be using it?

If you have a pickup, you already have commercial registration.

 

[Herbie]

Mike, I wouldn't give up just yet. Seeing a lot of competing information here - some of it contradictory. The big sticking point seems to be about doing things "for hire", which is why you so often see "NOT FOR HIRE" on the side and backs of large trucks that are obviously for personal use (big trucks hauling race cars, etc.)

Best answer will be to call CHP - or better yet, have someone send you a signed letter. Best defense if anyone should ever give you trouble.

 

[ExpoMike]

Looking at the PDF file in the first post, a pickup is fairly clearly defined and when you put a utility bed (service bed), flat bed, stake bed, etc. it no longer qualifies as a pickup so you have to stop at weight stations.

Currently I do have commerical plates but was going to get that removed to a passenger plate, saying the FWC is a permenate camper but reading though it, it seems "slide in" campers don't count. They are "seen" as a load in a pickup.

At this point registration is due so I am likely going to have to pay the full amount as it stands ($100 registration, $205 weight pentilty, $305 total).

I'll have to go over things this next year and see about how to get around it. The "Not for Hire" might be the way around but right now I don't have time. Going to AAA today to pay "something". Maybe they might know a loophole.

 

[MicroBird]

The only loophole is put a shell on it. That's the only way I know how to avoid paying weight fees on a pickup. But don't get caught with it off. The fine is probably more than the weight fee. If you do put the flatbed on your truck and it drops the weight to under 6001#, go get another weight certificate when you pay your registration. It will drop your fee to $154.

If you decide against the flatbed, what size is it and what are you asking?


ETA... Can someone change the word why to we in the title? I couldn't edited the title. Typing on an iPad isn't the easiest.

 

[MicroBird]

I just saw something else in your post. Let me know if AAA lets you pay your reg. there. They stopped letting me pay on anything commercial. I just use the DMV appointment system. I can usually get an appointment the next day. In and out in no time.

 

[ExpoMike]

Well, went by AAA and asked about converting to an RV. Guy came out, looked at the inside of the camper and asked if it was permanent. I said it would only come off if the camper needed servicing. No problem with getting it converted... outside of the fact I didn't realize I needed to bring the title in with me as well. Doh!!!

Basically I need fill out an affidavit of usage. Everything looks like it would be easy to take care of.

Now I am trying to decide if I want to do this change or not. If I do, I can never take the camper off, not that I typically plan to do so but you never know... hummm... decisions, decisions.

As for the flatbed, that's up in the air. As for it, it's an aluminum 80" wide by 96" long. Basically the same size at our Grandby.