Road Rules: Is it illegal to...

[eldorado99]

Use a government commercial vehicle weigh scale on the highway to weigh your private vehicle while the scale is closed? (in your respective areas)

The highway was packed today on the way home and I was bored. I saw the scale and thought "Eh what the hell..." I pulled off and drove on to the scale and got a reading. I noticed the police cruiser off to the side in front of me, immediately I knew he would assume I was just trying to get ahead of traffic, and he did. When I pulled away he flagged me down and asked for my license and registration and a reason for my being in the (closed) commercial vehicle lane. I told him I just got this car and wanted to weigh it.

He went back to his car for a minute or two and came back and said "You're on your way." I said "thanks" and drove off.

I guess I wonder why he did that. I mean unless it is illegal, I didn't think it was. I can see why he would want to stop me from using the scale as a means to pass other drivers, but it should have been fairly obvious I wasn't doing that. I exited the freeway slowly, stopped on the scale, and slowly drove away from it.

Your thoughts??

 

[buck]

lol

 

[KillerCharlie]

How much does your car weigh?

 

[mugs]

That's an... odd questions. Might be considered trespassing? I don't think it'd be obvious at all that you weren't trying to bypass traffic just because you got a reading. That could have just been to make it look like you weren't trying to bypass traffic, like a person who pulls into a gas station and then pretends to change their mind about getting gas so they can make a gas station turn and avoid a light. In fact, even after reading your story about which you have no reason to lie to us, I still don't entirely believe you. The weight of your car is in the manual, by the way.

 

[aleckz]

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
How much does your car weigh?

License and registration Meow. Am I saying Meow? DO I LOOK LIKE A CAT TO YOU?

 

[xanis]

Originally posted by: aleckz

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
How much does your car weigh?

License and registration Meow. Am I saying Meow? DO I LOOK LIKE A CAT TO YOU?

Super Troopers FTW

 

[Henrythewound]

You are a dork (actually that sounds like something I would do)

 

[The Boston Dangler]

...and gimme a liter cola

 

[FoBoT]

probably just racial profiling
you are lucky you didn't get tazed bro

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: mugs
The weight of your car is in the manual, by the way.

Not when your car is loaded and you have no idea what the cargo weight is.

 

[RKS]

Sounds like a Mentos commercial.

 

[adairusmc]

I do it all the time when I am coming back from cutting firewood. Mosly because I am just curious as to what the weight of the load I cut really is.

 

[compman25]

I've done it when they are open just out of habit. You get used to it driving a truck and sometimes it's just instinct to just take the exit and cross the scale. Feel pretty dumb when I get to the scale and the officer is laughing.

 

[EKKC]

you should;ve walked out and weigh yourself on the scale and see if it can accurately weigh anything less than a ton.

 

[Balt]

Well your behavior was kind of strange so he probably just wanted to do a quick background check. Also he may have thought you were trying to avoid him.

 

[Captante]

Maybe he let you off because he liked your excuse.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: Captante
Maybe he let you off because he liked your musk.

:shocked:

 

[Squisher]

Isn't Gross Vehicle Weight on a sticker on the end of the driver's door?

 

[rh71]

I'm surprised he didn't cite you for *something*... the road was closed and you still drove it.

 

[dman]

Originally posted by: Squisher
Isn't Gross Vehicle Weight on a sticker on the end of the driver's door?

Yes.

On the other hand, I didn't know it was allowed for non-commercial vehicles to use those scales, I never considered it. Totally useless info (to me) for the win.