What is Digg?111 Comments
- roundntubby, on 10/12/2007, -3/+42It wasn't his fault, guy missed the sign because it was probably purposely made tiny and put out of the way so they could hand out more tickets. Ive seen many small towns do stuff like this on purpose just to make extra money because they lack the revenue of larger cities.
- Boulevard, on 10/12/2007, -0/+24He didn't go over any bridge, he went into a residential neighborhood where the 'roadway' wasn't built for heavy traffic. RTFA.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+19Built for 3,000lbs? Then my car would be over the limit, dumbass.
- 5blocksfree, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16Once again, the "spirit" of the law vs the "letter" of the law. The law was crafted to keep commercial entities from abusing resources that weren't meant for their use. Here we have a guy who made an innocent mistake. By the letter of the law, he's guilty. By the spirit of the law, there was no *intent* on his part- he simply made an error in his navigation. If it results in a jury trial, I hope he gets it thrown out.
- episodic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15Poor guy. Sheesh. Having driven farm trucks locally for my uncle years ago - you guys that are downing him don't know what it is like to have 53 feet behind you 80 something feet in all - 1 mistake - you are screwed. Try driving something that large through unfamiliar areas and NEVER make a mistake.
- bloodguard, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15If they don't like it the truckers should get together and refuse to deliver anything to the town. Starve 'em out.
- lcohiomatty86, on 10/12/2007, -2/+161. knock over speed limit sign.
2. wait for unsuspecting motorist
3.???
4. Profit! - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+16They should at least amend the law to allow a fine cap of some sort. $17,000 is just excessive.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12Yeah, most dig users sweat when they have to back their mom's minivan into the garage.
- preppypoof, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12what i don't get is that if you look in the images, there is a sign that says "weight limit: 5 tons [10000 pounds]"...but the officer is quoted saying that the limit is 3000 pounds.
- Raian, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10I guess GPS could be useful to someone....
- Bobcat7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Ask a trucker how much he pays in highway usage tax each year, trust me they pay their share.
- goatswii, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Most folks here have never driven anything bigger than their leased Subaru Forrester or done any amount of identifiable labor.
- ScornForSega, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10Yes, overweight vehicles can indeed cause stress damage.
In this case, the limit was apparently 3,000 pounds. WTF was he driving on, a bike ramp?
Sure, he screwed up, but the ticket is still total *****. With that limit, anyone driving anything bigger than say, a Toyota Corolla needs to be fined too. - SpasticThinker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8Geez, the guy admits he got bad directions and made a mistake. I highly doubt he purposefully went the wrong way into a residential neighborhood specifically to warp the roads, cause potholes and stick it to the taxpayers.
Maybe if the guy had been trying to "shortcut it" through the neighborhood, sure, he deserves the fine. But according to this story, he wasn't - and notice they don't mention anything about him causing the roads to warp or potholes to form. Maybe he deserves a fine, but 17k? No way.
PS: No reason to call him a dumbass for a simple mistake that harmed no one. Just because you burn with fiery rage towards truckers thanks to a few bad drivers you noticed does not make them all morons... - roundntubby, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8the speed limit sign is recurring, it always shows up so you know how fast to drive. but if you are driving 65mph and looking for an exit sign you wont always catch that, "bent and somewhat obstructed" sign right behind the exit sign.
- celeb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Now if NYC could actually enforce the "no honking $350" law I'd actually be able to get some sleep each night.
- ScornForSega, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Whoops. Digg me down.
I'm an idiot and assumed that a newspaper would know how many pounds are in a ton and vice versa.
5 tons != 3000 pounds. - kevxross, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Phantom what are you on about?! Your quote confirms what Boulevard said if anything.
- SillyRabbits, on 10/12/2007, -5/+9Doesn't seem so excessive to me. It's easy for some trucker ignoring the limits to do hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to streets (or more). Is it fair for small towns and the local taxpayers to be stuck with that bill (not every place in the US is a huge city with tons of funds to spend on such things)? I used to live on a small street that was off limits to large trucks. Every once in a while a moving semi would get lost and come down the street and completely destroy it. The truckers didn't give a crap, just as long as they didn't get caught. Then everyone would have to live the damage for years until enough money was available to do the repairs. They are supposed to be the professionals, they know the rules, they know what sort of damage they can do, they don't need signs to tell them.....if they aren't willing to pay attention, screw them - they don't need to be on the road in the first place.
- killerofkiller, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4lol @ 55mph.. here in florida he limit is 70 and that' is still way to slow
- Derrekito, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Would be hard to get enough support unless Unions got involved, but would be VERY interesting to see something to that effect.
- reyitocazador, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3The author should be fined and sent back to Journalism School. That article is nearly unintelligible.
- member57, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I work for a transportation company, that's a light load... Our crude oil carriers can go to 80,000 loaded in certain circumstances.
Yep, people think about that the next time you cut off a semi or expect the thing to stop on a dime.. - Jerim, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Actually, if you can prove to a judge that there was no posted speed limit in the area, then in most situations they will get rid of it for you. You can't just make up rules and regulations and not tell anyone about it. If there was only one sign, and that sign was bent or obstructed from view, then more than likely he can get the ticket thrown out. However, he better go back quickly and take a picture before they fix it.
- NickRamos, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Driving a 2006 Expedition over the bridge (5352 lbs) would result in a $1650 fine. That sounds crazy to me.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -6/+8@PhantomRogue
And where in your quote does it say anything about going over a bridge, ***** idiot. - whisk3rs, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Is anybody else sick of the corny, cliche puns the media keeps using in articles / newscasts?
- pairanoyd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I can't believe they have a 3,000 (1.5 ton) limit.
I own a 1975 Suburban (I no longer drive it) and posted on the door frame is a metal tag with the vehicle specs.
Right there it states that the dry empty weight of the vehicle is 7,700 pounds.
You may think BS but remember in 1975 gas was about 45 cents a gallon, the thing has a 454cu engine, a four barrel carb, a 30 gallon gas tank, it got about 6 miles to the gallon and is made out of REAL steel, not the pussy-ass plastic and tin foil that new vehicles are made of.
Back then economy was NOT a concern.
Now I drive a little 4 banger and can make 15 gallons of gas last me 2 months. (I rarely drive anymore)
I'm pretty sure though that there are still lots of civilian vehicles still made that well exceed 3,000lbs. - Xarou, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Isn't there something in the Constitution about unreasonable fines?
- jdaustin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3If I were a trucker working in that area I'd either refuse to deliver to them or demand a very high fee to deliver there.
The problem with traffic laws is that there is no due process; it looks more like a way to generate revenue than preserving safety. - blitzman, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Fatigue damage to the road goes up as the cube of the load. The vast bulk of damage to highways and bridges is not due to cars, it is due to trucks (and trucks are routinely overloaded).
- george107789, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Hrm ... so, is his name Carroll or Connell? You'd think if they were going to debunk an urban legend they'd at least be consistent with the name they use.
- onechordwonder, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I live and go to school in that area, and it would be very easy to get lost on those roads if you weren't familiar with them. Kids from the local prep schools, myself included, in that area constantly speed down those roads and that is why there is such a police presence. The fine, on the other hand, is absurd, just like all the property taxes in the area, Chester County sucks.
- Derrekito, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5***** you and your stupid town ;)
- toonworld, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2so does this mean that the guy was carrying over 61 000 lbs ??
"It's $150 for the fine, and then it's $150 for every 500 pounds over the 3,000-pound weight limit," Metzger said.
17,751.50 (total fine) - 150 (base fine) = 17 601.50
17 601.50 / 150 = 117.3433 (so got charged 117.3433 times for every 500 pounds over 3000 pounds)
117.3433 * 500 = 58 671.66
58 671.66 + 3000 (the weight limit) = 61 671.66 pounds? - darushin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@Jerim
This depends on the state I would say. In WVa for example there is mandated state speed limits for areas when no signs are present. For example unmarked highway and interstate are 55mph (maybe 60 now that Gov. passed law raising all highway speeds by 5mph) and unmarked rural areas are 50mph, and city is 45mph. Anyhow, I may be off on the speed, but there are still laws present that you can be sighted for. - LoungeActx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2In residential areas where speed limits aren't posted the speed limit is 25mph, highways and interstates (in most states) are 55mph
- alex1432, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2And what was he going to say? I'm in this suburb help!! There are trees everywhere and I'm on a road called springvalley in a town I don't know. Yeah the guys on the radio would have been a big help. He needed a GPS unit to help him out. But that ticket is ridiculous he should hire a lawyer and claim its to much for a one time mistake I'm sure a good lawyer will come up with something to get this to a manageable level.
- bokchoy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2hopefully the trucker has the brains to challenge it in court. the pigs are just enforcers. anyone who makes an effort can get most traffic violations reduced or dropped by talking to the DA.
- tutorbell, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3East Whiteland Township Police Department phone number:
(610) 647-2100
Let them know how you feel. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5"They should at least amend the law to allow a fine cap of some sort. $17,000 is just excessive."
They did, it's called the eighth amendment to the constitution:
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
A fine this large is criminal. - cheesehead, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I worked in the industry 30 years, I've driven tractors with 53 ft trailers and I can tell you from personal experience that its very difficult to make turns let alone change directions in most areas.
Dispatchers (most of whom have never driven a rig) routinely send you to calls where the infrastructure is completely inadequate. Mini-malls and small operations that want discounts for volume loads, for example.
Truck route signage also sucks, particularly where gov't pricks milk the industry, by preying on hapless drivers.
The trucking industry has gone all to hell with the advent of "Free Trade" and the independent trucker, because it's easy for companies to screw these guys around one at a time, as opposed to dealing a trade union or association.
Safety is usually the first casualty..
. - spjmm0, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1GPS. I get lost all the time.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4the trucker's company should pay for it, as long as the trucker was doing a reasonable good faith effort to work and follow directions. if there's some cockeyed sign, the trucker shouldn't be held responsible.
- jwbeck17, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3I think I'd better chime in as this is in the area where I grew up...
I know the area fairly well and there is no Bear Rd or Sidney Rd. to my knowledge. (Great reporting, NBC10.) There is a Sidley Rd., which is a flat, straight residential rd right near the area high school and middle school. The police are always in this area as the road is a common cut-through to the corporate center of many Fortune 500 businesses, and the cut-through is illegal. In addition, young drivers letting out from school will easily speed down this road and get pulled over.
If this truly happened on Sidley Rd. then the company that gave the directions should foot the bill, as they are local and should know not to force him to go that way due to the restrictions. As for the amount, I know that it sounds high, but it is probably right on as the repairs to the roadways in that area would be substantial based on this vehicle, and the tax infrastructure would have difficulty supporting an expense like this. The driver is also to blame as he should have compared the directions to a basic map of the area. Also, I don't think the article mentioned what he was carrying. Could be an issue as well. - HellifIno, on 10/12/2007, -5/+6Considering he didn't actually damage ANYTHING, this is a stupid-high fine.
- maxfact, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2The explanation for the high fine is lame. There is a difference between liquidated damages (restitution) and punishment (retribution). The claim here is that the high fine is for restitution - to fix roads. If that's the case, then the township should have to show *actual* damage totally $17,000 before assessing the fine.
It's clear that restitution is simply the explanation being given. The real reason the fine is so high is that its a great fundraiser for the local jurisdiction and they are using their perfectly legal fining authority (punishment & retribution) to collect money for their local budget. It is a corporate-sized fine because most shippers are big companies and can afford the $17,000.
Both parties in this dispute made a mistake. The driver should have made better use of his tools (aka maps) and the local jurisdiction should be more reasonable in its fining behavior. As things stand now, everybody in this scenario looks bad. - clickwir, on 10/12/2007, -1/+23000 pound limit? most cars are even over that, even my 93' hatchback would be over that. Not 500 over, but still over. That's stupid.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1bigdavediode-
Now you're just getting lost in your own rhetoric. Do you really think he should be fined for the cost of an entire bridge because he took a wrong turn? What's that cost? A million dollars? Probably far more. In essense, you're saying that this guy should give up the rest of his wage earning life because... he didn't have google maps in his truck? Because he intentionally drove down the wrong road with the intent of causing damage to the hard working citizens of a small community? -
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