BIR Nationals
 

I received an email stating the MN DOT and State Patrol will be conducting commercial vehicle inspections for racers heading to the track..... There doing this for our safety of course.

Anybody else get this?

Tim

Re: BIR Nationals
 

Tim, here's a news article I found regarding it:

http://m.brainerddispatch.com/news/2...ration-planned

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Nice that they are concerned about safety for all of us traveling the highways. Sounds more like an opportunity to bring in some revenue for the state.

Dennis Breeden

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This is what really bothers me about our fine government.

I understand the need for safety regulations, but most race rigs I see appear to be well maintained. Who would risk their life, family, or investment...

I feel this hurts a facility / area that is trying to survive in a tough economic time. The state may reap the rewards of a few tickets, but others will feel the consequences...

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Guys, this is the time to get involve and get in touch with your Daily paper and explain that most racers, professionals and sportsman are law abiding citizens and tax payers who are aware of the laws and that all their equipment are in better shape than most of the trucks on the road. Show them that it is nothing but a tax grab. Claude Ruel

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State DOT and police are tax collectors.:p

Paul M.

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I think the DOT Inspectors and State Patrol would be better off checking the vehicles that enter and leave the front gate. I have seen some scary rides enter the Zoo for the week at BIR.

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True story.. Many years ago as we pulled in the gate we saw a rental car from Manitoba with the roof caved in and no windshield. They had rolled the car on the way down but no one got hurt and the car still ran. Must have been some 'splaining to do when they returned the car.

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First of all most , if not all of the spotsman racers are not a money making comps. .And we are RV,s. If you are not over on 1 end or the other they can not stop you. I have worked the trucking bus. for 35 years I know. Corky:cool:

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"The Minnesota State Patrol along with the Minnesota Department of Transportation will be conducting a commercial vehicle inspection saturation Aug. 15-16 in the Brainerd area in conjunction with Brainerd International Raceway’s annual summer race event. The focus of the saturation will be compliance to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations by the racing industry.

“Many individuals involved in the racing industry may not be aware of the fact that, depending on their circumstances, they may be required to follow federal guidelines related to driver, vehicle and safety equipment,” said State Patrol Lt. Tom Nelson. “The intent of the saturation is to educate these individuals on these issues to ensure safe travel for all motorists on Minnesota’s roadways.”"

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I like the word,"educate" in his statement. I wonder what the fee for this class will be?

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Why in the world wouldn't NHRA send some of the overpaid Board Members to Minnesota and have a "meeting" with the top brass of the MN-DOT and Highway Patrol.

Doesn't NHRA realize it won't be that hard to chase off a lot of safe vehicles that may or may not be classified as commercial vehicles, depending on who is looking at it.

I have no problem with being legal but let's look at economics for the area first and foremost. Who tows a $40K race car in a $25K trailer with a $75K motor home and doesn't pay attention to safety? Can the Brainerd area do without this event and not feel the "pinch" if a lot of racers stay home.

With the weak turnout for the Seattle event a couple weeks ago, they must have been checking tow vehicles out there too??

This is EXACTLY WHERE the NHRA membership money should go. Not into the Board and management salaries but rather, into communication to allow the NHRA members to get to a race. North Carolina finally got laws passed to exempt most sportsman racer's tow rigs.

C'mon NHRA, we know you read this Forum, how about an answer (errrr, I mean an excuse), while you are mainly concerned with the arrival time of your jet and your Escalade rental SUV to get to the event.

Sick of it,

Jok Nicholson

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Jok, This is one of the many reasons why I no longer subscribe to the Dragster and let them have my perm number back. I am done with it after 20 years. All they think about is themselves!!! The Buick will be running brackets in the future. You think i'll pass fuel check????

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Does it include motorhomes?

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That is exactly right Jok! Dead on post!
This is a classic example of targeting a certain group, which the way I understand it, should not be done. We as a group, need to be pro-active in this situation. It is BS law enforcement. I am all for saftey and that should be number one, however, our rights as taxpayers and citizens should be right up there with saftey.
I was sitting at a stoplight the other day and next to me was a junky flatbed about 18' with a lawnmower on it. No lights at all on the rear. No saftey chains installed. Big junky front steer mower rolled to the front of the trailer as the truck pulled up due to no boomers at all holding it in position. Thats what caught my attention in the first place. Push down lever for the hitch didnt even have a bolt thru it to keep it from flipping up on a bump or a hard stop. And guess what? A DOT car right behind it. I figured this guy is in trouble. When the light changed the truck/trailer went straight and the DOT turned right. I had to wonder as I drove away why didn't this guy get pulled over and "educated". My conclusion: The $300. truck, the $50. dollar lawnmower and the $200. dollar trailer, there is no money in it. Pick on the trucking companies (and the racers now) that can pay the fine.
Everytime I have bought a new rig, I have taken pictures, specs, etc. to the DOT before I purchased it and they didn't have a clue as to what I was buying or what it would be used for legal or not. And Dpt. of Motor Vehicles only cared about the money I paid them.
I have been pulled over on busy interstates and been threatened, lectured and cursed at by DOT from several states but never ticketed or impounded. Why? Because I know how to read and before ever buying one of these rigs I not only learned but carried with me the laws. Federal law, and state law. I have had the opportunity to do some "educating" of my own.
I am sure there are some great Officers out there that do their job to help make roadways safe and to help motorist to avoid accidents and mishaps and I have all the respect in the world for them. (I saw a state policeman changing a tire for a motorist the other day in the heat) However, the ones that have tried to make my life harder for no valid reason have been little pricks, with a "I'm the boss" attitude that only cared about a paycheck and a retirement from the state. I respond to professionalism and courtesy, not harassment and BS. And targeting a race weekend and track is the latter in my opinion.

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With all this talk about how everyone's race rigs are in such emaculate condition then there should be no worries at all. You should consider yourselves lucky that they made it public about the inspections, they don't have to do that. You can think you have your equipment in tip top shape but if they want to find some thing wrong they will.

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If this was truely an "educational" thing, then why doesn't the NHRA (who welcomes this) have at each of there national or divisional events a class inviting the DOT to talk and really educate the racers on rules, laws compliance etc. along with a question and answer session. then the DOT could provide guidance to the racers by inspecting there rigs at the request of the racers at there pit space (with no tickets being issued) to educate the racers on what may or may not be a concern. this would then truely be an educational thing that may provide for safety of the motorists and racers when traveling.
just my rantings a bout this whole mess.

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They could do that but were would the revenue for the DOT come from? If the DOT wanted to educate us they could have NHRA email all of us any info they want. It's all about bringing in money for the state...

Dennis Breeden

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Another issue to consider for CDL holders: your CSA score. For those who have a CDL you are scored on any roadside inspection and that goes on your PSP report. The owner of the equipment and driver are both scored on any violations, warnings count the same as a ticket. If you work for yourself the only way this affects you is your insurance. If you drive professionally it will make it harder to find a job in the future. We use the PSP reports when we hire drivers, it makes it easy to see a driver's history in regards to keeping his equipment legal or if he keeps his logbook current. Bad thing is they take any points your first year and triple them making your record look worse than it may be. You can usually pick up a copy of the DOT regs at any truckstop, they are small green books. If you are registered as a commercial vehicle you are required to have a copy in the rig.

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Remember that under the new DOT/CSA that all warning tickets count the same as a ticket, It will show up on your DOT violation profile for 3 years as a violation, it will not say warning and you can't appeal a warning because they say it just a warning. The violation and points will be on your profile for 3 years and if the vehicle is in a company name, the points will be on the company profile for 2 years.:mad:

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If I drive to a gas station to buy a powerball ticket with the intent of winning, does this require me to have a CDL? The way I'm driving this year my odds are probably better.

I'm not worried about it. I will let the officer know I'm only racing for a trophy as any proceeds won would be passed to my Yeti fund.

Tim

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Just like seat belt enforcement zones (AKA seat belt revenue zones), this will be a 'saturation' revenue zone. A local city once bragged about the amount of money collected in fines in the seat belt zone. That basically confirmed my suspicion.

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If Anyone needs a copy of the page in my DOT book that deals with this let me know. I will be at BIR. I Always carry it with me when we travel.

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No different than highway robbery only the robbers have badges.

Every year things like this happen in various places around the country.

People like me read this and decide you know what......It is not worth it anymore...Endless fees and this and that and than I risk getting fined or worse just going to a race.....I say no I am not going to subject myself to this BS.

I keep my stuff in good shape and wouldn't risk towing a junkpile down the road.....I don't need to be educated at my own expense....

Good job NHRA and Minnesota......

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Ron, could you post the page from DOT racers could use if they get stopped?

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Tim,

Let me know where you get stopped. I'll pull in and try to make a dent in the Yeti....

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http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul...0.3&guidence=Y

Hope this works. Scroll down to question 21 and read the guidance. If anyone has a better link please post it.

And yes they do have to make it public if any Federal money is involved or allocated for a specific activity. Same as a "saftey checkpoint" that is really looking for violations or impaired drivers of motor vehicles.

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That page will work. The thing is dont give in. Been through this 3 times with my rig. Anything else I can do let me know. Ron