Question about California law about Texas RV's

txbobcat · April 22, 2023

It has been sometime since I have been in the state of California. Some of my friends have indicated to me that RVers from Texas are being harassed by checking drivers license , weighing RVs against their indicated weight on the Mfg label, and if over weight requiring them to unload their RV to get to the indicated weight before they can move.

Thant sounds a little weird even for California, but it has been years since I have traveled in California.

I would appreciate any comments concerning this information.

Thank You

BC

Kirk W · April 22, 2023

9 minutes ago, txbobcat said:

Some of my friends have indicated to me that RVers from Texas are being harassed by checking drivers license , weighing RVs against their indicated weight on the Mfg label, and if over weight requiring them to unload their RV to get to the indicated weight before they can move.

I think that your friends are trying to scare you and succeeding. I have traveled through CA with my TX license plates frequently for years and even spent a few winters there and never once had any issues or even got stopped by an LEO.

Second Chance · April 23, 2023

Up until 2020 we spent quite a bit of time travelling in and through California with our rig (fifth wheel and truck over 26K requiring a Class A TX license). Saw LEOs of various flavors on the road, at rest stops, etc. Never exchanged more than a friendly wave with them. They have bigger fish to fry.

Rob

fpmtngal · April 23, 2023

Interesting comment, I haven’t heard anything about something like that and didn’t experience anything like that when I entered California a couple of days ago - my truck and travel trailer are licensed in Texas. I didn’t even get stopped at the agricultural inspection station on I-10 in Blythe this time - they waved me through without asking me if I had any produce or firewood. I’ve gone in and out of California a couple of times a year since 2019 and other than occasionally being stopped at the agricultural station, I haven’t had a problem.

I talked to a truck camper owner recently whose rig is a TC mounted on an F550 with cabinet. He once got the signal to stop at a weigh station, but I think it was in Arizona. They didn’t weigh him, and the person he talked to didn’t know why his rig would have been flagged. The inspector did measure his rig and asked him to move his camper jacks slightly - the jacks stuck out 1” too much (easily adjusted). But that wasn’t California.

2gypsies · April 24, 2023

I'll also state that "some of your friends" don't have accurate information. There are no issues.

duraduk · April 25, 2023

Spent over a week in So. Cal. in late Feb. with a Texas reg. truck and trailer. No issues other that the terrible roads...........

Blues · April 27, 2023

On 4/22/2023 at 2:27 PM, txbobcat said:

It has been sometime since I have been in the state of California. Some of my friends have indicated to me that RVers from Texas are being harassed by checking drivers license , weighing RVs against their indicated weight on the Mfg label, and if over weight requiring them to unload their RV to get to the indicated weight before they can move.

Stuff like this drives me bats. Ask your friends where they got this information (it's more than one friend saying this??) and drill them for details. How do they know it's only Texas-licensed RVs. Who's weighing the RV and how is that happening, since RVs don't go through weigh stations. And the contents they remove before being allowed to move--do they just leave them there next to where the RV was sitting?

Maybe if the people spreading nonsense like this have to actually defend it themselves, instead of just repeating it, they'll stop.

rpsinc · April 29, 2023

Being a Cali resident for now, I can tell you that here in So Cal, LEOs are looking out for MANY weekend RVers that load their heavy buggies, and other sand toys, water, gas etc. into their now OVERWEIGHT toyhaulers and head out to the desert towing with their F250/2500 trucks that are often lifted, "BUT IT HAS A DIESEL, IT WILL PULL ANYTHING" except you are grossly overweight and travelling the I10 through the Palm Springs area where winds will howl at times, and then you are putting us all at risk by being overweight while needing almost 2 lanes to control that rig and being unsafe.

To the OP-IF you fit into that category, then perhaps they should check you out, but for the most part, having RV'd for over 40 years, I have not been pulled over to have my RV weighed, inspected or otherwise inquired about(in Cali or elsewhere). I do follow the laws esp at it pertains to being within the weights of my rig's capacity, but I am of the school of HDTs and being in construction for over 33 years, I use the correct tool(truck/trailer) for the job.

2gypsies · April 29, 2023

4 hours ago, rpsinc said:

Being a Cali resident for now, I can tell you that here in So Cal, LEOs are looking out.........

So.... what are the LEOs doing about it? Pulling them over? Ticketing? Sending them out of state? We spent a lot of time in the desert boondocking areas with groups of RVers and never heard about this. If they're in an accident then yes, the RV weight/equipment could be looked at more thoroughly but just random eyeballing and assuming?

Kirk W · April 29, 2023

1 hour ago, 2gypsies said:

what are the LEOs doing about it? Pulling them over? Ticketing?

Maybe it is people with CA license plates that need to worry?

rpsinc · April 29, 2023

9 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

Maybe it is people with CA license plates that need to worry?

My info is that weekenders are being pulled over by CHP using portable scales and then doing what they do from there.

One guy I know was over length and they made him leave his enclosed trailer on the shoulder till he could come get it with his pickup. Motorhome + trailer was 68'. Same thing has happened with overweight trailers.

Being cited for overweight is likely a good thing as the insurance companies can deny any claim if the rig is not lawful. So LEOs are doing a service to the public by keeping many of those folks, who may not know the laws, by informing them of the laws, ticketing them and forcing them to comply.

I, personally would rather become knowledgable before hand, although its impossible to know every thing necessary to be 100% legal.

packnrat · July 14, 2023

it has been years since i have seen such.

but the chp does like to increase the states revenue at times. last time it was the corning rest stop.

Lou Schneider · July 14, 2023

Many years ago when the bus length limit was changed from 40 ft. to 45 ft. industry pressure kept CA from likewise changing the RV licensing laws to accommodate the longer motorhomes and CA dealers were selling the overlength Class As to unsuspecting buyers. Then one day a RV was pulled over for another issue and the driver started mouthing off to the CHP officer. He decided to throw the book at the offender and one of the things he checked was the length of the RV, which exposed the practice of selling 45 ft. motorhomes in CA.

A few dozen buyers had their registration cancelled so they couldn't legally drive their motorhomes. It took several months for corrective legislation to pass, also establishing the noncommercial Class A and B drivers licenses so people could get these and re-register their motorhomes.

Edited July 14, 2023 by Lou Schneider