Author	[Modern View]
Dean Olson 07-08-2011 16:09:04 98.196.66.64 Report to Moderator	Arizona DOT stopped and wrote one of our drivers for: "Mud flaps sailing", GPS on the dash, and crack in windshield in the line of sight on the "PASSENGER" side of the truck. This is a Freightliner with 2 separate windshields. Apparently the bottom of the mud flaps can't be more that 8" off the ground whether your moving or not. GPS has to be above the drivers line of sight and not below. Never heard of such BS. Apparently an AZ law. I guess they thinks it's ok to have the power cord dangling in the line of sight but not a crack in the passengers side windshield. Windshield does have a single hair line crack, on the passenger side, had it for years and passed multiple yearly DOT inspections, multiple officer instigated inspections and weight station inspections. All over the country. It's starting to feel more like a dictatorship in this country than a democracy. [Reply]   [No Email]
willie in mn 07-11-2011 03:45:58 64.12.116.197 Report to Moderator	Re: More DOT Ranting in reply to Dean Olson, 07-08-2011 16:09:04   Going from memory here, retired diesel pilot & don't have current books at hand. Old rule on flaps- height not more than 20% of distance from hub center. eg: 8" clearance if 40" from hub, 12" clearance if 60" from hub etc. No objects permitted to hang from mirror. No objects blocking sight through windshield except mirror & moveable visor. No stickers or decals on windshield except those required such as registration, inspection etc. No reflectors on flaps. After a certain build date reflective tape required on non-flexing flap bracket, shows width, especially on bobtail tractor. Think this is on build date of around 1998 or so. In Ca & Mn - no GPS, radar dectors etc mounted on windshield glass. Any object on dash cannot block sight line of windshield. No cracks in glass. Small chips ok if can be covered with a dime & not in area swept by wipers. Never heard the rule about placing objects at top 6" of windshield. That would block view of overhead traffic signals & signs. Corrections welcome if based on actual state or federal publications. WJ [Reply]  [No Email]
John in La 07-10-2011 15:11:19 66.157.57.128 Report to Moderator	Re: More DOT Ranting in reply to Dean Olson, 07-08-2011 16:09:04   Mud flaps are a state issue. Some states require reflective tape on the mud flaps. Some require them to be no more than 4" above the ground, etc. Those chrome girls you see on the mud flaps are not for looks. The GPS; its cord; pre pass; toll road transponders; CB radio ect….. Need to be in the top 6 inches of the window and out of the swipe of the wiper. § 393.60 (e) Every time they send out a pre pass they include a description of where it is suppose to go. There is a reason for that. You most likely got the shaft on the windshield crack. § 393.60 (c) (2) gives a exception to cracks that are not intersected by any other cracks. This would only apply to the passenger side because of Appendix G. Appendix G 12. “Windshield Glazing; The out-of-service criteria places in a restricted service condition any vehicle that has a crack or discoloration in the windshield area lying within the sweep of the wiper on the drivers side and does not address the remaining area of the windshield. Appendix G addresses requirements for the whole windshield as specified in 393.60.” [Reply]  [No Email]
scotc 07-10-2011 09:57:09 72.100.38.69 Report to Moderator	Re: More DOT Ranting in reply to Dean Olson, 07-08-2011 16:09:04   If it was down on the bottom, where it only has the hood behind it, it would have been OK. If it's above that, yes, it needs replaced, if it's in the driver's line of sight. What side doesn't matter. Never heard of the GPS. It's not supposed to be blocking the driver's line of sight, nothing is, so it should have been OK if mounted where the hood is the only thing behind it. Too bad they don't stop cars that have so much crap stacked in them they can't even see the passenger mirror, let alone the door, or the back window. Georgia is bad about that during watermelon season. Ever seen a car with the truck strapped shut over a load of watermelons, the back seat, and the passenger seat stacked to the roof? If ever there was a safety issue, that would certainly be one, running 80MPH sitting on the spring stoppers. If a truck was overloaded like that, it'd probably weigh 150,000. [Reply]  [No Email]
Dean Olson 07-10-2011 12:02:30 166.137.8.110 Report to Moderator	Re: More DOT Ranting in reply to scotc, 07-10-2011 09:57:09   Gps issue is pure bs. Hood on the freightliners drop fast towards the front. Gps is a good 12-14" below line of sight sitting on the dash. Cop was just being a prik. I've been driving since 2006 and have driven 300K + miles coast to coast and didn't know about sailing mud flaps. Still a rookie I guess. [Reply]  [No Email]
scotc 07-10-2011 22:42:09 72.100.173.252 Report to Moderator	Re: More DOT Ranting in reply to Dean Olson, 07-10-2011 12:02:30   I think the mudflap reg is when it's parked, how can you measure it going down the road? How high it can be off the ground also depends on how far behind the wheel it is. It can be higher as it is moved farther behind the tire. I'd fight that one. As it moves up it moves back, as long as it's within spec when stopped it should stay within spec moving. [Reply]  [No Email]
730d se 07-10-2011 11:07:51 68.189.186.87 Report to Moderator	Re: More DOT Ranting in reply to scotc, 07-10-2011 09:57:09   All of the crap hanging from the rear view mirror in a car or truck should be outlawed. I see all kinds of things, including CD's which are reflective. It is just another common sense area that somehow gets overlooked by the HP. [Reply]  [No Email]
Jocco 07-09-2011 18:08:41 67.72.98.46 Report to Moderator	Re: More DOT Ranting in reply to Dean Olson, 07-08-2011 16:09:04   Don't know where you have ben but that mud flap law has been around for ever along with not having stuff on dash dangling off rear view mirror iff equiped. in this state and its not AZ. Will give you cop is getting a little picky. [Reply]  [No Email]