Gross Vehicle Weight

Overloading:
I read with great disappointment the letters on page 14 of your last issue. It has become clear to me that most drivers are sadly ignorant of the safety issues involved in loading their vehicles and are not able to separate that from the merely administrative licensing provisions, Mr. Hamm included.

To speak to the safety issue: there are three ways to be overloaded. The first is to be over on the GVWR set by the manufacturer. In this Mr. Richardson has placed too heavy a load on the vehicle overall. The second is to be overweight on an axle, the GAWR also set by the manufacturer. Here Mr. Richardson would have to balance the weight in his camper better, assuming that he was over on one of his axles, yet under on the GVWR. The third is to be overweight on a tire. Look at the sidewall of the tire and you will find the maximum weight rating set for the tire by its maker, when the tire is at its maximum inflation pressure. If the pressure is less than the set maximum, the ability of the tire to support weight is also reduced. Here Mr. Richardson could have tires that are not capable because of a purchasing decision made at replacement time.

Brakes are important to discuss here too. The manufacturer designs vehicle systems to operate within the weight limits. Overload the vehicle and the brakes may not be capable of functioning as intended. Clearly bad news.

All of these situations are SAFETY related. To exceed any of these limits invites catastrophic failure of the part involved that could result in voiding a warranty or costly damage in the least, to a collision and death at worst. If you choose to ignore them you put other highway users at risk and I have no alternative but to remove you from the roadway if I were to find you during my patrol duties. To do anything less is a failure on my part, and a possible acceptance of civil liability for me for something that may happen down the road if I let you go and a collision results.

Now licensing is another matter entirely. When you go to your Autoplan agent to license your pickup to carry a camper, it is up to you to advise the agent of your needs. If you don't, the agent will multiply your vehicle's net weight by 1.5 and issue the license for that gross weight. Placing a camper in back here could put you over your licensed weight, which is an expensive violation ticket, but is not necessarily a safety hazard, and may NOT be grounds for me to remove your vehicle from the highway (as long as you are under the three cases listed above).

I asked an Autoplan agent if there were limits on licensed GVW. She scratched her head and said that as long as the computer accepts the figure, they will issue it. It is up to the vehicle owner to apply some smarts, hopefully after reading his/her owner's manual, and realize that even though you may be able to license for it, you may NOT be able to safely carry it.

I have also been told by RV dealers that it is common for campers to actually weigh more than the manufacturer says it does on delivery. Considering the "dry" weight is also a pitfall, as most RV users tend to bring along food, clothing and other possessions that can add significant weight to the total. In short, a trip to the weigh scale is the only reliable means of determining if you are outside the safety or licensing parameters of weight.

I suspect that all provinces and states operate similarly in their traffic statutes as overloading past the manufacturer's design limits is a common sense problem. Many of them are "on-line" and all may be reached by mail, telephone or fax for information prior to your departure.

Trailer towing is a bit different than the camper, because not all of the weight is settled onto the tow vehicle, and brakes become the important consideration here along with the overweight situations we have already discussed.

If you require police related traffic advice, I would be more than happy to act as a resource for you at my work e-mail address.

Constable Tim Schewe
Central Island Highway Patrol
Parksville BC
timothy.schewe@rcmp-grc.gc.ca