I have a 5x8 utility trailer from lowes, the kind with the low rail and the folding gate on the back. I recently bought a 07 400ex and have been towing both mine and my cousins quad around on the trailer.

We load them sideways and stagger them to distribute the weight evenly. They are slightly too long so one side must sit up on the rail, then we ratchet strap them down. Until today i have had no issues with coming loose or with cops.

This particular day i was hauling my 400 and my friends 1999 polaris Trail Boss, again sideways and staggered on the trailer, we made it about 30 miles and were a half mile from dropping the quads off and i came around a bend and his quad slid off one side, then flipped over and was being drug accross the ground until i could pull over, coinsidentally there was a cop accross the street 50ft away watching the whole thing. I was only traveling about 10mph, the strap must have worked its way loose or something.

The cop then pulled behind me, took all of my information, and said i could get several tickets up to $1000 and be towed, but he let me off with some sort of impropor loading ticket. Told me the fine would be between 100 and 300, made some note to the judge for the maximum fine possible, then let me load the quads back up and told me to drop them off, and never let him see me with them like that again.

My question is: Since i was within the fenders of the trailer, and under my weight limit is it illegal to haul quads this way? Is there anything i can do to fight this ticket and can i continue to haul them like this?

 

69 views and no replies...can anyone help me out??

 

Not sure where you were (what state) when it happened. Would guess it's gonna very from state to state, and officer to officer. I know they can site you for an unsecured/unsafe load here in Texas.

 

Not to be a jerk but one already fell and was drug and you're asking if it's o.k. to trailer them like that? Use some common sense. I don't think Being under weight really matters it's the fact that the quads were on the siderails. Sometimes people need to stop and think about what they are doing.

 

Pennsylvania

i guess my point is that if it didnt slide off he wouldnt have said anything or even noticed. i've seen more ridiculous ways of hauling quads in truck beds/trailers.

 

And my point is that illegal or not there's prob. $8,000.00 - $10,000.00 worth of quads one not even yours sitting on the siderail at least strapped going down the highway, what about people behind you should one come off again at highway speed?

 

I'd pay the fine and get a better (Bigger) trailer. Like stated above, the quads came off once they may do it again. My husband wanted to load one with the wheels up on the trailer we borrowed and I wouldn't allow it. Made him take two trips. His defense, was that he sees it being done all the time. Personally I see a lot of things being done all the time that I wouldn't do. The quads are worth a lot of money. I wouldn't risk their harm, nor would I want to risk the harm of innocent people behind/beside me.

As for your defense, do some internet research for your state. Find out what your local laws are. Maybe call the local precinct and see if they can provide you with the trailor laws for you area. You can use the information to fight the ticket, but I would also let the judge know that even if it isn't against the law and the ticket is unfounded that you have learned a very valuable lesson.

 

you dont have to take it so personally sdm111, i was looking for advice and you are of no assistance, thanks anyway.

newcatrider and scootergptx, thanks for your input

 

OK, you will not like this:

You did a dumb thing. You loaded quads on your trailer that could really not hold them properly. Sure, they "could" have stayed there forever with no problems - others have done it I'm sure. Sure, it was just your bad luck that a cop was nearby when you lost your load. Had he not been there, you would have reloaded and been on your way with no problems.

But the fact is that you loaded unsafely and paid the price for it. You cannot dispute that. It's not an issue of being under weight and under width - the ATV did not securely fit on the trailer. To answer the other part of your question - NO, you cannot haul them again like this. (Especially if you cross paths with that same cop)

What to do: Get a different trailer or modify your existing one. A simple and safe mod is to add 2x12's across your rails to hold the ATV's sideways and level. Build in chocks to hold the wheels. Then when you strap them down you know that the tires are on a firm and level surface. You'll be legal. Your trailer will be safer and it will even be easier to load and unload.

I bet that cop will love you too. In fact, if you get a new trailer or make mods to your existing one, You may be able to get out of your fine if you take pictures to court.

 

thanks, i like the idea of the 2x12s if it came down to it, but id rather make my friends haul their own quads and stop using me ha, but thanks