North Carolina wide-boat law veto override

[davidfhare]

Is anyone (especially outside North Carolina) following this?

http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/politicians/legislature/story/1197218.html

Given we have some roads with 9 foot wide lanes in NC, I'm a bit surprised this was ever put through let alone be the first veto override in the state's history. Have boaters stayed away from North Carolina because of this law as has been suggested by our legislature?

What are the thoughts of the forum on towing 10 foot wide boats without a permit?

 

[fishmen111]

Re: North Carolina wide-boat law veto override

Having traveled US 158/168 to the Outer Banks to surf fish for 35 years, 10' is too much IMHO. To me, it is not the single 10' wide trailer. It is when that trailer is passed by another wide load that things get a little hairy. $0.02.

 

[chicknwing]

Re: North Carolina wide-boat law veto override

Living in NC, I understand why they did it, but I cannot say that I agree. I think that given the fact that not everyone on our roads has common sense this was a bad move on the part of our lawmakers. Being that I drive a truck for a living I see people everyday that have no respect for oversize loads. Just wait and see, someone will pass one of these wide loads on a dark road and die. What will the legislature say then? No fault on the size of the roadways. It was the drivers fault. I do not think there is any place for a boat with a 10' beam on many of our secondary roads. If they had limited the law to only US highways or interstate highways then I could agree. But as it is now I think the legislature did the wrong thing by overriding the veto. Just my $.02

TC

What a waste of time to call a special session to override the veto on this bill.

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: North Carolina wide-boat law veto override

What a waste of time to call a special session to override the veto on this bill.

By vetoing the bill when the legislature was out of session, Easley automatically ordered the special session.

I measured my trailer the other day, just to check. The top of the trailer guides is about 8' 9" wide, so I guess I have been illegal all this time. I could probably move them in 3", but I'm glad I don't have to now. I really don't like rules that make the majority of people on the road easy prey to the cops who can always find a reason to pull you over. The State police as much as admitted this in some of the articles I read, saying "don't worry, we rarely enforce the 8'6" rules, only 5 times in 2007". If you have a rule, you need to enforce it uniformly, and just way too many boats near the shore are over the limit.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: North Carolina wide-boat law veto override

Let's see -- we have professional over the road truckers limited to 8ft-6in and special permits are required wider than that. But it is ok for someone who has suspect trailering skills to tow a 10ft wide load that probably exceeds the towing capacity of the tow vehicle on roads not suited for that type of load. Smart cookies down there. But then we have our share up here in the tundra as well.

 

[dingbat]

Re: North Carolina wide-boat law veto override

Finally. Lets go fishing

This became an issue a year or so ago when the State police started enforcing a long ignored regulation on the guys coming into Cape Hatteras for a Kingfish Tournaments.

Then they started ticketing the guys trailering down to Oregon Inlet for the winter Striper season. When the word went out of a lot of guys where not going to risk prosecution and canceled their trips. I personally canceled 2 trips to Oregon Inlet last winter because of it.

Figure I spend $1000- $1500 a weekend fishing trip down there so the local boat / tackle shops lost $2-3K last winter on me alone. A tournament boat could easily drop $10K on a weekend tournament. The fact that they had a special session to address this issue speaks volumes to the amount of money these boats bring to the local economy.

 

[bassman284]

Re: North Carolina wide-boat law veto override

Another $.02 from a former trucker.

When I was driving the limit was still 8 feet. A lot of the roads I drove on were 16 feet wide with curbs using up a portion of that. When 2 trucks met, they both had their outside duals riding up the curb. I pulled mostly oversize loads for about 3 years of that time and if I remember correctly, we were required to have a Wide load sign and flags at the corners for anything up to 10 feet. After 10 feet it was signs, flags and an escort vehicle, sometimes two, depending on size.

I guess most roads are wider now, but I'm a firm believer that anything 10 feet wide needs signs, flags and preferably an escort. And a competent driver.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: North Carolina wide-boat law veto override

Almost 30 years of trucking here too.I agree most people have limited trailering skills.
Mine measures 106 inches wide with the guide ons and lights.Lucky i never got checked but have always towed it that way.Just watch passing on skinny roads.