# I got a Ticket becuase of my Plow Width



## Dieselman19 (Oct 26, 2003)

Does any know the laws concerning the width of a snowplow? I got an overwidth vehicle ticket, my plow is 7 1/2 with 1 1/4 wings making the plow 10 foot, but i need to know what the max width is when the plow is angled ? I was told it was 8 foot 6 , mine measure 8 foot 8


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

God, that was a chicken manure cop. He stop you just for that? 
Some cops need to find another way to make brownie points with the brass.
Get a lawyer, might end up cheaper then a fine and insurance increases. Most lawyer's have no charge to give the story to him / her and see if it's worth fighting. I plow mine for free, she's never sent me a bill for any legal work she's done for me. I trade service for service we both make out. Her lot takes 2 minutes to do, 3 - 20 foot pushes. Best part is her lot is at the end of my street, it's the first I hit when I sally forth at night.


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## Dieselman19 (Oct 26, 2003)

they got me at a DOT truck stop


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## JunkFood331 (Jan 31, 2004)

Man that sucks. :realmad: The cop must of not had anything better to do. I do know in Wisconsin the law says that you can't be wider than 8' 6", or you have to buy an over sized vehicle permit ( $66.00 per vehicle for 6 months) but each state might be different. I found this information about my state on a search engine. You might want to do the same. Or go down to your local government office and ask. For reference this is what Wisconsin law says. 

Wisconsin State Statute 348.05(1) states, "No person without a permit therefor shall operate on a highway any vehicle having a total width in excess of 8 feet 6 inches, except as otherwise provided in this section." This law would include snowplows in excess of 8' 6" and snowplows with extensions that make their width in excess of 8' 6". A vehicle with a hinged "V" plow in excess of 8' 6" may be operated on the highway provided it is operated in its "V" configuration and it is no wider than 8' 6" when in this configuration. The exceptions to this law are government agencies and any snowplow in excess of 10' 6" attached to a motor vehicle used for the transportation of milk. 

Hope this helps you a little bit


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## lownrangr (Nov 21, 2003)

What did the guy do, pull out a tape measure? What a creep.


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## RamesesSnow23 (Jan 4, 2004)

oversized is oversized not the cops fault. 2" is a tough break but you would be taking up more than 1 lane.


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## Bolts Indus. (Dec 22, 2003)

Maybe that's why they call them turkey wings. Sorry couldn't resist.
Yes 8'6" is the usual law. You have to take them off when on the street.


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## parrothead (Nov 19, 2003)

check your local statutes, i had to check mine with the county cops a few years ago. the town cops always bothered me and one of my competitors called and complained that i was too wide. it was an l70 volvo with a 12 foot blade. long story short, the county looked up the laws and snow removal equipment with an amber light is exempt from width laws from nov1 till april 1. once the cops and competition found out the law, my problems ceased. i would talk to a cop and ask to look at the statutes. if not, maybe you can get it changed.


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## lawnmedic (Jan 9, 2004)

Sorry for the luck... Luckily our cops are pretty cool. Have 6 or 7 different agencies we have deal with(in their jurisdiction). Only 1 will give us any problems. No amber light when impeding flow of traffic(any time plowing), or no commercial plates...Chuck


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## Plow Meister (Oct 16, 2001)

Just curious, why were you stopped at a DOT site anyway? Normally, I have my wings on while I am going down the road. But that is at 2:00a.m. when there is no traffic. I wouldn't do it in rush hour. They are usually very simple to remove. Maybe you could remove them when you are on the road? Also, did the DOT cop pull you over or did he/she walk up to your parkerd rig? It is not illegal to be more than 8 1/2' wide if you are parked, only when you are on the road.

As far as the law goes... 8 1/2 feet without a permit in all states. Many states have exemptions like Parrothead said. On top of everything else, the cop was an a$$ for hastling you to begin with.


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## wolfie (Aug 14, 2001)

Now there's an idea, next time take a couple gallons of milk with you. seriously though, I often wondered about width laws. i see a lot of wide plows on the road. Just last week I saw a guy with a blizzard plow going down the road with the blade straight and the wings out. That thing took up the whole road. that's why I always angle mine.



> _Originally posted by JunkFood331 _
> *Man that sucks. :realmad: The cop must of not had anything better to do. I do know in Wisconsin the law says that you can't be wider than 8' 6", or you have to buy an over sized vehicle permit ( $66.00 per vehicle for 6 months) but each state might be different. I found this information about my state on a search engine. You might want to do the same. Or go down to your local government office and ask. For reference this is what Wisconsin law says.
> 
> Wisconsin State Statute 348.05(1) states, "No person without a permit therefor shall operate on a highway any vehicle having a total width in excess of 8 feet 6 inches, except as otherwise provided in this section." This law would include snowplows in excess of 8' 6" and snowplows with extensions that make their width in excess of 8' 6". A vehicle with a hinged "V" plow in excess of 8' 6" may be operated on the highway provided it is operated in its "V" configuration and it is no wider than 8' 6" when in this configuration. The exceptions to this law are government agencies and any snowplow in excess of 10' 6" attached to a motor vehicle used for the transportation of milk.
> ...


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## bgingras (Jan 16, 2004)

ok, 8'6" this is why i angle my 9' blade...but now the question comes up about my municipal guys runnign chevy 3500's with 10' blades not angled running 45mph down the road when not plowing. Almos got hit by one during the last storm on my way back.


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## Plow Meister (Oct 16, 2001)

The key word there is "municipal". Have you EVER seen a municipal or state truck pulled over for a moving violation???


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## gt_racer50 (Dec 4, 2003)

There you go, next storm just throw a gallon of Milk in the bed of the truck, and the plow is attatched to a vehicle that is transporting milk. I mean seriously now!! What kind of law is that.


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## jo2fst4u (Dec 20, 2003)

Ya they are giving tickets around here for the same thing. it only state cops around here....basterds!!


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## Turfmower (Dec 20, 2003)

101 inches is maximum width with out permit that is federal law. NJ was 96 inches but federal supersedes it. All my landscape trailers are 101 inches wide now.


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## Plow Meister (Oct 16, 2001)

> _Originally posted by Turfmower _
> *101 inches is maximum width with out permit that is federal law. NJ was 96 inches but federal supersedes it. All my landscape trailers are 101 inches wide now. *


Turf,

I am not sure about this so I am just asking... If FEDERAL law is 101 but the STATE law is 96, shouldn't the STATE law supercede the fed law? It seems to me that the FED law says we will only let you have 101 but it is up to each state to set their own laws based on the fed laws. Therefore, the state law should supercede the fed law. I think that made sense


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## Michael F (Oct 18, 2000)

Congradulations, we got one 3 weeks ago on Ridge Rd. I posted about it.


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## Robhollar (Dec 27, 2003)

Would it help if you angled you blade???


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## apkole (Mar 1, 2003)

Some of the guys around Grand Rapids are using fixed width rear blades that are overwidth by a couple of inches. State and local are stopping them and writing them. 1" or 2" over doesn't matter. Over width is over width.

Andy


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## Plow Meister (Oct 16, 2001)

Rear blades over 102" should be illegal anyway IMO. I just see it as too dangerous. Too much hanging off the sides. Too far behind the rear wheels when making a sharp turn you can really do some damage. I wish I had one but they don't belong on the streets over 101"


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## Mdirrigation (Dec 12, 2003)

The cops around here in Maryland dont bother plow trucks at all.
I run a John Deere 310 backhoe down the roads all the time during snowstorms and dont even get a second glance.


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## djg0770 (Dec 16, 2003)

And I'm running an exhaust leak that sounds like straight pipes on my V8 and I pulled over next to a cop that was blocking the road my account was on and all he told me to do was turn on my headlights!

You got tangled up with a real hole there.


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## kipcom (Feb 3, 2001)

:realmad: Plow'em in !!!!!! right in the O'l drivers door,,,,then take out that week old bag of DONUTS and start droping them on the ground making a trail to the nearest go go bar....then call into HQ and report them LOL....  Sorry, just kiddin.


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