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Don F
June 25th, 2006, 09:55 AM
Well our government in their quest to destroy fireworks is now using the DOT.
A governmentmandate has the dot for the week before the 4th pulling over and inspecting and explosive placarded vehical.
This unilateral action against the fireworks industry may well put some display companies out of business . At the very least it may mean a number of towns go without displays on the nations birthday.
The Department Of Terrorism is writing violations for the slightest infraction whether real or imagined.Things such as paltets must bes crewed to the floor.
Even a pencil loose in he cargo area can be considered an unsecured load and be a violation. The ingorance of these "inspections" is that while they are careful to check log books and the vehical they care nothing what so ever if the material being carried is 1.4 or 1.1 . There is never a question concerning whether or not the the person has the product legally or is qualified to deal with the product. As long as Joe Blow has a hazmat CDL , the load is secured properly, log books show correct driving times ( doctored or not) , and the vehical is inspected its all fine . Who cares if the driver is carrying 6000 pounds of high explosives headed for the nearest school as long as the detonators arent stored with the explosives , unless or course its been manufactured that way.
This is yet another government attack on our hobby and for some our lively hood. A person would be hard pressed to find a single fatal accident involing the transortation of fireworks by any pyro company. Yet we have been targeted .
If you doubt the governments intentions just look at the record over the last five years . The CPSC,the BATFE the NFPA, and the DOT are all targeting the fireworks industry in a multi prong assult.
You can bury your head in the sand and say its for public safety or to prevent terrorism. or you vcan start writing your congressman and let them know your sick and tired of BS attacks on your hobby in the name of false national security. :evil: :mad:

akmojo73
June 25th, 2006, 02:27 PM
Don F, First let me say I agree with you 100% on your politcal veiws. Your right and they are so wrong, I'll leave it there;) The DOT does that kind of stuff all the time, and Trust me they will find something wrong to profit! When it's fresh produce time they send out the department of AG to inespect weigh stations etc. I guess since the 4th is near it's a sure win money maker. Most all the vehicles I see hauling fireworks are in very good shape, If they are just picking it's all about the police state they have created! I live near many rock quarry's and so forth the dot seems to let them slide, Why's that? :brick: Trust me I haul scrap, I was over loaded once and running local, no way to weigh, but they are alway's watching, they got me $4500 over weight ticket and sen't me on my way, That all stopped after a while the BIG COMPANY got invoved;) Just like tennesse now, around major cities, They have a split speed limit 65 cars 55 trucks if you get a ticket in tenn, you get one for speeding Then the EPA will send you a seperate ticket a few weeks later, for polluting the air, CRAZY!!! I'll never buy fuel in tennesse it must be really dirty! But just wanted to let you know They do that sort of thing and it's just getting worse!!! I'm thinking about getting out of trucking and geeting a real job, Pyro:)

akmojo73
June 25th, 2006, 02:30 PM
Sorry, about the grammer I wish they had spell check.

carp
June 26th, 2006, 06:45 AM
In Ohio, all the weigh stations have signs saying Hazmat vehicles must stop and all toll booths have signs directing hazmat to a different lane, to stop.

Not sure about any other state. But, to me, at least for Ohio, the fireworks industry is already dealing with it on the interstates. Meaning it might not have a huge affect, but create some growing pains in other areas of the country.

Marty
June 26th, 2006, 09:44 AM
In Ohio, all the weigh stations have signs saying Hazmat vehicles must stop and all toll booths have signs directing hazmat to a different lane, to stop.

Not sure about any other state. But, to me, at least for Ohio, the fireworks industry is already dealing with it on the interstates. Meaning it might not have a huge affect, but create some growing pains in other areas of the country.

In small defense of Ohio, I was transporting 1.3 and had to use the tollway (I-80). I pulled into the hazmat lane, the attendant/DOT person gave me a tag after asking where I was heading then sent me thru the toll gate. At the exit tollgate I presented the tag to the attendant who picked up the phone and told the person on the other end to log me out. I paid the toll and was sent onward.
Quite painless if you ask me.
The weigh station stops were similar except for a log book and paperwork check at point of state entry.

Trueblue1776
June 26th, 2006, 10:45 AM
I have been hearing rumors of several 'checks' by the DOT on 1.3g loads. The episode actualy was with two large vendors that claimed the BATFE called the DOT after they saw violations during an inspection. Go figure if true or not??? Bottom line is, don't give them the chance for a violation get you load and paperwork in order before you leave the Nest. BE PREPARED!

akmojo73
June 26th, 2006, 04:53 PM
That's good advice trueblue1776, Alway's have your ducks in a row, To avoid heavy fines! especially now'a,day's!!, but that's not to say they won't stall you, to make sure!!, ALWAY'S keep your ducks in a row when dealing with the DOT, I do or I'm out of a job!

K C
June 26th, 2006, 06:10 PM
Well our government in their quest to destroy fireworks is now using the DOT.
A governmentmandate has the dot for the week before the 4th pulling over and inspecting and explosive placarded vehical.



Don, what's your source on this, if I might ask?

I'm not doubting you, I'm just trying to learn more. I drive a lot of HazMat and would like to get more info. Also, there may be some professional drivers' organizations that could be talked in to taking action on this. It sounds grossly unfair.

Bill Corbett
June 26th, 2006, 09:50 PM
akmojo73, if you want to be able to use spell check, do what I do. Simply copy your post and paste it to a new e mail. Hit the F7 key and you got spell check. Clean up your misspelled words and copy the corrected e mail, delete the e mail message, click back to your post, it will still be highlighted so delete it. Then paste your e mail message in the forum space! Takes only seconds.

akmojo73
June 27th, 2006, 04:58 PM
Thanks great advise. I tried it with a little help from you and my wife, Works great! she said I'm a work in progress, That could be dangerous:lol: