Valemount newspaper article of the checkstops

[2manykids]

I can give my opinion here, i took down a 2 place trailer behind me was a 4 place enclosed i got waved through he got stoped. Why did they not stop me i had a burn marker light .

The officer said his words , he has been on road duty about 1 year. When asked about legal overhang he went with the only # he knew 4 feet, but could not answer what the max was with a light at night and flag at day. They will not stop me from going to vale now i know what to make sure works, tough love teaches big lessons.

If guys were to say what they got fined with and why they did we can all learn from it. We know they will check probley more so now so they can hide the targeting under a rug. Simpley checking more trailer each weekend will give them that tool. I wouldnt say they will have them at the scale but in town they will find a reason to pull you over for something simple, mud flaps, fog lights or even a burn out light gives them just cause to check you out.

Wake up call , make sure your gear works before you head out. Simple solution would be a pre trip check list. I beleive this is what curtis was speaking about that the fuction. What are the top 20 infractions and how are they fixed. Nothing would sound better than a few months of no ticketed sledders

 

[tex78]

this is y i have stayed away from valemount this year.....

 

[Roy Maxwell]

It is admirable that the Town of Valemount is trying to do something about this issue but in the end all they can do is put in their best effort and we have to admire them for that. The fact of the matter is that in Canada police are allowed to "target" certain groups. How many impaireds are handed out by a cop sitting outside a bar, how many times have you seen Check Stops on a week night on the Yellowhead after an Oilers Game. Was recently pulled over as soon as the wife and I pulled onto a public roadway from a restaurant that served liquor. Are they targeting those who go to the bar for a drink after work, are they targeting Oilers Fans, are they targeting those who like to dine out at a licensed restaurant. You bet your ass they are and in Canada as I understand it, they are allowed too. Like you the police will always go where their efforts will bear the most fruit. You don't draw a Grizzly tag and go to a slough near Daysland to hunt for one. It is my understanding that in the United States the constitution of that country protects against this type of "targeting" and an officer must have a reason to stop you in that country and must give you the reason when he stops you. Such is not the case in Canada as you see with our random "Check Stops" so that leaves you with three choices, suck it up, run for federal political office or move to the United States. Not going to Valemount for this reason when it is the closest mountain sledding area for you or you like to sled there is not a wise decision on your part because if the RCMP are targeting sledders they will stop you somewhere else where sledders congregate. They win and you and the Town of Valemount lose. They may as some people have suggested here be "pricks" but they are not stupid.

 

[TylerG]

It is admirable that the Town of Valemount is trying to do something about this issue but in the end all they can do is put in their best effort and we have to admire them for that. The fact of the matter is that in Canada police are allowed to "target" certain groups. How many impaireds are handed out by a cop sitting outside a bar, how many times have you seen Check Stops on a week night on the Yellowhead after an Oilers Game. Was recently pulled over as soon as the wife and I pulled onto a public roadway from a restaurant that served liquor. Are they targeting those who go to the bar for a drink after work, are they targeting Oilers Fans, are they targeting those who like to dine out at a licensed restaurant. You bet your ass they are and in Canada as I understand it, they are allowed too. Like you the police will always go where their efforts will bear the most fruit. You don't draw a Grizzly tag and go to a slough near Daysland to hunt for one. It is my understanding that in the United States the constitution of that country protects against this type of "targeting" and an officer must have a reason to stop you in that country and must give you the reason when he stops you. Such is not the case in Canada as you see with our random "Check Stops" so that leaves you with three choices, suck it up, run for federal political office or move to the United States. Not going to Valemount for this reason when it is the closest mountain sledding area for you or you like to sled there is not a wise decision on your part because if the RCMP are targeting sledders they will stop you somewhere else where sledders congregate. They win and you and the Town of Valemount lose. They may as some people have suggested here be "pricks" but they are not stupid.

Well said Roy, I think too its just a matter of time before we see DOT checks on Recreational vehicles here in Alberta as well. Listening to the officer speak Friday night made me think, I've owned my holiday trailer for 4 years now, not once have I ever pulled that breakaway pin to see if the trailer brakes were working, but at the same time, its a single axle under 2500lb trailer so I don't actually need them. But from what the officer said "if its equiped, they must work".... news to me.

 

[whisper creek log home]

It is admirable that the Town of Valemount is trying to do something about this issue but in the end all they can do is put in their best effort and we have to admire them for that. The fact of the matter is that in Canada police are allowed to "target" certain groups. How many impaireds are handed out by a cop sitting outside a bar, how many times have you seen Check Stops on a week night on the Yellowhead after an Oilers Game. Was recently pulled over as soon as the wife and I pulled onto a public roadway from a restaurant that served liquor. Are they targeting those who go to the bar for a drink after work, are they targeting Oilers Fans, are they targeting those who like to dine out at a licensed restaurant. You bet your ass they are and in Canada as I understand it, they are allowed too. Like you the police will always go where their efforts will bear the most fruit. You don't draw a Grizzly tag and go to a slough near Daysland to hunt for one. It is my understanding that in the United States the constitution of that country protects against this type of "targeting" and an officer must have a reason to stop you in that country and must give you the reason when he stops you. Such is not the case in Canada as you see with our random "Check Stops" so that leaves you with three choices, suck it up, run for federal political office or move to the United States. Not going to Valemount for this reason when it is the closest mountain sledding area for you or you like to sled there is not a wise decision on your part because if the RCMP are targeting sledders they will stop you somewhere else where sledders congregate. They win and you and the Town of Valemount lose. They may as some people have suggested here be "pricks" but they are not stupid.

roy had to say that because they have his name recorded now ps snowing like a mad man for 2 days

 

[Roy Maxwell]

roy had to say that because they have his name recorded now ps snowing like a mad man for 2 days

Yes an officer does have my name in his little book but that is not why I made that post, honest, I am not sucking up to them. You believe me don't you?
LOL

 

[Bogger]

Yes an officer does have my name in his little book but that is not why I made that post, honest, I am not sucking up to them. You believe me don't you?
LOL

They don't read these forums anyway........ right????

 

[whisper creek log home]

Yes an officer does have my name in his little book but that is not why I made that post, honest, I am not sucking up to them. You believe me don't you?
LOL

hard to see if you have a large portrusion in the back of your head from here???? But yes very well said we love the maxwells thats right everbody I KNOW THE MAXWELLS

 

[maxwell]

They don't read these forums anyway........ right????

you know somethin we dont?

 

[dirtbag]

come on guys have a little understanding this is a gold mine for the rcmp,all about the revenue...isint it easier to fine the albertan than your neighbor hauling hay..all the sleders are probably why they have more than the 2 cops needed in valemont, need to pay for them all somehow..tough economy for everyone....

 

[2manykids]

come on guys have a little understanding this is a gold mine for the rcmp,all about the revenue...isint it easier to fine the albertan than your neighbor hauling hay..all the sleders are probably why they have more than the 2 cops needed in valemont, need to pay for them all somehow..tough economy for everyone....

Ok they fine an albertan, albertain never returns to BC ... what a are they going to do? Send the bill to collections? Hope you come back and get caught again?

 

[m7 carver]

Oh but they wanted to do it the weekend before but the support staff wasnt available till that weekend. Cough Cough Bulls$%t Cough Cough.

they obviously had all of these checksstops planned for mm4
we went through three in one day

 

[canuckchampfan]

Albertan's don't have to pay tickets issued in BC, they will send you reminders in the mail for a couple of years and then give up. I think they fall off the record after a few years.

 

[08summit]

I Think the cops could have handed out a few more warnings and a lot less tickets and still got their point across. I have no problems with them Impounding trailers or giving out tickets when it is warranted...If you are in an unsafe truck or are hauling an old unsafe trailer then that is one thing but most of the trucks and trailers you see @ the staging areas are pretty new with price tags of $80,000 +. Burnt out lights and brake aways not working should have just been warnings as these things can quit working on anybody at any time.

I check our unit everytime before leaving to ensure everything works but have on occasion made it to the hills only to have someone tell me I have a light burnt out that was working when I left home...Same with brake away first trip this yr it worked fine when we hooked up and left home but next trip it failed when we checked it again. Had it repaired and headed out but have no Idea when it quit working. If I would have hit a checkstop should I have been charged??

Just my 2 cents but I think the checkstops could have been handled more professionally and maybe been used a little more for education then just a cash grab.

 

[Summitric]

if i would have hit a checkstop should i have been charged??

Just my 2 cents but i think the checkstops could have been handled more professionally and maybe been used a little more for education then just a cash grab.

one of the dealers had a brand new trailer(zero miles on it) and was issued a $130.00 ticket because the breakaway battery was dead.... Do you think warranty will pay for a ticket? It should have been a warning -- simple and straight!!!

 

[Riverjet]

Laws are very similar. The one chicken chit item they were targeting was breakaway systems on trailers.

Whats chicken ch!t about the break away cable either it works or it doesn't you need it in Alberta too. Not that hard to fix or check before you leave or during the week when you are getting your machine ready. Seems that they were picking on some but where do you draw the line?? who is safe and who is not? We all drive the highways, would be nice if everyone is legal but we know that will never happen, so they were out and stopped some traffic. We bitch when they are sitting in the coffee shops eating tarts or having a coffee and now we bitch that they are actually doing their JOB. Kind of a no win situation for them don't ya think? I don't like being checked just as much as the next guy but if your ch!t isn't up to par then park it!!! Would you ride up the mountain with a sled that had no brakes or the oil level low or leave the lot with 1/4 tank of fuel??? Same goes with your rigs!

Easy there big fella, some peeps will think you're tryin to piss them off!


Great post by the way

 

[Riverjet]

Sure it should b working, but towing trailers because of it?when the brakes are working fine?that's just ruining a guys day of sledding.

Sent from my Milestone using Tapatalk

And that is way more important than the trailer breakaway working properly in case the trailer becomes detached from the towing rig and runs over someones family.

Yup, I can understand your complaint completely.

 

[Riverjet]

this is y i have stayed away from valemount this year.....

You'd rather stay away from Valemount than ensure you have safe equipment that protects others everywhere you operate it?

 

[frozey77]

You'd rather stay away from Valemount than ensure you have safe equipment that protects others everywhere you operate it?

Give your head a shake. That is not was tex78 meant. Everybody wants their equipment safe. Some people would just rather not deal with the drama of getting pulled into 3 checkstops in one day(I'm going on heresay, I wasn't there for MM4). I'm sure it isn't like that all the time, but it can still leave a bad taste in a lot of sledders mouths. What makes it worse is that it can get blown up on Snow and Mud in a matter of hours which turns a lot more off. We know they are cracking down on everything. Just do everything you can to make sure that your stuff is good to go.

 

[Can-Do]

not for or against the trailer breakaway cords. but if you seriously think those brakes applying should the trailer separate from your tow vehicle is not going to just keep on trucking....your crazy. that thing is going to go in any direction it wants to and most likely flip onto its side. locked brakes dont do much when the tires are not on the ground anymore..LOL :d


never had an issue with the cops checking for that sort of stuff though. very simple devices easy to maintain and repair.

though i have had trailer brakes fail due to an electrical short with the brakes themselves, they will fail in the locked brake on position. when your pulling a 30 foot 5th wheel and those suckers apply at hiway speeds...well lemme tell ya theres no one tonne truck out there thats not going to get pulled wherever the trailer wants to go. in that situation ild rather not have a brake on the trailer at all..