Most people are getting gifts on Xmas Day; others - like me - are not as lucky. I was pulling a rental trailer on X-MAS day and a Michigan cop gave me a ticket for "operating a 53 ft trailer with improper wheelbase; legal: 37-41 feet; actual: 35'4" My load was only 6,000 lbs so I moved the wheels all the way to the front. Usually there's a bar in the chassis that limits how far the boggies can go ... Because this was a rental it had nothing. I wasn't aware that I was in violation and I drove with this 35'4" wheelbase from Laredo, TX to Pharr, TX and then to Lapeer, MI; where almost after 1800 miles of carefree travel they finally caught me
Question: the cop took my driver's license "as a bond" because I didn't have $100 on me. He said it's the law because I'm from "out of state". When I asked him how I am supposed to drive without a license, he gave me the infraction/inspection report and said to show it to the next cop - if I get stopped. I'm supposed to call the court's phone number within the next 14 days and buy out my license - either in person or by mail. Can they do that? What kind of a law is this when they take a driver's license from a commercial driver "as a bond"?
I was cruising at 59 MPH and my logbook was perfect, so he couldn't find anything else besides the "improper wheelbase". I wished the cop "Merry Xmas" as he was leaving the truck. He gave no reply and shut the truck's door. What a guy.