A new low for the FDOT MCC.

News-Flash-Chanel-3-News-6PM 9-24-07

A Florida DOT officer issued a local farmer in Jay / Santa Rosa county a 1,000.00 citation for overwidth. Yes, a local peanut farmer shows the ticket on channel 3 news at 6:00PM. He was traveling from one peanut field to another and was stopped while pulling his peanut harvester.

Great Job FDOT! Keep up the good work!

You guys should be very proud of yourselves.... You have officially reached a new low!

Maybe you guys should familiarize yourselves with F.S. 604.001. Common sense is the rule here.... and you don't have any!

I saw the story on the news, all I can say is I am glad I was not on that road coming the other way with that thing in my lane!

DOT Cites Farmers over Size of Tractors

Some farmers in Santa Rosa County are outraged after they were pulled over and slapped with a thousand dollar fine by the Florida Department of Transportation.

Channel Three's Erin Ovalle is live in Jay with our top story.... Erin?

We're here along Highway 4 in Jay where a handful of farmers were fined because the DOT says their tractors are too big to be on the road.

The tractors behind me are about nineteen feet wide and the DOT says that they can't be any wider than 12.

Farmers tells me it's put their their crops and livelihoods at risk.

Steven Godwin is a third generation farmer in Jay and has been using equipment like this his whole life.
He says the cotton and peanut combines have always been more than twelve feet wide and law enforcement has never stopped him before.
"Nobody has ever said a word to us about nothing."
He was recently fined a thousand dollars and told by the DOT he was not allowed to drive his tractors on the road. He says that's the only way to get to his crops and he's about to lose everything he has.
"Right now I have a gross amount of over a half million dollars worth of crops in the field that I need to get to, because I have bills to pay and I can't get to the field to harvest them.. This will financially ruin me, if they shut us down."

He says dozens of farmers are in the same boat and if the law doesn't change the county could lose millions of dollars.

"We are talking about a seventy-two million dollar industry, that Santa Rosa County can't do without."

Farmers say their business already takes a hit from mother nature with hurricanes and drought and this law is making it almost impossible to work.

" It's postponed a lot of stuff because we're scared to move up and down the road.">>

Farmers have voiced their concern to county commissioners who are currently drafting a letter to the governors office in hopes of changing the law.

Our calls to the DOT regarding this law and it's enforcement, have not been returned.

Reporting live in Jay Erin Ovalle Channel Three News.

Word has it that the Legislature will address this issue in special session by restricting the FDOT's authority to enforce laws that relate only Commercial Motor Vehicles. The way it should be!

:shock: Take a look at FL Statute 316.515(5). The line has to be drawn somewhere. If there were no limit to the size of such an implement of husbandry (for those of you in Santa Rosa Co, husbandry is defined as the science or art of farming (Webster)), these vehicles would be all over the place. Where does it stop? Get a permit and then if you exceed the permitted width pay the piper or get a smaller piece of equipment. That would make your $1M dollars worth of goobers go a lot futher if you decreased your overhead expenses.

This is about power and abuse thereof. There is no reason for a FDOT officer to be targeting farmers for God Sake! There are semi-trucks / dump-trucks and all types of Commercial Motor Vehicles that should be targeted for inspection.

I don't want to hear your story about it could cause vehicle accidents. FDOT does not respond to accidents period! They refuse to answer any calls for service or to assist any other agency in this area of the state. Why are they targeting farmers? It's simple... they have nothing else to do. There are usually more FDOT officers working SantaRosa County (7-8) than there are deputies or troopers.

Honorable Governor Charlie Crist...... If you or any of your staff read this forum please look into this abuse of power. Please stop this abuse and realize this is an area of the State Budget that you should consider trimming.

There is absolutely no need to have 7-8 or more FDOT officers working one county in this state. Check into it.

Shame on you FDOT! Shame on you!

I agree with a previous post that a violation of Florida law is a violation plain and simple. The problem is this, in Dade County this has already been addressed. The overwidth violation is a non-moving traffic violation $74.50.

It is not..... I repeat.... It is not a violation of CFR because the definition of Commercial Motor Vehicle as defined in Florida Statute 316.003(66) does not fit a Farm Tractor pulling a peanut picker. Therefore, the enhanced penalty of $1000.00 for a safety violation under CFR is not applicable. Someone should look into this as soon as possible to avoid embarrassment.

WHY DON'T YOU GUYS START STOPPING "COMMERCIAL VEHICLES" AND LEAVE THE FARMERS ALONE THAT ARE TRYING TO MAKE AN HONEST LIVING.

DID YOU HOLD A GUN TO THEIR HEAD WHEN YOU DEMANDED THEY PAY A ONE-THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE?

YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE OF WHICH YOU WERE SWORN TO SERVE!

hey you know what everybody i have ever wrote a citation to said the same excuse "im just making a living" well guess what thats what the problem is here in florida is that to many officers that are generally in the good ole boy network beleve in not enforceing the law on some people just because there making a living but i guess it would have been ok if that farmer would have caused and accident and killed an entire family because of his oversized tractor because he's just making a living i think thats a bunch of crap good work officer for acctully doing your job.

WHY DON'T YOU GUYS START STOPPING "COMMERCIAL VEHICLES" AND LEAVE THE FARMERS ALONE THAT ARE TRYING TO MAKE AN HONEST LIVING.

DID YOU HOLD A GUN TO THEIR HEAD WHEN YOU DEMANDED THEY PAY A ONE-THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE?

YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE OF WHICH YOU WERE SWORN TO SERVE!

I am not a DOT officer, I have been a Deputy Sheriff in Polk County and recently retired from a Police Dept in Hillsborough County. I agree with them regarding issuing citations for oversized farm vehicles
.
While with the Sheriffs Dept, my former FTO will killed by running into the rear of one of these vehs at night. It had no taillights and was on a dark stretch of road.

I agree the fine should be less, but the DOT officers don't make the fine.

Call the freaking permit office and get a permit! They are good for one year or shut your mouth and get your $1000.00 ticket. Everyone else that drives over width vehicle has to do this, farmers are NOT special like they may think.

I AGREE YANKEE...... FORGET ABOUT STOPPING DUMP TRUCKS AND LOG TRUCKS. JUST WRIGHT ONE-THOUSAND DOLLAR TICKETS TO FARMERS.

AND FOR THE RECORD, DOT DOES NOT WORK WRECKS NOR DO THEY TAKE ANY CALLS FOR SERVICE.

News-Flash-Chanel-3-News-6PM 9-24-07

A Florida DOT officer issued a local farmer in Jay / Santa Rosa county a 1,000.00 citation for overwidth. Yes, a local peanut farmer shows the ticket on channel 3 news at 6:00PM. He was traveling from one peanut field to another and was stopped while pulling his peanut harvester.

Great Job FDOT! Keep up the good work!

You guys should be very proud of yourselves.... You have officially reached a new low!

Maybe you guys should familiarize yourselves with F.S. 604.001. Common sense is the rule here.... and you don't have any!

Read FS 316.515(5)(a)(b) An overwidth permit may be granted for up to 170", approx 14' wide. The load they are talking about is 19' wide, 204" wide.
FYI, the typical lane of a road is 12' wide and a two way road is 25' wide. This leaves at best, 6' to pass in either direction. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Safe a life...... Arrest a Farmer !

Good Job Boys !

[mxwx51]

Word has it that the Legislature will address this issue in special session by restricting the FDOT's authority to enforce laws that relate only Commercial Motor Vehicles. The way it should be!

Do you seriously not think a farm vehicle is commercial? Oh, you're right, I'm sure that farmer does all of that for free and has a completely different means of making money. Get with it, Farmers are commercial and need to be enforced the same as anyone. They already get countless exceptions to the rules. Anyone else is allowed only 8'6" in width, and can still be permitted beyond 12'. The way I see it, the farmer didn't his job in purchasing a permit that has a cost much less than $1,000. Besides the fact that a grand is pretty cheap as what the penalty should have been ($1,750, and $2,750 for any other person on the road). That $1,000 capped penalty doesn't look near as bad then. Oh yeah, I hope you don't plan on a law suit when the slam into a 19' wide piece of equipment.

Word has it that the Legislature will address this issue in special session by restricting the FDOT's authority to enforce laws that relate only Commercial Motor Vehicles. The way it should be!

Do you seriously not think a farm vehicle is commercial? Oh, you're right, I'm sure that farmer does all of that for free and has a completely different means of making money. Get with it, Farmers are commercial and need to be enforced the same as anyone. They already get countless exceptions to the rules. Anyone else is allowed only 8'6" in width, and can still be permitted beyond 12'. The way I see it, the farmer didn't his job in purchasing a permit that has a cost much less than $1,000. Besides the fact that a grand is pretty cheap as what the penalty should have been ($1,750, and $2,750 for any other person on the road). That $1,000 capped penalty doesn't look near as bad then. Oh yeah, I hope you don't plan on a law suit when the slam into a 19' wide piece of equipment.


The new low is merging with FHP

[DOTCOP345]

The merge has not become law yet. the House passed HB5067, Senate bill 920 doesn't even mention the merge.

If we don't merge, I won't have to get that $5000 pay raise that FHP is about to get. Didn't need it anyway :shock:

It is not up to the officer which law he wants to enforce, he is sworn to enforce them all, DOT officers are the only ones that can assess the correct penalty amount for over width/length/hieght/weight and has the equipment to do it. When your kids school bus runs off the road into the ditch because this huge tractor is taking up the entire road then lets hear the outcry "where was DOT", it has already happened and the citizens will continue to call in complaints because there are only 250 sworn DOT officers in the ENTIRE state, only about 140 actual patrol officers, the rest are sergeants and up that don't patrol every day, all day, if ever.

If 'regular' police are called to a complaint of a domestic/DUI/robery/burglary/running people off the road, do you think it would matter if it was a farmer "just trying to make a living"?

There is a permit process that enables oversized loads to be transported/driven on the roads, but it has provisions so it is done safely, I suppose this bunh that's complaining don't concern theirself with safety.

Since your personnel can't exercise common sense with the enforcment of minor traffic laws, the 2008 legislature changed the traffic law relating to farm tractors.

This way farmers can continue to do their jobs without you stalking them.

Maybe you guys should stop a few truck drivers....... you know... semi trucks.

You whine about a pay raise...... you don't deserve one. A few of your personnel have no common sense.

Since your personnel can't exercise common sense with the enforcment of minor traffic laws, the 2008 legislature changed the traffic law relating to farm tractors.

This way farmers can continue to do their jobs without you stalking them.

Maybe you guys should stop a few truck drivers....... you know... semi trucks.

You whine about a pay raise...... you don't deserve one. A few of your personnel have no common sense.


When you get killed by an oversized farm equipment that takes up an oncoming lane, I'll make sure I read this at your funeral. Everyone always *****es, but when something happens to them they want to know why no one is doing anything. Buy the way our agency makes the state millions. IDIOT

Since your personnel can't exercise common sense with the enforcment of minor traffic laws, the 2008 legislature changed the traffic law relating to farm tractors.

This way farmers can continue to do their jobs without you stalking them.

Maybe you guys should stop a few truck drivers....... you know... semi trucks.

You whine about a pay raise...... you don't deserve one. A few of your personnel have no common sense.

We whine about raises so we can get out of poverty assh**e

Word has it that the Legislature will address this issue in special session by restricting the FDOT's authority to enforce laws that relate only Commercial Motor Vehicles. The way it should be!


OK then, so......FDOT Officers won't have to stand between you and a felon wishing harm on you?

Oh, Yeah, that man or woman that was just "trying to make a living" ran into your over width farm tractor and were killed. Now instead of a two income home, its a one income home and the surviving family members are victims and you *****?

So go on and "make your living" try not to kill anyone in the process because you can't seem to follow the rules, get a permit and get a escort!

YOUR AN IDIOT

Word has it that the Legislature will address this issue in special session by restricting the FDOT's authority to enforce laws that relate only Commercial Motor Vehicles. The way it should be!


OK then, so......FDOT Officers won't have to stand between you and a felon wishing harm on you?

Oh, Yeah, that man or woman that was just "trying to make a living" ran into your over width farm tractor and were killed. Now instead of a two income home, its a one income home and the surviving family members are victims and you *****?

So go on and "make your living" try not to kill anyone in the process because you can't seem to follow the rules, get a permit and get a escort!

YOUR AN IDIOT



It will never happen, we make the state to much money. Especially the way FHP is leaving in droves, cars will be able to have free rein on the interstates. Also, I believe if they restrict DOT you will see many leave as well.

What this story doesn't say is that the driver of the "farm" vehicle only possessed a classe "E" operators license. When informed of the accident the representatives of Pensacola News Journal stated this was isolated and not news worthy.

Man identified in fatal crash; woman, children survive
Comments 0 | Recommend 0
July 12, 2008 - 3:31PM
Andrew Gant
Daily News
The man killed in a crash Friday night north of DeFuniak Springs has been identified as 38-year-old Eric S. Buharp, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

A woman and three children in the sport utility vehicle survived the crash with a Mack truck, according to the FHP's crash report.

Charges are pending.

Buharp was headed east on State Road 2 at about 6:05 p.m. when the oncoming semitrailer came around a curve, crossed the center line and drove into Buharp's path, the report states.

Buharp went into the south shoulder to avoid a collision as the Mack driver, 61-year-old former Walton County Commissioner Herman L. Walker of DeFuniak Springs, steered right.

But Walker lost control and the semi overturned on its left side. It then slid into the front driver's side of Buharp's SUV, FHP troopers say.

Walker was initially listed as 51 in the FHP crash report, but troopers later confirmed his correct age and middle name.

Buharp was taken to Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan, Ala., but didn't survive.

His passengers were 36-year-old Shannon Buharp, 10-year-old Jessie Buharp, 6-year-old Wyatt Buharp and 9-year-old Katie Johnson, according to the FHP report.

They all are from DeFuniak Springs.

Shannon Buharp had no injuries listed on the report. Jessie and Wyatt Buharp were hurt and taken to North Okaloosa Medical Center for treatment. The nursing supervisor there said both were in good, stable condition.

Johnson was taken to Southeast Medical Center in Dothan with serious injuries and then moved to Birmingham Children's Hospital, a nurse said. Her condition was unavailable Saturday.

Walker suffered minor injuries and was treated at HealthMark Regional Hospital, according to the report. An alcohol test for him is listed as pending.

Alcohol was ruled out as a factor for Buharp, according to the report.

Everyone was wearing a seatbelt.

Daily News Staff Writer Andrew Gant can be reached at 863-1111, Ext. 1432.

I guess nothing will happen, cause he was a farmer trying to make a living.....

I guess nothing will happen, cause he was a farmer trying to make a living.....

You my friend are an idiot. Keep complaining about being dispatched to garbage trucks loosing their loads.

That's your damn job! You don't answer calls so suck it up and quit your D A M whining.

[dieselcop]

I guess nothing will happen, cause he was a farmer trying to make a living.....

You my friend are an idiot. Keep complaining about being dispatched to garbage trucks loosing their loads.

That's your darn job! You don't answer calls so suck it up and quit your D A M whining.

It's not the garbage trucks loosing their loads. It's private citizens that don't tarp their load. It should be the agency that has jurisdiction to handle that and not DOT. Since this crap has been going on in PCB, not much has been going on. Just counting the trucks that go by. What a waste of manpower.

I guess nothing will happen, cause he was a farmer trying to make a living.....

You my friend are an idiot. Keep complaining about being dispatched to garbage trucks loosing their loads.

That's your darn job! You don't answer calls so suck it up and quit your D A M whining.


Never been dispatched about garbage trucks just stupid Tprs asking dumb questions. I most likey put more dopers in jail than you. Anywhere anytime.

NO!!!! I don't want to go to work!!!!! I might actually have to do something.......http://www.clipartof.com/images/emoticons/xsmall2/2180_hiding_behind_a_couch.gif (http://www.clipartof.com)

If you actually read the above posts you see we do work. It's when we do something everyone *****es, like you. Now go work your silly wrecks.

If you actually read the above posts you see we do work. It's when we do something everyone *****es, like you. Now go work your silly wrecks.

aahhh...i'm sowwy....now do you feel better my little wosey tosey....http://www.clipartof.com/images/emoticons/xsmall2/2398_cheek_kisses.gif (http://www.clipartof.com)

Dude, your gay!!!!!

It's a kinder gentler DOT. I didn't want to hurt your feelings.