Brake Check areas: pull off mandatory?

I don't log any time. My brakes are in good working order. If I was concerned about them or they were in need of attention, I would not have been able to drive to that location. If it says mandatory stop, that's what I do ... come to a stop, look at the sign, then proceed as directed.

 

I think more than anything, they just want to get trucks headed down to begin from a stopped state [before hitting the grade] rather than try and slow down considerably on the grade, diminishing the brakes before the worst even begins.

 

Exactly. Sometimes, there will be truck-specific info at those brake check areas, such as a map showing runaway truck ramp locations, weight-specific recommended speeds, etc. If it's your first time over that particular hill, it might be a good idea to read...and if you've been over it a few times, it never hurts to refresh your memory. At the very least, when you get rolling again you'll be doing so from a stop, in low gears like you ought to be using on the descent...not going into the downgrade with your cruise set @ 70 mph.

And if you don't think they are mandatory, don't stop. If a cop sees you bypass and it IS mandatory that you should've stopped, he'll let you know.

 

I just pulled in and come to a complete stop, read pertinent information, and proceed

 

Gran'ts Pass? Do you mean Siskiyou pass?

Nothing on here indicates that this is mandatory. It's just a convenient place to do so before heading down the hill.

 

Guess I'm.a steering wheel holder. If sign doesnt mandate a stop o generally don't.

 

If anyone is interested, I did put on the POI-Factory the Brake Check area's for the US and Canada. You can download for Garmin or Rand.

Brake Check Area for CMV's (USA) | POI Factory

Brake Check Area for CMV (Canada) | POI Factory

 

I blew by a mandatory brake check spot once while empty. I still feel guilty about it.

They say laws are made to be broken. And I've broken a few in my time. But I will never exceed the posted speed going down a mountain. And never will I bypass a mandatory brake check spot.

I've been driving through Cumberland, Md alot lately. Going west I'm empty, going east I'm right at 80k, and kind of top heavy. I always see eastbound trucks blowing down into town with brakes smoking. They usually pass me near the top of the hill at the scale house, cussing me out on the radio for going the speed limit, and I usually pass them right before the 40mph zone in Cumberland, brakes smoking. Then I pull into the Loves, and you'd never know I just decended 13 miles of hill. Brakes are cool to the touch. Meanwhile the road scholar with the hot brakes I just passed pulls in goes right to the shop for new wheel seals and brakes.