How concerned should I be?

[Bsikes]

About to embark on our multi state trip from Texas to Kentucky and back.

How concerned should I be with weigh stations between states if I've never weighed before?

[maromeo]

The weigh stations are for commercial trucks. We have never stopped or asked to stop on any cross country trips. We drove from AZ to NY through the southern route without any issue. Some state border crossings are only concerned if you are carrying fruit or some produce across the borders.

[Grumpy]

If you would pull into a weigh station you may get a lecture depending on the state. As maromeo said they are only for commercial, we haven't pulled into one in 40+ years of pulling a RV.

[Stingray75]

Dad still tells the story of when he pulled into a weigh station on their first long trip. He was motioned to pull to the side where he sat for over an hour before making his way by foot to the office. The weigh master as dad calls him, said that parking place is front row in the classroom of commercial scale 101. If you leave on your own before 30 minutes, you get an "A" - everything else is a chuckle at Friday nights poker game.

[rryman]

Somewhere on our out West trip last year, don't remember which state, we were approaching a weigh station that had a sign that said, "All towed vehicles must stop!"
Then, just before we got to the turn in lane, a digital sign lit up that said something like, "You're OK, keep going." Anybody else ever seen that?

[SouthCo]

In MD I've only seen digital signs that say Open or Closed. And there is only ever one about a 1/4 mile out from the station...

[clubhouse]

In California there are signs that indicate you must stop unless given the "bypass signal". Never seen what exactly that by pass signal is, but there is digital signage, guess that could show the bypass signal

[UPCamper]

Don't stop at them. I have yet to find a state of weigh station in any state that I've driven through that requires personal RVs to use them. Maybe if you were a commercial hauler transporting them for sale or rent, but not your trailer for your use. These are for commercial use only.

UPC

[Scoutr2]

The weigh stations are only for commercial trucking. They check the bill of lading and the loading and unloading records, then compare them to the actual weight when you pull in. They are simply checking to make sure the trucks have not picked up or dropped off any non-recorded, illegal cargo, like untaxed cigarettes, alcohol, and other goods that might be transported/exported/imported state-to-state without paying the proper taxes.

Also - trucks are limited to the type and weight of cargo, depending on their licensing. It just keeps everyone honest. Now and again, you will see a police car parked there, in case they need to chase a truck down that tries to bypass the station. In Illinois, and many other states, trucks have a transponder in the windshield that is read by an overhead reader, ahead of the station. If they don't need to stop, the in-cab device indicates they can drive on by.

Travel trailers and other non-commercial towed vehicles need not stop. But don't feel like an idiot. I was worried about it, too, until someone explained it to me. Until I had my first camping trailer, I never gave it a thought.