Ever wondered why on a long drive you tend to see weighing stations? I was driving back down to LA on the 5 and seeing the hoards of trucks funnel into these places, it got me thinking... why?

Apparently, they are a regulatory means for the state and government to (according to Wikipedia), "check freight carrier compliance with fuel tax laws and weight restrictions." With a federal maximum weight of 80,000 pounds and various guidelines being set up by different levels of government, it must get pretty confusing trying to straighten out the law, after all.

To some degree, it makes sense that they would want to regulate this type of activity, but at the same time, what does this do to the trucker? Also, what does this mean for items that increase in weight?

Hmmm, something to ponder on