Why 55 mph?

[Half Fast Rusty]

I travel up and down California all the time. I don't see a lot of big rigs or RVs pulled over very often. I have heard of a few pulled over for going too fast and in the left lane where they aren't supposed to be. I find some big rigs and fall in line. They track at about 62 most of the time and they seem to know where the CHP are. It takes a lot of the stress of driving off as the 4 wheelers are buzzing by you at 75 in the left lane. And that is just fine with me. Arizona has a 75 mph limit and even the big rigs are passing me. That's just fine with me. Generally the tires are rated for 65 so I'm comfortable at the slightly slower speed. The safety issue with the difference in speeds between classes of vehicles isn't an issue until you get somebody who is in a hurry and impatient. They make some serious errors that can be an issue at times.

We have our RVs to enjoy the road and views. It is a bit tricky to enjoy the road when you are fighting the traffic. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

[Phil P]

Hi

All you ex semi drivers know how the trailer comes forward in the 5th wheel and makes that “clunk” sound. That’s the 1 second delay in the airbrake application in the trailer. The electric brakes on the 5th wheel RV is the same. It takes about 1/8 to 1/4 turn of the wheels to begin to apply the brakes so you get the same “clunk” but after that the trailer brakes give you whatever your controller is calling for.

I had another CDL driver continually pulling a large Montana with a ¾ single rear wheel truck. His unit exceeded the GCW rating by about 8,000 lbs. He always said he didn’t have a problem with that. Then one day he shows up pulling the same trailer with a 1 ton DRW. It seems one of these expert car drivers whipped around him and got on the brakes to make a right turn. You can guess it he tagged the vehicle in the rear end.

So it happens and when they do it close enough you may not be able to avoid a collision regardless of your experience or how carful you are.

Phil P

[Dam Worker]

Phil I agree with inertia pushing you forward solo or towing that is why we have brakes. My P-3 brake controller actually allows you to set it in many configurations including the ability to actually have the trailer brakes come on hard at the start and taper off or have the TV do the most at the start or to pretty well equalize the sequence. The new brake controllers are very adaptive to what you want to achieve. I am not saying they will keep you out of an accident in an emergency situation but they can sure help keep you out of one. I will take all the braking that I can get out of the trailer as it lets my truck take care of the truck and share the trailer.

Tom Marty

Tom Marty

[cpaulsen]

I know in Northern Ca. from Redding north especially Mt. Shasta to the Oregon border....CHP does enforce the 55 mph speed limit.

[Fire5er]

55 MPH or 35 MPH, 3/4 ton SRW or 1 ton DRW, if someone pulls in front of you and then slams on their breaks or stops in front of you and you are following too close you probably are not going to stop and you will collect them. One of the biggest safety factor is maintaining the proper following distance. And that is hard to do when each time you back off to provide for the proper following distance you get some little car filling the void. Defensive driving is the key, but in heavy traffic it can be difficult.

[Beau2010]

From personal experience, I can say that CHP does enforce the 55 limit for towing. I agree that it seems to be a safety hazard having one type of traffic limited to 55 and another at 70. At 55, you tend to stay to the right, having to keep a lookout for merging vehicles but at least Calif drivers will quickly get up to speed when merging, unlike some other states where drivers are too timid.

[Navydave]

I got caught in a speed trap on I-10. The speed limit was 70 and I was going 67. The CHP said anything being towed had to go 55mph. The ticket cost me $495.00. I was really ******. OK, angry.

[jjackflash]

quote:Originally posted by Phil P

Hi

All you ex semi drivers know how the trailer comes forward in the 5th wheel and makes that “clunk” sound. That’s the 1 second delay in the airbrake application in the trailer. The electric brakes on the 5th wheel RV is the same. It takes about 1/8 to 1/4 turn of the wheels to begin to apply the brakes so you get the same “clunk” but after that the trailer brakes give you whatever your controller is calling for.

I had another CDL driver continually pulling a large Montana with a ¾ single rear wheel truck. His unit exceeded the GCW rating by about 8,000 lbs. He always said he didn’t have a problem with that. Then one day he shows up pulling the same trailer with a 1 ton DRW. It seems one of these expert car drivers whipped around him and got on the brakes to make a right turn. You can guess it he tagged the vehicle in the rear end.

So it happens and when they do it close enough you may not be able to avoid a collision regardless of your experience or how carful you are.

Phil P

I have a 3400RL and never had a clunking problem,I use a reese hitch.
When I drove Prof. I would have clunking when I was pulling doubles but never with 53 footers.

[Dam Worker]

Some accidents are going to be unavoidable, that is why we try to drive defensively. I will say that having the split speed causes big time accidents and very angry drivers. Perfect example is going up a hill on the freeway at 65/75 or whatever the higher speed is and then you have the truck driver/RV etc. doing 55/60 or what ever the lower speed is and one wants to pass the rig in front of him and they whip into the fast lane still going way under speed limit causing massive disruption to everyone doing the higher speed. Usually this is accompanied by staying in the fast lane for a mile or two causing massive backup in that lane.

Tom Marty

[jjackflash]

In California it's illegal if you're towing, to use the fast lane at any time,the second you hit the fast lane you could get ticketed!

[waynemoore]

Ok a couple of things. 1 in CA vehicles towing trailers are limited to the right two lanes and when passing, the passing vehicle must be going at least 5 MPH faster than the vehicles being over taken. If there are only two lanes of course you can pass in the fast lane as long as the above is observed.
2 the CHP academy is in the Sacramanto area so most of the new officers are rookies and will ticket all they can. So when in northern CA slow down also just because there two people in the rig you can not use the car pool lane.

[pkbridges77]

All great comments, but does anyone have insight as to "why"? Is it just to find one more way to write a ticket, or is there legitimate safety studies to validate it's a safer traveling environment with mixed speed limits?

[DAR]

Having lived in Southern California all my life until last year, I never liked the 55 mph. My feeling was always that there is just so much traffic in California that is probably makes it safer to have the vehicles that are towing especially the semi's at a slower speed. And has been mentioned it can be difficult to stop when you are cut off, and if you have ever driven a freeway within 100 miles of LA you know that can happen multiple times an hour, during rush hour traffic when you are towing and that just my opinion for what it is worth.

[DQDick]

Studies have shown that increasing the speed limit above 55 has lead to as many more traffic deaths as have been saved by the introduction of air bags. In addition, it saves a good deal of energy. Voters just don't like it.

[Navydave]

I live in Arizona, where you can drive with the flow of traffic, and I have to say, I feel a lot safer.

[Overlord]

quote:Originally posted by jjackflash

In California it's illegal if you're towing, to use the fast lane at any time,the second you hit the fast lane you could get ticketed!

How using about the carpool lane? Last couple of times down there, once going through L.A., and once from L.A. to San Diego during rush hour, I used the carpool lane when traffic got bottled up. On the trip to SD, when traffic started flowing, I would get back over to the right, and when things started backing up, I would move back over to the carpool lane. I actually got passed on the right by two motorcycle CHiPs that were lane splitting, they didn't even look twice at me ...and I was doing 70mph (GY G614's) in the carpool lane so as not to have anyone behind me getting too P-ed off.

Was I just lucky?

[jjackflash]

quote:Originally posted by Overlord

How using about the carpool lane? Last couple of times down there, once going through L.A., and once from L.A. to San Diego during rush hour, I used the carpool lane when traffic got bottled up. On the trip to SD, when traffic started flowing, I would get back over to the right, and when things started backing up, I would move back over to the carpool lane. I actually got passed on the right by two motorcycle CHiPs that were lane splitting, they didn't even look twice at me ...and I was doing 70mph (GY G614's) in the carpool lane so as not to have anyone behind me getting too P-ed off.


Was I just lucky?

You said it,you we're just lucky!

[richfaa]

All other alibis and stories aside we stay at 62/65 MPH because we choose to. In our case we are in no hurry we have plenty of time.We both drive so that lowers the stress and fatigue level. We like to be on the road by 9AM or so and in a nice campground full hookups , 50 amps,pull through by 6PM or so.We have driven big heavy things busses and trucks for years so we understand stopping distances We are at @ 23K on the road and this thing does not stop like our Honda SUV does don't care what kind of brakes you have.We try to keep 4 or 5 Rv lengths in front of us and that is a challenge as we all know. Yes we have had a few panic stops and this thing takes a while to stop at 62/65 let alone 80/90.If some bone head slams on their brakes right in front of us we are going to run over them at 62/65 in the Rig as well as the Honda SUV.We end the driving day unstressed well rested and start out the next day the same way. On the road since 2006 and that is the way we choose to do it. What ever works for you is good.

[waynemoore]

Please, I don't want anyone to think I am jumping on them BUT just what part of trucks and vehicles towing are restricted to the RIGHT two lanes do we not understand? That's the law in CA and several other states. Pulling a fiver at 70 to 75 in the carpool lane is not just crazy its illegal and unsafe. Plus It endangers all of the other drivers on the road. This is not JMHO this Is just common sense.

[cpaulsen]

quote:Originally posted by waynemoore

Please, I don't want anyone to think I am jumping on them BUT just what part of trucks and vehicles towing are restricted to the RIGHT two lanes do we not understand? That's the law in CA and several other states. Pulling a fiver at 70 to 75 in the carpool lane is not just crazy its illegal and unsafe. Plus It endangers all of the other drivers on the road. This is not JMHO this Is just common sense.

X2!