Are we treated as trucks?

[Rustynuts]

Originally Posted by Flyrotor

Never seen it happen, nor have I heard of it ever happening. YOMV

Only place I have heard and seen it happen is in California. I have seen Toyhaulers being weighted in scales by officers. A friend sent me this pic one day being stopped and measured for over length and officer was threatening to make him disconnect for being 1’ over but in the end let him off with a warning.....it was Easter Sunday so I think the officer was grumpy.

[chabunga]

i would like to tow my RV for financial gain, but I haven’t figured out how. JK!

[bender88]

Originally Posted by Flyrotor

Never seen it happen, nor have I heard of it ever happening. YOMV

Not saying that it happens a lot but tagged weight is tagged weight and if you're over you can be ticketed.

[Chuck Hovonick]

A few years ago, towing our 5th wheel west through Nebraska, we saw weigh station signs saying RV's were exempt. On the way back, on I-80, nearing Iowa, we were cruising along, no trucks in sight in front or in back. As we approached the weigh station, the big "Enter Now," or some such, sign came on. We pulled in, lined up according to directions, sat for several seconds. The light changed from red to green, & we pulled on out. Never happened before or since, in over 40 years of towing RV's! Truck was a one-ton crew cab dually, Illinois "D" plate. We thought perhaps mistaken for, or assumed to be, commercial, but the beginning of the station entrance is a long way from the building...a camera system, or? Interesting experience anyway...

Chuck

[Johnynorthland]

Originally Posted by ETCrockett

While I don’t stop for weigh stations, I do obey lane restrictions in construction zones when trucks are required to stay in a specific lane. Does anyone else do this as well?

I obey the axel restrictions. If I don’t tow I’m only 2 if I tow I’m 4 I’ve also noticed wheel limits In some lanes traveling in certain states.

If a sign states ”no trucks in left lane” what does everyone else adhere to?

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Johnynorthland

I obey the axel restrictions. If I don’t tow I’m only 2 if I tow I’m 4 I’ve also noticed wheel limits In some lanes traveling in certain states.

If a sign states ”no trucks in left lane” what does everyone else adhere to?

I generally try to stay out of the left lane altogether. In more urban areas is where you'll see the "no trucks left lane" signs. Most of the time in those areas, you'll have 3 lanes. I stay in the center lane. I don't want to be on the left impeding traffic, and I don't want to be in the right lane fighting with merging traffic.

Overall I try to adhere to the rules for trucks in general. But I will deviate from that if the situation warrants.

I can't remember where we were, but think I had a road sign instruct me to pull into a weigh station. At least I think it was directed at me... I believe there was a weight pad in the roadway that I triggered, but I have no way to know for sure. Anyway, I disregarded it because in my experience, weigh stations are for commercial vehicles, which I am not. It was NOT California, and no trooper came after me, so I figure I was okay. If a trooper had stopped me, I would have shown him my TX plates and claimed ignorance...

The only time I've ever had a "scare" with LEO coming after me in my MH was at a tolling station in Kansas. I have a TXTag on my rig which is supposed to be recognized by several other toll authorities including the KS Turnpike. I rolled through the lane for tagged vehicles, and a trooper came out on the road right behind me. My heart skipped a few beats. In Houston, they'll all but take you to jail for blowing a toll, so I was a little nervous. But he passed me a few seconds later; he must have been after someone else...

[Joan617]

Originally Posted by tabber02

in Florida, maximum speed with any travel trailer is limited to 65mph.

Whoa! So is that for 5’vers too? We’re it FL now and when we have been on the interstate we don’t go over about 67 or 68 but I’m still curious.

The way we are traveling now we won’t see an interstate for months and we really like it!
Angus

[RAurand]

Originally Posted by Johnynorthland

I obey the axel restrictions. If I don’t tow I’m only 2 if I tow I’m 4 I’ve also noticed wheel limits In some lanes traveling in certain states.

If a sign states ”no trucks in left lane” what does everyone else adhere to?

On the 3 lane highway (Interstate 81) not far from my house, there is a sign that says..... NO TRUCKS, BUSSES, OR TRAILERS IN LEFT LANE.
It is very clear.
I stay out of the left lane when pulling my trailer.
State Police are busting Truck Drivers all the time there. Guess they don't know how to read!

[lrousseau]

It depends on the individual state laws. I know in South Dakota recreational vehicles by pick up trucks are required to stop at the weigh station. There are other states to require the same mandate. I would recommend that you do a Google search and use the information found there

[Cenvalleysteel]

I like traveling at 60MPH on Highways and Interstates. We try to limit travel to 200 miles per day unless it is all interstate where you can do 300 easy in a day with a few short stops. In the States where it is legal for trucks to drive 75 like MT the good truckers are pretty courteous.

Watch out for New York Parkways and bridges. On a lot of those pickups and any trailer wider then 7 feet are commercial vehicles and not allowed. Stay away from the George Washington Bridge North of NYC. The toll for Four axles was $50, cash only, in 2018. The first exit East of the bridge is one of those restricted Parkways with less then 11 feet clearance with no warning other then No Commercial Vehicles. Lucky we had a smaller rig then. I felt like a real Country Bumpkin' Won't be back there again.

[Mitch S]

"If a sign states ”no trucks in left lane” what does everyone else adhere to?"
This is generally for vehicles with a gross weight in excess of 26,000 lbs.

[GuanoJuano]

When I see a sign that says "No Trucks in Left Lane" It is referring to Semi Trucks with trailers. I don't take it literally. I wouldn't pay any attention to them in my pickup truck and that is still what I am driving when pulling my trailer. I'm not restricted to commercial routes in town either. We are a different category on the passenger vehicle side. Also in Florida the speed limit is up to 70 when posted. Of course it's slower when not travelling on the interstate, but it's slower for everyone else also. We are not "Trucks" or commercial vehicles that are required to stop at weigh stations. I have a friend who was a police officer and also drove truck commercially. He agrees with my assessment.

[RetiredLEO]

The ones you might see would probably be units being transported by delivery drivers. They are considered commercial drivers.
For private owners...........NO, just keep on going

[Cenvalleysteel]

I believe in CA anything in combination over 26k pounds needs a cel. With 3 axles underneath some toy haulers I would assume the gcw could exceed this.

[thenne1713]

Originally Posted by tabber02

in Florida, maximum speed with any travel trailer is limited to 65mph.

(FYI) the STATE LINE App says FL MAX TOW SPEED is 70, but keep in mind that (many) trailer tires are are rated Max 55 or Max 65 by the TIRE MFR?

[LittleBill]

Originally Posted by Chuck Hovonick

A few years ago, towing our 5th wheel west through Nebraska, we saw weigh station signs saying RV's were exempt. On the way back, on I-80, nearing Iowa, we were cruising along, no trucks in sight in front or in back. As we approached the weigh station, the big "Enter Now," or some such, sign came on. We pulled in, lined up according to directions, sat for several seconds. The light changed from red to green, & we pulled on out. Never happened before or since, in over 40 years of towing RV's! Truck was a one-ton crew cab dually, Illinois "D" plate. We thought perhaps mistaken for, or assumed to be, commercial, but the beginning of the station entrance is a long way from the building...a camera system, or? Interesting experience anyway...

Chuck

Same thing happened to me. Back in May 2013 after visiting our son in Lincoln, NE heading east on I80, when I approached the weigh station an electronic sign said 'pickup enter'. DW questioned why I was pulling in and just told her sign said for us to enter. Passed straight through without being actually weighed. Was driving at the time my Avalanche (with non-truck license) pulling my 26BHS Jayco TT. Thought about bypassing it at the time, but I think there were at least two (2) electronic signs telling me to pull into the weigh station. Whom was I to disagree? Figured that some sort of pre-weigh triggered it for them to have me enter or they thought maybe I was a commercial transport. If I remember right there was a sign for pickups with trailers being subject to being weighed and to follow electronic signs. Signs with cameras were probably 3/4 to a mile from the scale.

[brwarrior]

Originally Posted by Cenvalleysteel

I believe in CA anything in combination over 26k pounds needs a cel. With 3 axles underneath some toy haulers I would assume the gcw could exceed this.

Only if you are operating commercially if you're talking some type of RV. California has non-commercial licenses for B (housecars (aka RV) over 40') and A (TTs 10,001 and over and 5ers 15,001 and over). There is also a recreational trailer endorsement for 5era 10,001 to 15,000 pounds.

Pickups are exempt from weigh stations. But a pickup must have a pickup bed and it cannot have a GVWR over like 13,400 (or so). I think some years of F350 dually are not pickups and of course neither is an F450. Now, if they are towing a recreational trailer they are no longer a truck. I've heard of CHP pulling over Tacomas with flat or no beds because they are not pickups for blowing scales.

Most pickups are plated commercial. It just means you can carry stuff and pay a weight fee every year. You used to be able to plate them like a car and put a cap on but my understanding is that is no more.

As others noted in CA towing is 55, but CHP will give you 5 over generally (YMMV with locals.) Stick with the semis. If they slow, you slow. You also have lane restrictions. 1 through 3 lanes in one direction you must stay the right lane to travel and can pass in the lane next to the right lane. 4 lanes or more you may travel in the two right lanes. You may go to the left ilof those lanes for a left exit. I've only seen one up in the Bay Area, maybe on the 580 in Alameda County (Oakland). There are Truck Lane Controls in some towns that will allow you to travel in the 2nd to right lane (CA-99 through Fresno for one). They will be signed with "TRUCKS OK" with an arrow pointing at the lane. Then an "END TRUCK LANE CONTROL" when that ends.

Once had a friend pulled over for doing 70 in the #1 lane of three with a trailer. CHP was watching from a bridge over the 99 in McFarland, CA. He walked up to the window (CHP always approaches on the passenger side) and told her, "I stopped you for speeding." Yeah when they don't even play the, "Do you know..." game it's over. Gave her 64 in 55.

[Cenvalleysteel]

Thanks for pointing out the additional CADMV Requirements that I didn't note. Luckily the GVW on our Eagle HTX 5er is under 10K# I haven't actually weighed it but we don't load it up too heavy even on long trips. We have been RV'ing for almost 40 years and pretty much have our need vs. don't needs figured out. I almost always travel with empty gray tanks and just a little in the fresh water for a couple of reasons.

[brwarrior]

It's based on GVWR(what it can weigh), not the GVW (what it weighs).

[Cenvalleysteel]

I should have referred to the GVWR which is specified as 9995#'s on our rig. Like I said though I have never actually weighed it. I know a lot of people with larger rigs that don't have the added endorsements. Personal liability aside, I wonder if anyone has ever been checked?