14 RV Laws you might be Breaking (And 6 that are surprisingly LEGAL)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 25 лип 2024
- We've never broken any of these RV laws... Have you? Owning an RV is a learning curve for sure. One thing people miss is the laws surrounding this lifestyle.
📍Travel Nursing is what allows us to live our unordinary lifestyle. Find Travel Nurse resources and information on our website: www.noordinarypath.com/travel...
✏️Looking for a great recruiter? Kristin would love to chat with you - www.noordinarypath.com/travel...
🌐Visit our Website for tons of free content on Travel Nursing, Full Time RVing, and Road Schooling - www.noordinarypath.com/
****** BECOME AN NOP-EEP ******
Join our growing community of like-minded people working toward their own unordinary paths. Members are invited to our private FB group and monthly coffee chats on Zoom, have access to exclusive monthly live stream updates and have access to behind-the-scenes content. www.noordinarypath.com/nop-ee...
******* NEW TO OUR CHANNEL? *******
We are so glad you are here! Learn more about us here --- • Meet No Ordinary Path:...
Each week we put out a new Episode following our journey on the weekend. We also do a Tuesday video called Real Talk Tuesday where we spill the beans on many aspects of our everyday life.
Thanks for joining us! Leave us a comment and tell us where you are in your own unordinary journey. We love connecting with you.
**************** SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS *******************
🌐WEBSITE - www.noordinarypath.com/
📌TIKTOK - www.tiktok.com/@noordinarypat...
💙FACEBOOK - / noordinarypath
📷INSTAGRAM - / no.ordinary.path
📍 PINTEREST - / noordinarypath
💌EMAIL - noordinarypath@gmail.com
#noplife #noordinarypath #travelnursefamily
I am form WA state and two years ago while driving my motorhome in AZ I got pulled over and received a ticket for no mud flaps on my motorhome. When I was told why I was pulled over, I laughed at the cop (maybe not the thing to do) but I argued and said we have owned that motorhome almost 30 years and have never been stopped. The next day I called the WA State patrol and asked if I had to have mud flaps on my motorhome in WA state and how it applies when driving in other states. The guy had to call me back but in 10 minutes he did and said RVS are like cars and have no requirement to have mud flaps installed, and the rules of the state you are from as far as equipment follows the state you are from. I then called AZ state patrol who gave me the ticket and informed them what WA state said. Then they told me the same thing that I should not have got the ticket and RVs fall in the passenger car rules in AZ too. The ticket got dropped but it seems even law enforcement have a hard time with the laws that pertain to RVs..
Wow! What an interesting experience. Glad it got dropped. Thanks for sharing.
The lesson, states need to stop making so many flippin rules. LOL!
I am big on certainty. If your not sure, don’t cite. Even though you got it dropped, it probably was time consuming to do what you had to do. Congrats on your justice. Say it with me like Leslie Nielsen, I Was Wrongfully Accused! 😂
Ignorance of the law is no excuse...
Unless you have a badge.
I think you were targeted for the ol' copper grift 🤷 ..not as bad as Oliver, GA where literally half the town's budget comes from enforced fines, but still..
Great reminder to know your laws folks! Knowledge is power 💪
The earbud thing has always been a law ever since Walkman's came out. If you have music blaring in you can't hear ambulances or police sirens.
It was against the law in the 60's as well. Maybe earlier. But it wasn't earbuds. It was headphones.
Not a law in the state I learned to drive in -- Utah. conversing came up a bit in high school, but it was determined to not be a violation, however it definitely isn't the smart thing to do.
Waaaaay back when I took my driver's exam, anything that would obstruct the driver's ability to hear was prohibited, including loud sound systems. Never knew anyone that got a ticket for it, but it was on the test.
Yeah, I don’t know why someone would want to drive deaf anyway
Esp hauling a 44’ in back!
In NYS I used to drive with one in but I was chancing it.
It’s against the law to cover your left ear. Cb headsets have been around since the 80’s, with the earpiece only on the right ear. As the top reply says, so you can hear horns and sirens.
So many bridges and overpasses are grandfathered in to not have to meet the "new" 13' 6" height standard. The Can Opener Bridge (which has its own youtube channel) was raised from 11' 8" to 12' 4' and yet still gets hit about once a month.
Buying a road atlas at a truck stop would help figure out road restrictions and weight limits. There are a few sections in the front of them that explain what rules are different for each state. Truckers love them and they are updated annually.
Lol road restrictions in an rv. Cmon man
What's so funny about that?@@teamdada2194
Hey Frank, the RV hauler here, some of these I’ve encountered as well, but one good thing to have. If you have an RV that’s on the larger size is a GPS that allows you to put your trailer and weight specifications in this way you can avoid parkways and roads with low bridges, weight, restrictions, and length restrictions. I use the Garmin RV 890, also, gives you active campgrounds in parking areas for your RV
Thanks for the tip. :) It's on our list
Is there an app for that?
YES! That couple they got stranded in the mountains in their motor home, (sadly he passed away) also had a toad. They couldn’t even get to help in their car. Their dilemma could have and would have been avoided if they’d used even a truckers GPS. And please, before heading out, cross reference your route against other GPS apps. Then take screen shots of all the steps in case you lose cell service, or your device becomes incapacitated.
@valerief166 google maps lets you download map data for offline use. So long as you have gps signal, you dont need data to load the map, so you can use it offline
The parkway law is because there are a lot of 11' Bridges mixed in with some newer 13'6" bridges
Well being a N. Y. resident for 68 years I know the no rvs on parkways. Well I have been on the parkway from Niagara Falls to Hamlin beach in our car, once, and I will never drive on them again! You could get a smoother ride on an old railroad bed.
I worked for oprhp office of parks,recreation and historic preservation for 38 years and my father did also for 43 in the Allegany region. Well rumor 😂😂has it that Parks believe the roads belong to DOT and DOT believes they belong to Parks so in typical New York fashion neither one does anything to fix at least this portion of the parkway. Some nice little State Parks along that Parkway but use other routes in this area!! 104 and 18 are a couple we pull our 35 fifth wheel and standard cab 8’ dually totaling 48’ oh those crazy rules.
Nice informative video and you better pour yourself another cup of coffee you lawbreaker you 🤣🤣🥴
@@joemilbrandt9320 oh its more then that, remember its also no 18 wheelers and no... buses on parkways. now this is a point of contention as some claim it was for racist reasons or for keeping the poor from visiting wealthy beaches. But in reality, it was simply a cost/space issue as it took much more space, materials and such to keep a standard grade so a bridge could be raised to 15' rather then 10.
What’s a parkway?
@@Mithrandyr. its whats known as a Controlled-access highway. They were a set or series of car only highways built between certain cities and certain "special" locations.
They were designed for cars only, no trucks or buses, partly to keep the cost down. by limiting the size of the vehicles they could make the bridges lower, meaning they cost much much less and were quicker to build.
In doing so these parkways were build faster and cheaper.
As George Carlin asked, “why do we drive on a parkway, and park on a driveway?”
On the topic of GPS, it can be useful to use Truck/RV applications instead of ordinary/regular ones. These take into consideration height/width/weight restrictions that others do not. I have seen a couple of RV'ers in very tight situations where the Truck/RV GPS apps would have routed them around. Great topic and yes, I may have "witnessed" one or a few of the situations you mentioned.
We converted our fridge to work on electric only so that we wouldn’t need to keep propane on.
We have our rear camera screen mounted on top of the dash board with the cellphone/GPS mounted to an air vent directly below it - it’s a heck of a lot easier to monitor quickly without taking your eyes off of the road. We tried lowering it, and neither of us felt safe driving with it that low.
The rainy travel day on “gravel”…mostly muddy road we had to take to our current campground in Michigan showed us how bad we need mud flaps!!
The 'no headphones/earbuds" laws are so that you can hear emergency vehicles approaching...and CO is one of the states that allows triple towing (but I don't think I'd want to try it).
How do deaf people hear emergency vehicles?
Lights mostly and some ems vehicles have things called "thumpers" which emit a very low tone that as they approach you can feel the vibrations from. Its an outside speaker/siren under the ambulance so it's not loud inside. We had one in our Flight For Life ambulance in CO.
@@NoOrdinaryPath True, we heard just such a thing in Denver the other day...but I think most of those 'no headphone' laws predate that technology.
@Tommy Ealey We had to go to CA for a horse show, with wagons. The event was 40 miles from the boarder. We timed our travel so one could drop the trailer at the AG station, settle trailer/horses, as the second person arrived, the first went back for a wagon, then the second.
An 80 mile trip beats a 450 mile round trip!
@Tommy Ealey You are wrong. Legally blind doesn't necessarily mean pure darkness. Many who are legally blind can see lights or have diverse levels of low sight. The determining factor is that glasses/contacts can't correct their sight. I am sure that those who are deaf have the same spectrum. There are several channels like Molly Burk's channel who is a blind UA-camr who educates about blindness, and she constantly talks about how it affects people differently and exposes the stereotypes that are not true either. There are also several channels that are deaf UA-camrs who educate about living life deaf. While on the subject you can also find a number of Channels of autistic adults who do education also about being autistic. The same goes for ADHD.
Fun video! We are tent campers but it’s interesting to see all the different laws.
We are totally new to rving and this video was wonderful information. I would have never thought of some of these laws.
There’s an app called “State Lines” which contains most of these laws. Many of the laws are determined by the state in which you live and then your state laws apply to the other states in which you drive.
Living in New Hampshire I hope you have a wonderful time. My son has a dog and just moved to Maine from here. Good to know about the dog seatbelt law. Thanks
Good to know! Thanks!
Turtle, my little Class B, is only 8' 1" high, which is great. I have yet to find a drive through that we don't fit under.
Enjoyed the video. Good information. Thanks for taking the time to make it! Take Care. 👍
The triple tow thing, depending on where you are, also depends on what you are towing. For example, a fifth wheel is a semi trailer, not a trailer. Therefore, towing a trailer behind your fifth wheel is not the same as towing two 'bumper pull' trailers.
A bumper pull is a semi trailer also, it's not how its hooked up it's how the weight is carried, partially on the tow vehicle. A full trailer none of the weight is carried by the tow vehicle.
Most length restrictions are called Bridge laws and it's usually measured axle from Center of axle to center of axle and they're mostly for commercial Motor Vehicles
In NV the length law is 70' and you can tow a second trailer behind a TT. We did it for years with our 25' travel trailer and trailer for our two ATV's. I was a truck driver and had a Reno to SLC run. I stopped at the Wendover port of entry (to Utah) and asked the scale master if I could tow doubles like in NV. He asked how long I was. I wasn't sure but he said however long I was, just stop in and they would sell me an "overlength" permit - by the day, week, month, or year. That was that. It was about the money.
Absolutely true about the parkways. Parkways are for cars. No trailers or commercial vehicles. You will sometimes see them on there, but it is supposed to only be for cars. The CA 55 MPH thing, those signs are everywhere.
Having been a Class A CDL driver I knew most of them. The 13' 6" rule is for over head bridge clearance. But in NY, Pa, De and the NE you will find overheads with less. Always check a trucking atlas (do not depend on a GPS or mapping program)to find lower clearance or call the Local fire Dept as they will know all of them. Invest in Handfree CB radios (they usually have a stick mike headset) these work great when guiding a trailer up.
Like, lots with less clearance
In NYS
As an aside, the interstate highway system was designed to allow the transportation of nuclear missiles.
Those low bridges are racist.
I never took that much notice until we upgraded to a 13'4" fifth wheel, there are many overpasses here in PA that are not even marked with the clearance height. The ones that are marked are marked so close to the overpass, if you were traveling at speed, you could never get stopped in time. You would think there would be a warning well ahead of a low clearance overpass.
If I had a drink of coffee for every 'law' that was broken, I'd be high on caffeine all day.
Haha! 🙌☕
Great video again, we have a restraints for Cinder cause he gets over excited on rides. Knows something awesome is coming lol.
Most toyhaulers are 102” wide which is max width for interstate travel but not legal on some roads off the interstate. Most commercial trailers are 102” so I never had issue with it.
I live in Alabama and my trailer is 102” wide. No problems registering.
In our first RV experience in 1977, my wife, our three-year old daughter and myself were towing our trailer from Bremerton, WA to Keesler Air Fore Base in Biloxi, MS where I was attending a school for the military. My wife didn’t much care for the early morning starts, so, since it was legal then to ride in the trailer, we decided she and our little girl would sleep in while I drove in the morning. We did not have any walkie talkies then, so communication between the trailer and the truck was an issue. The trailer did have louvered windows and I told them to just waggle the windows in and out whenever they wanted me to stop. Since the windows were clearly visible in the rear view mirror, this seemed a good idea. I got the rig on the road bright and early, leaving the gals snoozing comfortably. I watched, or thought I did, for the waggling windows and never saw them going. After a couple hours, I decided to stop just to check on them. Apparently, the windows had been semaphoring to beat the band for quite some time. I honestly had not seen them going at all. The sleeping in had not lasted for much more than fifteen or twenty minutes before they had had enough ‘relaxing’. They reported the ride in the trailer was pretty horrible. Noisy, bumpier than was fun and very unstable. Scary was one word they used. There was no problem getting up early to get going after that, even though I told them sleeping in was still an option.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 great story.
Oh my! I bet that was quite a ride! Thanks for sharing 🤣
@Tommy Ealey It was an old one. 1972 Prowler.
@@douglasolsen1208 Guess you never saw the 1960 (or so) Lucy & Desi movie:
“THE LONG LONG TRAILER “
I saw it as a kid.
My favorite movie of all time!!
When I proposed to my family that we get our 36’ TT & van (we had a 23’ class C that had gotten too small with now our 4 kids)…..
We had Movie night with that movie. Then popped the idea of the TT that I found to buy💁🏻♀️
My kids and hubby had a blast with the movie and never once asked to stay in the TT on travel days🤗
Thanks for your service… even though it was with the ‘Chair Force’😏
Blessings to you and your’s!
Signed:
NAVY wife & NAVY brat 👍
@@arbonneladyTN I didn’t see that movie before we made that trip. When we did see that film, sometime after that adventure, we laughed over that part and the part about her collecting rocks to commemorate the trip. My wife loves to collect rocks. Still does. I don’t find them in the RV, but do find them in various nooks and crannies in the truck.
In California, we had a 37 ft. Colorado fifth wheel that weighted more than 15k lbs. I needed to get a "restricted 41" endorsement. I did NOT need to get a Commercial Driver's License.
In western Canada it's called a Heavy Weight Trailer endorsment for any trailer utility or recreation that has a gtoss vehicle weight rating over 10141 lbs.
This was super helpful! Thank you!
I'm just gonna say...Yep, we've done several of these things. As far as the propane.... In our class A we used to. Our first RV, it seemed the thing to do with a 2 way fridge. Did it for a few years actually. Then one day at a gas station refueling on a trip it hit me, "I'm at a gas pump with a freaking open flame not 10 feet from the gasoline fill door. After that I'd always make sure I turn it off before we get to a station, then turn it back on away from the pumps. Most of the time now we have it cold before we leave, then just fill the fridge & freezer with those frozen and refreeze-able gel packages you get from a sporting goods department until we stop for the night or get to where we are going.
I’m not quite an RVer yet but this video is so helpful! Thank you!
Some of these items, although having a grain of relevance, are incomplete requiring more research.
First time watching! Enjoyed! From Alabama
LOL @ the old DAD threat about the interior light.
That’s some great info! I’m sure there’s a lot of peeps who learned from this! Thanks!!
Glad it was helpful!
Being from NY, and near the Ontario parkway, the reason for the law is the height. The parkway has lower bridges that a commercial vehicle will not fit under.
In CA you can only ride in 5th wheel, not TT, but need to have a way to communicate with driver
I have seen a 45’ 5th wheel with a 25’ boat in tow behind it making the total length close to 100’ and they were traveling at 70mph. I have never seen somebody towing a RV at 55mph however, in an accident an insurance company may not cover the RV because it was traveling over 55mph if is illegal in that state. I have seen insurance cancelled after an accident because a motorhome operator did not have a supplemental brake system in the towed vehicle.
if a insurance co can say NO. then you had better be doing it there way.
NO over weight,
NO over length,
NO propane on,
NO double towing,
NO anything they say.
We’ve been driving with propane on in our campers for 40 years. We also like a cold refrigerator
@Nasty Habitz don’t open door for the 4-5 hrs u drive
Just like during a power outage at home
Keeping up with laws while traveling from state to state can be a major pain. Especially if they decide to enforce their laws. And there is the grey area RV conversions often fall into, where various laws can seem to be conflicting. What it was, verses how it's been changed and now used, creates issues in how it's classified, knowing which laws apply to it. And this to can vary from state to state.
My RV is a 34 ft Limo Bus (shuttle) that I converted. Have not had many encounters with law enforcement but found the best way to deal with them is to stay calm, be patient, while they sort out what they're dealing with. Most end up full of curiosity, with many questions about my rig. One allowed me to make a quick roadside ride-height adjustment, to what he felt was safe and legal (air-ride suspension system, easy change, no problem). None have given me an actual ticket.
When looking at buses and trucks for my RV project I settled on the bus in part to avoid issues truck conversions may encounter when passing Weight Stations. Don't want to look like a Drive By and have them chase me down for a conversation. That would be a waste of everyone's time. And definitely don't want to be stopping at all Weight Stations. That would be wasting time and money.
Not modifying the outside appearance of the bus (still looks like a bus) has allowed me to drive through areas where RV restrictions are enforced, overnight stealth camp everywhere that I've parked it. I see it as lightly bending, not actually breaking local laws. And we all peacefully coexist.
They love to hammer out of staters
I love some of these laws that "force" you to do something that actually compromises safety.
I must NOT have been paying attention. Which of these laws forces you to do something that compromises safety ?
@@dallasarnold8615 for one the 55mph max speed limit, when most of the highways are 70mph+ being that slow compared to the rest of traffic is unsafe.
@@Zamugustar no it’s not lol
Ur the driver I avoid when driving 🤦♀️
If u feel unsafe, get in the right lane and all the Mario Andrettis can go around u
I would love to know other unsafe laws she mentioned
@@Zamugustar I just stay in the right lane, with all the semis that are governed to 60 mph.
How many laws are broken everyday ... and the people don't even know it .... Wow ... Thanks for sharing and caring ....
Here on Long Island (NY) in the old days they used to ban from the parkways any vehicles with commercial plates, pickup trucks, and even station wagons with the rear seats folded down. Robert Moses designed them as scenic roads for pleasure driving and the bridges are low clearance.
CT resident here... Spent lots of time on NY parkways. Used to be a lot of fun in sports variant VW's and Audi's but now days there's way too many 2.5ton SUV's on there doing 75mph or more. I'm not generally a nervous driver and certainly don't mind speed, but some of these people are nuts...
@@WHJeffB right
Y take the Parkway if ur driving 75? What’s the point?
Those SUVs shouldn’t be there if a pickup can’t either.
Just note in Pittsburgh we have 3 "parkways" called Parkway East, South and West. They are just names not categories of roads. They are part of the interstate system.
On Ca highways when towing you must stay to the right (2 lanes in each direction) except when passing another motorist. If 3 lanes, you cannot use the “fast”. If 4 lanes use right two lanes &!3rd lane only for passing, etc.
We have our propane on so the fridge will stay cold also. Need a cold beverage ready when we stop for the night
There’s some tunnels you can’t go through at all even if the propane is turned off keep that in mind, I’ve never ever turned my propane off and yes on a ferry it has to be turned off
I recently saw a pickup truck on the highway in CA that was pulling a travel trailer with a ball hitch and lost it. His bumper got bent a bit but the trailer was literally a pile of rubble; it looked like it had been hit by a tornado and the owners were picking through it. A person would have to be crazy to ride in one of those.
I know in ok you can ride in a 5th wheel or gooseneck hitched only, bumper hitch is illegal.
I did once not by choice and the ride sucks lol
Absolutely insane
Anyone who’s ever seen a smashed camper would know not to!
Great information! Thanks!
I don't know about The USA, but in Australia, many of the things you pointed out are already illegal but I won't go into them.
What I did want to say was that as long as your vehicle and trailer comply with the regulations in the state in which it is registered, you are free to go to any other state. I suspect the same would apply in USA. So you may be lucky enough to have registered your vehicle and rig combo in a lenient state and for that you should consider yourself very lucky. It is probably why you have not got any tickets thus far. Alls well that ends well.
Wow, I had no idea about most of those laws!
Legnth and weight limits are uniform on interstates and the defined national network. If you get off the national network you may go to a destination by the most direct route.
You only have to meet equipment regulations for the state that you are tagged in. Also a truckers GPS is a good idea. National network is exempt from length laws.
Great video!
Very informative, thank you, young lady!
Most states have reciprocity statutes where you may get a warning (or ticket if officer thinks you won't challenge it) but, since you're legal in your state of residence, you're covered in states it's illegal.
Back in about 1980(?) Busses are allowed to be 8 1/2 feet wide in much of the country. They changed it for the GM busses (I had one), then GM went out of the Bus business! AL
I always tow my pop up with the fridge running on propane. They take way too long to cool down if you wait till you're at the campsite.
Most states do not allow overnight parking in Interstate rest areas. However, toll road service plazas are somewhat different. Some service plazas on the Ohio and New York Toll roads actually have RV electric hookups for overnight parking.
There was once a law in California about no shoes ( like 60 years ago). The reason was the pedals had rubber covers that wore out, the metal pedal was slippery , bare feet just slipped right off, very unsafe. I know because I drove such a vehicle.
Where is the freedom?
Never bothered me in a standard.
The reason is because your feet fall asleep while driving without shoes and you cannot push the brakes.
I used to try driving barefoot across country and this happened a lot, I don’t do it anymore.
Pretty sure it was in NY too
My aunt got a ticket 😁
Todd, from NRVTA recently gave a video explaining why it is dangerous to travel with your propane refrigerator on. Because of the wind while traveling it boils down to The burn chamber not applying heat evenly and causing the metal to expand at different rates in the little burn chamber which eventually may cause it to leak. If it does leak, then hydrogen gas which is part of the process is released and with the open flame right there it could catch fire. He is about the most knowledgeable guy on UA-cam about RVing and becoming a RV technician. something to think about, although I do understand having a cold refrigerator is nice. Kerry
This is why u use an inverter or 12v or a generator….
Unless you’re traveling for days, the fridge will stay cold a long time. Especially if full of cold items.
thanks for the info
I used to haul RVs for a living, a lot of what you're talking about the rules and regulations going in and out of scale houses and things like that pertain to the drivers that carry the RVs from the factory to the dealers, they are considered truck drivers then it must keep a log just like truck drivers.
In Wyoming we had to get special permit, because the larger units had the awning on the outside of the vehicle and that made us over-dimensional / wide load
Once a consumer purchases said unit the laws change completely
Driving Bearfoot: Some local ordinances around beaches may have a requirement that you have footware while driving near or on the beach.
If you were wearing headphones to block out your rowdy children you’re also blocking out emergency vehicles and delaying them to get to somebody who needs help.
Right, how about disciplining your children.
Agree
@@johnp139 kids are still loud when bored
Mine get in the car and do not stop talking
I’ve learned to tune them out
My friends’ kids quiet down in car lol I’m like, how did u get kids like that??
New England agrees with you. Even with the rain.
The bridge height standard for interstates is 14 feet so you can go over but you risk damage.
Great commentary
Max width is 8.5 FT not 8 Ft. You do not need a CDL for a RV, you may need a Class A or B. CDLs are for commercial use, hence "Commercial Drivers License". Max length varies from state to state but I found generally 65FT combined. Triples are when you have THREE (3) trailers behind the tow vehicle, some states you can some you can't. If you have TWO (2) trailers behind the tow vehicle that is called doubles, legal in every state. You can only ride in a 5th wheel, you can't in a travel trailer in most states, the rest you can't ride in either.
not all states will issue a class A non commercial permit.
I recently found myself feeling compelled to tow my trailer faster than I'm comfortable with to avoid indirectly causing accidents. I normally prefer a 62 MPH max when towing. But I was just driving on a two-lane highway in Nevada with a 70 mph speed limit, with no passing lanes or slow-vehicle pullouts. I was obviously delaying traffic and being passed frequently. On two occasions truckers passed me in unsafe locations, on blind curves in a no-passing zone, with oncoming traffic way too close for comfort. After the second occurrence, when the oncoming car hit the shoulder to avoid a head-on, I decided to increase my speed to 70 mph just to reduce the unsafe passing. Even at 70 mph I was still being passed frequently by drivers going 75-80. I'm going to try to minimize driving on this type of highway in the future.
U Were Not Causing or Almost Causing Accidents
The fool drivers being very unsafe were
I do the exact opposite. I drive 55-60 and if I'm on a 2 lane highway, I get my right tires on the white line and take my foot off the pedal. That gives the people behind me more room and gets them around me faster.
@@markiefufu Good idea, I'm doing that from now on.
Break the law and put yourself in danger so the terrorists can win, good idea!
I've driven with propane ( fridge) on for 20 years... no issues.. I turn it off for fueling and tunnels. Some laws are blanket laws based on 18 Wheelers. (mud Flaps) Interior light.... I drive with it off because it takes some of your vision away at night. its like trying to look out your house window at night with all the lights on in the inside.... you cant.
I've been ticketed for driving barefoot in Colorado
Good information.
The Taconic Parkway in NY has an EIGHT FOOT height restriction. You can disregard the limit if you don't mind having your RV wedged under ancient overpasses designed for autos only.
The Hutchinson River Pkwy didn't even let pickup trucks on in the 90s. Don't know if this is still true.
the length of a 5th wheel includes the pat that is over the 5th wheel so the is about 5 foot of over lap. that is why you don't find trailers longer than 45 ft
Great video! This is some good content and discussion. Thanks for posting!
Regarding driving with you propane on, I'm not sure of the legality of it (I think it is illegal in some states). However, the safety instructions for my trailer states in several sections that the propane tanks must be shut off while the trailer is in motion. I certainly think it's primarily a matter of safety, especially in the event of a crash. Might be worth checking with you manufacturer and/or the states you're driving through just to be sure.
Personally, I would rather deal with icing the important foods versus having a gas leak and fire while towing though.
Looking at it logically, there would be very little "safety" reason to do it. If you are going to be in a wreck, you would hope you have propane valves turned off because there are multiple reasons for a propane leak, kinked lines, etc. However, I did just watch a youtube video of a trailer tech who swore up and down that you must turn your fridge off for traveling because they "require to be level for operation" for reliability. He claims to have had to fix many refrigerators because they broke while traveling. That said, I think there is a balance on food safety (cold foods preserved correctly) vs. other reasons. Something I'll be researching out more for my own peace of mind and knowledge
Wow. Good info.
Before I retired I was a DOT inspector. In Wisconsin if you use your RV in connection with a commercial activities you must have a CDL of the proper class you are operating.
So is creating UA-cam videos with your RV considered a commercial activity?
If correct, the length implies to what passes your rear bumper when coupled is the legal distance.
in SC need special license if over 26001 lbs and if towing a vehicle need an extra license also length restrictions
True, you are not required to stop at weigh stations. Just be aware, if you are in an accident, insurance companies will deny your claim/coverage if they can determine you were overweight/length for the state you are currently in. More money in their pocket.
All those laws are for safety (and stop people/families from injury/death) and/or to protect the roads/bridges from damage. I have seen semi towing a heavy load (transformer) sink into the asphalt of the a road in triple digit temps. lol
Great subject! This was a very interesting video.
Please stop spreading these fallacies, that are just plain not true. Let me guess, you know a guy, who had a friend who got denied a claim because he was 5 pounds overweight. Put it this way, if this was true, then every guy who got into an accident and was found to be legally over the limit for alcohol, every claim would be denied. But guess what, they still pay your claim. They may raise your rates astronomically, or drop you all together, but they will settle your claim.
When people ask for advice for whatever reason. I tell them don't drive in sandals take them off.
I've had it happen personally on a mostly empty highway. I tapped the brake and my brakes locked up even after I took my foot away. My flip flop got wedged on the brake and I fishtailed from 60mph to 20mph before I could figure out what and fix the situation
I wear earbuds nearly 100% of the time. I call mine hearing aids, but, with the new hearing aids being Blue Tooth, I can stream to them any time. I don't stream music while I am driving though. I do take phone calls directly to the hearing aid while driving.
In 2020, my trip was meant to include a 7 night stay at the Gateway National Park in Brooklyn (NYC). In the planning stage, I noticed that the Belt Parkway would allow me to exit onto Flatbush Avenue almost within sight of Floyd Bennet Field (my destination). Imagine my chagrin when I learned about the New York Parkway rule. Instead, I had to plan to drive about 4 miles on Flatbush Avenue (in an RV with a Jeep as a dinghy tow) which did not appeal to me. I ultimately never made the trip because it was, well. 2020. Ans due to the rapidly rotting social fabric as shown in the news recently, I will allow NYC to pass me by. 💥
I avoid Maryland and every coastal state north of it for numerous reasons. But the rotting social fabric certainly is one of the top reasons.
@@AlaskaErik MDs so tiny tho
For the 3 min ur in it, it’s fine lol
A lot of toyhaulers are 102” wide, including ours. As far as I know I thought that was the legal width limit. We are in New York.
I am new to RVing, and in the organizing/testing phase of creating an rv based business that would partly consist of replacing the rv chassis with salvaged commercial vehicle chassis for increased GVWR. This has involved an insane amount of vehicle code research into rv vs. commercial vehicle codes. The trailer weight and several others mentioned, I am 99.9% sure apply to commercial vehicles only. A commercial truck with over 26k lb GVWR requires a cdl. An RV doesn't require cdl for any weight.
Technically you are correct - however, allot of states require a "Non Commercial CDL" if the combined weight of your truck and trailer exceed 26k.
The earbud thing is funny. I have hearing aids, and my cell phone bluetooths into my hearing aids, so - cops can’t say anything.
Nice! Sometimes I need the earbuds to hear over the road noise in my Jeep. Haha.
Hello, there is a weight station in Maryland that requires all vehicles weighing 10'000 pounds or more to pull in. Also, it isn't legal to pump fuel in your RV with an open flame going, such as your refrigerator running on propane. However, I did find your video very interesting.
Length laws in states like Alabama or Connecticut only counts for part of the vehicle touching ground, in the commercial aspect we refer to this as bridge law. Industry standard for a commercial trailer is 53 feet in length however in states like Alabama we cannot exceed 40 feet in length for bridge law, it seems impossible until you realize that trailer length is measured from the center of your kingpin (or other hitching device) to the center of the last axle, so while the body of your trailer may be 42 feet you may actually only be 30 something feet in length according to bridge law
My son is a (leo) we were checking on pulling doubles he called 3 OHP officer's and they were clueless on what the law is , after digging at the Pd computer we found out in okla you can pull doubles with a 5th wheel only no gooseneck no bumper pull and you can't exceed 65' . But it's funny the Leo's dont know this so you can do what you want for know.
Good one!
Thank you.
Many of the items you mentioned regarding length and width are specific to commercial vehicles which are more specifically regulated by federal DOT. For instance when I am hauling my car hauler trailer I actually am 71 feet overall. Also, until about 8 years ago or so, trailers could not be over 96 inches wide, but federal DOT changed that to 8 foot 6 inches. Prior to that though almost all RV trailers were illegal due to having awnings that exceeded that width. An interesting thing about "parkways" in New York State is a state campground located north of Rochester NY on the lake. The only way to get to that is by going on a parkway to get there. But be carefull of overpasses as some of them do not have clearances on the edge of the road.
101 not 102
Stay on state routes till get to nearest entrance to Hamlin and u avoid driving that much on the Parkway.
I thought that those 96 in wide and length laws had all been changed to the 102 wide and 53 foot length. RV's are restricted to real near 400 sq ft of inside space. Mud flaps on your truck and trailer go by what your home state laws are. Arkansas no mud flaps, Texas mudflaps on trucks. Enjoyed this video very much.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes laws change frequently. This was more for fun and some things like width may be outdated. But then again each state is different so it's hard to tell unless you look up laws on every state through each official website.
The federal law changed to allow 102 inch wide and 53 foot trailers in 1982 for Commercial Vehicles on the National Network which is the Interstate and most state highways. States can still have requirements of smaller vehicles on roads not part of the National Network. Also HUD no longer has the 400 sq foot rule, not sure what they made it but it is bigger now.
In Alabama, Size limitations: Height, 13'6"; Width, 8'6"; trailer length, 40'; motorhome/RV length, 45'; combined length 65'. Triple towing is not allowed. Required Equipment: Safety chain, breakaway switch required on trailers over 3,000 pounds.
I spent a few years stationed in downstate NY during my military career, and you’re right about the parkways. It’s not common knowledge that you can’t tow a camper on them. They have “no trucks” signage, but that’s it. I’d say you were very lucky not to encounter any low clearance underpasses, as many of those parkways definitely have them. The Taconic and Palisades parkways for sure.
It's weird if you aren't from there. I had never seen them until we traveled East
The dog restraint surprised me. I live in Maine been here all my life. Never knew about a dog restraint in a vehicle. OMG don’t look at other cars and trucks, usually I see a mini wannabe dog sitting in the drivers lap with its head out the window. 🤣
It may be a law but there are plenty of people that 1) don't know or 2) don't bother. I doubt its enforced much. 😉
I don't know if it's required or not in my state, but my brother bought one that clips into the seatbelt buckle in his jeep (2-door, back seat removed) for when we take the dog on the trail, and it came in REALLY handy when the jeep tipped over on it's back to keep the harnessed dog in the seat (Sort-of. He was standing on the seat-back with his nose to the seat bottom)
The issue folks seem to be ignoring is the fact that in an accident those unrestrained animals (a) tend to suffer more serious injuries and (b) become lethal projectiles aimed at the other occupants of the vehicle.
@@NoOrdinaryPath Unless the animal is doing something unsafe like moving around, interfering with the driver's vision or hanging out a window it is most often enforced when they pull you over for a different infraction or in the aftermath of an accident.
#9 was heading northbound I15; hit the fast lane (3 lane interstate) pulled over… didn’t ask for any paperwork, license or anything just said to not do it anymore… ok!
I do have a blue line on my license plate! Think it helps!
We always have propane on, unless like you said, tunnels or somewhere requires it off.
Much of the laws you mention would only apply if your rv was used for commercial purposes. If used for private purposes you are the same legally as a standard automobile. In every state.
Every state usually has laws either posted on their welcome to our state billboard or online and the troopers ( if having a bad hair day) will expect you to familiarize yourself as to their laws because you chose to travel in their state
by that same line of thinking, I expect police officers to know and understand the laws of their state. I once got a window tint ticket for my Silverado in Virginia while my truck was tagged in Utah. Law says the tint law isn't applicable to vehicles built for "occasional offroad use". I did get out of that ticket.