Michigan RV's + Trailer Length Warning

[Bill Klomps]

Just to let you know that we have a very diligent officer of the Michigan State Police working the Port Huron area, clearing the interstate roads of all troublesome RVer's, towing car trailers with a total length greater than 65 feet. Thursday afternoon my son Dave and I had just cleared the Sarnia/Port Huron border crossing, heading for the Indy points race when we were pulled over by the State Police. The first question from the officer was how long was our rig. Then he proceeded to verify that number by measuring it himself. After he checked my drivers license and motorhome registration, he said our rig was over length and would not be permitted to use Michigan roads. At that point I asked if there was an over length permit available to RVer's towing trailers (some states do), he said not. To the officers credit he did not give me a ticket, just a warning. He then told us we had to return to Canada..If we returned to Michigan, our rig would be impounded or at the least we would be fined and I would have to have the trailer towed by another vehicle that is shorter that ours. I realized when I built our rig, there was a chance I may have to unhook, since our rig may be one of the longer ones out there. When we were done with the officer, he gave us an escort back to the bridge and we headed for home, to ponder what to do ( or not ). The question I have is "has there been any work done, as in lobbying elected officials by NHRA , IHRA or dragstrip owners to change the legal length allowed. (longer than 65 feet)? Or at least have an over length permit system like Florida has."
thanks Bill Klomps
Stk 339

[Tom Moock]

Bill, in Nebraska RV, semi. toter home over 65 ft. total length. You have to have CDL license to drive. Call the Michigan state DOT office to make sure what the correct laws are for their state.Tom

[Mack Reeves]

I know that North Carolina has an exemption on length for all rigs either going to or from a racing or test event.....

[Bobby DiDomenico]

Originally Posted by Mack Reeves

I know that North Carolina has an exemption on length for all rigs either going to or from a racing or test event.....

Mack,
Does that exempt from the CDL requirement or just the rig length limit?

[Greg Hill]

Ben and Dave Wenzel were stopped on the way down to Indy this past weekend and were told anything over 65 feet was not legal on the interstate and anything over 59 feet on secondary roads was not legal. They were 61 feet long and were stopped on the interstate. They have a motorhome and 26 ft enclosed trailer. i have a good way around this problem. Stay out of Michigan. I guess with 15% unemployment they don't need any tourist or racer money from out of state.

[FED 387]

Greg---they are getting it not just in the "usual manner"!!!! Comp 387

[Mack Reeves]

Originally Posted by Bobby DiDomenico

Mack,
Does that exempt from the CDL requirement or just the rig length limit?

My understanding if its licened and taged as a motorhome no CDL is required.. Just to be safe might better check with Raleigh...

[Brad Zaskowski]

Easy with the staying out of Michigan Greg, If everyone does that there will be no one for us to race agiainst at the Mid Michigan points meet in July!

Below is a link to what I was able to find on the Maximum vehicle lengths in Michigan. At the bottom it has a special permit section but it says it is for occasional movement of oversized or weight vehicles.

Sounds like about 75% of the rigs that are at the track are overlength in Michigan.

I have heard by us they have been cracking down on lawn care and similar other businesses using vehicles with trailers over 10,000lbs combined for not having DOT numbers. Another crack down lately is for trailers not having the proper braking, emergency braking, lighting, trailer tires, overloading for the axle rating. Pretty much sounds like our wonderful state trying to stir some more $$$$

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Loads_dim_87014_7.pdf

[jmantle]

Curiosity got the better of me so I looked up our local regs, the following is published for BC

Recreational Vehicle Towing


Brake Requirements
All trailers and towing dollies (car dollies) must have brakes on all wheels when their GVW (trailer/dolly and load) exceeds 1,400 kg (3,086 pounds). Every trailer with brakes must have a breakaway device hooked to the trailer brake system.
Surge brakes must be used when towing a vehicle that has a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of up to and including 2,800 kg (6,173 pounds).
From 2,800 kilograms and up the towed vehicle brakes must be able to be applied by the driver of the tow vehicle.
Motorhomes (only) may tow motor vehicles via a tow bar without brakes hooked up on the towed motor vehicle, when the towed motor vehicle's laden weight (weight of towed vehicle and its load) is:
less than 2,000 kg (4,409 pounds), and
less than 40% of the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the motorhome towing it.
Motor vehicles with a laden weight of 2,000 kg and over towed by a motorhome must have brakes and breakaway device hooked up.

Preparing to tow
The vehicle on tow must have valid licensing and insurance.
Only one (1) trailer may be towed at a time (a car dolly carrying a car is regarded as one trailer).
All vehicles being towed via a ball hitch must have safety chain(s) or cable(s).
A recreational vehicle towed via a 5th wheel hook-up does not require safety chains or cables
All vehicles being towed must have lights connected to the tow vehicle.

Maximum widths for Recreational Vehicles
Maximum total overall width for recreational vehicles is 2.6 metres (8 feet 6 inches)
Mirrors (only) may exceed the width of the vehicle by 20 cm (8 inches) on each side.

Maximum lengths for Recreational Vehicles
Maximum total length for a motorhome is 14.0 metres (45.93 feet).
Maximum length for a towed recreational vehicle is 12.5 metres (41 feet).
Maximum overall length for a combination is 20.0 metres (65.6 feet)
For more information on the above, and other matters related to recreational vehicles, visit the BC Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure website (Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement) at www.th.gov.bc.ca/cvse, or contact your nearest weighscale/inspection station, or call ICBC at 1-800-950-1498.

For commercial vehicles it's much the same, 20 meters for semis, 23 meters (75') for A, B, and C trains.

If there are air brakes involved or your trailer is over 4600 kgs (10000 lbs), you need a class 1 CDL.

[Mackie Family Racing]

Boys,

Well for those of us that thought the MI DoT were just picking on Canadian farmers, we were wrong... guess they also like Canadians that live in Michigan (i.e., me), too

We became the latest "overlength victims" on Friday, just south of Ithaca on M-127, on our way to the div'l at Stanton. Having read Bill's posts, and advice from Rock and others, I gave it all a try, but to no avail... We drove away (thankfully) with a citation for 17 feet over-length... 82'3" against a 65' "law"... My apologies to those of you that heard me crying about this at Mid-Michigan, but here again are the facts... advice, counsel and names of traffic attorneys in Gratiot County appreciated:

- we have a 45' Renegade (he measured it separately), and a 32' T&E stacker, with a 5' tongue... 82'3" according to Barney Fife

- I have my CDL, and up until Friday, I'm proud to say that I've driven for 33 years without a single traffic ticket of any kind... a completely clean record. Barney Fife wasn't particularly interested in that factoid either.

- after abusing me for not instantly pulling over onto the 4' wide shoulder -- I drove down another half mile to a lane merge from a dirt road -- he instantly went to the overlength gig. When he approached me from behind, he drove forward and back a couple 'o times, then pulled me over. I was doing 55mph at the time, and minding my business in light traffic.

- after measuring the rig, he asked me to open the side door. This was after he asked me if the water that was pouring out of the freshwater overflow (the tanks were full, the shoulder was heavily banked) was "grey water"... He then gave me about ten minutes of abuse about racing for a business (for those of you that know me, I realize you're probably laughing hysterically at this point), if we raced for money, why there were contingency stickers on the dragster, etc. He apparently took great interest in the provocative "Mackie Family Racing, Milford, MI" that we have on the back of the trailer... Eventually, he dropped all this nonsense and just focused on the length.

- he had a copy of the "Truck Driver's Handbook" handy, and gave it to me... he then indicated that the applicable legislation for motorhomes wasn't in that book -- and offered to print off the right stuff from his patrol vehicle. In the end, what he handed me was exactly the same stuff that Rock Haas had provided a link to somewhere in this message thread... and we all know that there's nothing in those regs that says anything about the max length for a motorhome/trailer combo

- I considered arguing hard when he gave me the paper -- and then decided not, as he'd already paper-clipped the citation to it... No fine specified on the citation -- I get the pleasure of contacting Judge Judy in Ithaca on Monday to find out how many children we have to sell to pay the fine.

- based on discussions with Rock and others at the track, I fully intend to fight the ticket. I also will make every effort to contact the gentleman that Rock spoke to at the MI DoT and try to get something from him in writing.

We made it home in one piece, although I panicked every time I saw K-car with a pizza bubble on the roof... thought it was another one of our trusted Commercial Vehicle Enforcement boys on duty.

All joking aside -- anyone that has fought this fight (in Michigan, please) -- let me know. As I'd say at least 50% of the rigs at Stanton this weekend were "overlength", per Barney Fife, I would imagine final resolution of this matter is critical. As I've posted previously, a 75' rule isn't going to help a lot of us... so I'd suggest the permit route (or special regs, like NC)... I have some gov't contacts through work, but if anyone has a better way -- thru a high school buddy that's in the legislature, or whatever-- it sounds like it'd be time well spent.

Sorry for the long post.

Scott Mackie