Towing with a motorhome

J Kuchel · 11-15-2009, 11:27 AM

Just found this on Towing World web site. It looks like I am over length towing. The reason I started thinking about this was this accident.
http://rvdailyreport.com/News/tabid/...ar-pileup.aspx

http://www.towingworld.com/PDFS/TowingLaws.pdf

tj310 · 11-15-2009, 12:30 PM

Thank you for posting the links. We are 61' wish I'd bought a shorter trailer. It sounds like the guy should not have had a lic.
Thanx Trevor

novassdude · 11-15-2009, 12:30 PM

There needs to be a license requierment for these rigs. There is noreason some one with just a regular license should be allowed to drive a rig of this size. I don't think they need to have a full CDL but some kind of test to prove they can handle the rig.

Greg Reimer 7376 · 11-15-2009, 01:14 PM

What about the onerous permit and fee laws varying from state to state?The talk around the pits at Pomona this week was the Nevada permit fees and proceedures that supposedly took effect August 1,'09?

Bob Pagano · 11-15-2009, 01:38 PM

You do not want them to start with special licensing because those who are retired and on meds will be in for a rude awakening. CDL of any kind will bring in the feds and you will not be driving big campers. I have heard from a good friend some states are already talking about this very subject and the feds will join in for sure.

J Kuchel · 11-15-2009, 02:00 PM

I just found out that the little girl died. Very sad day.

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/21617157/detail.html

Alan Roehrich · 11-15-2009, 02:22 PM

This is a case where a 72 year old man admitted he stepped on the wrong pedal in his vehicle.

It could have happened regardless of what vehicle he was driving.

There's little doubt the size and weight of his vehicle made it worse.

But it is a stretch to blame the accident itself on the size, weight, or length of the vehicle.

It should be said, however, that regular motorhomes were neither designed nor intended to tow enclosed race car trailers, and really shouldn't be used for that purpose.

Eventually, someone is going to wreck a rig like that, and someone else will figure out that they can make a fortune in court over it. When they do, you can bet that between insurance companies and the government, you won't be using anything but a real truck designed for towing to tow a race car trailer.

novassdude · 11-15-2009, 02:27 PM

Bob if it prevents things like this from happening it is worth it to me. They need to do something. I am not saying full CDL with medical and log books but a classification that would have a writen and driving test that shows the people know what they are doing. It was obvious this person had no buisness driving this rig or possibly any vehical. Any one that hits the wrong pedal and from the sound of the story kept hitting the wrong pedal should loose there driving privlages on the spot.

JRyan · 11-15-2009, 05:41 PM

As one who is becoming "elderly" whether I want to or not, I can see how those things happen. I was the victim of a foot on the gas instead of brake scenarios awhile back right in my own back yard. My elderly neighbor was attempting to back up a homemade ramp to repair a tire on his little Dodge motorhome, and overshot the ramp backwards. Not wanting to run into the neighbors yard where kids were playing, he yanked it into low, and hit what he thought was the brake. Well it wasn't. It was the accelerator. He roared across his lawn and driveway, through the spot we normally park our enclosed trailer and car (it was in the street as we'd just returned from racing the previous night), ran right through my cherry little 1981 Malibu Wagon that WAS going to be an N/SA Stocker, and pushed it three feet through the sidewall of my garage.

I wish that were the end. Still with his foot planted on the accelerator, he backed off of the carnage into his son's yard again and proceeded to run over two lawn mowers a bike, and finally (thankfully) became high-centered on a snowmobile trailer which he crushed.

The story has a good ending though as he voluntarily turned in his drivers license. Will I or we be smart enough to do that BEFORE we get to that point? Probably not!

My sympathy to all of those involved in that Indiana tragedy.

Jerry

Bill Bagley · 11-16-2009, 11:18 AM

Can't thank you enough for the post. I recently pulled the trigger on an enclosed trailer that would have put us over 75ft, but it couldn't make the turn into my driveway without significant apron reconstruction. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Our prayers go out to the family in Indiana.

11-15-2009, 11:27 AM	#1
J Kuchel Banned Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sterling,Illinois Posts: 111 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Towing with a motorhome Just found this on Towing World web site. It looks like I am over length towing. The reason I started thinking about this was this accident. http://rvdailyreport.com/News/tabid/...ar-pileup.aspx http://www.towingworld.com/PDFS/TowingLaws.pdf Last edited by J Kuchel; 11-15-2009 at 11:53 AM.

11-15-2009, 12:30 PM	#2
tj310 Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Dresden On. Canada Posts: 460 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Towing with a motorhome Thank you for posting the links. We are 61' wish I'd bought a shorter trailer. It sounds like the guy should not have had a lic. Thanx Trevor

11-15-2009, 12:30 PM	#3
novassdude Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: usa Posts: 752 Likes: 204 Liked 136 Times in 49 Posts	Re: Towing with a motorhome There needs to be a license requierment for these rigs. There is noreason some one with just a regular license should be allowed to drive a rig of this size. I don't think they need to have a full CDL but some kind of test to prove they can handle the rig.

11-15-2009, 01:14 PM	#4
Greg Reimer 7376 VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Glendora,Calif. Posts: 1,135 Likes: 172 Liked 704 Times in 218 Posts	Re: Towing with a motorhome What about the onerous permit and fee laws varying from state to state?The talk around the pits at Pomona this week was the Nevada permit fees and proceedures that supposedly took effect August 1,'09?

11-15-2009, 01:38 PM	#5
Bob Pagano VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: New Holland, PA Mooresville,NC Posts: 1,163 Likes: 238 Liked 16 Times in 11 Posts	Re: Towing with a motorhome You do not want them to start with special licensing because those who are retired and on meds will be in for a rude awakening. CDL of any kind will bring in the feds and you will not be driving big campers. I have heard from a good friend some states are already talking about this very subject and the feds will join in for sure. __________________ Bob Pagano A/SA

11-15-2009, 02:00 PM	#6
J Kuchel Banned Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sterling,Illinois Posts: 111 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Towing with a motorhome I just found out that the little girl died. Very sad day. http://www.theindychannel.com/news/21617157/detail.html

11-15-2009, 02:22 PM	#7
Alan Roehrich Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 5,105 Likes: 1,561 Liked 1,786 Times in 408 Posts	Re: Towing with a motorhome This is a case where a 72 year old man admitted he stepped on the wrong pedal in his vehicle. It could have happened regardless of what vehicle he was driving. There's little doubt the size and weight of his vehicle made it worse. But it is a stretch to blame the accident itself on the size, weight, or length of the vehicle. It should be said, however, that regular motorhomes were neither designed nor intended to tow enclosed race car trailers, and really shouldn't be used for that purpose. Eventually, someone is going to wreck a rig like that, and someone else will figure out that they can make a fortune in court over it. When they do, you can bet that between insurance companies and the government, you won't be using anything but a real truck designed for towing to tow a race car trailer. __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S

11-15-2009, 02:27 PM	#8
novassdude Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: usa Posts: 752 Likes: 204 Liked 136 Times in 49 Posts	Re: Towing with a motorhome Bob if it prevents things like this from happening it is worth it to me. They need to do something. I am not saying full CDL with medical and log books but a classification that would have a writen and driving test that shows the people know what they are doing. It was obvious this person had no buisness driving this rig or possibly any vehical. Any one that hits the wrong pedal and from the sound of the story kept hitting the wrong pedal should loose there driving privlages on the spot.

11-15-2009, 05:41 PM	#9
JRyan Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aberdeen SD Posts: 645 Likes: 30 Liked 112 Times in 31 Posts	Re: Towing with a motorhome As one who is becoming "elderly" whether I want to or not, I can see how those things happen. I was the victim of a foot on the gas instead of brake scenarios awhile back right in my own back yard. My elderly neighbor was attempting to back up a homemade ramp to repair a tire on his little Dodge motorhome, and overshot the ramp backwards. Not wanting to run into the neighbors yard where kids were playing, he yanked it into low, and hit what he thought was the brake. Well it wasn't. It was the accelerator. He roared across his lawn and driveway, through the spot we normally park our enclosed trailer and car (it was in the street as we'd just returned from racing the previous night), ran right through my cherry little 1981 Malibu Wagon that WAS going to be an N/SA Stocker, and pushed it three feet through the sidewall of my garage. I wish that were the end. Still with his foot planted on the accelerator, he backed off of the carnage into his son's yard again and proceeded to run over two lawn mowers a bike, and finally (thankfully) became high-centered on a snowmobile trailer which he crushed. The story has a good ending though as he voluntarily turned in his drivers license. Will I or we be smart enough to do that BEFORE we get to that point? Probably not! My sympathy to all of those involved in that Indiana tragedy. Jerry

11-16-2009, 11:18 AM	#10
Bill Bagley Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: East Texas Piney Woods Posts: 125 Likes: 110 Liked 31 Times in 10 Posts	Re: Towing with a motorhome Can't thank you enough for the post. I recently pulled the trigger on an enclosed trailer that would have put us over 75ft, but it couldn't make the turn into my driveway without significant apron reconstruction. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Our prayers go out to the family in Indiana. __________________ Bill Bagley 4561 STK *Endeavor to Persevere!*