Trailer speed

How fast do you drive
while towing your trailer ?

 

My brother told me I would be going 65 before I left Wisconsin and I was. Very easy to get over 70 and not notice it. My gas went quick on the trip home so that will be a factor on future trips. I haven't figured out my actual MPG yet. It is pretty empty out in the middle of our country and not much traffic.

 

Heheh, Yah Pat.. when I first drove out out the yard and down that lumpy road at 35 or so, I kept looking in the back mirror and asking out "Are you ok??? " and went soft & easy like... along the lumpy freeway going north... same thing, 'are you ok back there??" as I see two beady eyes looking at me...

Hell, by the end of the day, I was doing close to 85 and just looked back and yelled "...Hang ONNNNN.... we'll get there..."
heheh quite a metamorph to be sure...

now I keep it around 63, 60mph is max in Washington towing a trailer... truck speeds apply.

Utah or Nev around 73 or so... where it's 80mph... just goes through gas like crazy...

Fun...

 

60?!?! Yikes! Guess I'd better bone up on Washington vehicle driving laws. I've been running 70-75 up and down the I5, plus using the HOV lane when there are two of us in the van. Uh oh.

 

Yep, includes little gardening trailers too...
You've been lucky... and overlooked.
as have I...

Just look at it and simply ask.
"am I towing anything?? How many axles are on the rig?"
over two = Truck, big rig, speeds... so watch out for the construction sites, fines double...

a simply State by state info

 

I don't care if you drive 85, Frank. Just as long as you pull over and let me by when I come up behind you.

 

Good info from AAA, is a Camp Inn trailer considered a "house" trailer?
MDP

 

In California I go 55. Honest officer, I was going 55.

 

I like driving fast.....
Pulling teardrop depends upon road conditions, posted speed limit, and traffic patterns.

Pulls great behind a Subaru Outback. Known to pass others while travleing up a long hill.

Teardrop has highway rated tires for a reason. Aerodynamic design. Pull at what ever speed is comfortable for your tow vehicle and abilities.

Jean

 

Mick says the same applies in Oregon with the trailer speed. It just says "truck speed", so I am not so sure. I still go slightly above our posted car speed, because we like to get places a little quicker right now. One day we might slow down a bit. California has the same rule as OR and WA, and you can get away with faster, but dad was pulled over outside Redding years ago on our way back from waterskiing at Shasta. Cop was none too pleased at the trailer sway and dad's argument. Dad walked away with a fine/ticket and a bad attitude for the rest of the drive. Good times!

I sure love Montana, Idaho, Wyoming...pretty much anywhere in the prairies where we can open it up a bit. I feel pretty comfortable at 75, but don't get to do it until we get over the passes. Oregon is the slowest state on the left coast, but no idea why. I remember our past governor holding a higher speed limit ransom a few years back. The deal never went through and the speeds have stayed the same. He claimed too many people would die. I don't know about that with an extra 5 mph.

 

At least in WA you can be in the HOV lane with a small trailer. From the WADOT website:

"Can I be in the HOV lane if I’m pulling a trailer?"

Yes, as long as the combined gross weight of both the vehicle and trailer is 10,000 pounds or less, and you are able to keep up with the flow of traffic. A ticket may be issued if you are impeding "normal and reasonable movement of traffic" in the lane (RCW 46.61.425).

 

Interesting we never thought that we might need to follow the truck speed. Tough enough to remember to go to the truck side of the rest stops. Thanks for the heads up Frank you may be saving us a ticket.

 

Well, each state is different.
That link I gave will give you the low-down... it is nice when you just see One Spead, 75mph, and everyone does the same...

It's saved me a few times, and Calif???
Fergit it...56 could be a ticket..

 

Trailering legal speeds is one of those items each person is going to have to do thorough investigating on.

For example, I used a very complete trailering rule guide list and come up with 17 states (including D.C.) that limit trailering speeds to 55 mph. That can be very vague though. As an example, Illinois is on the list as being limited to 55mph. However when you read the signs posting it and the actual law it applies to trailers over 8,001 lb only. So, it does not apply to us teardroppers in Illinois.

I suspect many of these states are like this. I did go and read CA's statute on this and it does clearly state "any" vehicle towing another vehicle must not exceed 55mph. So, the Californian's are stuck with that one. Sorry about that guys.

Oh, and Frank. WA state says 65mph. You can pedal it down more if you like.

So, do your homework on your travel states. And don't just go off of a reference list or something, look up the actual statutes. Many times the lists are just too vague.

Cary

 

When we picked up our CI last September I was amazed how quickly we got used to driving around 70mph on those ling lonely roads home. It was not until I got back to CA where it has to be 55 mph did I realize what a HUGE impact driving over 55 did to the number of miles I got out of my tank!! So we are sticking to 55 now and enjoying the ride!!

 

Huh?
Cary, everywhere I"ve read states 60mph... where are you reading this???

Thanks... I would be nice to kick'r up a bit, actually 1-2 miles more heheh since I peg it at around 63-64 depending on what the truckers, who most the time are more in-tune with the Current "Smokey" status... But where are you seeing this?

do you have a link or something?

Thanks.. gotta start packing "Le Droppe"...Hmm... Oh, I know, bring my toothbrush... Packing Done...

Love it...

 

And Frank, make sure you pack a couple of fifths of ….."mouthwash." I like mine 86 proof.

 

I was actually reading up on trailer laws and regs and it turns out that in a number of states it is legal to have passengers ride in a trailer and NC is one of them.

 

http://www.rvsafely.com/rvroadlaws.htm

Here's a link to some trailer regs. It appears to be legal in 18 states to have passengers in towed trailers. I like the part where it says you must have a "communication system" between the trailer and the tow vehicle.

"Honey, if you need to stop, just open the window and wave your hands."

 

Frank,

Here is a reference list that shows WA at 65mph.

http://www.readybrake.com/state_laws.html

Cary