Speed limits in the US?

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

My point might be that I don't have to state an opinion or relate an experience without allowing that others may differ. My point may be, that I don't have to win.

I'll leave it, you get the last word and win.

[Brian B-P]

Even better, let's not repeat the deep discussion of this idea we already had in http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...res-55515.html. I don't see any point in rehashing that here - those interested can read the earlier topic (which is a sticky), especially from about post #37 to post #50, plus post #81 (it goes into other subjects before and after that).

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

... So, within reason, I try to keep up with surrounding traffic.

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

That works maybe, until you exceed the rated speed for you trailer tires.

Regardless of the speed rating of ST tires, one might be legitimately and safely towing a trailer on a type of tire other than ST, with a speed rating exceeding the speed of surrounding traffic.

[LeonardS]

I can state that in California they do enforce the "towing a trailer speed limit". They also enforce being in the right two lanes for trailers on multiple lane urban highways.

Luckily for me the judge put them both together for one traffic school. Still had to pay both fines, though.

(This was several years ago, pulling my Boston Whaler. I'd like to think I've grown up a bit since then.)

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Not all states enforce towing speed limits. However trailer tires are generally rated for 65 mph maximum.
West coast speeds.

That is if they are inflated to the minimum amount for the given load. If you increase the pressure by 10psi, and do not exceed the maximum pressure of 50psi, then they are rated for up to 75mph. I very rarely exceed that speed.

Special Trailer (ST) Tire Speed Ratings

Industry standards dictate tires with the ST designation are speed rated to 65 MPH (104 km/h) under normal inflation and load conditions.

However industry standards also stipulate, if tires with the ST designation are used at speeds between 66 and 75 mph (106 and 121 km/h), it is necessary to increase their cold inflation pressure by 10 psi (69 kPa) above the recommended pressure for the rated maximum load.

Do not exceed the wheel’s maximum rated pressure. If the maximum pressure for the wheel prohibits the increase of air pressure, then maximum speed must be restricted to 65 mph (104 km/h).

The cold inflation pressure must not exceed 10 psi (69 kPa) beyond the inflation specified for the maximum load of the tire.

Increasing the inflation pressure by 10 psi (69 kPa) does not provide any additional load carrying capacity.

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

The safest speed to travel is the same speed as everybody around you. It's the differential in speeds that can hurt, as in when you are doing sixty and the concrete pillar isn't moving at all.
So, within reason, I try to keep up with surrounding traffic.

Absolutely true. This is something well covered when I took traffic engineering as part of my Civil Engineer educating. Any difference in speed is what causes almost all accidents, other than head on. This is when over the years merging and diverging lanes have been lengthened, to allow vehicles to enter and leave traffic lanes at highway speeds.

I too tend to follow the speed of traffic, within reason, up to about 10-15 kph over the limit, and very rarely do I travel over 120 kph (75 mph).

[Mary F]

Plenty of opinions here, but not a single response pertaining to Pennsylvania, which was the OP's question.

Does anybody from or with experience in Pennsylvania have anything to add?

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Mary F

Plenty of opinions here, but not a single response pertaining to Pennsylvania, which was the OP's question.

Does anybody from or with experience in Pennsylvania have anything to add?

Thanks for getting this back on track.
Here's a web site that indicated it's 55mph in PA.
Trailer towing speed limits are sometimes hard to find. In Oregon they're deep in the statutes and not really easy to find.
Other sites indicate it's 65 in Oregon, and 55 in PA. One reversed it.
My suggestion is to call the State Patrol, or what ever the state highway enforcement agency is and ask them. Be sure to ask for statue number and paragraph.

I know this isn't the answer you wanted, but maybe it'll help a bit.

[Glenn Baglo]

Actually, the subject line for the OP is "Speed limits in the US?"
So, I think subsequent posts are pertinent.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Actually, the subject line for the OP is "Speed limits in the US?"
So, I think subsequent posts are pertinent.

I agree - as long as they're about speed limits.
Pennsylvania is the original poster's starting point, but the context is the US, as compared to the European situation with which he is more familiar.

I think some useful points have emerged:

• there are lists which collect rules across the U.S. states (and Canadian provinces)
• the lists are not complete, thorough, or necessarily correct... but they're a starting point
• rules do vary from state to state (and province to province)
• authoritative rules (legislation and regulations) are published to the internet by the authorities
  which for those jurisdictions, but they can be a challenge to find and to interpret
• speed limits and common practice are not the same thing

Mary asked about people from or with experience in Pennsylvania; it might be interesting to see if what they believe matches the actual rules...

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Here's a web site that indicated it's 55mph in PA.

Good, but I checked the two provinces with which I am most familiar, and there are errors (not the towing speed) in both, so take anything from a source like this is a grain - or maybe a whole shaker - of salt. As I said, it's a starting point... and I agree that the next step is to consult a more authoritative source specific to the jurisdiction.

[Jim Bennett]

If there are restrictions other than the posted speed on any highway (such as when towing), would their not be a sign indicating that?. They would be hard pressed to press charges for speeding when towing at the regular speed limit, if it were not posted somewhere.

I can't remember anywhere seeing a restriction when towing an RV, though I have for trucks. Maybe I just need to pay better attention.

[carlkeigley]

I've only seen max and min speeds and truck speeds on the road signs.

Don't recall seeing a tow speed sign before. I'll have to pay more attention
along with you Jim. I have seen "no Jake brake" signs...............lol

But I don't call my brakes Jake.

[Bob Miller]

In rereading #1 the op did not ask about PA, he just mentioned that it was his home state. Hopefully he was plannng on going further than just PA and seemed to be asking about all other U.S. states in general.

But, at least he didn't start whinning about topic drift and unwanted answers.....

[Mike Magee]

For a minute there I thought we were going to have a beard-growing contest (like the credit card commercial.... grunt grunt: "I win!"). LOL

[cpaharley2008]

So what rule do you follow if towing with a U-Hail that states in big letters all over the trailer, maximum speed 45 mph? I always assumed towing means going slower as the way trucks used do years ago, they stayed in the right slower lanes as did other towing vehicles. Rarely were these ever in the passing lane, as they are today where they will run you over if you go 45 while towing.

[Bob Miller]

U-Haul doesn't set speed limits but, if the contract you signed when renting states that the maximum towing speed is 45MPH you could, at least technically, run into a liability problem if, say a tire failed at 55 mph leading to an accident yada,yada, yada, and yiu wanted to put the blame on U-Haul.

At least a year back some rental car companies put speed monitors on vehicles and charged customers an extra fee if it was driven faster than they wanted. BTW: That was in the contract as well.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by chse

I always assumed that the speed limits for trailers are the same as for other cars... I have to admit that I made my license in Europe, so I was surprised that even my home state (PA) has some speed limits for trailers.

Are these generally enforced?

Originally Posted by LeonardS

I can state that in California they do enforce the "towing a trailer speed limit". They also enforce being in the right two lanes for trailers on multiple lane urban highways.

Individual law enforcement seems to be dependent upon triage priority during lean budgets for police officers. Most drivers play a variant of Russian Roulette substituting a police patrol car for the pistol. To me Chris's question directly addresses this aspect. He didn't ask WHAT the laws are; he obviously knew that before posting. He wanted to know what strategy to use in playing the game everybody is playing out there on the highway, and my evidence is that the vast majority of people play it aggressively.

I take my philosophy

from the tag line of the movie War Games.

I stay in the right lane with the cruise control set on 55. I have never had a mishap with other drivers on the road.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

If there are restrictions other than the posted speed on any highway (such as when towing), would their not be a sign indicating that?. They would be hard pressed to press charges for speeding when towing at the regular speed limit, if it were not posted somewhere.

I can't remember anywhere seeing a restriction when towing an RV, though I have for trucks. Maybe I just need to pay better attention.

The towing speed limits are sometimes buried quite deep in the statutes. Oregon states 55 limit, but it's not posted and from my observation not enforced. Washington states towing speed limit is the same as for trucks, so I guess in way it is posted.

Just because it's not posted doesn't mean it isn't so. Also ignorance of the law is generally not accepted as an excuse.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Just because it's not posted doesn't mean it isn't so. Also ignorance of the law is generally not accepted as an excuse.

For the most part, I agree with this statement. However, how is one to know? Say I am doing a cross country tour of the US, how could I possibly know and remember every unposted speed limit?

Of course, common sense will help out some. I know all rural roads in Alberta are 80 kph, unless otherwise posted.

[carlkeigley]

I remember in my neck of the woods there were signs just ever so often.
Now they are spread out to where you have to wonder what the speed limit
is. So, my sometimes solution when it bothers me is to carry my GPS which
displays the speed limit while tooling down the road. But it's only the general
speed limit. And also tells me how fast I'm going according to the satellite.