Ticket while towing on I-5 in California?

[Eddie Longest]

I take my trailer to Fla. From Va. each winter. From Richmond to Jacksonville you might as well be in west Texas, flat non obstructed driving, the posted speed is 70 MPH but the flow of traffic is much faster. I usually tow at the speed limit but with gas prices being what they are I decided to drive slower this year to save gas. I found 65 MPH to be the best speed without getting run over. A lot of road tractors are governed at 65 MPH and you can go with the flow of those vehicles. I got about 1.5 MPG improvement by reducing my speed by just 5 MPH.
BTW: If you travel this I-95 gas prices in NC and Fla. are $.10-.20 higher than the other states.
Eddie

[theresa p]

we travel between new brunswick and florida annually and have found that eddie is 100% correct---the flow of traffic is much faster than the posted limits. however, our choice is to maintain speeds around 60 mph with much better mpg.
we stay to the right and have yet to have anyone hassle or honk or make other gestures (you know!) to intimate that we need to speed up.

[RRIZZO]

80 MPH pulling a trailer.....DEATH WISH! The idea of staying between two Big Rigs is good. Did that recently coming home from Quartzsite, AZ to S. Cal on Interstate 10. I have been pulling our trailer for only a few yrs and have never seen an RV pulled over by CHP or local enforcement. Have only seen them at accident sites, unfortunetly. Drive the posted limit and we will all get to our campgrounds safe and sound.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Rob V

Hi Frederick, I agree completely with staying in the far right (#1) lane. The only ticket I've gotten in California was for towing (needed to pass all those slow trucks) in the #3 lane. Turns out impatience is not considered a virtue by the CHP.

Were you driving an Emergency Vehicle at the time ?

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Rob V

Hi Frederick, I agree completely with staying in the far right (#1) lane. The only ticket I've gotten in California was for towing ... in the #3 lane.

Actually, the official freeway lane numbering system in California starts at the median and works outward. That makes the "Fast Lane" the #1 lane and the far right lane the #4 (on a standard 4-lane system). Additional lanes are called "axillary" (in high congestion zones) or "transitional" (at junction entrance and exit) lanes. Vehicles while towing (that are limited to 55 mph) are restricted by law to lanes #3 & #4 because they need to allow faster vehicles to pass in lanes #1 & #2.

[Joy A]

The rare times I'm on a freeway I always set my cruise control on 60mph and keep it there until the terrain causes me to lower it. I drive in the 1st or 2nd far right hand lanes. There is so much traffic traveling at extremely high rates of speed that the CHP isn't interested in little old trailers unless you might be calling attention to yourself by being wreckless. Now, they might pull you over for going too slow which makes you a hazard. That Uhaul might have problem going 45mph on our highways.

There are several stretches of I-5 where I will not tow my trailer in the furthest right lane. That would be going north up the Gravevine and then just south of Sacramento. In those areas there are between 3 & 5 traffic lanes, so I settle into the 2nd from the right lane at my 60mph. The "slow lane" has been torn up so badly by semi's that the concrete highway is terribly rough and has huge pot holes. I've had CHP go around me on either side and never look at me.

[SilverGhost]

Actually you can receive a speeding ticket at 15MPH if the conditions warrant a slower speed (IE: dense fog, iced road). California has a over riding speed law that is safe speed for conditions.

As far as states with minimum speed limit on Interstates, I have seen several with state wide limits and more with limits in certain, metro or mountain areas. Most are 45MPH, only a couple are 50MPH and one was 55MPH.

Most areas however don't bother you if you are driving with the flow of traffic and not erratically (weaving through traffic, cutting people off, etc.)

Jason

[Greg H]

I hope you guys keep all of those rules in California, the rest of don't want any California rules.

[Joy A]

I don't blame you 'cause we got rules for the rules and then probably rules for those rules.

[john warren]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Because I don't want too! I realize as I got older that my response time is not the same as it was when I was 20 .I have never felt comfortable driving 80 MPH and especially now at my age. I would rather take a little longer to get to my destination than driving with white knuckles and endangering my family as well as yours. You are welcome to drive at whatever MPH you desire just be careful when you pass me I 'll be doing 60 MPH. I know my limitations!

age is a wonderfull teacher isn't it? now days i get up a little earlier , drive a little slower and arrive where i'm going nice and relaxed. finaly figured out besides raising my blood pressure, going fast doesn't do any good. its not like theres gonna be a trophy girl waiting to give you a kiss when you get there.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Joy A

I don't blame you 'cause we got rules for the rules and then probably rules for those rules.

... all of which has become a wasted effort. It is no longer about doing the right thing, it is all about not getting caught while doing the "wrong" thing. The only result seems to be disrespect for orderly conduct. Society requires trust from its participants, a commodity that is sorely lacking today.

I'm beginning to sound like my Father...

[Joy A]

Frederick,

It's funny how time makes us sort of turn into our Parents. Yikes!!!