Towing speed

[BCDave]

Not ticketed for obeying the law. For DISobeying the law through driving in a manner such that you present a clear danger to life safety of all others on the road.

If you hold that being below the speed limit is safe, they try driving on the 401 at 1 mph. (NOT when it has clotted, but when it is moving at its more "normal" 120 kph). You are not speeding. Therefore (therefive?) you are obeying the law? Are you safe? Are you driving in manner conducive to the safety of all others? Or are you recklessly endangering the lives of others on the road?

By presenting a disruption to the normal flow of traffic you are increasing the risk of collisions.

At what point does a significant deviation from the normal flow of traffic become a dangerous risk? Define "significant variation". 10 kph ? 20 kph? 31.7 kph? 60 KPH? 100" 250?

If there are 350 vehicles per hour passing a given point and 5 of them are attempting to travel at a speed significantly different from the others - tickets SHOULD be issued and they should be for major amounts of $$$$!

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by BCDave

Yet they will also ticket for obstructing traffic if you are more than 10 kph slower than "average - even if you were also over the limit at the time! (Seen 'em do it on the Coq connector)

Dave as you well know most 2 line highways in Canada are only rated at 80 kph/50mph and Multi lanes at 100kph/62 mph - yup we have some at 110kph/68 mph but not that many - way more at 90kph/55mph! We also have posted truck rates on many of them which are lower than the max so if someone is traveling at the posted truck rate its a good bet they are not going to get into any great trouble in most of this country - for the simple reason if a truck can travel at their posted speed and not be fined for impeding traffic why cant a car? Actually a number of states have laws in place that state that people towing are only suppose to do the posted truck rate.

Do you have a link to anything that supports that the tickets are going to folks on the Coq connector doing 10 KPH slower than *AVERAGE* even if going *OVER* the posted. Seriously? Do you honestly think thats why they were being pulled over? Did you stop to ask? My money rides on them being issued a speeding ticket not a ticket for going to slow, if they were traveling over the speed limit.

Is there a link to anything that supports that they were even giving them out for doing 10 KPH under the actual posted limit? I know they have been targeting some highways for slow drivers but the number I heard wasn't 10kph/6mph it was way more than that. Would love to see some support for what you have suggested - as you know few of the commercial trucks travel on the Coq or its connector, through large sections of it are doing anywhere close to being within 10 KPH of the posted limit - more like 40 KPH below.

You are correct the MV law in BC does address slow driving but it does not actually say 10 kph slower - it reads:

Slow driving
145 (1) A person must not drive a motor vehicle at so slow a speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

(2) If the driver of a motor vehicle is driving at so slow a speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, a peace officer may require the driver to increase his or her speed, or to remove the motor vehicle from the roadway to the nearest suitable place and to refrain from causing or allowing the motor vehicle to move from that place until directed to do so by a peace officer.

Frederick is correct those who are going to tow fast are going to do it. But they sure come up with all sorts of interesting reasons for doing it .

[Andrew GPSMapNut]

Originally Posted by BCDave

Not ticketed for obeying the law. For DISobeying the law through driving in a manner such that you present a clear danger to life safety of all others on the road.
If you hold that being below the speed limit is safe, they try driving on the 401 at 1 mph. (NOT when it has clotted, but when it is moving at its more "normal" 120 kph). You are not speeding. Therefore (therefive?) you are obeying the law?! Are you safe? Are you driving in manner conducive to the safety of all others? Or are you recklessly endangering the lives of others on the road?

You were writing about being ticketed " if you are more than 10 kph slower than "average - even if you were also over the limit at the time!" and this was precisely what I was referring to. If I'm going 100 in the right lane I can not get ticketed just because everybody else would like to go 120 and this is because the legal limit on 401 IS 100. And yes, I am driving safely. I'm just not a lemming.

Originally Posted by BCDave

By presenting a disruption to the normal flow of traffic you are increasing the risk of collisions.

At what point does a significant deviation from the normal flow of traffic become a dangerous risk? Define "significant variation". 10 kph ? 20 kph? 31.7 kph? 60 KPH? 100" 250?

If there are 350 vehicles per hour passing a given point and 5 of them are attempting to travel at a speed significantly different from the others - tickets SHOULD be issued and they should be for major amounts of $$$$!

Well, you are right. You are 345 times right! If 345 vehicles are travelling over the speed limit than, 345 tickets should be issued!

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Andrew GPSMapNut

Well, you are right. You are 345 times right! If 350 vehicles are travelling over the speed limit than, 345 tickets should be issued!

Yup and they actually do that on highway 99 between Whistler and Vancouver

[Perry J]

I live near Lake Isabella, Ca. which is a major tourist destination in the summer.
I went to Bakersfield today which is about an hour trip.
My return trip took almost 2 hours.
Fourteen miles is up through the Kern Canyon which is 14 miles of 2 lane highway.
It's a beautiful and unerving trip for people not used to 2 lane Mtn. roads.
The normally 20 minute trip throught the Canyon took almost an hour.
I was about # 20 behind a small motorhome. There were at least another 20 behind me.
You can rationalize all you want but people who are going slower than the flow of traffic who do not allow others to pass or don't pull over when traffic is pileing up behind them are a menace and simply rude.
I don't mean to insult anyone. But I don't like to beat around the bush when something needs to be said.
I don't think it's my job to tell anyone how fast they can go.
I drive/tow at the speed limit and sometimes faster. If I'm on a 2 lane road and some fool wants to go 90 MPH I pull over and let him.
It never hurts to be polite.

[Andrew GPSMapNut]

Originally Posted by Perry J

>>>>
If I'm on a 2 lane road and some fool wants to go 90 MPH I pull over and let him.
It never hurts to be polite.

Yes! Still;
I do reserve the right to go 90 km/h on a highway where the speed limit is 90 km/h
I do reserve the right to go in the right lane at 90 km/h on a multi lane highway even if the max speed is posted as 120
I do assume an obligation to let pass the ones that desire to go faster when it is safe to do so. That includes; sometimes signalling with the right blinker, sometimes driving on the shoulder and sometimes, just waiting for the road widening to a passing double lane which is common in Ontario.
If somebody decides that he wants to pass me on a blind corner because he wants to drive over the limit and I don't... my obligations are reduced to praying that there is no oncoming traffic.
Having said that; I also reserve the right to sometimes just fly at the 120+ (my setup allows me to do it safely in the right conditions) and curse at somebody doing 90 in the hammer lane...

[Carol H]

Cant argue with your point Perry - LOL we have a few roads around here that are like that & I towed on one on Sunday although its been recently upgraded to a 2 lane both directions in lots of sections so more chances than in the past to pass safely and I found myself passing a lot of folks on Sunday who were not towing, even a few motorcycles. I rarely if ever go under the speed limit on two lanes road with the exception of places such a Montana were they seem to have only one speed limit sign for every road :-) even then I pulled over any time someone came up behind me but it was interesting because more than half of them didnt actually want to pass me.

I think most of this discussion revolves around the need for speed on a multi lane freeway where there are plenty on options for someone to pass you.

[Andrew GPSMapNut]

Originally Posted by Carol H

>>>>> but it was interesting because more than half of them didnt actually want to pass me.
>>>>

Well, they could be using you as a make shift "radar detector". I do admit to doing that from time to time except, I keep about a half a mile distance. If they are going over the limit and I see that they are slamming on the breakes... gives me just enough time to slow down and not be caught.... just because that sometimes I choose to tow at 90 km/hr does not mean that I always do.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Andrew GPSMapNut

Well, they could be using you as a make shift "radar detector". I do admit to doing that from time to time except, I keep about a half a mile distance.

Nope not on the back roads of Montana where the posted was 75 but the truth is on many of those secondary two lane curvy roads no one does the posted limit.... unless they have a death wish. I was only doing 55 tops, some times less depending on the road, so they sure where not going to get a ticket if they passed me. My understanding is that as Montana did not have any speed limit until 1999 when first implemented they only made up one sign which is the max for the whole state .... nothing saying you have to do it or that anyone ever really did it on some of those roads. 13 years later you still dont see to many signs less than 75 in Montana outside of an urban area.

[Andrew GPSMapNut]

Originally Posted by Carol H

>>>>13 years later you still dont see to many signs less than 75 in Montana outside of an urban area.

Oh, I wish. In my other life I used to be a rally driver. Now, I (think) still know how to drive fast but (out of the city) I'm now... (mostly) pulling a trailer and enjoy the views.

[arlon]

My new tires are rated for 106mph, I guess I won't be testing their limits anytime soon. Towing speeds will depend on the law, location, driving conditions and which vehicle I'm towing with. I'd have no issues towing 70-75mph with my truck (3/4 ton diesel set up to tow a 10klb 5th wheel) out here in West texas where the limit is 80 and anything much less than 75 would probably be more dangerous than just keeping up with the flow. If I'm towing with my AWD Astro van, I'd have to consider 70 my upper limit. Van just isn't near the tow vehicle the truck is.

Oh, did I mention I don't believe in trailer tires. I think they are a marketing gimmick to make cheap tires that don't have to pass DOT quality specs enforced on tires that carry human cargo. I'll take my chances driving faster with truck tires on the trailer.

[BCDave]

OK - now lets bring it on back to the real world.

Suppose a person is going along a highway - a 2 lanes in each direction, divided highway. (S)He is is going 50. The limit is 70 (common in MANY states) She is NOT speeding, no one else is speeding. The other 350 vehicles per hour are all doing 70. In this example - No-one is SPEEDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

However "our hero" is presenting a speed difference of 20 mph. If there is an accident - who's the ONLY one who could potentially have introduced a "bubble" in the flow of traffic? Who is presenting a danger to others? Who could potentially be responsible for some deaths?

You are NEVER going to convince me to stop and just park in the second lane of the 401, while everyone streams on by at 75 mph. Nor to drive at 1 mph in a 70 zone. Or 2 mph. Or 5 or 10 when everyone else is doing 70. I will move with traffic.

Since this is a TOWING thread, not a DRIVING one, if my trailer tires are not safe to operate at prevailing speeds then I should receive a very healthy ticket for knowingly operating an unsafe vehicle on a public road

And yes, a former coworker - who now lives in Westbank got nailed on the Coq connector for unsafe driving for towing his powerboat at 105 kph, thus impeding traffic and presenting an undue hazard to other drivers. Cost him a ton of cash - which he sez was worth every penny as his wife had been ragging on him for going too fast when the cops pulled him over. She thought he was getting a speeding tik, so he sez the look on her face when she found out he was getting nailed for going too SLOW.....

(by the way - big boat - it sleeps 6 and tows skiers, 3 axle trailer)

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by BCDave

And yes, a former coworker - who now lives in Westbank got nailed on the Coq connector for unsafe driving for towing his powerboat at 105 kph, thus impeding traffic and presenting an undue hazard to other drivers.
(by the way - big boat - it sleeps 6 and tows skiers, 3 axle trailer)

Would have loved to have read that ticket.... suspect a lawyer would suggest that due to how the slow driving legislation is worded it would be pretty darn challengeable as well. Even stranger that the limit is only 110 kph and they have been hammering speeders hard on that section of road for the past couple of years - I have driven it many times. Even more surprised is that the topic of speeding on that section of road gets a lots of press but haven't seen any press on the topic of people getting ticketed for going 5 kph under - would think that would be a pretty big news item. Strange situation for sure.

[Perry J]

[
Oh, did I mention I don't believe in trailer tires. I think they are a marketing gimmick to make cheap tires that don't have to pass DOT quality specs enforced on tires that carry human cargo. I'll take my chances driving faster with truck tires on the trailer.[/QUOTE]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks trailer tires are a rip.
I've towed 6 horse horse trailers and everything in between my present Lil Bigfoot and have never concerned my self with "trailer tires".
Never had a problem.

[Frederick L. Simson]

... and we have a free-for-all!

Originally Posted by Perry J

I don't think it's my job to tell anyone how fast they can go.

No minds are being changed here.

This topic is closed.