Route Clarification For Motorhomes

[hayesfamily]

I know this has been hashed out before but I'm to the point where I'm so confused I figured let me just ask some people that have been through this a lot longer than me . When I brought my Coach home from New York a friend of mine did the navigating and the map work and he took us on Garden State Parkway which clearly said no trucks.

Now I understand that we drive non-commercial motor homes however, even the shortest Class A it's probably close to 15 -16 thousand pounds. A lot of those no truck roads are weight restrictions not necessarily truck restrictions. My question is how do you know?

On a similar note I noticed yesterday in my travels that a Class A coach came through the Baltimore Fort McHenry tunnel which from what I understand is technically a No-No. I can only assume it's bad Juju because of the propane tanks that we carry.

I don't mean to sound clueless but to be honest with you I am clueless. Where do we sit in this mix. 

[BillAdams]

Not all RV's carry and use propane!  If that RV did not, there are/were no issues.  Many RV's these days are all electric so they can go where other RV's cannot.  I know that I drove the Parkway (or Turnpike) somewhere in NJ with my RV when I lived in VA but I can't remember which.  I remember it well as I broke an A/C belt along the way and was wondering what I would have done if it was a more serious problem.

Others in the area should be able to clarify what you can and cannot do.  What I do know is that you ARE NOT a truck and truck regulations do not apply to you.  Height requirements do and you should pay very close attention to these!

[jleamont]

Check on the website for the tunnel, it will have the restrictions listed. I know there is a maximum propane storage limit allowed. Most likely you are close or over that amount.

I have never run the GSParkway in NJ before, if headed north I will run I-287 to 87 to 84 to avoid those ridiculous tolls and congestion. Plus it's a nice scenic ride. A favorite stop at Orange County Choppers is a must since it's at I-87 and I-84 anyway 

[kaypsmith]

Weight and height restrictions and sometimes width (because of narrow  bridges) are my greatest concerns. In addition to posted restrictions such as propane, I still have propane on board for the generator and stove.

[manholt]

Mine is the same as Kay, but have no propane, all elect. coach.  Height is always on my mind and Keon you need to know what yours is to the highest point of coach from ground.  Whip antenna you just have to be aware that it's there, it will bend, your AC, will not !

Carl

[wildebill308]

Keon, Look at some of the mapping programs/apps they will  help keep you off roads with restrictions. You can set your preferences on what you want to avoid, tunnels,toll roads, points of interest such as restaurants ect.

Bill

 

[tbutler]

We got on the Garden State Parkway a few years back, same confusion.  I took the first exit after clearing about three overpasses that were at or near our height.  As I approached each one (they are arched), I would pull to the center of the divided highway two lane pavement to get under the highest point and then slow down to inch my way under.  I certainly didn't want to bounce.  So in that case, no trucks also means no RV's.  It's a problem with the signs which should have indicated a height limit or indicated no trucks or RV's.

One of my favorite situations was a border crossing into Canada at Sault Ste Marie.  As we approached Canadian Customs the first sign was for trucks.  Well, I'm not a truck so we went on.  The next sign was for cars.  That could mean narrow or low clearance problems, we aren't a car so we continued on.  That led to the only other passage through the checkpoint which was labeled buses.  So I stopped at the appointed place.  After a little wait I was greeted by an irritated CBP agent who groused at me that I should have gone through the car entrance.  He processed us through and we were on our way.  My hope is that it made him look at the signs and consider suggesting a change to indicate RV's on the car sign. 

Part of the problem is that we are a tiny portion of the normal highway traffic and most people have never owned or driven an RV so we are completely off the radar for decision makers and designers.  When it comes to signs, there is no rule because we often aren't considered when wording the sign.

[jleamont]

From experience, use the apps on your phone. Some of the GPS devices out there like the Good Sam and Rand McNally are expensive wheel chocks, that's about all they are good for. Just don't want to see anyone waste their hard earned money on a GPS thinking its going to save the day.

[wayne77590]

Keon, there is a wealth of information on the America's Independent Truckers Association web site. Plan your route, check the web site. Also, watch for the yellow warning signs.

 

I use the Garman 760 LMT GPS system and it is designed for RV or cars.

[kaypsmith]

Kudos Joe, I have a Magellan RV GPS that has served me well, but Tom Tom let me down.

[jleamont]

I have considered buying another GPS, the one I have now sours me to the point of total frustration since its useless and I just cant bring myself to do it again. The Apps are great as long as you have cell service, which isn't often. I now plan our routes and google earth when I leave an interstate to see what lies ahead, not my preference but works.

[wildebill308]

We have been using CoPilot for a couple of years now. You can download maps when you have wifi and you don't use data. I have found it to be quite accurate. You can set the settings for your RV. It isn't free but I think it is under $10.00 and you can use it on several devices. I have it on a 10" tablet for navigation in the motor home and on the phones for in the car. With any device you need to pay attention and not follow it blindly.

They have a new one geared to just RV it is $50.00 and the reviews I have read say it needs more work. Which is surprising considering how good the cheap one is. 

Bill

[BillAdams]

9 hours ago, TBUTLER said:

We got on the Garden State Parkway a few years back, same confusion.  I took the first exit after clearing about three overpasses that were at or near our height.  As I approached each one (they are arched), I would pull to the center of the divided highway two lane pavement to get under the highest point and then slow down to inch my way under.  I certainly didn't want to bounce.  So in that case, no trucks also means no RV's.  It's a problem with the signs which should have indicated a height limit or indicated no trucks or RV's.

One of my favorite situations was a border crossing into Canada at Sault Ste Marie.  As we approached Canadian Customs the first sign was for trucks.  Well, I'm not a truck so we went on.  The next sign was for cars.  That could mean narrow or low clearance problems, we aren't a car so we continued on.  That led to the only other passage through the checkpoint which was labeled buses.  So I stopped at the appointed place.  After a little wait I was greeted by an irritated CBP agent who groused at me that I should have gone through the car entrance.  He processed us through and we were on our way.  My hope is that it made him look at the signs and consider suggesting a change to indicate RV's on the car sign. 

Part of the problem is that we are a tiny portion of the normal highway traffic and most people have never owned or driven an RV so we are completely off the radar for decision makers and designers.  When it comes to signs, there is no rule because we often aren't considered when wording the sign.

That is so funny!  When we were leaving Canada headed back to the US we ran into a similar situation.  We were not a bus and we were not a truck so we headed for the car lane.  The US customs folks threw a hissy fit and were pointing toward the bus lane.  We were too far gone and could not back up while towing so we just had to move in the direction we were headed.  It was pretty obvious that we had simply pissed them off and they were going to do whatever possible to delay our crossing.  After a bunch of "harumph's" they let us go through as if they were doing us some kind of a favor.  We drove into Canada a couple of days earlier to see the falls and "our Country" welcomed us back as if we were an inconvenience.  Thanks Uncle Sam!