Prevost plus Suburban = 67.5 feet

[tomlong10]

We tow our Suburban behind our 45 foot motorhome. In our home state of Washington the limit is 75 feet but in some states the limit is 65 feet -- and in a few it is even less.

Do states really care about the extra 1.5 feet? What does a ticket for over-length cost? Is this a moving violation?

Thanks.

[washbob]

Watch California if you are traveling through the state. They enforce the over length provision pretty aggressive and the ticket is very costly. Fortunately I haven't experienced it first hand, but have spoken to several people who have been caught. Everyone I have spoken to were pulling a trailer behind their unit, haven't heard from anyone with just the toad attached being ticketed. Perhaps the trailer just stands out more especially if it's a stacker trailer.

[RVerOnTheMove]

As mentioned above, CA will absolutely ticket you if you exceed 65' overall length (if you happen to run into someone who cares). There have been some Prevost owners who have been ticketed as it's difficult, if not impossible, to tow a full-sized vehicle with a 45' RV and not exceed the 65' limit. This is the same State that did not allow RV's over 40' on any side road and when they made the 45' the legal length they did not follow up making the towed limit longer.

[dean0283]

I live in CA and have a few friends and they tow all the time and are over the 65 foot limit. One has a 3 axle trailer, travels I5 and I10 all the time and has never received a ticket for being over length (he is about 10 feet too long). He's been doing this for about a decade or so.

The other guy flat tows and is just about 3 feet too long, got a ticket for a unsafe lane change (I think), nothing was asked about his length.

So, I guess that CA doesn't aggressively enforce this law or will absolutely ticket you as stated above.

Based on my driving the freeways around here, the CHP have their hands full just dealing with speeders, drunks, trucks driving about 70 MPH (55 MPH speed limit) to be to concerned about a few over length RV's.

Dean

[wolfe10]

Really two separate issues here:

1. Will you get a ticket for over-length-- either as primary reason for stop of a secondary one.

2. If you are involved in an accident, how will the fact that you are operating an illegal vehicle affect your liability.

[tbutler]

Brett's #2 concern is the real problem. Being aware of this, we have traveled New England several times. There are limits of 55 or 60 feet in some states. Our total length approaches 65 feet. We've never been questioned. We've also never been in an accident with our rig. We were taking a risk and decided to go with it to be able to see that part of the country. I suppose we could have split the rig as an alternate but we much prefer to travel together. When we are in these states we try to stay to the interstate as much as possible. We absolutely stick to the truck routes. We park the rig and do our running about with the toad. So we are limiting our travel as much as possible with the complete rig. We have always had a supplemental braking system on the toad. I am talking about doing what you can to minimize your risk but you can't eliminate risk of either a ticket or liability in an accident.

[tomlong10]

Thanks for all your responses. We have traveled in CA a lot in the last 3 years and have seen a lot of CHP. They never stopped us. I did meet an off duty CHP officer and he said that they just do not have the time to deal with this. But he also said that when they see it a Suburban behind a Prevost, they know it is too long.

I am wondering how much the ticket costs if it comes to that.