Bad day for towing I10 Florida

[koller1509]

Originally Posted by valleyduo

They definitely have. I'm in PA where roads have never been very good, but used to catch a break when out of state. The last few years that out of state reprieve has gone. MD, NY, OH, VA, and WV are all just as bad or worse roads than ours right now. For the amount we're taxed at the fuel pumps, you would think the roads could be better.

X2

[Paulie1138]

Here in AZ we have pretty good roads for the most part. A friend works for ADOT, and has said that tax revenue is way down due to the mileage the newer cars are getting. Sooner or later, they will have to do something to fix that. He says as the electric cars become more mainstream, revenues will get worse. We all pay the road tax as we fill, and as we use less fuel, then the money has to come from somewhere. Yes the bigger rigs kill the roads faster, but so does age, even with very little traffic.

[MR.M]

Taxes = waste of money . plenty of revenue is taken in . It's the pisspoor management of those tax dollars that's the issue . why is it a common joke to see hwy workers standing around ?

[GL1800Rider]

Originally Posted by Maxwell D Pratt

I have noticed that most drivers now run at 70 to 80 bumper to bumper , what happened to one ar length for every 10 mph ? You give yourself a little distance and some will pull into it. I run 60 to 65 mph pulling a trailer any kind. That is fast enough.

I always use the 4 second rule when driving the RV. Watch the vehicle in front of you pass a fixed point and stay 4 seconds behind that point. I run 62 and let the others go around me. Plan my trip with 50 mph average allowing for stops and arrive relaxed.

[CurtPutnam]

Here in Ca, the fuel taxes (all sold to the public as road improvement) goes straight to the general fund where it gets used for all kinds of non-road stuff.

My Dad was an excellent driver - had been driving since age 12 (indulgent grandfather in semi-rural in upstate NY). He bought an ultra-ultra light trailer and pulled it from Va to AK where he rolled both the TV and the TT. Knowing what I know now, his trailer was probably too heavy for the TV which was a 90s something Jeep Grand Cherokee and the wheelbase is/was woefully short for a TT in the 18' range, IIRC. Nobody was hurt, not even the dog. They later bought a Pleasure-Way Class B and really loved it.

We drive at 55 - 60 in Ca (legal limit for towing is 55) and about 62 elsewhere. In crowded, urban conditions we hang out in the lane next to the righmost to avoid the bulk of merging activity. Out on the open road, you'll find us in the right lane. We don't worry about uphill speed either - the truck will pull just fine and so far has held 55 or better on 6% & 7% grades without needing to go over 4000 rpm.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by Paulie1138

Here in AZ we have pretty good roads for the most part. A friend works for ADOT, and has said that tax revenue is way down due to the mileage the newer cars are getting. Sooner or later, they will have to do something to fix that. He says as the electric cars become more mainstream, revenues will get worse. We all pay the road tax as we fill, and as we use less fuel, then the money has to come from somewhere. Yes the bigger rigs kill the roads faster, but so does age, even with very little traffic.

Just last night on the Yuma Arizona local news...

State of Arizona is adding $32.00 per vehicle license plates starting January 1...

[Paulie1138]

I saw that on the news yesterday here as well. Newscast also commented on the huge decline in revenues due to higher MPG vehicles, despite increased vehicle registrations. Don’t get me started on the multi-billion dollar boondoggle called “light rail” they are putting in in the PHX metro area. We could be much better served with different forms of flexible mass transit. We joking refer to it as ‘blight rail” or the homeless relocation transporter.

[waybeck2018]

Had a near miss over Thanksgiving week when a fool tried to scoot between me and the pick up in front of me, apparently missing his turn off I 285. Thank goodness I leave 5-6 lengths between me and the vehicle ahead. I also saw him zig zagging in and out. Had to use both the trailer brakes and hard push on truck brakes. I almost thought I would have his paint on the bumper of my F-250. That was a real pucker factor. Alert and defensive driving prevented a huge smash up.

[Brother Les]

Several years ago, went of Mouse Land in Orlando pulling a camper. Drove down from Pensacola to Orlando. TVs/RVs flying by me at over 80mph and the roads were HOT.... Saw half a dozen TVs/RVs on the side of the road with blown out tires, going to and from Mouse Land. I would bet that NONE of the TVs/RVs on the side of the road had Tire Minders. I, also, had a tire going down and did not know it until pulled into a fuel station and when I did a walk around I Heard air coming from a RV tire. It was leaking from the valve stem at the rim area. If we were on the 'road' for an hour or more... that tire would have shredded when it went flat. Would I have 'known' the tire was 'flat' before it started to shred???? Not really, my truck pulls really easy the heavy loads. One time, I had a rear trailer tire shear the lug bolts and the tire.... Passed Me going down the road. There was no shoulder to pull over so I went another 50 yards with the axle u-bolts dragging on the road. Found the tire down the road, bought new lug bolts at auto store, hammered in and put tire on and good to go. Why did the 'tire' shear the lug bolts??? My guess is that I had a real flat on THAT tire location about 500 miles before and I DiD Not re-torque the lug nuts as I should have.



Buy Tire Minders....

[myxkp]

Originally Posted by Traveling Circus

I drive on average about 1,000 miles / week, in 9 years I've never passed a Trailer & TV that rolled. Today, driving on I-10 just west of the I-75 intercange, I passed a 5vr, that had rolled, the TV, Ram , looked like it rolled multiple times. In less than 30 miles, another, in the eastbound lane, I came across a TT that had also rolled.
Winds were not high and traffic was light.
Be careful out there folks, most days I see campers, large rigs, hauling in excess of 75 mph.

55 max when towing in ca, I always get passed by others towing. The laws of physics will catch up with them first and my 55 will allow me to avoid running over their debris. Bonus 3 extra mpg too.

[mnoland30]

Our gas taxes pay for trailheads, bike trails, traffic calming, light rail, bus transit, and a bunch of other nonsense that makes our roads and bridges get shorted for maintenance dollars.

Research shows that speed differentials are a big factor in traffic crashes. Slower vehicles mixed with faster vehicles cause crashes. I drive around 70 because that is a sweet spot for fuel mileage. I have a Superduty pulling a light (4400 lb.) trailer, and tires rated for 81 mph. Some better tires are rated for 88 mph now. My trailer pulls well in cross winds, with no sway even when trucks pass in the opposite direction.

I've never seen a trailer driving 55 mph in California.

[strgrazr]

A couple of years ago we were going to Mouse World from I-95 to Orlando and hit stop and go traffic. A small Honda tried to pass me. It's front bumper was hanging off and hood all smashed, horn just blaring away. The kids said to watch out for the crazy lady. Soon traffic came to a complete stop, guys in a worktruck next to me said that we had been rear-ended by the crazy lady!!! We never felt it. Rear Bumper was re-enforced for bikes.
Pulled over to check, no damage to our 30' Jayco TT bumper pull, a small scuff on bumper. Called 911 because the Honda was no where around. Was told not to worry about it, hit and runs are common. I pull at 55-62 w/ 2500 Duramax, chauk one up for the RVer's. Zero for the tailgaters.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by mnoland30

I've never seen a trailer driving 55 mph in California.

Well, I drove between 55-60mph, for the 25 years i towed my trailers, when I lived in California.

[Tampajohn]

Drive about 15K per year pulling my trailer. Hensley helps a lot keeping it between the lines. Safety is number one. No rush getting any where.

[spock123]

I think with the better fuel mileage that all vehicles are getting the Federal and state governments are going to have to tax drivers by how many miles they drive a year

[FordHauler]

That slogan will not get you elected Jimmy!
Travel safe

[Paulie1138]

Headed that way, I think.

[TLAK]

Originally Posted by spock123

I think with the better fuel mileage that all vehicles are getting the Federal and state governments are going to have to tax drivers by how many miles they drive a year

That was actually talked about in Illinois, but the pols ran away from it during the election and denied they had ever even heard of such a thing. The deal is to remove fuel taxes at the pump and replace them with a lbs. per mile tax regardless to whether you run gas, diesel or electric. Supposedly it keeps big rigs and cars at about what they presently pay, but captures the increasing amount of electric powered miles that are presently missed, even though they use and abuse the same roads and infrastructure.

[robbiels7]

Originally Posted by Springerdad

And I'm sure you know how bad 75 both ways from Tampa south through to Venice can be. Even just driving a car in that area gets me on edge.

Yea especially during work rush hour.

[Ourrvtrip]

A big issue we’re having down in south Texas is the transient workers towing their trailers with lifted trucks where modified suspension and tires not tow rated. They drive way over safe limits and are unable to maintain single lane of traffic. They push hard getting to new work areas.