California Towing Speed Limit
While towing into and back out of California in July I noticed there were a bunch of signs saying the speed limit was 55 mph for any vehicle towing something. Does that limit get strictly enforced or...
Forum Discussion
We're just on a trip through Wa., Or., Ca., Nevada, Utah, Idaho and back. On the way through Ca., we went down on the I-5. I used the commercial truckers as a guideline as to "okay" speeds to tow at. I never go above 65 mph and many of the truckers flew by above 65. I tried many times to hang behind an 18-wheeler going 65 but it didn't work very often. Most of them were going maybe 65-75 mph and very few were going in the 55-65 range. Saw cops maybe only twice down to Redding. Over the years, I don't think I've ever seen a truck or RV pulled over on the I-5.
If you tried to tow at 55 mph on most Ca. freeways and some highways, it'd be like standing still compared to all the other traffic. Going 55 mph would be a really bad idea on some stretches of the I-5, esp. from the Or. border down to Redding with all the high speed curves and two lane traffic. With all the on and off ramps, going 55 would increase the danger for everyone on the road. It is hard enough as it is going 65 towing a 29' TT and trying to safely and smoothly let others merge onto the freeway while keeping an eye on the traffic to your left.
Interstate 680 southwards around San Francisco was insane - 6 lanes in one direction, extremely busy and a horrendously rough road at 65 mph. That's one place where you don't mess around with other traffic around you. Going 55 would be suicide for sure. :E
Hwy 17 from San Jose to Santa Cruz was not for the feint of heart if towing a TT. Very narrow lanes and LOTS of tight curves and VERY busy traffic. Definitely no worries for any vehicle being stopped for speeding there. Besides no shoulders to pull onto, that'd block a major artery and possibly cause accidents.
The fastest freeway had to be on the 99 from about Fresno down to Bakersfield. Holy cr*p, commercial truckers sure don't go anywhere near 55 and most were probably going maybe 75 mph and up. No cops in sight. I felt like a snail at 65 with just about everyone else, cars included, going well above 65. Absolutely no commercial trucks I could keep pace with at 65.
I towed at 65 mph all the way from the Can/US border down as far as Bakersfield and no worries about being stopped for speeding due to the speed other vehicles towing a trailer were going. Interestingly, we've noticed that very, very few people tow TTs or FWs on the interstates.
Often, when going up hills, we'd pass lots of 18 wheelers at a time and get way ahead of them only to be caught later on the downhill side or flat while we stayed at a constant 65. Sometimes we'd trade places for many miles on stretches with lots of ups & downs. Noticed that the fastest trucks on the road seemed to be moving companies with long trailers. The fastest traffic had to be through Idaho with an 80 mph limit for everyone and I don't think we passed a single vehicle except for on steeper hills.
The hardest part of freeway driving in Ca. has to be merging traffic on a freeway. A few times we'd accelerate up a ramp to 65 and be in the clear to merge onto the freeway but had a car intentionally speed up to block us. It can also be tricky when travelling down the rightmost lane at 65 and having to move left to allow traffic to merge in ahead of you. Had a few instances of having to hit the brakes hard to slow down due to mergers not going fast enough and traffic beside you on the left. If you tried merging on at 55 mph, it's like you'd have to have a death wish as you may not make it safely onto a freeway with busy traffic. Most drivers merging onto a freeway will let you pass first if you're in the rightmost lane, but not all.
I could be wrong, but it seems like the greater chance of being stopped for speeding is when you're on a one or two lane secondary highway, especially when passing through a town or city where the local cops are out on patrol. Have yet to see a plane buzz overhead and issue a ticket, despite all the warning signs... :B
Besides slowing down if everyone else does, there is a construction zone, emergency vehicles or a vehicle(s) stopped with flashing lights, etc. or we're on a slower scenic route, we've been going max. 65 and haven't felt concerned about cops. As has been pointed out, going max 55 doesn't seem like a safe thing to do. We had a couple of cops pass us while doing 65 on the stretch from Bakersfield to Nevada. Maybe the rule of law isn't applied equally around Ca.?
If you tried to tow at 55 mph on most Ca. freeways and some highways, it'd be like standing still compared to all the other traffic. Going 55 mph would be a really bad idea on some stretches of the I-5, esp. from the Or. border down to Redding with all the high speed curves and two lane traffic. With all the on and off ramps, going 55 would increase the danger for everyone on the road. It is hard enough as it is going 65 towing a 29' TT and trying to safely and smoothly let others merge onto the freeway while keeping an eye on the traffic to your left.
Interstate 680 southwards around San Francisco was insane - 6 lanes in one direction, extremely busy and a horrendously rough road at 65 mph. That's one place where you don't mess around with other traffic around you. Going 55 would be suicide for sure. :E
Hwy 17 from San Jose to Santa Cruz was not for the feint of heart if towing a TT. Very narrow lanes and LOTS of tight curves and VERY busy traffic. Definitely no worries for any vehicle being stopped for speeding there. Besides no shoulders to pull onto, that'd block a major artery and possibly cause accidents.
The fastest freeway had to be on the 99 from about Fresno down to Bakersfield. Holy cr*p, commercial truckers sure don't go anywhere near 55 and most were probably going maybe 75 mph and up. No cops in sight. I felt like a snail at 65 with just about everyone else, cars included, going well above 65. Absolutely no commercial trucks I could keep pace with at 65.
I towed at 65 mph all the way from the Can/US border down as far as Bakersfield and no worries about being stopped for speeding due to the speed other vehicles towing a trailer were going. Interestingly, we've noticed that very, very few people tow TTs or FWs on the interstates.
Often, when going up hills, we'd pass lots of 18 wheelers at a time and get way ahead of them only to be caught later on the downhill side or flat while we stayed at a constant 65. Sometimes we'd trade places for many miles on stretches with lots of ups & downs. Noticed that the fastest trucks on the road seemed to be moving companies with long trailers. The fastest traffic had to be through Idaho with an 80 mph limit for everyone and I don't think we passed a single vehicle except for on steeper hills.
The hardest part of freeway driving in Ca. has to be merging traffic on a freeway. A few times we'd accelerate up a ramp to 65 and be in the clear to merge onto the freeway but had a car intentionally speed up to block us. It can also be tricky when travelling down the rightmost lane at 65 and having to move left to allow traffic to merge in ahead of you. Had a few instances of having to hit the brakes hard to slow down due to mergers not going fast enough and traffic beside you on the left. If you tried merging on at 55 mph, it's like you'd have to have a death wish as you may not make it safely onto a freeway with busy traffic. Most drivers merging onto a freeway will let you pass first if you're in the rightmost lane, but not all.
I could be wrong, but it seems like the greater chance of being stopped for speeding is when you're on a one or two lane secondary highway, especially when passing through a town or city where the local cops are out on patrol. Have yet to see a plane buzz overhead and issue a ticket, despite all the warning signs... :B
Besides slowing down if everyone else does, there is a construction zone, emergency vehicles or a vehicle(s) stopped with flashing lights, etc. or we're on a slower scenic route, we've been going max. 65 and haven't felt concerned about cops. As has been pointed out, going max 55 doesn't seem like a safe thing to do. We had a couple of cops pass us while doing 65 on the stretch from Bakersfield to Nevada. Maybe the rule of law isn't applied equally around Ca.?
