double towing

Cummins12V98 wrote:

TXiceman wrote:
This old horse has been beat to death more than once. Your drivers license is recognized and accepted by other states and that is where it stops. You MUST abide by the laws for weight, height, length, speed and towing for the state that you are traveling through.

Yes, some of you have towed illegally in states and did not get pulled over or be involved in an accident. That does not make it right, just means you are lucky.

I call it “Good Clean Livin” :B

This is a good example of a man that has a plan, prepared for any consequences. It is always the unprepared, relying on luck, that are unlucky. Must abide...more like should.

Jerry

TXiceman wrote:
This old horse has been beat to death more than once. Your drivers license is recognized and accepted by other states and that is where it stops. You MUST abide by the laws for weight, height, length, speed and towing for the state that you are traveling through.

Yes, some of you have towed illegally in states and did not get pulled over or be involved in an accident. That does not make it right, just means you are lucky.

I call it “Good Clean Livin” :B

Isn’t it wonderful that as a nation we can depend on most citizens following the laws and rules without concerning themselves with whether or not they will be caught, ticketed, imprisoned etc., Roy? And you believe in that principle too, right, Roy?

This old horse has been beat to death more than once. Your drivers license is recognized and accepted by other states and that is where it stops. You MUST abide by the laws for weight, height, length, speed and towing for the state that you are traveling through.

Yes, some of you have towed illegally in states and did not get pulled over or be involved in an accident. That does not make it right, just means you are lucky.

PENNSYLVANIA LAW
The fine is $300.

§ 4904. Limits on number of towed vehicles.

(a) General rule.--No motor vehicle shall be operated upon a highway towing more than one other vehicle except as otherwise provided in this section.

(b) Farm tractors.--Farm tractors may tow no more than two other vehicles when engaged in agricultural operations.

(c) Towing vehicles requiring service.--

(1) A dolly not exceeding ten feet in length may be towed by a motor vehicle for the purpose of towing another vehicle requiring service.

(2) A combination requiring emergency service may be towed to a nearby garage or other place of safety.

(d) Saddle-mount operations.--Not more than three truck tractors, empty trucks or chassis therefor, may be towed by a truck tractor, truck or the chassis thereof, provided that only the rear wheels of the drawn vehicles shall touch the road surface and the overall length of the combination does not exceed 75 feet.

(e) Two-trailer combinations on interstate and certain other highways.--Combinations consisting of a truck tractor and two trailers may be driven only as described in section 4908 (relating to operation of certain combinations on interstate and certain other highways).

(f) Tow dollies and converter gears.--A tow dolly or converter gear may be towed by a motor vehicle for the purpose of towing another vehicle, provided the combination meets all requirements of section 4905 (relating to safety requirements for towed vehicles) and separate lighting equipment is displayed on the rear of a towed motor vehicle. A converter gear may also be towed empty behind a combination consisting of a truck tractor and semitrailer.

(g) Combinations permitted under section 4965(2).--Combinations permitted only to cross a highway to get from one commercial or industrial facility to another under section 4965(2) (relating to single permits for multiple highway crossings) may consist of more than two units as long as the dimensions and gross axle and wheel weight of the combination and loads do not exceed the maximums specified in this chapter.

(h) Certain combinations permitted under section 4968.--Combinations consisting of a truck and one trailer or a truck tractor and one trailer which exceeds the maximum vehicle lengths authorized in section 4923 (relating to length of vehicles) and which shall not exceed 102 inches in width, or a truck tractor and no more than two trailers, each trailer of which shall not exceed 102 inches in width and 28 1/2 feet in length may be operated under a permit issued under section 4968 (relating to permit for movement during course of manufacture).

(i) Portable traffic control signals or devices.--Portable traffic control signals mounted upon a trailer not exceeding 3,000 pounds gross vehicle weight may be operated in tandem as long as the length of the two trailers combined does not exceed 300 inches and the trailers are designed by the manufacturer to be able to be towed in tandem on public roadways.

"I am legal to double tow thru Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Arizona but not in Washington, Oregon or California."

You said it....not legal in California. Meaning we don't believe that length safe enough for our citizens and guests. Please respect our laws.

I am licensed SD. I have double towed going on 4 years in CA thousands of miles from one end to the other with ZERO issues. I have also during those years double towed WA and OR without issue.

CA DOES recognize SD for double tow. WA and OR do not. But like I said I have been doing it going on 4 years, I am guessing it's the SD license plates that have kept me rolling!

Doing so has saved me $1,000 every year in MotorCycle Transport Fees. So if stopped in WA or OR I am happy to pay a fine if needed or separate and get to my destination or into CA and retrieve my trailer. It's all well worth it.

Op simply drive straight down into a Freedom State. Continue down and to the West Coast into CA, you won't have an issue!

OP...you are correct, concerning the legal double towing, which is a state by state option. Just like speeding, you may get by, in one of the states you mentioned, but best to have a plan, when you have to leave/park second trailer.

Jerry

I know for a fact that on CMVs, your vehicle must comply with the laws for the state you are in. But I also understand a law that is enforced against the driver of a CMV may not be enforced against the RV, even if the law should apply.

US states and Canadian provinces honor "reciprocity" when it comes to drivers licensing. If I am legal to drive my 40', 27,000lb, air brake equipped RV in Washington with my current license other states will honor it even though the particular state may have different requirements such as endorsements for over 26k lbs or air brakes.

I have had folks tell me that the same applies to equipment regulations such as overall length and pulling doubles or triples. I don't buy it. I have had two LEO's tell me that in their state enforces their own length regulations regardless of what your home state allows.

I was almost 65' when towing my pickup. I ran all over the country and got two warnings and no tickets.