Do I Really Need A Brake Buddy

rgatijnet1 wrote:
Be sure to read every word of something you are quoting. For instance:
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation to engage in the business of delivering by the driveaway or towaway methods vehicles not his or her own and of a type required to be registered under the laws of this state, without procuring a transporter's license in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
To do what you quote requires a very specific vehicle transportation license which RV owners don't have.


I agree completely and I would hope that most RV owners are towing vehicles which they OWN so as not to be confused with a commercial operation where a special license is required.
None of that applies to an RV owner towing his own vehicle behind his own RV.
The fact remains, that for a private individual, towing his own vehicle, he does not have to have supplemental braking on the toad unless he can't stop within 40 feet from 20 MPH.
My lowly gas coach, loaded, with the Chevy HHR behind can stop in 27 feet. Yes, I tried it to see how bad your brakes have to be to exceed 40 feet. I would guess a DP with air brakes can stop in less distance than me.

I quoted the commercial statue to point out the safety requirements in towing vehicles in general. That said since RV use does NOT meet the legal definition of "Drive Away Tow Away operations" your point fails. We are back to the definition of a trailer. Drive away / tow away operations have a very specific FMCSA legal definition. Please help me understand where there is a RV exemption in this definition?:

Driveaway-towaway operation means an operation in which an empty or unladen motor vehicle with one or more sets of wheels on the surface of the roadway is being transported:
(1) Between vehicle manufacturer's facilities;
(2) Between a vehicle manufacturer and a dealership or purchaser;
(3) Between a dealership, or other entity selling or leasing the vehicle, and a purchaser or lessee;
(4) To a motor carrier's terminal or repair facility for the repair of disabling damage (as defined in § 390.5) following a crash; or
(5) To a motor carrier's terminal or repair facility for repairs associated with the failure of a vehicle component or system; or
(6) By means of a saddle-mount or tow-bar.