Do I Really Need A Brake Buddy

rgatijnet1 wrote:

msturtz wrote:

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.

You are the expert and you obviously won't contact the people that actually enforce the laws of your State. Remember, if your supplemental braking system ever fails, I expect you to abandon your toad at the side of the road, period, no exceptions. :B

The problem with contacting a random LEO is 1) it isn't legally defensible 2) they may or may not be an expert in that particular area of law

In general, due to my CDL training we had to learn quite a lot more legal and safety regulations than regular drivers. I have had a CDL since 1992. To your point I would never tow my vehicle without properly operating supplemental braking. In fact, I have had to work on my supplemental braking system in the cold and rain on the side of the road (the air line to the air brake cylinder on my toad broke). Unlike non CDL holders I would have a very difficult time explaining why I was driving illegally.