Southern California and Rving

I have driven through Los Angeles with my coach down the 101 and the traffic can be very heavy, but it really does not bother me. I also drive to Las Vegas at least once a month and it is a piece of cake.

I guess you just have to be a good driver. Drove I-80 from Sacramento to Reno and down 395 with no problems. Sure I had to slow down, and the traffic behind me just followed each other, plus it was raining heavy and kind of foggy.

path1 wrote:
"and said to my wife I do not think I have it."

Wouldn't it been easier just to not to a turn if it looked like you're not going to make it?

Have you ever driven through LA? It is difficult enough in a Fiat much less a motorhome. If you don't know the area you can get caught up in a conundrum. Sunset Blvd will direct you to either a residential neighborhood or on the other side towards UCLA. Very few places for a large rig to maneuver, so bailing and heading into a tight residential area isn't easy either.

And if you can't drive I-15 through Las Vegas at rush hour (or anytime) maybe it is time turn in the license.

Or take the 215 or another route depending on where in
Vegas you are going. I have never seen 215 so busy that an RV would have issues traveling it.

It's not SoCal in particular, but the dreaded 405. But the OP is from CA?

And if you can't drive I-15 through Las Vegas at rush hour (or anytime) maybe it is time turn in the license.

Kerry

Southern California is the worst place ever for motorhomes

Southern California has about the best overall year round Mediteranean climate anywhere in the nation. That bodes very well for motorhomes or any type of camping. Nobody has to put away their RV in southern California for winter, most don't even bother to winterize it.

I drove that I-80 section with my 22 foot Minnie Class C and it scared the bejeebees out of me and my wife. Stuck between the 2 K rails as we call them with what looked like 8 1/2 feet between them. I swear there were only a few inches clearance on the body and my mirrors stuck out over the rails. I proceeded thru at 20 mph with cars honking behind me. I think it was about the worst time ever driving the MH for me. I can understand the frustration.

Yup, the problem with the barriers was that they went for miles not just a short distance. And you are correct, the spacing between was tight. Most trucks, buses and RV's probably had about a foot on either side clearance and that is very little compared to what we are used to with 12 or even 11 foot lanes.

Makes me wonder about RVing in Europe where a Sprinter van is often considered a sizeable RV. Tight streets, narrow roads and highways. Mostly we have it real good here in America for RVs.

mrubaum@aol.com wrote:
Southern California is the worst place ever for motorhomes.

Not in the winter.

jmtandem wrote:
IR 80 was reconstructed a couple years ago between Truckee and the Nevada state line. The jersey barriers were so narrow that there were black marks from tires along miles of the narrowed lanes. I took my time and checked my mirrors constantly to keep between the barriers. It was a little nerve wracking but did not care who was behind me or how much of a hurry they were in. And I made it many times with our RV. Didn't care for it, but made it scratch free. Many did not or at least scraped their tires along the barriers.

We should never feel pressured by others to do something we feel or know is not right. Sometimes that is hard to remember. We just hope we can make it and often try; sometimes we are rewarded and sometimes not. That was not your day. It sucks but life happens.

I drove that I-80 section with my 22 foot Minnie Class C and it scared the bejeebees out of me and my wife. Stuck between the 2 K rails as we call them with what looked like 8 1/2 feet between them. I swear there were only a few inches clearance on the body and my mirrors stuck out over the rails. I proceeded thru at 20 mph with cars honking behind me. I think it was about the worst time ever driving the MH for me. I can understand the frustration.

I agree but….. You do not see the turn until you are well within the concrete barriers. Your brain says there is no way they would design a MAJOR onramp so that trucks, RVs, and trailers will hit the barrier. You have a line of cars behind you. To un hook and back both vehicles out with a dozen cars honking is just hard to imagine. In hind site you are 100% correct. I ended up backing out anyway. Just hard to believe they would do this. In examining the barrier 100s of vehicle had hit it. Some markings were at the top of the barrier.

Hindsight is always 20/20. A learning experience and move on. In New York sometimes when congestion is severe, cars will back up one at a time back onto the freeway from an off ramp even if they were already on the off ramp. Everybody backs up so everybody can go ahead to another exit. It works. With a toad it does complicate the backing.

IR 80 was reconstructed a couple years ago between Truckee and the Nevada state line. The jersey barriers were so narrow that there were black marks from tires along miles of the narrowed lanes. I took my time and checked my mirrors constantly to keep between the barriers. It was a little nerve wracking but did not care who was behind me or how much of a hurry they were in. And I made it many times with our RV. Didn't care for it, but made it scratch free. Many did not or at least scraped their tires along the barriers.

We should never feel pressured by others to do something we feel or know is not right. Sometimes that is hard to remember. We just hope we can make it and often try; sometimes we are rewarded and sometimes not. That was not your day. It sucks but life happens.

As to so many posts deterioriating into a California bashing thing; that gets real old, too. Highway construction has nothing to do with any particular place and California enjoys most bridge vertical height clearances and tunnel clearances being more than sufficient for most RV's; not something that is always found in other states especially along the east coast where height and width can be a factor. Imagine not fitting under an overpass after missing the last exit off the road you are traveling on. Then what? Back up to the last turnoff or damage the roof and leave an AC unit behind on the road? And complain to who?? We have it good in the west for the most part for RVing.

I agree but….. You do not see the turn until you are well within the concrete barriers. Your brain says there is no way they would design a MAJOR onramp so that trucks, RVs, and trailers will hit the barrier. You have a line of cars behind you. To un hook and back both vehicles out with a dozen cars honking is just hard to imagine. In hind site you are 100% correct. I ended up backing out anyway. Just hard to believe they would do this. In examining the barrier 100s of vehicle had hit it. Some markings were at the top of the barrier.