Don't understand

Since when did people start reading signs on the highway? Speed limit, lane closed ahead, merge. Common sense isn't all that common. I won't tow if winds get over 40mph, and that is bad enough.

But I have four wheel drive so am okay.....


Gray Haupt

On the lighter side, doesn't a two wheel drive dually trump any 4X4?

Heck I know of a rail road overpass where many's the trucker that does not understand "Height 11 feet" means a 13.6 truck won't fit...

I've seen what happen when they try too.

An RV is always going to be considered a lightweight vehicle for this purpose, unless it's stacked to the ceiling with pallets of auto parts.

Dave H M wrote:
But I have four wheel drive so am okay.....


Gray Haupt

On the lighter side, doesn't a two wheel drive dually trump any 4X4?

Not in snow. A friend has one for towing his 5er, he refuses to drive it in the winter.

Maybe it has something to do with unreliable DOT warnings.

In 2011, we were in Bakersfield, CA planning to go over the Tehachapi Pass on CA 58. The CA DOT issued a warning about high winds and recommended against high profile vehicles on 58. The morning local news talked about the high wind warning, and it was windy in Bakersfield. We decided to stay in Bakersfield an extra day to avoid the winds.

Fast forward to the morning of Jan 1st, 2019 when we were once again in Bakersfield getting ready to go over the pass. I checked the DOT website and it warned of high winds expected and recommended no high profile vehicles. The same warning applied to the Grapevine so I had no wind-free route available except to go to the coast and pickup 101. Way out of the way.

There was no mention of a high wind warning on the local news, and barely a breeze in Bakersfield. We decided to go for it, and encountered no more than 5 mph winds.

I really think that the DOT just made a mistake, especially in not posting a time frame for the expected high winds. (Maybe it was windy later in the day. I know there were severe winds much closer to LA.)

I'll continue to check road conditions before travelling, but I will cross-check sources rather than rely only on the DOT.

CarnationSailor wrote:


I'll continue to check road conditions before travelling, but I will cross-check sources rather than rely only on the DOT.

DOT, local weather, and everyone else is relying on the National Weather Service.

Towable RVs are more susceptible in high gusting sidewinds when moving down the road because unlike semi-trucks and MHs, they have the axles side by side and about 2/3 the way from coupler to bumper. The 1/3 directly ahead of the axles and the 1/3 behind the axles cancel each other out by the wind, leaving 1/3 of sidewall area that gets a forced exerted on it that pivots around the axle location. Every strong wind gust causes the TT/FW/TH to be suddenly rotated at the axle location thus forcing the driver to make a steering correction. Then when the gust stops, the driver has to make another steering correction. If the wind is continuously gusting high/low, the driver has to constantly work the steering wheel to try and stay in a straight line which can make it very difficult to control.

If a vehicle is stationary, other than weight, I don't think there's much difference between a semi or RV and then it's just a function of sidewall area and height. A towable RV, when moving has the area & height as a factor plus the effect of the wind wanting to spin it around the axle location.

We once got caught on I-90 between Spokane and Seattle when there was high gusting winds. That was not fun and OMG, it felt like driving on marbles. We slowed way down and still other TTs passed us at high speed. We pulled into a rest stop and a semi driver told us that when winds get that high, even semis pull over. Got to our destination CG and someone there who drives I-90 regularly for work said he has seen many FWs blown over.

Like many things about RVs, nobody is required to instruct owners about safe operation of RVs (like not exceeding a tire's speed rating for ex.).

Many people just don't think of RVs as light weight

The problem is all physics, it is weight vs center of gravity vs profile (square footage of wall presented to side wind)

Even with heavy stuff below the belt line, wind can gust under and provide lift, and side wind will push you over

Yes towed RVs are more susceptible than motorized vehicles which have much more weight for the same size RV

Even though I have 36ft eight wheels coach, I pull over and take a nap or something

In my forty some years of driving a truck it was instill in my brain to get the load delivered on time an safely, I did so for over a million miles or more ... But I would not drive on ICE an very high winds an the companies I drove for new such an thus didn't push me ...

Not all RV's think about ICE, or high winds an think they can drive in such an thus end up in a ditch or on their sides ... Look at the amount of TT an 5th wheel owners now on the road for the 1st time, read here an on other forms were 1st timers are asking questions about hitches an other things an you will know why you are seeing more an more TT an 5th wheels wreaked ... On one form a person was asking how they could lift there 5th wheel to match their jack-up truck, why would anyone want to rise the center of gravity on a 5th wheel so the wind could get under it quicker ...

Same with as stated tires, owners wanting to drive 75 an 80mph on tires rate at 65mph an wonder why they blow out, what in the world are people thinking, thats the problem they are not !!!! It's all about them, they need to get to the camp grounds ahead of everyone else so they can get the best spot or relax an have those ten beers before sundown Ugh !!! No matter of the people around them on the road, they are on a mission an to hell with safety of others around them on the road ...

I think there should be a sign that you have to put on your dash every time you hook to your trailer that states "SAFETY FIRST AN FOREMOST FOR YOUR FAMILY AN OTHERS AROUND YOU"

May you all drive safely :)