California interstate speed limits

[Tom_Barb]

What is the legal speed limit for a motor home with 2 axels not towing on I-5?
State normal speed limit is 55 except where posted other wise. Car speed limit not towing is 70 on I-5, can a M/H run 70MPH too.

[time2roll]

The highest posted speed for the road section is fine in good conditions.

[Yahooligan]

msmith1199 wrote:

The #1 lane is the far left lane. Numbers go up as you go right.

Yup, it even says this in the CA driver's handbook. 🙂

[msmith1199]

Berner2 wrote:
The speed limit is whatever speed traffic is moving at. I drive the So Cal freeways almost daily. I've driven beside semis doing 75 and I've also followed PITA drivers doing 50, yes 50, in the carpool lane. I've been passed by CHPs while I was driving 80 and I've seen them ignore semis doing between 60 and 70.

I try not to exceed 60 towing my Jeep, but, that don't always happen.

Not towing I keep up with traffic, but, below 70.

In my car, as fast as I can get away with.

Keep up with traffic and you'll be fine.

Just because you've seen people do it and not get tickets doesn't make it legal. If you got passed by a CHP while you were doing 80 it's because he was going to catch somebody doing 90 or was going to an accident. You simply lucked out.

[msmith1199]

Mr.Mark wrote:

pusherpilot wrote:

D.E.Bishop wrote:
I too questioned the 55MPH for vehicles with three axels or more, so I contacted the Calif, Hwy. Patrol, the answer was ,"A MoHo with a tag axel is classified the same as a tour bus or a transit bus, posted speed limit for two axel vehicles".

I use I-5 for transit when heading for Oregon or coming home and find that 58 to 62 is great for us with the towed. I am sort of running the average speed of semi's and RVs with tow vehicles or TVs and trailers. I am seldom in a hurry so more than 70 to 80 is silly to me and under 60 is my sweet spot.

As far as the problems are caused by slow passers, I don't know. Could be or it could be the 75 plus drivers and not the slow vehicles. I accelerate when passing if needed but some semis just can't accelerate with heavy loads and then slow down again. I have noticed recently that a lot of recreational vehicle towers driving in the #1 lane or other restricted lanes at very high speeds. This past weekend traveling on the 1 and 101 a lot of folks pulling trailers going 65+ and in the wrong lane and no CHP around. Seems here in CA the CHP is non-existent other than in big cities and on holidays so folks are willing to take a chance.

People towing boats and small trailers over the speed limit in the #1 lane are the norm in Southern Ca. It's still illegal but it seems everyone does it!!
I will drive the #1 lane on open stretches of interstate to avoid rough areas in the rt lane. I5 in the central valley has a lot of spots that'll jar loose your fillings particularly under the overpasses. Any road going east/west thru the west is subject to the same problems and I simply stay out of the rough lane. I watch carefully for overtaking traffic and move over to let them by. I've never been stopped for doing it and have seen OTR truckers doing it too, particularly the owner/operators who have to pay for their own repairs.
Ron

Ron, the #1 lane IS the far right lane as the numbers go up as you go left. So, your #1 could be anywhere from #2 to #7 in California.

MM.

The #1 lane is the far left lane. Numbers go up as you go right.

[msmith1199]

old guy wrote:
I some time wonder if the cops know the answer. I had to take another car on a trailer to my brother and I made that call to the cops and they told me I was OK with out any permits or license. I got pulled over and was told other wise. I got mad and told the cop that I wish you and the guy behind the phone would get on the same page. I was told to go to the next town and get a permit. which I did. $15 for a permit compared to a big fine. I'll go get the permit.

A permit for what? You can tow another car on a trailer as long as you are complying with all applicable laws. What was the permit for?

[Berner2]

The speed limit is whatever speed traffic is moving at. I drive the So Cal freeways almost daily. I've driven beside semis doing 75 and I've also followed PITA drivers doing 50, yes 50, in the carpool lane. I've been passed by CHPs while I was driving 80 and I've seen them ignore semis doing between 60 and 70.

I try not to exceed 60 towing my Jeep, but, that don't always happen.

Not towing I keep up with traffic, but, below 70.

In my car, as fast as I can get away with.

Keep up with traffic and you'll be fine.

[JohnnyT]

Tom/Barb wrote:
What is the legal speed limit for a motor home with 2 axels not towing on I-5?
State normal speed limit is 55 except where posted other wise. Car speed limit not towing is 70 on I-5, can a M/H run 70MPH too.

This the topic of this thread Please stay on topic if you want to discuss a different issue start your own thread...

JohnnyT Moderator

[Mr_Mark1]

pusherpilot wrote:

D.E.Bishop wrote:
I too questioned the 55MPH for vehicles with three axels or more, so I contacted the Calif, Hwy. Patrol, the answer was ,"A MoHo with a tag axel is classified the same as a tour bus or a transit bus, posted speed limit for two axel vehicles".

I use I-5 for transit when heading for Oregon or coming home and find that 58 to 62 is great for us with the towed. I am sort of running the average speed of semi's and RVs with tow vehicles or TVs and trailers. I am seldom in a hurry so more than 70 to 80 is silly to me and under 60 is my sweet spot.

As far as the problems are caused by slow passers, I don't know. Could be or it could be the 75 plus drivers and not the slow vehicles. I accelerate when passing if needed but some semis just can't accelerate with heavy loads and then slow down again. I have noticed recently that a lot of recreational vehicle towers driving in the #1 lane or other restricted lanes at very high speeds. This past weekend traveling on the 1 and 101 a lot of folks pulling trailers going 65+ and in the wrong lane and no CHP around. Seems here in CA the CHP is non-existent other than in big cities and on holidays so folks are willing to take a chance.

People towing boats and small trailers over the speed limit in the #1 lane are the norm in Southern Ca. It's still illegal but it seems everyone does it!!
I will drive the #1 lane on open stretches of interstate to avoid rough areas in the rt lane. I5 in the central valley has a lot of spots that'll jar loose your fillings particularly under the overpasses. Any road going east/west thru the west is subject to the same problems and I simply stay out of the rough lane. I watch carefully for overtaking traffic and move over to let them by. I've never been stopped for doing it and have seen OTR truckers doing it too, particularly the owner/operators who have to pay for their own repairs.
Ron

Ron, the #1 lane IS the far right lane as the numbers go up as you go left. So, your #1 could be anywhere from #2 to #7 in California.

MM.

[J-Rooster]

Your O.K Tom doing the posted speed limit! I ran 60 MPH coming down 1-5 last week with no problems.

[pusherpilot]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
I too questioned the 55MPH for vehicles with three axels or more, so I contacted the Calif, Hwy. Patrol, the answer was ,"A MoHo with a tag axel is classified the same as a tour bus or a transit bus, posted speed limit for two axel vehicles".

I use I-5 for transit when heading for Oregon or coming home and find that 58 to 62 is great for us with the towed. I am sort of running the average speed of semi's and RVs with tow vehicles or TVs and trailers. I am seldom in a hurry so more than 70 to 80 is silly to me and under 60 is my sweet spot.

As far as the problems are caused by slow passers, I don't know. Could be or it could be the 75 plus drivers and not the slow vehicles. I accelerate when passing if needed but some semis just can't accelerate with heavy loads and then slow down again. I have noticed recently that a lot of recreational vehicle towers driving in the #1 lane or other restricted lanes at very high speeds. This past weekend traveling on the 1 and 101 a lot of folks pulling trailers going 65+ and in the wrong lane and no CHP around. Seems here in CA the CHP is non-existent other than in big cities and on holidays so folks are willing to take a chance.

People towing boats and small trailers over the speed limit in the #1 lane are the norm in Southern Ca. It's still illegal but it seems everyone does it!!
I will drive the #1 lane on open stretches of interstate to avoid rough areas in the rt lane. I5 in the central valley has a lot of spots that'll jar loose your fillings particularly under the overpasses. Any road going east/west thru the west is subject to the same problems and I simply stay out of the rough lane. I watch carefully for overtaking traffic and move over to let them by. I've never been stopped for doing it and have seen OTR truckers doing it too, particularly the owner/operators who have to pay for their own repairs.
Ron

[randallb]

If a CA officer sees you doing the posted speed limit in your RV he will not write you. If he sees you driving the posted speed limit but you are obviously over your head at the posted speed he can write you under CA's "basic speed law". It is entirely a judgement call and usually very hard to defend yourself against. The officer is considered an expert witness and you are not.
Randy

[Mr_Mark1]

tplife wrote:
Here in California the CHP has special units just for enforcing trailer speed laws, I've watched them peel out of sidings to pull semis over for doing close to 65 on I-163 here in San Diego County. Another reason I bought a Thule Transporter Combi instead of a little utility trailer for my '11 Prius.

What in the world could you put in that small box that couldn't fit in the Prius?

I had a Prius cab back in May in Canada. We had one normal large suitcase and one huge suitcase along with a couple regular shoulder bags. I couldn't believe everything fit in the back of the Prius with nothing in the front passenger seat. That Prius can hold some luggage! We had another cab, a Toyota Camry and it couldn't hold all of our luggage in the trunk as the Prius held. I was surprised.

MM.

[tplife]

Here in California the CHP has special units just for enforcing trailer speed laws, I've watched them peel out of sidings to pull semis over for doing close to 65 on I-163 here in San Diego County. Another reason I bought a Thule Transporter Combi instead of a little utility trailer for my '11 Prius.

[mowermech]

Strange.
I went to my son's house in CA, loaded his car (non-op, unlicensed) on his trailer (licensed in CA), hooked the trailer to my truck (licensed in Montana), and drove from the Visalia area up 99 to Sacramento, took I80 over Donner pass (in a snowstorm), no trouble at all. Well, I did have to put chains on the truck, on the outside duals only, to get across the pass.
No trouble through Nevada, Idaho, or Montana, either.