Canadian question about road laws and Class A motorhome

[rsn48]

Just bought a used 1994 Winnebago Adventurer 32 in great shape, I'm loving it but I must confess the motor noise is a bit much when driving at highway speeds. But this isn't my issue.

When I and my wife snowbird south for the winter, do I conform to truck speeds on the interstate? And are there other laws, like having to stay in the right lane, do I need to know about.

[rsn48]

Most Americans don't know this but in the 2010 Olympics in the gold medal hockey game - Canada versus USA - a bet was made. If States lost, Americans got to keep Beiber, can't remember what happened if Canada lost, but that isn't important - you lost....lol. Enjoy Beiber.

[wolfe10]

I 10 in West Texas speed limit is 80 MPH. That would be REALLY scary!

[GTN_and_Catz]

rr2254545 wrote:

J-Rooster wrote:
Drive the speed limit as cars use.

X2 I have only seen one state California where when towing my car I had to drive slower -

I'd rather you didn't follow auto speed limits in my neighborhood.
Most Texas non-urban roads have a 75 MPH speed limit and a 75mph Class-A is scary!! :E

[J-Rooster]

I follow car speed limit signs when operating my RV anywhere in the U.S. Also on your way back to Canada please stop in L.A. and pick up Justin Beiber, us citizens of the U.S.A. are tired of his drunk driving and disrespecting other laws in the U.S.A. Thank You!

[Wrong_Lane]

If the vehicle was over 15 years old when imported some of the rules do not apply. Check with the RIV website for specific information but generally -

"Vehicles fifteen (15) years old or older, as determined by the month and year of manufacture, and buses manufactured before January 1, 1971, are no longer regulated under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act by virtue of their age. While Transport Canada does not regulate the importation of these vehicles, it does not preclude the vehicles from having to meet provincial/territorial safety and licensing requirements. Importers of such vehicles are required to complete a Vehicle Import Form 1, at the time of importation, and present proof of ownership. Also, please contact the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for clearance requirements.

This may help explain the lack of DRL

[rsn48]

Sorry for the slow response. I too was surprised the motorhome didn't have Canadian day running lights. At first I thought maybe the owner prior to me some how snuck it of Washington state into BC. But then he would have to register it, which he did and that is normally when they nail you. The short of it is, I don't know how avoided switching over to day running lights.

[mowermech]

hooligan wrote:
Truck speed limits usually apply to heavy trucks, (over 26001 lbs GVWR)

State Speed limits

Canada may have the same laws, but:
Most states require you to change lanes away from stopped emergency vehicles, or to reduce speed when passing them.
Lights on in the rain.

That is one of the better lists. However, it is incomplete, at least as far as California laws are concerned. In CA, ANY "towing unit" ( motorhome/toad, car/utility trailer, truck/fifth wheel, truck/travel trailer, etc.) must obey the 55 MPH truck speed limit.
Here in Montana, there is no such requirement. However, it is required by law (MCA 61-8-311(2)) that, on a 2 lane highway, in the event that there are 4 or more vehicles behind you, you MUST pull over at the first safe place to allow the "trapped" vehicles to pass you.

[skrams]

romore wrote:
I am surprised you were not required to have drl activated so you could register it in Canada.

Me too. We had to get ours done, but we made it part of our offer, so the dealer did the rewire needed.

[OLYLEN]

If you are 3 axles or more you are a truck in most states other than stopping a weigh stations. Plus the speed limit varies state to state, if you are in tow some states don't even allow you in the left lane to pass. No fast rule state to state, I some of the states 75 is the limit and most RV tires are no rated for that speed. Me I drive 60-62 most of the time and don't draw a second look.

LEN

[hipower]

In general truck rules apply to commercial vehicles registered and plated as trucks. Since our coaches are not so designated the laws don't directly transfer.

The other side of this becomes one of common sense, which has been proven to not be all that common.

A good example would be this. I am approaching a steep descent which shows a truck speed limit of 20 mph and a truck pull off at the top of the hill (or mountain if you like) with maybe runaway truck ramps along the descent, common sense would suggest, rather strongly that my coach and toad weighing about 36,000 lbs might want to do like the truckers.

Not to say I would stop at the truck pull off at the top, but I would want to be sure my brakes were functioning and I was geared down adequately so that I could control my rate of descent without overheating my brakes. You will only need one experience of being out of control going down hill with your heart in your throat and your backside puckered up like a duck's watertight orfice and assuming you don't crash you won't repeat the same thing a second time.

[tatest]

It varies state to state. Some states have same maximum speed for all vehicles, others slow "trucks" down without defining on signage what is a "truck" and yet others slow down either "trucks" or all vehicles by weight classes. I've seen 26,000 pounds, 20,000 pounds, 14,000 pounds, 10,000 pounds as classification weights. And I haven't seen the whole country, still missing the West Coast and Northeast.

Signage will usually be prominent as you enter the state, signs after that might just say one speed limit then "trucks" and another. The real answers are in the details of 50 different motor vehicle codes.

[romore]

I am surprised you were not required to have drl activated so you could register it in Canada.

[rsn48]

In Canada, we have day running lights mandated by the federal government so all vehicles have lights on all 24 hours. My Winnebago was brought in from the Washington state, it doesn't have day running lights.

[hooligan]

Truck speed limits usually apply to heavy trucks, (over 26001 lbs GVWR)

State Speed limits

Canada may have the same laws, but:
Most states require you to change lanes away from stopped emergency vehicles, or to reduce speed when passing them.
Lights on in the rain.