Towing Legislation

[KFranco]

I didn't want to steal a previous thread in which an unfortunate accident occured while towing a TT. Thankfully everyone is alright but this does bring up a sensitive subject. You could go on and on about what went wrong but what I'd like to know is how you guys feel about legislating, that is putting into law, a mandatory trailering class in which a written test must be passed at the local DMV. This would basically be an endorsement to your license allowing non CDL licensed drivers to trailer. I cannot overstate how important it is to know the language and understand trailering to provide a safe trailering experience for you and those you share the road with. Let me know how you guys feel about this. I'm interested in your responses.

 

[tempforce]

the r. v. industry as a whole has been fighting a r. v. endorsement for twenty, thirty years.

i believe that anyone towing a trailer or driving a motor home should have a r. v. endorsement.

that endorsement stamped for the type of trailer/r. v. involved.

and that towing triples, ie: three vehicles attached to another should have additional separate endorsement.

the endorsements would require a additional written and driving test, but would not be a additional fee added to the licence.

just like a motorcycle endorsement.

 

[jgillott]

I tend to be afraid of any additional legislation or government intervention in anything. Even with the best of intentions, there is bound to be someone along the way to manipulate the statute beyond its scope.



It's probably not far beyond possibility, but I am surprised that RV owners are not required by the insurance industry to offer some kind of safety course/training class before the will insure the unit.

 

[TRLRTRSH]

NO... ... period, enough with the government. I have not seen one instance where the government getting involved in anything has resulted in the betterment of citizens. (Not lately anyway) Well maybe except WWII.

 

[Pavemen]

CA already have a heavy RV endorsement for 10-15k 5er's. I do wish that it would be generalized to any 5th/goose trailer under non-commercial use.

The test itself is a 20 question written test that is the same test as part of the non-commercial Class A, just no skills test.

 

[Ram4Sam]

NO... ... period, enough with the government. I have not seen one instance where the government getting involved in anything has resulted in the betterment of citizens. (Not lately anyway) Well maybe except WWII.

^^^^!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What he said!



Sam

 

[icman95]

I am not thrilled to offer the government another opportunity to intruded in our lives, but as a professional driver I have said many times to people around me that RVs and rental trucks driven by people who otherwise don't have any training scare the heck out of me. There are motorhomes and camper trailers that are as big and bigger than some commercial trucks and the skills, training, and experience involved in driving one is the same as the other. It would be extremely tough to enact or smoothly execute an endorsement program, but you wouldn't hear me crying if one were to come along. If we need an endorsement to drive a 400lb motorcycle, then why not a 15k lbs trailer?

 

[KFranco]

NO... ... period, enough with the government. I have not seen one instance where the government getting involved in anything has resulted in the betterment of citizens. (Not lately anyway) Well maybe except WWII.

I hear what you're saying. I agree that less government intervention the better. However, I ask this question. Should the DMV no longer require a CDL for class 7 and 8 trucks? Maybe they should do away with air brake or hazmat endorsements? My point is that as a country we've always reacted to situations and have not been proactive enough on serious issues. Why do you think we have building inspections, osha and the DMV for that matter. There just comes a point where the general public is in danger of its ownself on certain matters.



Basically stated I don't believe government should tell me what to do on my land and property. The minute I share public roads I feel it's a different story. You can't just do or drive what you want because you put other people at risk. Perhaps we should do away with DWI and DUI legislation. Most involved in a DWI or DUI accident would probably tell ya they thought they were fine. They weren't though. So there you have it. People who think they are fine driving these trailers and they aren't. #@$%!



Thanks all for your comments. Keep it coming.

 

[GAmes]

CA already have a heavy RV endorsement for 10-15k 5er's. I do wish that it would be generalized to any 5th/goose trailer under non-commercial use.



The test itself is a 20 question written test that is the same test as part of the non-commercial Class A, just no skills test.

I've heard about that endorsement on RV. Net People go to their DMV to take the test only to get the deer in the headlights stare. Some get steered to the non-commercial class A even though their RVs aren't heavy enough to require one. Others wait for hours until the proper test and answer sheet comes from Sacramento. Sounds like a REALLY good idea to me.

 

[HBarlow]

NO... ... period, enough with the government. I have not seen one instance where the government getting involved in anything has resulted in the betterment of citizens. (Not lately anyway) Well maybe except WWII.

Well said and I agree absolutely. I want NO MORE government intervention in anything.

What ever happened to common sense and taking personal responsibility?

The guy whose truck and trailer were playing dead in the highway in the photos in another post today should be cited and fined heavily for his foolishness and receive a suspended license. He risked the lives of his own family and that of the motoring public. He should be punished, not the entire RV owning public.

 

[KFranco]

I've heard about that endorsement on RV. Net People go to their DMV to take the test only to get the deer in the headlights stare. Some get steered to the non-commercial class A even though their RVs aren't heavy enough to require one. Others wait for hours until the proper test and answer sheet comes from Sacramento. Sounds like a REALLY good idea to me.

Thank you. I happen to think it's a good idea also:-laf. I certainly can understand that the proper execution on behalf of any DMV would be more problematic than the test is worth. I still feel that the idea is solid but the execution/enforcement would be the real problem as you stated.

 

[THoltz]

Absolutely not. An endorsment can not instill common sense or good decisionmaking or make someone obey the law. It's just another hurdle and money out of our pocket. We already require a license to drive a car. I am pretty sure that by virtue of having a drivers license a driver is not safer.



NO!

 

[Pavemen]

Absolutely not. An endorsment can not instill common sense or good decisionmaking or make someone obey the law. It's just another hurdle and money out of our pocket. We already require a license to drive a car. I am pretty sure that by virtue of having a drivers license a driver is not safer.

NO!

however it ensures that the driver has at least reviewed and studied the issues related to towing heavy stuff a little bit.

 

[Pavemen]

I've heard about that endorsement on RV. Net People go to their DMV to take the test only to get the deer in the headlights stare. Some get steered to the non-commercial class A even though their RVs aren't heavy enough to require one. Others wait for hours until the proper test and answer sheet comes from Sacramento. Sounds like a REALLY good idea to me.

Its the same written test as the non-comm Class A, it just does not require the skills (driving and inspection) test, nor a medical form.

It will get you the endorsement called "Restriction 41" with a comment of "May tow fifth wheel recreation trailer between 10,001 and 15,000 pounds GVWR"

I got mine 2 years ago. It took a bit to find someone in the office that could help me. I am lucky that my local DMV is one of the few that do Class A testing anymore. I did have to take the RV drivers handbook in with me to show them what I was looking for for extra reference.

 

[GAmes]

It took a bit to find someone in the office that could help me. I am lucky that my local DMV is one of the few that do Class A testing anymore. I did have to take the RV drivers handbook in with me to show them what I was looking for for extra reference.

Exactly what I was talking about. A bunch of bureaucrats who wouldn't know an RV if it ran over them dictates a drivers license endorsement to be administered by an office full of mouth breathers. Yup, sign me up:-laf

 

[FFeiller]

RV'rs driving pushers towing trailers should have to pass the same test as a commercial licensed driver has too. including medicals, skills and driving tests.



pickup trucks towing trailers should have to have weight checks to insure that the gvcw is not exceeded.

 

[Ram4Sam]

RV'rs driving pushers towing trailers should have to pass the same test as a commercial licensed driver has too. including medicals, skills and driving tests.



pickup trucks towing trailers should have to have weight checks to insure that the gvcw is not exceeded.

This, actually is not a bad idea. Having the gov't involved in it, that is a real bad idea.



Sam

 

[RVTRKN]

CA already have a heavy RV endorsement for 10-15k 5er's. I do wish that it would be generalized to any 5th/goose trailer under non-commercial use.



The test itself is a 20 question written test that is the same test as part of the non-commercial Class A, just no skills test.

And don't forget the fees/tax.

I hear what you're saying. I agree that less government intervention the better. However, I ask this question. Should the DMV no longer require a CDL for class 7 and 8 trucks? Maybe they should do away with air brake or hazmat endorsements? My point is that as a country we've always reacted to situations and have not been proactive enough on serious issues. Why do you think we have building inspections, osha and the DMV for that matter. There just comes a point where the general public is in danger of its ownself on certain matters.



Basically stated I don't believe government should tell me what to do on my land and property. The minute I share public roads I feel it's a different story. You can't just do or drive what you want because you put other people at risk. Perhaps we should do away with DWI and DUI legislation. Most involved in a DWI or DUI accident would probably tell ya they thought they were fine. They weren't though. So there you have it. People who think they are fine driving these trailers and they aren't. #@$%!



Thanks all for your comments. Keep it coming.

It is clearly stated in/on your hitch, bumper, owners manual and taged on your trailer what your weights are. Personel responsibility comes to mind here, even though I feel for the individual this thread is aimed at, he had to of known he was over weight, but did it anyway.

the r. v. industry as a whole has been fighting a r. v. endorsement for twenty, thirty years.

i believe that anyone towing a trailer or driving a motor home should have a r. v. endorsement.

that endorsement stamped for the type of trailer/r. v. involved.

and that towing triples, ie: three vehicles attached to another should have additional separate endorsement.

the endorsements would require a additional written and driving test, but would not be a additional fee added to the licence.

just like a motorcycle endorsement.

You must have a special lic in California to haul RV's as doubles, I have never seen someone pull triples.



I'm a class A lic holder, so I don't have to worry about the regs in California per the lic issue but, they don't enforce it in California. Until there is a large death count will they start too.



I can see some need for the motoring public to feel safe, but there are drinking and driving laws that are clearly seen, posted, written and advertised but that still happens, so why take some more of my freedoms away for the stupidity of a few. It still wont change the fact that some punk thinks his "Truck" is the fastest, meanest and can out tow anyone else's truck, when it is a 1/2 ton of whatever make/model, Toyota comes to mind here.

 

[DavidC]

I sure hope Obama or Pelosi are not reading this. Just what I would want, more government intervention. I am sure the feds or state gov. would capitalize on something with this to charge extra with the paperwork, additional large parking etc. I do not bring home alot of my paycheck as it is without volunteering more to these people. When I get near a semi or concrete mixer I either pass it or keep my distance. Concrete mixers have to be the most unstable vehicle on the road with a rotating drum and 10 yards of concrete going around in circles. As for the common sense part, I have not seen much of that since the 70's.



Dave

 

[CRuth]

I've seen the morons going down the road with a trailer so heavy their front wheels are almost off the ground. But the CHP already has the authority to deal with things like that.