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Post by Teachndad on Sept 19, 2017 21:46:26 GMT -8
Hi Friends,
I wanted to share two things I have started doing when towing across the generally dense Los Angeles freeways. I live in a suburb of Los Angeles. Perhaps you will find them helpful.
In the last year I have had to tow my 17' Rod and Reel several times between 60 and 100 miles across this megalopolis that I live in. When going south towards San Diego on one of the freeways especially, the right lane has a habit of disappearing often which forces you to merge over one lane when the road dictates. Here is my tip. I have learned to follow the trucks. By law in California, trucks are supposed to stay to the right unless within 5 miles of an interchange. So, after having been forced into last minute merges which are not fun, i decided to follow the trucks. If I see a truck (semi or box truck) in the lane just to the left of the right most lane, I change lanes into it as soon as I can. If he can, then I can! Sure enough, within a few miles, the right lane disappeared in most cases. So, I started staying always in the lane to the left of the right most lane, unless traffic was light. Doing this has relieved a lot of stress when towing on these crowded freeways. I don't have to do those last minute merges.
Here is the other tip. I recently swapped out the 70's marker lights on my '55 Rod and Reel to the original looking retro teardrop lights that you can now get through VTS. Man are these bright!!! - even in the daylight hours. Since the lights are on the belt line of the trailer and not up on top, I think they are more or less near eye level for most vehicles. So, I have decided to drive with my marker lights on in dense traffic like we often have in Los Angeles. I believe it makes me that much more visible to the distracted driver especially in merging situations.
My next goal is to find LED bulbs that will replace the standard incandescent 1176 bulb in my taillights.
My 2 cents.
Cheers,
Rod
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turbodaddy
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Post by turbodaddy on Sept 20, 2017 3:13:33 GMT -8
Good advice,Rod. On our cross country trip a couple years ago we tried to stay off of major highways whenever possible. Sometimes it is unavoidable. Back roads and small highways are way less stressful and much more interesting. I don't remember where we were,(Kansas maybe?) when I kind of did the same thing you suggest. The problem was that almost all of the traffic was semi tractor trailers and they were all going in excess of 70mph. There we were, wedged in between those monster trucks, being passed on both sides,attempting to stay out of their way. VERY scary. I will never do that again, even if we have to go hours out of our way to avoid it.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Sept 20, 2017 4:31:23 GMT -8
Great thread. It never occurred to me until I owned a camper that the trucks shift to the middle lane because they know the slow lane will vanish up the road. As a rule, I stay in the slow lane and if people don't like me moving at 55 mph...tough luck. Also, don't try to force your spouse behind the wheel if they are not comfortable with it. Like Turbodaddy, I stay away from cities if at all possible. On the east coast the worst at the Cross Bronx Expressway and 95 going through Washington DC. Avoid these two roads at all cost. The Bronx Expressway: A tangled mess with huge potholes and angry drivers refusing to let anybody merge. I grew up outside NYC so I know traffic but this is the worst. What really made me nervous is there is no shoulder for emergencies. That does not seem safe to me. The only thing good about it is you're often moving at 5mph. Washington DC: Imagine a four lane highway with some exit ramps on the left off the fast lane. Have you ever tried to move your camper across a road like this?
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kirkadie
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Post by kirkadie on Sept 20, 2017 7:44:44 GMT -8
Your last picture; the Berkeley nightmare... I worked on Hollis just off Ashby and got to experience this twice a day for many years. Wouldn't dream of towing ANYTHING in that. Ah, S.E. Ohio.
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ruderunner
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Post by ruderunner on Sept 20, 2017 8:41:51 GMT -8
In the river vally or a bit more in land?
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kirkadie
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Post by kirkadie on Sept 20, 2017 9:41:56 GMT -8
Confluence of Muskingum and Ohio rivers, where almost nothing moves faster than the rivers, and seems most of our population is over 60 and likes leaving their turn signals on, just in case they might want to turn sometime. Small town, no airport, no traffic.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Sept 20, 2017 9:54:17 GMT -8
First off.... I HATE TOWING....
Now that I have that out of the way, here's the way I do it.
I turn into a very aggressive driver when I'm towing. I avoid the right lane at all costs. When I need to change lanes, I don't turn on my turn indicator until I begin moving over. If I turn it on any earlier then it's a green light for everyone behind me in that lane to hit the gas and pass me up before I get a chance to move over. So I just don't let them know until it's too late. I very seldom (even in California) travel at 55. I keep it between 60 and 65 because if I go too slow for general traffic conditions I get passed on both sides. I even get passed on the shoulder. It's amazing. I've never in my life seen drivers with such bad manners as the ones around me when I tow.
Go fast, take chances, be aggressive and let no one know what you are about to do. Yes it's a stressful way to drive but I've found that after a few miles I find my comfort zone with it. You really have to be on top of it because the other drivers are just plain stupid. All of them....
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Post by 64mobilescout on Sept 23, 2017 12:22:55 GMT -8
First off.... I HATE TOWING.... Now that I have that out of the way, here's the way I do it. I turn into a very aggressive driver when I'm towing. I avoid the right lane at all costs. When I need to change lanes, I don't turn on my turn indicator until I begin moving over. If I turn it on any earlier then it's a green light for everyone behind me in that lane to hit the gas and pass me up before I get a chance to move over. So I just don't let them know until it's too late. I very seldom (even in California) travel at 55. I keep it between 60 and 65 because if I go too slow for general traffic conditions I get passed on both sides. I even get passed on the shoulder. It's amazing. I've never in my life seen drivers with such bad manners as the ones around me when I tow. Go fast, take chances, be aggressive and let no one know what you are about to do. Yes it's a stressful way to drive but I've found that after a few miles I find my comfort zone with it. You really have to be on top of it because the other drivers are just plain stupid. All of them.... Too funny. Also very true. Steve
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turbodaddy
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Post by turbodaddy on Sept 24, 2017 4:59:20 GMT -8
nc,here we have Rt 3 to Boston from Cape Cod, some of which is a 2 lane highway (which does have a "breakdown lane". During rush hour people are allowed to travel in the breakdown lane, the idea being that it makes it a 3 lane highway able to handle more traffic. For some reason the only people that use that lane are the nutcases who go 80mph. The exits are all close to each other, and just as you are preparing to get in the right lane to exit, one of the nutcases will unexpectedly be there. Totally crazy.
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