So we are currently parked at Capilano RV park in Vancouver. (Google it)
What we would like to do is drive over Lions Gate Bridge in the bus (34k pounds) park it in Stanley Park for the day and then go back over the bridge at the end of the day.
Problem is bridge weight limit says no trucks over 13,000 KG or 28k pounds.
So I wanted to throw this out there to you guys.
Im thinking the weight limit prevents commercial truckers from driving through downtown and into the park all hours of the day and night and keeps the traffic down.
Im wondering if our 5 minute drive over the bridge into the park would draw attention and if we should just do it anyways. Whats the chances of getting a ticket (USA family on vacation with 4 kids clueless about weight limits) if we did get pulled over. If we got pulled over at all. How much would it be? More than the cost of 10 gallons of fuel?
What would you guys do?
The other option is a 45 minnute drive all the way around through the city.
Thanks.
-Sean
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Or, the weight restriction could be in place because that bridge is only rated to hold 28,000 lbs, and your exceeding it by 6,000 lbs might just be the ticket to getting a new
bridge built which would have a higher weight limitation.
Your call.
::)
Are you serious? Or ... for the price of some fuel and the non happening nice short city tour in your Bus Conversion, you run the risk of citations, impoundment, searches, arrests, jail, etc.. What does your Bus Conversion weigh? :)
Oh, and now that you've posted your desire to intentionally ignore the posted weight restriction on a public forum, guess how your argument of ignorance is going to play out?
8)
Since you're not a truck........how far is the drop if it collapses? How much do two RVs weigh crossing at same time?
Transit buses cross that bridge all the time Sea Bus and the other I forgot the name of at the moment, I think the reason they don't want trucks is because they change the flow of lanes in the morning and afternoon.
Lol I hate to say I never saw that sign before and we have crossed it in our Eagle several times over the years
Go for it
Looks like the consensus is that you are taking a legal and financial risk. Either go around, or make a stab at contacting the bridge authority and ask if your bus would be permissible under bridge formula rules that takes axle spacing and axle loads under consideration.
Go for it....but only if video is rolling. ;D
Go for it---but only like DE says! Jack
Dang some of you guys are sticklers. Haha. Ask Scott about how rules apply to me.
Tried calling the authorities but its Canada Day (happy Canada Day to all the Canadians out there) and no one works on holidays here in Canada. Imagine that? Do gotta wait until Monday.
I thought for sure you guys would be looking at the construction, digging up resources and debating whether I would fall into the Ocean or not.
(I think if we time it to cross right when a cruise ship is passing underneath it we would be just fine.)
The construction of the bridge would hold way more than my 34k pounds. Im not going to cause any damage. Im certainly not falling into the ocean.
Im just trying to find out if the weight restriction is for commercial vehicles only (all the signs specifically say "trucks and commercial vehicles" over 13000KG) and if I as a private vehicle owner would be allowed to pass over the bridge. Im certain with the RV park at the base of the bridge it happens all the time where big RVs over 28k pounds go over the bridge.
Again - I am being responsible here. Just trying to find out (hopefully from a Canadian) what the deal is. From what I can tell there wasnt a restriction on the bridge at all until they updated the steel plates and widened the lanes trying to reduce traffic and it looks like cutting commercial vehicles over that bridge contributed to that reduction.
I will do a live broadcast. It will be the most exciting boringist thing youve ever watched.
-Sean
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I found some photos that shows buses and RV's crossing the Lion Gate but I am not smart enough to link the photos, go it for Sean I spoke with a friend that lives there he crosses it in his bus he said it's never had a problem yet in a 45,000 lb bus
Oh look, there's your bus!
Quote from: gumpy on July 01, 2016, 07:19:50 PM
Oh look, there's your bus!
Baaahaaa... Man that would sure clear up my todo list.
Maybe I can find some of those drag chutes to weld onto the roof.... just in case.
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Do you call in to weigh stations that say "trucks and commercial vehicles must enter"
Quote from: Tony LEE on July 01, 2016, 08:35:54 PM
Do you call in to weigh stations that say "trucks and commercial vehicles must enter"
Exactly.
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Trucks always used the bridge up till 2000 when they started working on it and put a ban trucks,it helped with traffic so much I guess they left the ban in place
Think about how many cars at one time stuck in traffic and a bunch of Commercial trucks just under 28K# on the bridge at one time waiting. Engineers have to figure those kinds of weights in heavy winds etc and build accordingly. So I say go for it and I would also make sure you each have a fishing pole and inflatable jackets!...Just in case Just sayin... :o :D
This chart says that there is a bus and HOV lane on that bridge. and a phone number to call..
https://vancouver.ride-share.com/en/my/mytext.php?section=hov (https://vancouver.ride-share.com/en/my/mytext.php?section=hov)
Occupancy Requirements:
Roadway
Location
Occupancy
Trans Canada Burnaby/Coquitlam 2+
Barnet Hastings Burnaby 2+
Willingdon Ave. Burnaby 6+
Route 7a Burnaby/Port Moody 2+
Highway 99 Delta Bus and 3+
Highway 17 Delta Bus and 3+
Pitt River Bridge Pitt Meadows 3+
Russ Baker Way Richmond 3+
Granville Street Vancouver 3+
Georgia Street Vancouver 3+
Lions Gate Bridge Vancouver Bus and 8+
McGill Street Vancouver Bus Only
Hastings Vancouver Bus Only
Mountain Highway North Vancouver Bus Only
To use HOV lanes properly, you need the required minimum number of vehicle occupants and you need to know how to operate safely in the lanes - in the city and on the freeway. For more information, please contact: Ministry of Transportation and Highways (604) 660-8300.
I drove tour buses for Vancouver Grayline the summer of '79. We drove over the bridge every day. More recently, seismic and widening upgrades have been going on. Transit buses use the bridge still. I cannot find anything specific about non commercial/RV regulations. I get the sense that you could drive over it.I would. But I am a renegade outaw. But you are on your own if you get pulled over by the police, haha.
JC
I went over it by accident, stayed at the RV park under it. It is a pain to get to N Vancouver the other way.
Go to the zoo/aquarium at Stanley Park, the Beluga whales dance on their heads and blow 'air' rings (like smoke rings) out of their mouths, and they'll let you hold a Sloth.
From part of the MVA
9 The following apply to and in respect of the First Narrows Bridge only:
(a) a person must not operate, on any part of the structure or its approaches, a vehicle having a gross weight in excess of 13 000 kg unless the vehicle is a bus as defined in the Motor Vehicle Act;
(b) a person must not operate a bicycle on the roadway of the structure or its approaches;
(c) a person must not operate, on any part of the structure or its approaches, a vehicle equipped with a tire chain or chains.
From what I have read, due to volume of traffic they do not want it to become a "truck route". Seen multiple transit buses on there at one time.
I would go, I would say I'm not a truck nor a commercial vehicle, I'm an RV. You're not really expected to look up statutes on the internet as you pull up to the bridge.
I wouldn't do it but it's got nothing to do with weight or regs - on that count I'm sure you're OK. Taking your bus into Stanley Park is another matter. That's gonna be a gong show. Where do you plan to park? Maybe it would be doable in April or November but on Canada Day weekend? Good luck with that.
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Call one of the BC Highways scales. Here's the number for one in Surrey 604 538 1121. I don't think you'll like the answer. :'(
Quote from: bobofthenorth on July 02, 2016, 08:24:22 AM
I wouldn't do it but it's got nothing to do with weight or regs - on that count I'm sure you're OK. Taking your bus into Stanley Park is another matter. That's gonna be a gong show. Where do you plan to park? Maybe it would be doable in April or November but on Canada Day weekend? Good luck with that.
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Bob - Itll be tuesday coming up. This trip we went "toadless" so we only have our bikes.
Park is about 1-2 miles from where we are at. But its a mile of uphill over the bridge and the kids can do it on there bikes when they are fresh but are whining and walking by end of day.
Kids wanted to go to the waterpark they have there and we thought it would be easier just to park the bus there in the AM and have a place to crash out and have lunch and dinner without having to ride the bikes over the bridge in wet bathing suits in the middle of the day. More for convenience than anything.
In the morning the park is empty. Itll cost 22$ to park for the day on the main road right at the beach and waterpark. Easy peasy.
-Sean
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I know the area well Sean. It sounds like you've scouted it and have a plan but getting back home across the bridge could still be a fustercluck. Have you checked out public transit? I think their buses all have bike racks. Vancouver is pretty good in regards to public transit and bicycle access.
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Bob - traffic might be bad but we only have to go 2-3 miles. Seems pretty straight forward getting on 99 from the park.
BTW - while sitting at the pool this AM I counted (5) 45' prevos and (1) MCI tourbuses going over the bridge. So no worries. We are going to do this.
-Sean
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Quote from: Seangie on July 02, 2016, 01:41:17 PM
Bob - traffic might be bad but we only have to go 2-3 miles. Seems pretty straight forward getting on 99 from the park.
BTW - while sitting at the pool this AM I counted (5) 45' prevos and (1) MCI tourbuses going over the bridge. So no worries. We are going to do this.
-Sean
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if i read correctly..there is bus lane on that bridge.be a bus.
Sean if they stop you just show them this thread and they will be laughing so hard reading it they won't see you all sneaking off to get away!... ::)
Dave
Quote from: Dave5Cs on July 02, 2016, 05:58:04 PM
Sean if they stop you just show them this thread and they will be laughing so hard reading it they won't see you all sneaking off to get away!... ::)
Dave
No if they stop you and ask why you are the bridge tell them" to get to the other side",I ask some tour bus drivers I know and they say buses are not ban from the bridge, one driver crossed it 4 times last week with a trailer
Sean and I are rule breakers. You should see us cutting off the mattress tags that say "do not remove" haha. Oh, and one time, Sean drove 59 mph in a 55 zone...it was hair raising but totally worth it. Shanks, I've accidentally crossed bridges in rural towns with weigh limits many times. Sometimes you're just stuck on a one lane wide road with no place to turn around and I for one am not backing up 5 miles. Cross the bridge, enjoy your trip. I'm deeply jealous as I gear up for another intense day of bus building.
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Kind of like having your cake and eating it too. In this case, you are claiming to be a "bus". In a lot of other situations "we" claim to be RVs. I imagine local buses in that area pay a few scheckles in road tax to have the right to use that bridge. Ah yes, so do I pay road tax with every litre of fuel says the man with a bus/RV. Justification for doing so can be put in many forms. You just have to pick the right one. There are two sides to a coin and there is of course ... the edge! It just makes sense to use it. I would use it and I would use the justification of lowering my carbon footprint to justify it. Peeps around there should rally around that cause at the drop of a hat. Go to go!
I am still trying to figure out why you would have Cake and not eat it??? Thats just not right!.... ;D
Dave
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fuploads.tapatalk-cdn.com%2F20160705%2F55ad35a004c7e6ec1cecbb03d868a375.jpg&hash=8267489f0e3c6af6e6e2f284b88ae7f050f09f31)
So tomorrows the big day. Here is our current plan of attack.
Any questions?
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looks like a mickey mouse plan to me...kinda goofy.
rooting for you :)
lol you're a nut shanks :)
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First, I would strongly recommend not breaking the law. That said, the law seems to clearly state that commercial vehicles are restricted by the weight limit. You are not a commercial vehicle. There have been reasons suggested for why they imposed this limit, but regardless of why it is so, the weight limit does not apply to a private vehicle. If they wanted to have a general weight limit for all traffic, that's what the sign would say.
As for traveling in the bus lane, that is a different issue. We all know what they mean if they specify a lane for buses. I doubt they wanted to create a special lane for bus conversion motorhomes. However, if there was a lot of traffic and that bus lane was racing along, I might consider it a loophole that would work. Often, there are technicalities that work against you, but sometimes they can favor us. Yes, you are driving a motorhome, but it is also clearly a bus.
Quote from: Lin on July 05, 2016, 10:40:25 AM
First, I would strongly recommend not breaking the law. That said, the law seems to clearly state that commercial vehicles are restricted by the weight limit. You are not a commercial vehicle. There have been reasons suggested for why they imposed this limit, but regardless of why it is so, the weight limit does not apply to a private vehicle. If they wanted to have a general weight limit for all traffic, that's what the sign would say.
As for traveling in the bus lane, that is a different issue. We all know what they mean if they specify a lane for buses. I doubt they wanted to create a special lane for bus conversion motorhomes. However, if there was a lot of traffic and that bus lane was racing along, I might consider it a loophole that would work. Often, there are technicalities that work against you, but sometimes they can favor us. Yes, you are driving a motorhome, but it is also clearly a bus.
bus lanes are usually/also HOV lanes ... meaning more than 2 passengers...
I think your timing is wrong, the stack is about 30' aft!
Is that ship on plane in a channel?
;D BK ;D
The $64,000 question did the bridge collapse under the weight of the Eagle
Let's not get an "administrative restriction" mixed up with an "engineering restriction"....
The Lion's Gate will not be damaged by this adventure.
A little 5 ton restricted, century old one lane bridge over a creek might very well be damaged by one of our conversions.
Always fun when the steel overhead swipes the roof air off an offending RV, in the latter....
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Quote from: luvrbus on July 05, 2016, 09:04:05 PM
The $64,000 question did the bridge collapse under the weight of the Eagle
https://youtu.be/u7xMS17Oy4c
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Wow, that was a real nail biter. You still can try to fall in on the way back.
Great video! Right up there with Van's driving his bus over the new Boulder Dam bypass.
JC
You only got passed 30 times... :)
He played it cool to avoid a speeding ticket. ;D
and not a single single finger wave :)
You can hear the fear when he met another bus on the bridge ;D
Quote from: Lin on July 06, 2016, 10:52:19 AM
Wow, that was a real nail biter. You still can try to fall in on the way back.
As promised... "the most exciting booringist thing you will ever watch"
Quote from: Scott Crosby on July 06, 2016, 12:11:21 PM
You only got passed 30 times... :)
Glad someone was counting. I think we were busy looking at the mountains surrounding the bay.....
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Quote from: eagle19952 on July 06, 2016, 12:39:39 PM
and not a single single finger wave :)
We cut that part out 8)
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For those of you who did not watch the video yet, get a bowl of popcorn and a drink, and be prepared to back the video up so you can replay interesting parts. ;D They are in there, you have to pay attention.
Quote from: DoubleEagle on July 06, 2016, 01:58:15 PM
For those of you who did not watch the video yet, get a bowl of popcorn and a drink, and be prepared to back the video up so you can replay interesting parts. ;D They are in there, you have to pay attention.
Srsly? Y'all need to go change the oil in yer bus or somethin. ;)
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So how tall was that bridge you were about to go under at the end of the vid?
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"For those of you who did not watch the video yet, get a bowl of popcorn and a drink, and be prepared to back the video up so you can replay interesting parts. Grin They are in there, you have to pay attention."
"Srsly? Y'all need to go change the oil in yer bus or somethin. Wink"
Don't tell me you missed the back seat action in the orange car? Nice to be up high. ;)
Man oh man the roar of the 2 stroke oh that was from your heart pounding. the smell of burning rubber oh that was from the tires rubbing the rails.
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Quote from: Scott Bennett on July 07, 2016, 06:54:33 AM
So how tall was that bridge you were about to go under at the end of the vid?
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5m
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