Motorhomes and CDLs

[belfert]

At least one of the local community colleges offers a motor coach training course cmplete with a 2.8 mile track with skid pad.  One of the colleges offered a specific RV course, but I can't find it now.

[tomhamrick]

There are already a lot of laws on the books that people are not following. If they are not going to enforce these, I do not think making new ones will help.  The following link has a lot of great information and we will probably learn that most of us are already illegal.
Tom Hamrick

http://changingears.com/rv-sec-state-rv-license.shtml

[ktmossman]

I was actually going to post a question about this a while back and forgot.  I live in the Atlanta area and have been looking around for someplace to get some drivers training for a bus-sized vehicle.  Short of a full-bore CDL class costing $$$ and a couple of weeks of vacation time, there is just nothing out there.  I think one of the local RV places has a "new drivers" course (both hours), but from what I have heard, it is more about how to use the various systems (electrical, plumbing, etc.) on the rig than how to safely drive it.

My plan was (once I have a bus or am ready to make a purchase) to pester one of the local (or close to it) guys on here to take some $$ and provide some basic training.

[Len Silva]

It's not just motorhomes and buses.  I have seen many travel trailers in Florida sashaying wildly down the interstate.  A 30 foot trailer with a motorcycle and/or generator on the back, hooked to a too small tow vehicle, without the proper hitch.  I have also seen a lot of them in a pile of splinters on the side of the road.

Those of us who frequent these boards are interested in learning all there is to do it right and do it safely.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who don't know or just don't care.

Len

[Jeremy]

The law here states that with a standard car licence you are not permitted to drive a goods vehicle over 7.5 tons - but neither a bus or a RV are goods vehicles so the limitation doesn't apply - but in all fairness it probably should.

Using the standard car licence you now are not allowed to tow anything which seems a totally unnecesary restriction - if it were based on the length or weight of the trailer then fair enough, but an outright ban seems draconian.

All driving licences here expire at (I think) the age of 75, but if you retake and pass your test you can continue driving. I don't think a 'medical' is required, beyond the standard eyesight test

Jeremy

[Stan]

Like anything run by government and bureaucrats, the laws and regulation may have no bearing on the original idea. In Alberta, and I think all of Canada, you have to have an air endorsement to drive a vehicle with air brakes. This is a good law, and when you read the posts on the boards by people who don't know you have to drain tanks and adjust brakes, it should contribute to safety on the road.

On the other hand, for any class of commercial license, you must take the driving test in the class of vehicle that the license covers, but you can drive a 40' motor home when you take the test in a compact car.

I sold my bus because I knew my vision was not good enough to drive it but the government mandated eye test says that my vision is adequate for a class 1 commercial, and in fact I carry a class 3 commercial.

[gumpy]

 Not picking on Craig at all and I am sure he is a good driver.

I'll be the first to admit I'm not as good a driver as I was 20 years ago, or even 15 years ago. Things have changed. I've gotten older and fatter. My muscles have changed to fat and my reflexes are no longer cat-like I also moved to MN and had to learn a new way to drive in order to survive a 60 mile per day commute.

[HB of CJ]

Very good questions and comments.  My Crown ex-schoolie-maybe-some-day-motorcoach weights 12 tons stripped, goes 85 mph, (maybe much faster later!) and has six (6) huge air brakes.  Stops faster than my Volvo, handles better than my VW Rabbit diesel and is fairly immune to side winds.  Time for another annual $inspection$.  In Oregon, NO SPECIAL LICENSE IS REQUIRED!!, nor do I have one.  This is as it should be.  We out/up here are lucky.  Someday this will change as we catch up with the rest of the nation.

It is the individual who MUST be responsible for his/her's own actions.  Not government. I am 58 and have NEVER received a moving violation traffic ticket.  Some other people's driving scares me and I refuse to ride along with them, that plus the little fact that it may be a control thing tooss since I alsos get car sick easily as a passenger. Barfo big time.  Ideally, government should intrude minimumimumly in our lives---the reality is that we, the people, get what government we deserve.  Thank you. 

[Ednj]

 ;)I love the fact that I can drive a motorcycle or a bus on the same road with the same license, This is America.
It's bad enough that they tell me I have to wear a helmet or a seatbelt.
Here's a fun site

http://www.the7thfire.com/Politics%20and%20History/DrivingRight.html

FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT
As hard as it is for those of us in Law enforcement to believe, there is no room for speculation in these court decisions. The American citizen does indeed have the inalienable right to use the roadways unrestricted in any manner as long as they are not damaging or violating property or rights of
another.
Government, in requiring the people to file for "drivers Licenses, vehicle registrations, mandatory insurance, and demanding they stop for vehicle inspections, DUI/DWI roadblocks etc. without question, are "restricting", and therefore violating, the Peoples common law right to travel.

[HighTechRedneck]

It is the individual who MUST be responsible for his/her's own actions.  Not government. ...

... Ideally, government should intrude minimumimumly in our lives ...

My thoughts exactly.  I too am concerned about some of the RV drivers I have seen, but to be honest, the ones that come to mind shouldn't even be driving a car, motorcycle, bicycle, roller skates or running shoes either.    But giving the government more power to interfere in the lives of private citizens is not the answer in my opinion.

I think the best solution would be for private organizations/individuals to make training readily available at an affordable price.  Perhaps some experienced drivers could pick up some extra money training RV owners how to safely drive and maneuver their large vehicles.  Might even be something some full timers could offer at the parks they stay at.    When I bought my bus from a private charter operation, the owner was willing to take me out to a large parking lot and give me some training on maneuvering and safe operation.  It was brief, informal and I was a terrible student, but it gave me the knowledge I needed to safely drive my bus (with pickup towed behind) home, almost 3000 miles, without incident.

[Jerry32]

I have driven school  and charter bused trucks and 747's and have a CDL with multi trailer and bus endorsements. Most of my life i have had a class of license for commercial vehicles. With these big get togethers maybe some groupe shud set a safety diving seminar. I remember those for aircraft why not for RV'x Jerry

[tekebird]

perhaps next year at Arcadia everyone who signs up should be required to ru =n a Coach Rodeo corse for time/accuracy.

would be interesting to see the results at least. 

also would be interesting to see the difference between guys with backup cams and those who do it old school

[oldmansax]

I am against all regulations. I know that is an unpopular view. I do think, as others who have posted here, the the individual should be responsible for their actions. Meaning, if I cause you a problem, I pay for it up to and including my life. timely and severe penalties for damages and/or injuries would swiftly put an end to a lot of foolishness.

Don't flame me, I'm just crazy enough to not care and I am not going to change my mind. 

TOM

[tekebird]

I agree with Tom in Principle,

unfortunatley we live in a society where people do not take responsability for thier actions......and in many cases many people do not have the where-with-all to cover any damages they may inflict.

I have know people who have been in accidents with damn near 1 million in medical expenses alone not to mention lost work etc.  not too many folks can buck up 1 million in a decent ammount of time.

[Stan]

Drivers on the road damage other people's property for many reasons. It may be poorly maintained vehicle, unqualified driver or just plain careless. Regardless of the reason, they do cause harm to others. They may even kill themselves in the onslaught (it is not an accident) but since they didn't carry insurance and their only asset is their now demolished vehicle there is no compensation for the ones they harmed.

If your attitude is 'screw you, I'm Ok' it is a sorry reflection on modern society.