Kristin from No Ordinary Path says this odd video is mostly for entertainment, but depending on your rig and where you plan to go with it, there might be some practical information in the video.
In fact, Kristin and her husband did drive where they were not officially allowed without knowing it. Ooops.
You might be surprised at how silly some of these rules and RV laws can be. For instance, did you know that many states require mud flaps on your trucks and RVs?
A lot of states, like California, do not allow you to exceed 55 mph. And some states have different speed limits in the daytime and at night.
Length, width, and weight of RVs have a lot of impact on RV laws, too. You could even be required to get a commercial driver’s license.
Overnight parking can get legally complicated, too. Where you can. Where you can’t. And for how long.
Some states require you to have dog restraints or crate your dogs. That’s right—not only kids, but dogs, too. That is mostly in New England states.
Of course, a lot of states have hands-free phone rules, but a lot of states do not allow you to mount your phone on the windshield. And many states do not allow headphones or earbuds either.
The video also goes into things that are not illegal, although they may not be smart.
Weigh stations for RVs are not required. A number of states do allow you to ride in a trailer or 5th wheel. And various other driving old wives’ tales that are not technically illegal.
It’s a fun and interesting video brought to you by some experienced full-timers.
##RVT1074
There are states on the east coast where it is illegal to drive wide body motorhomes off the interstates. Otherwise it is illegal to go off the interstate to sightsee. I think North and South Carolina are 2 states.
In NY, Parkways have LOW to EXTREMELY LOW underpasses. Most of these Parkways were designed and / built in the 1930s. Vehicles were smaller then and NYS has elected (for good reason) to NOT “update / upgrade” Parkways. There should be a MAXIMUM Height Warning Sign at ALL Parkway entrance ramps BUT said warning sing might NOT be visible / readable until AFTER you’ve made the turn onto the entrance ramp.
As to Weigh Stations, more and more stations state WEIGHT THRESHOLDS rather than the words “COMMERCIAL VEHICLES”. A common weight shown is often 10,000#. 10,000# would catch many non-commercial vehicles (generally, Weigh Stations are NOT looking for non-commercial vehicles BUT, pass a Weigh Station labeled at 10,000# and you could be cited). As states look for ways to bring in more $$$, they might decide that RVers are “fair game”
Good video. Lots of information to think about and research to stay legal in whatever state you might travel in. As to mudflaps, wet, juicy, mud will spray onto the front of your RV and there’s no way to stop that. Mudflaps/rock guards do help stop gravel from pitting the front of your trailer. In my travels I’ve seen only one weigh station approach sign that says RVs are exempt. If we needed to stop the truckers would be backed up a lot more than they are now. I also heard in California you cannot have anything on your dash ie: GPS etc. With the price of fuel/gas in California you’re best to avoid that state anyway.
Interesting stuff. We have mudflaps on our 2016 F-350 and the mud still gets all over the front of our trailer. Most mudflaps (in my opnion) are there just to satisfy some of these laws, not to prevent mud from flying up behind you.