55 mph safe?

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by kscherzi

So reading this thread I'm getting the clear idea that trailering in the the west, north, and east is easy to do a sensible 55 to 60 due to local habits. But in the south, particularly Texas and Georgia, one must drive at 80 or faster or be at risk of a rear ender (and my rig probably won't even go that fast). My trailer wheels are rated at 65, and probably yours, so how do those living in the south reconcile the dilemma?

Also, is gas so cheap?

"In the south, particularly Texas and Georgia" there are many many things, that are done differently than they are in the west, north and east.

The cheapness of gas is relative to what value you place on other things. However, I may be wrong, but I am pretty sure that everywhere it is cheaper than California.

Ken

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by kscherzi

But in the south, particularly Texas and Georgia, one must drive at 80 or faster or be at risk of a rear ender (and my rig probably won't even go that fast). My trailer wheels are rated at 65, and probably yours, so how do those living in the south reconcile the dilemma? Also, is gas so cheap?

Gas here is $3.95 most places and down in the $3.80s if you look around.

Gas price does not affect my towing speed in the least. I towed at the same speed when diesel was near $5/a gallon a few years ago.

I tow the 80 mph stretches of I-10 the same as I tow every other road, 60 to 65. There is an occasional semi doing maybe 75 on I-10, but the road is fairly straight and traffic is light on the high-speed stretches. I even pass an occasional semi running at 65, or even 62 on I-10.

I see far less hazard in a 20 mph speed differential running on the high-speed stretches of I-10 than I do stopped at a traffic light with someone braking from highway speed behind me.

[perryg114]

I try to stay below 70. I prefer to stay around 65 MPH. I think at 55 I would fall a sleep. If I only have 200 miles to go in a day my speed would drop and I would try to stay off interstates. I think Huntsville drivers at rush hour are worse than Birmingham. Try to avoid all cities at rush hour. It is not safe to be in a tank in that situation much less pulling a trailer.


Perry

[Len n Jeanne]

Re: our tires being rated to 65 mph or less..... yes. And these days, a lot of tires are made in China......

[IanPoulin]

I am curious to slide tangent the conversation and ask the team what they think about speed and highway on/off-ramps? How often do you find a ramp, when it declares 25 MPH actually means it in your towing configuration?

[MrUKToad]

Originally Posted by IanPoulin

I am curious to slide tangent the conversation and ask the team what they think about speed and highway on/off-ramps? How often do you find a ramp, when it declares 25 MPH actually means it in your towing configuration?

Do you mean that you think the 25mph is too high for towing and set for cars, or too low and designed more for high-sided vehicles with a high centre of gravity?

[IanPoulin]

Originally Posted by MrUKToad

Do you mean that you think the 25mph is too high for towing and set for cars, or too low and designed more for high-sided vehicles with a high centre of gravity?

Sorry, no - I am asking how realistic these posted signs are for individuals towing their airstreams; do they find they need to be bang on target to the reccommendation or what level of wiggle room they find they have.

Ian

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by IanPoulin

How often do you find a ramp, when it declares 25 MPH actually means it in your towing configuration?

If I was towing a slab-sided SOB teetering on beam axles and springs, I would pay stricter attention to those limits. With the Airstream, I simply look at the ramp ahead to set my speed unless the sign shows something like 10 or 15 mph. In those cases, I suspect there may be a hazard that I might not see as I enter the ramp and I slow down, but never to ridiculously slow speeds like 10 or 15 mph.

[m.hony]

I actually obey the posted limit on ramps because you can actually get a speeding ticket for speeding on the ramp...

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by m.hony

I actually obey the posted limit on ramps because you can actually get a speeding ticket for speeding on the ramp...

Most signs on ramps are advisory signs, not speed limit signs. If they are speed limit signs, yes, I do obey them.

[Ag&Au]

Since towing is much more complex than driving an automobile, and anything that goes wrong takes longer to correct, I always adher to the exit ramp posted speeds. In any case why not do it? You will only be on the ramp a minute or so. I cannot remember anytime that the posted speed was too fast to exit comfortably with the trailer.

Ken

[MrUKToad]

Originally Posted by IanPoulin

Sorry, no - I am asking how realistic these posted signs are for individuals towing their airstreams; do they find they need to be bang on target to the reccommendation or what level of wiggle room they find they have.

Ian

Ok, thanks Ian.

The limits are set for those vehicles with a high centre of gravity (COG) and a propensity for toppling over; some speed limit signs are accompanied by a yellow graphic sign to warn truckers that if they fail to heed the limit, they may well tip over.

Towing a relatively low COG Airstream, though, I think you have a bit of wiggle room in there. Coming from the UK where there are few off ramp speed limits (mostly because the turns are not that tight), I was surprised how low those limits here are set. Personally I try to judge it to be on or marginally over the limit but am prepared to knock off a bit more speed if things are getting a bit hairy.

There's a bad one off Ontario 401, heading west and west of London, as you turn onto Colonel Talbot Road (co-incidentally to go to CanAm RV). There's very little straight ramp before you hit the bend going right and it's quite tight. The real issue is the slightly adverse camber, which adds to the fun. It says 40Km/hr and I make sure I'm doing absolutely no more than that!

[Len n Jeanne]

I don't think you can go wrong following the speed limit, unless the driving conditions are so rotten that slower is better.

[PharmGeek]

Our posted caution/suggested ramp speed signs are mostly I think pretty reasonable...the ones that say 25mph here in my area are ones really quite sharp of a turn...The ones I use frequently that interchange say 459 with 20/59 are more often posted yellow at 45mph....and that is about what I found myself pulling through them...maybe 50 - it is a very very mild turn, barely can call it a turn really...

I suspect that for ones posted as 25mph, going for even in an airstream would be pushing it...

In my daily driver, my car, I go through that ramp from 20/59 to 459 most every time at 65-70mph....

[m.hony]

There is only one circumstance under which I speed-
Those annoying stretches of road that have speed limit sign, advisory sign, speed limit sign...
You don't know what to do...

[m.hony]

I obey speed limits even in work zones where no work is taking place-
Like for several years Highway 82 in Alabama from the Mississippi line to Tuscaloosa and on Interstate 20/59 from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham had work zone speed limit signs, but no road work.
You can still get a double fine...

[crispyboy]

When towing a utility trailer or the Airstream I've always found that it is best to heed the recommended speed on the exit ramps. Some of those can quickly get pretty steep/sharp and I don't want to be hitting the brakes in a curve.
When driving a car you can usually do about 10 mph over the recommended speed and not have any troubles.
Normally the recommended speeds seem pretty reasonable because the road departments are trying to warn the driver of adverse road condition or a section of road when the driver should take a bit more caution.

[cwf]

When 'streamin, curves/turns I try to use the "posted" ramp speed in unfamiliar places.

There is a phenomenon referred to as "speed soak".... It happens especially when transitioning from very high speeds to slower.

If after a long span of driving, you have ever felt "oops, I misjudged my speed and came in "too hot", you have experienced "speed soak".... Perhaps to some degree.

One thing I know from flying, boating, motorcycling...and other sports, "the slower I am going when I hit something, the lest it will hurt my pride, body, possessions and pocket book.

[IanPoulin]

Originally Posted by cwf

There is a phenomenon referred to as "speed soak".... It happens especially when transitioning from very high speeds to slower.

If after a long span of driving, you have ever felt "oops, I misjudged my speed and came in "too hot", you have experienced "speed soak".... Perhaps to some degree.

In computer programming/systems environment the term is ohnosecond - that being the variable measurement of time between hitting the return key and realizing fully what you just did.

[Markj55]

Originally Posted by IanPoulin

In computer programming/systems environment the term is ohnosecond - that being the variable measurement of time between hitting the return key and realizing fully what you just did.

Also know as drunk..... Time to put this thread to bed?