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Topic: Driving new LD cross country - need advice (Read 918 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: Driving new LD cross country - need advice
Reply #25 –
You have gotten so much (good) advice you must be on overload already. But as a retired school teacher myself who also never had driven any RV before my LD purchase, I would like to assure you that yes, you can drive cross country solo! One thing I would like to emphasize for a newbie is to "trust your mirrors," top, then bottom (blindside) mirror. You will quickly learn turning over your left shoulder before a lane change doesn't work in a wide body RV. Though our interstates are much maligned, sticking to them as much as possible, staying in the slow lane, and not venturing too far off them (you won't have to) is the safest way for you to get home. Good luck.

Mike Liner
24' FL '08 towing Subaru Forester
2008 FL
Re: Driving new LD cross country - need advice
Reply #26 –
Check out “Nomadic fanatic” on You Tube. The accounts of Eric Jacobs & his cat Jax on the road. Boondocking at its best. Let
Me know if it is helpful or a least entertaining?
Dale from Downey 27’ 2012 RB,”Casa Verde”, 2000 Jeep Wrangler. Formerly1991 RB & 1990 Jeep Wrangler.
Re: Driving new LD cross country - need advice
Reply #27 –
If you live in PA, you will have to pay the 6% state sales tax...plus up to another 1% depending on the community you live in to register your RV.  This no matter what state you purchased in.  So designating PA as the home state is probably easiest.  Even if you take ownership in NV or AZ you will have to make up the difference of the lower sales tax when you register in PA. :'(
2003 MB
Re: Driving new LD cross country - need advice
Reply #28 –
Quote from: dollinsdale  - 
Check out “Nomadic fanatic” on You Tube. The accounts of Eric Jacobs & his cat Jax on the road. Boondocking at its best. Let
Me know if it is helpful or a least entertaining?

Or Pandamonium. She drives a mid-80's Lazy Daze.
My wheels:
2003 MB
2012 Jeep Liberty
Re: Driving new LD cross country - need advice
Reply #29 –
Quote from: dollinsdale  - 
Check out “Nomadic fanatic” on You Tube. The accounts of Eric Jacobs & his cat Jax on the road. Boondocking at its best. Let
Me know if it is helpful or a least entertaining?

I have watched many of Nomadic Fanatic's videos - he has some good stuff in there. You Tube has been a great source of information - Technomadia, Keep Your Daydream, Long long honeymoon, RV Geeks, CheapRVLiving, Gone with the Wynns...to name a few.
2019  31 IB
Re: Driving new LD cross country - need advice
Reply #30 –
Charles - The mph was for trailers/RVs, not cars.  There was a discussion here about that, a search would likely find it.
I thought it was for the entire state, though it may have been a specific area of the state being discussed.
Just found this link - all trailers are 55 mph max in CA  CA trailer laws
Some people said they didn't follow it and some people argued that a motor home was not a trailer, but one person got a ticket cause the cop said their LD was a trailer.
Jane & Scott
Currently have a 1989 TK  LD we did a lot of upgrades on.
Bigfoot 25RQ Twin on order with early summer 2024 ETA

Our smartphone autocorrects into very poor English.
 We disclaim the illusion of ignorance this creates as we have enough ignorance we rightly claim.
Re: Driving new LD cross country - need advice
Reply #31 –
If you have a rear window and do not have a "fish Eye' lens. Please get one. But then, you may hack back up electronics. Mine is 30 yrs old.
LD 22', 1989 Custom Build. Chassis 1990 Chevy Van G30, 5.7l.
Re: Driving new LD cross country - need advice
Reply #32 –
Quote from: Jane and Scott  - 
Charles - The mph was for trailers/RVs, not cars.  There was a discussion here about that, a search would likely find it.
I thought it was for the entire state, though it may have been a specific area of the state being discussed.
Just found this link - all trailers are 55 mph max in CA  CA trailer laws
Some people said they didn't follow it and some people argued that a motor home was not a trailer, but one person got a ticket cause the cop said their LD was a trailer.
Jane, a motorhome is a vehicle, just like a car, a box truck, a motorcycle, or a bus. That "one person" didn't know what they were talking about. I told you what the California vehicle regulations state.

Charles

Harvest Hosts + Boondockers Welcome #23975
Escapees SKP #138195
2007 23.5' Twin King
Re: Driving new LD cross country - need advice
Reply #33 –
Somebody was incorrect in that instance of ticketing a motorhome as a trailer.  Either the reporter or the police officer.
The pertinent section of the vehicle code is listed below.  LDs only have 2 axles so are not subject unless a tow'd is involved.

Quote
ARTICLE 2. Other Speed Laws [22400 - 22413]
  ( Article 2 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )
22406.  
No person may drive any of the following vehicles on a highway at a speed in excess of 55 miles per hour:
(a) A motortruck or truck tractor having three or more axles or any motortruck or truck tractor drawing any other vehicle.
(b) A passenger vehicle or bus drawing any other vehicle.
(c) A schoolbus transporting any school pupil.
(d) A farm labor vehicle when transporting passengers.
(e) A vehicle transporting explosives.
(f) A trailer bus, as defined in Section 636.
And:
  
636.  
A “trailer bus” is a trailer or semitrailer designed, used, or maintained for the transportation of more than 15 persons, including the driver, and includes a connected towing motor vehicle that is a motor truck, truck tractor, or bus.
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Joel & Terry Wiley
dog Zeke
2013  31 IB   Orwan   / 2011 CRV Tow'd LWEROVE
Re: Driving new LD cross country - need advice
Reply #34 –
This thread is taking some bizarre twist and turns.  After 51 years of driving RV's I might start to get confused :o   Help? :-[
2003 MB
 
Re: Driving new LD cross country - need advice
Reply #35 –
Lots of great advice here and I'll try not to be repetitive. For reference, a few years ago we were lucky enough to buy a 98 MB from the original owners who were only 10 miles from Lazy Daze and drive it back to St. Louis. That was a long enough trip to learn a few things by trial and error.

This was my first time in an RV or driving anything larger than a minivan. But after a few hours I forgot how big our rig was. It drives easy and you pretty much sit behind the steering wheel and over the lane like you do in your own car. You're just a bit wider on both sides. You quickly forget.

1. Take the lane--don't hug the curb or shoulder. You might feel like you're in the middle of the road. You're not. As long as your mirrors are adjusted and you can look back and see the lines on both sides, you're good. You're more likely to hit stuff along the sides of the road than in the middle.

2. Look out your mirrors often. You'll drive slow and others will come up on you fast. Knowing what's gonna pass you because you see them coming up from behind will make it easier. And don't worry about everybody passing you. They'll go by so fast you won't even see the dirty stare they give you.

3. Go light. Ten gallons of water will get you going for a day or two and you can add. Fifty gallons is heavy and will hurt your mpg.

4. If you don't take a driver's course (I didn't) find a big empty parking lot and practice turning and backing up. Pull into turns and swing wide. Don't turn sharp.

5. Read again what everybody said about, a) pulling away from gas pumps, b) only pulling into a place after you see how to pull thru, and c) GOAL (get out and look). When leaving a gas pump, I planned to pull forward and turn left so that the back of the coach would swing right and clear of the pump.

6. Understand what the breakeven period is for your motor and drive accordingly. If you need variable speeds, you might want highways over the preferred interstates until the breakeven miles are over.

7. Check the weather on your phone for the winds ahead of you. Lazy Daze's are low profile but strong crosswinds are still bothersome. Crosswinds over 20 will get your attention.

8. Camp at a place where you can fill up your water and take a super long shower to fill your grey water. Practice dumping the tanks with grey water a few times -- less risk. And you get to take a twenty minute guilt-free shower which is something that's probably not gonna happen on a future trip when you're boondocking in Utah with your spouse.

9. If you get near STL and need a driver, give me a call.

10. Enjoy many happy journeys!







1998 Mid Bath