Big boat little truck

[castmaster]

the ones that get me are the ones who BREAK THE LAW and drive in the left lane of a 4 lane highway. under MN traffic law the left lane is for PASSING ONLY.

instead you end up with folks driving side by side in both lanes backing things up.

[Guest]

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the ones that get me are the ones who BREAK THE LAW and drive in the left lane of a 4 lane highway. under MN traffic law the left lane is for PASSING ONLY.

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Maybe someone could dig up the actual statute(law) and post it here. I dont believe that is a law here. I have heard it proposed in other states, but never passed there either.

I think that was just a *common law* of the road in the 70's when traffic levels didnt need all available lanes on the road. That is right up there with the *not pssing on the right*.. that is correct if its a shoulder that a person would be using, but my father used to yell at everyone on a multi-lane highway when there was another lane on the right... took him a while to make him understand that.

[picksbigwagon]

I have been reading these for the last couple days, and I try and stay to the right, let people pass when they can, but I do follow the speed limit, which if I am mistaken is no more than 70 mph anywhere in the state of Minnesota.

Two weekends ago I left prior lake to drive to finlayson and eventually Mille Lacs. I left home at 4 oclock and I figured I was in for a long trip of people being jerks and swerving at me as they drove by offering me the finger, (has happened more than once) I made to the cabin in a little over 2 hours, why? because people were considerate going through the cities, letting me merge when I had to etc. I was anticipating a horrible experience, but I used my blinkers and it was inevitably a guy in a mini van letting me in to merge.

If you are in such a rush to get where you are going that you can't be considerate, get off the road. My 31 year old brother in law was killed 3 years ago by some dude (I have other colorful terms if you would to email me, I can share those with you)who thought he could cross in front of my BIL because dude missed his turn and was on his cell phone at the same time. I am watching his 5 year old daughter today, a constant reminder for me to slow down and stop driving aggressively. Some of you should consider this when ranting and raving either here or on the road.

My two cents worth.

[senkoskipper]

Didnt read the whole thread but skimmed it. Seems like a lot of the people here like to drive slow and legal. Thats fine and dandy but you are also the same people that speed up when someone tries to pass all the time. Its like your not even paying attention and dont see the 5 mile long line of cars behind you. Then as soon as a car moves into the next lane and attempts to pass you decide all of a sudden you want to be mario andredi and start driving WAY over the speed limit so no one can pass. Makes a lot of sense.

[ib_jigged]

My biggest peeve is when someone is pulling a boat and has forgotten to plug the trailer lights after loading the boat and then heading down the highway. Yesterday on my way home form Bemidji I had a guy with a new Crestliner pass me only to slow down and make a left turn, and no signals on the trailer, pulling with a Dodge Durango, you could not see any brake or signal light at all.

Than there are people pulling out in front of you when they see you coming with a trailer in tow and continue to pull out and you have to hit the brakes hard when pulling a 30' travel trailer. They don't realize what it takes to stop that much weight in a hurry.

My $.02!!!!!!!!

[BobT]

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Thats fine and dandy but you are also the same people that speed up when someone tries to pass all the time. Its like your not even paying attention and dont see the 5 mile long line of cars behind you.

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I don't think it is appropriate to lump everyone into one stereotype.

Bob

[mtreno]

you can drive all day long in the left lane. and i admitt on some road here i do all the time. take hwy 10 out of the cities..... that right lane is in such bad shape i dont think i could even walk down it let alone tow a trailer at high speeds. what your to good of a person to pass someone on the right insted of the left? i would never travel next to another car or truck so you can always get around but yet people still get [PoorWordUsage]ed about that. i am above the speed limit - there is room to pass - i am not going to move out of your way to drive in a lane that is in major need of repair only to wreck my trailer. you need to drive 80 then merge around me. cars pass right just as well as left.

[Gus]

169.18 Driving rules.

Subdivision 1. Keep to the right. Upon all roadways

of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven upon the right

half of the roadway, except as follows:

(1) when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding

in the same direction under the rules governing such movement;

(2) when the right half of a roadway is closed to traffic

while under construction or repair;

(3) upon a roadway divided into three marked lanes for

traffic under the rules applicable thereon;

(4) upon a roadway designated and signposted for one-way

traffic as a one-way roadway; or

(5) as necessary to comply with subdivision 11 when

approaching an authorized emergency vehicle parked or stopped on

the roadway.

Subd. 2. Meeting. Drivers of vehicles proceeding in

opposite directions, shall pass each other to the right, and

upon roadways having width for not more than one line of traffic

in each direction each driver shall give to the other at least

one-half of the main traveled portion of the roadway, as nearly

as possible.

Subd. 3. Passing. The following rules shall govern

the overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same

direction, subject to the limitations, exceptions, and special

rules hereinafter stated:

(1) the driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle

proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof

at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side

of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle;

(2) except when overtaking and passing on the right is

permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to

the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on audible warning,

and shall not increase the speed of the overtaken vehicle until

completely passed by the overtaking vehicle; and

(3) the operator of a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle or

individual proceeding in the same direction on the roadway shall

leave a safe distance, but in no case less than three feet

clearance, when passing the bicycle or individual and shall

maintain clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle or

individual.

Subd. 4. Passing on the right. The driver of a

vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle

only upon the following conditions:

(1) when the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a

left turn;

(2) upon a street or highway with unobstructed pavement not

occupied by parked vehicles of sufficient width for two or more

lines of moving vehicles in each direction;

(3) upon a one-way street, or upon any roadway on which

traffic is restricted to one direction of movement, where the

roadway is free from obstructions and of sufficient width for

two or more lines of moving vehicles;

(4) when the driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass

another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting

such movement in safety. In no event shall such movement be

made by driving onto the shoulder, whether paved or unpaved, or

off the pavement or main-traveled portion of the roadway.

Subd. 5. Driving left of roadway center; exception.

(a) No vehicle shall be driven to the left side of the center of

the roadway in overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding

in the same direction unless such left side is clearly visible

and is free of oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance ahead

to permit such overtaking and passing to be completely made

without interfering with the safe operation of any vehicle

approaching from the opposite direction or any vehicle

overtaken. In every event the overtaking vehicle must return to

the right-hand side of the roadway before coming within 100 feet

of any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction.

( Except on a one-way roadway or as provided in paragraph

©, no vehicle shall, in overtaking and passing another vehicle

or at any other time, be driven to the left half of the roadway

under the following conditions:

(1) when approaching the crest of a grade or upon a curve

in the highway where the driver's view along the highway is

obstructed within a distance of 700 feet;

(2) when approaching within 100 feet of any underpass or

tunnel, railroad grade crossing, intersection within a city, or

intersection outside of a city if the presence of the

intersection is marked by warning signs; or

(3) where official signs are in place prohibiting passing,

or a distinctive centerline is marked, which distinctive line

also so prohibits passing, as declared in the Manual on Uniform

Traffic Control Devices adopted by the commissioner.

© Paragraph ( does not apply to a self-propelled or

towed implement of husbandry that (1) is escorted at the front

by a registered motor vehicle that is displaying vehicular

hazard warning lights visible to the front and rear in normal

sunlight, and (2) does not extend into the left half of the

roadway to any greater extent than made necessary by the total

width of the right half of the roadway together with any

adjacent shoulder that is suitable for travel.

(d) Paragraph ( does not apply to a self-propelled or

towed implement of husbandry that is operated to the left half

of the roadway if such operation is not to a greater extent than

is necessary to avoid collision with a parked vehicle, sign, or

other stationary object located on the highway right-of-way.

[mtreno]

Gus - yes we know here in the us we drive on the right side of the road..... know what your looking for but thats not it i dont think.....

ss.

wow - huh - interesting way of saying things. seems like alot of assuming there..... i am a big fan of cruze control on flat land but hilly areas are different. even my f-250 slows down when going up a big hill - and you guessed it speeds up going down the backside of it. which also coinsides with your passing zones.... so it may seem like i am speeding up cause your going to pass when really i am just building some speed up for the next big hill coming up. keep that in mind as well, but i here ya on people speeding up while your trying to pass. happens all the time and makes no sense. if i see you behind me and your wanting to pass of course i will keep er slow for you to get by. i would much rather have you in front of me then 3 feet of my boat prop.

[Gus]

self edited... Needed to bite my own lip.

Everyone just be thankfull you made it home safe! I believe there were 3 fatalities this weekend on our hiways.

[mtreno]

not all roads have those only interstate highways...... states and feds have different rules.

[deepportage01]

ya, that gets me going to. make sure your trailer lights work before you tow and not just one get both of them working.

[deepportage01]

hey, Gus are you a cop ?

[cold one sd]

Maybe I am one of the roadhogs that tee people off. I run an F250 with a 32 foot fifth wheel and an 1800 fisherman behind the fifth wheel. I drive about 58 mph in a 65 mph zone and I am getting passed all the time. I think I am driving as fast as I feel safe driving and a person would have to be nuts to run this rig much faster. I guess the problem that I have is with people pulling right out in front of me like I can stop in the same distance as a car and the people that pass me seem to think that almost taking my front bumper off when they pull back in is their fun for the day. If every one would leave 30 minutes earlier, maybe we could all live a little bit longer. I get tired of standing on the brakes because some a$$hole thinks he has to pull in 5 feet in front of me. As far as pulling over and letting everyone else get by goes, I don't think I could afford the gas to get this rig back up to speed very often. Every time I go through a small town it takes about a mile to get back up to speed.

[upnorth]

I have a RV and when we have it out we normally keep the speed around 60 also. But when I see a long line of cars behind me and I have the chance to pull over I will. As a matter of fact a couple of years ago we pulled over to let people pass and an older couple pulled over behind us thinking we were having problems with the RV, there are some good people out there yet!!

[eyepatrol]

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Every time I go through a small town it takes about a mile to get back up to speed.

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Get a Chevy...problem solved!

I'm just kidding ya!

[Gus]

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hey, Gus are you a cop ?

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No I am not. I've been stopped by one once or twice but that's as close as I get.

[cold one sd]

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Every time I go through a small town it takes about a mile to get back up to speed.

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Get a Chevy...problem solved!

I'm just kidding ya!

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I could have stood on it and been up to speed sooner, but it takes more fuel and it was a two lane road with traffic and I didn't want to have to push the chevy that was ahead of me. Just kiddin too.

[eyepatrol]

Ooooo...good one!

[mtreno]

hey cold - i have always wanted to do that. thats the best way to take a family trip. i always say "someday when i retire thats what i am going to get".

so how does it tow? do you have to do anything special to get the 5th wheel weight right with the extra trailer off the back? can you see the boat at all? what kind of mph? gas? ford?

[dirtking]

I know California has the 5 cars behind you let them by law and I believe there are a couple of other states. On weekends like Memorial day what are you gonna do there are cars for miles - but other times if you can see 5 to 10 cars behind you and that is it for as far as you can see - do me a favor and hit a turn lane so I can go by

[cold one sd]

I don't do anything special for pulling the boat behind the fifth wheel. If the boat and trailer weigh more that 2,000 lbs you have to have break away brakes on the boat trailer. I have surge brakes on mine. I can see the boat trailer behind the camper because it is a bit wider than the camper. I am running a V10 in my F250 and I get about 8 mpg when pulling without a head wind or quartering wind. Last time I pulled to the Oahe I got about6 1/2 with a 30 mph quartering wind from the North East. Coming home I could run in overdrive with a tail wind. As far as letting people pass goes, I hit a small town about every 15 to 25 miles and when I pull out the other side everyone passes me while I am speeding up. The outfit tows so nice that if you couldn't see the boat trailer of the shadow from the boat, you wouldn't know it was there. There is no sway or anything and trucks have very little effect on it.

[mtreno]

thats really neat! so how well did it do with the overdrive and a tail wind? 8's not to bad and 6.5 not to bad with that big of a head wind. so did you put a larger gas tank on there for those longer road trips? i have the same truck and same motor and with only 27 gal at 6.5 to the gal your not getting to far.

[cold one sd]

I haven't checked it, but most people that I know say that the mileage is about the same in or out of overdrive. I wouldn't expect much more in the hills between here and the Oahe. My truck has a 38 gallon tank in it. I don't really check my mpg that much as I don't usually pull any farther than 150 miles from here with the boat on behind. My brother had an F250 with the V10 and he said he never got less than 9 or more than 10 pulling his 27 1/2 foot fifth wheel on the interstate. People like to ask me what I get for mileage pulling my train down the road and my favorite answer is that if I was worried about economy I would be driving a volkswagon bus with a canoe on top. I pour it in one end and it comes out the other. Some people don't realize that it takes gas to make power.

[deepportage01]

yep, thats about right my v10 gets 9-11mpg. the thing is a hog but it pulls like a dream