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Drivers licenses

Yahoo Message Number: 10371
IMHO, it wouldn't be a bad thing to require additional testing, whether written or skills test, for big rigs. Before you all utter profanities, let me explain:

I have a CDL for commercial vehicles with air brakes. The test is relatively simple and straight forward. The questions should be simple for any of us driving the rigs we have.

ICC requirements deal primarily with safety issues: Lights, brakes, pre-driving inspection, securing loads, etc. Does this sound familiar to any of us?

Air brakes tests deal with basics, again safety issues: Pressure, application and safety, nomencalture of parts and how to inspect them.
Stopping distances. Weight distribution, etc. Does this sound familiar?
The bottom line is that I humbly consider myself to be a good driver, in fact after traveling many miles in my rig, I' consider myself to be a much better driver than the average gear jammer who tail gates you in an effort to made it to the next coffee shop before his buddies.
I would like to think that most of my fellow motor home drivers are a full cut above the average gear jammer in skills and courtesy.
Lets face it, 50,000 lbs of potatoes or 50,000 lbs of RV "stuff" all weigh the same and a 45' rig with a 20' toad is just about as long. What's the diff?

Larry
Intrigue
10762

Re: Drivers licenses

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10373
Ahh! If were just that simple that we had to take a written and driving test, plus submit the results of a medical exam, I think we would all agree to what you're saying. I agree that a mandatory driving school for RV's would be a good thing, and the things you discussed should be common knowledge to individuals driving this large of vehicle. But once the State of California has enforcement capability, it's only goal, unfortunately, is revenue generation. They will have fees for everything involved in this process.
And, although I don't know what state you happen to be from, but my experience and understanding is that a large majority of the states require a couple of months of attendance at a State approved school at your expense, a comprehensive written test followed by a driving test to obtain a CDL. If these requirements are imposed upon Rver's, the State coffers will charge as much as they possibly can.
I believe the cost of owning a RV is too high now. Giving the states more enforcement to access fees for services they require will ultimately make this life style something fewer of us will be able to enjoy. Maybe that's they goal.

Just my opinion.

Warren

(Unfortunately not a CC owner, yet)

Re: Drivers licenses

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10375
I agree with you Larry. That's why I hired a professional truck driver trainer and took driving lessons and classroom study for 3 months before getting my 39,000 lbs coach and my Class B drivers license.
Bob

Quote from: Larry Hanson
> IMHO, it wouldn't be a bad thing to require additional testing,

whether

Quote
written or skills test, for big rigs. Before you all utter
profanities, let

Quote
me explain:

I have a CDL for commercial vehicles with air brakes. The test is

relatively

Quote
simple and straight forward. The questions should be simple for

any of us

Quote
driving the rigs we have.
> ICC requirements deal primarily with safety issues: Lights, brakes, > pre-driving inspection, securing loads, etc. Does this sound
familiar to any

Quote
of us?

Air brakes tests deal with basics, again safety issues: Pressure, > application and safety, nomencalture of parts and how to inspect

them.

Quote
Stopping distances. Weight distribution, etc. Does this sound

familiar?

Quote
>

The bottom line is that I humbly consider myself to be a good

driver, in

Quote
fact after traveling many miles in my rig, I' consider myself to

be a much

Quote
better driver than the average gear jammer who tail gates you in

an effort

Quote
to made it to the next coffee shop before his buddies.

I would like to think that most of my fellow motor home drivers

are a full

Quote
cut above the average gear jammer in skills and courtesy.

Lets face it, 50,000 lbs of potatoes or 50,000 lbs of RV "stuff"

all weigh

Quote
the same and a 45' rig with a 20' toad is just about as long.

What's the

Re: Drivers licenses

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10376
Warren; I'm not aware of any state that requires an RV owner to have a CDL (emphasis on the "C" meaning commercial drivers license).
Many states are now requiring a special license (meaning a license other than a car drivers license), like Pennsylvania's new Class B Non-CDL license (Non-commercial drivers license) for vehicles over 26,000 pounds.

Thanks to all who are knowledgeable on this subject and shared their states special license requirements on this web site. Most folks don't know about this relatively new requirement and the ramifications of driving without a legal license for the vehicle you're driving can be very costly.
Some insurance companies have it in the fine print of their policies that the insurance is in effect as long as the driver has the correct legal license to drive the vehicle. So, if you don't have the right license, you might not have any insurance coverage if you're involved in an accident!

Regards,

Bob Kumza

Quote from: Warren Leuning
> Ahh! If were just that simple that we had to take a written and

driving

Quote
test, plus submit the results of a medical exam, I think we would

all agree

Quote
to what you're saying. I agree that a mandatory driving school

for RV's

Quote
would be a good thing, and the things you discussed should be

common

Quote
knowledge to individuals driving this large of vehicle. But once

the State

Quote
of California has enforcement capability, it's only goal,
unfortunately, is

Quote
revenue generation. They will have fees for everything involved

in this

Quote
process.

> And, although I don't know what state you happen to be from, but my > experience and understanding is that a large majority of the
states require

Quote
a couple of months of attendance at a State approved school at
your expense,

Quote
a comprehensive written test followed by a driving test to obtain

a CDL. If

Quote
these requirements are imposed upon Rver's, the State coffers will

charge as

Quote
much as they possibly can.

I believe the cost of owning a RV is too high now. Giving the

states more

Quote
enforcement to access fees for services they require will
ultimately make

Quote
this life style something fewer of us will be able to enjoy.

Maybe that's

Quote
they goal.

Just my opinion.

Warren

(Unfortunately not a CC owner, yet) >

_____

From: Larry Hanson [mailto:larry.hanson@l...] > Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 9:54 PM > To: Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] Drivers licenses >

IMHO, it wouldn't be a bad thing to require additional testing,

whether

Quote
written or skills test, for big rigs. Before you all utter
profanities, let

Quote
me explain:

I have a CDL for commercial vehicles with air brakes. The test is

relatively

Quote
simple and straight forward. The questions should be simple for

any of us

Quote
driving the rigs we have.
> ICC requirements deal primarily with safety issues: Lights, brakes, > pre-driving inspection, securing loads, etc. Does this sound
familiar to any

Quote
of us?

Air brakes tests deal with basics, again safety issues: Pressure, > application and safety, nomencalture of parts and how to inspect

them.

Quote
Stopping distances. Weight distribution, etc. Does this sound

familiar?

Quote
>

The bottom line is that I humbly consider myself to be a good

driver, in

Quote
fact after traveling many miles in my rig, I' consider myself to

be a much

Quote
better driver than the average gear jammer who tail gates you in

an effort

Quote
to made it to the next coffee shop before his buddies.

I would like to think that most of my fellow motor home drivers

are a full

Quote
cut above the average gear jammer in skills and courtesy.

Lets face it, 50,000 lbs of potatoes or 50,000 lbs of RV "stuff"

all weigh

Quote
the same and a 45' rig with a 20' toad is just about as long.

What's the

Quote
diff?

Larry
Intrigue
10762

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_____


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subject=Unsubscribe

Re: Drivers licenses - Not

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10420
Larry,

With all due respect, what are you smoking? You actually think that because you have a CDL and drive a Motorhome a few thousand miles a year your a cut above the average truck driver running 125,000 miles a year day in and day out! There is a big difference between a whimpy Motorhome suspension, gears, handling, brakes, etc, as compared to an 18 wheeler, there not the same. An 18 wheeler with 80,000 lbs. would run, stop and handle circles around your Intrique. I too have a CDL, own a trucking company and have a million plus miles under my belt, but would never be arrogant enough to claim I'm a better driver with my Country Coach than the guys making a living driving truck. Yes there are some bad apples out there driving trucks, but a good portion of the windshield warriors driving RV's I have seen shouldn't be in anything bigger than a pick-up. Courtesy is a whole other issue between the truckers and RV's that I won't even go into!

Tom

02 Allure
Snip

Quote
The bottom line is that I humbly consider myself to be a good

driver, in

Quote
fact after traveling many miles in my rig, I' consider myself to be

a much

Quote
better driver than the average gear jammer who tail gates you in an

effort

Quote
to made it to the next coffee shop before his buddies.
> I would like to think that most of my fellow motor home drivers are

a full

Quote
cut above the average gear jammer in skills and courtesy.

Lets face it, 50,000 lbs of potatoes or 50,000 lbs of RV "stuff"

all weigh

Quote
the same and a 45' rig with a 20' toad is just about as long.

What's the

Re: Drivers licenses - Not

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10436
Tom:

Your response was consistent with good logic. I have always been of the feeling that I would prefer to ride with the trucks than be in the presence of 4 wheelers or for that matter RVs. It has been of some concern to me, a person could drive out of an RV dealer with a 45 foot unit and toad with nothing more than a thank you and drive on the highway. This recent discussion on what license is legally required has encouraged me to check out Maryland law.
This in no way makes me a better more responsible driver but at least I more aware of what I don't know.
A private truck owner has not only the driving responsibility, a hand full of restrictive rules and laws, but in many instances is driving his life's investment. It makes good sense for him to drive safely.
I consider the braking ability of my 36 foot Intrigue to be adequate but by no means anything to brag about. I consider this when making driving decisions. Drivers who have mutual respect for the capabilities of the rigs of others be they an RV or a truck will in the long run survive the few "bad apples". RVing since 1963.

James M. Green
truk4u2003 wrote: