RE: When is gas gonna kill your camping?
I wouldn't say we don't "care", but I'm also not going to let it ruin a trip that we've been planning for a year now.
When we get home we'll be firmly planted at local campgrounds for the rest of the season, trust me. If next years gas prices are the same or higher, ditto.
RE: When is gas gonna kill your camping?
With Goldman Sachs and Boone Pickett both saying that oil will hit $150, then it will. Doesn't matter if it's justified or not, because they said it, it's gonna happen no matter what.
Sadly, I agree. I still think it's in a bubble that continues to swell though - $150 in the coming weeks might just rush it towards popping a bit sooner then later.
It'll probably burst about 48 hours after we get back from our month out west. :M
RE: When is gas gonna kill your camping?
We're making plans for a 930 mile trip in the next couple of weeks. At $4 a gallon for mid-grade, it's getting scary but still not prohibitive.
I'm in the same boat, except we're looking at 7000 miles. I was doing the math again today with revised numbers and I figure we might blow our budget by $600 to $800 assuming the current runaway prices continue. Sadly enough I did the "new" math at $1.65 per litre for diesel, which is $6.25/Gallon on the US side.
I'd like to think that those prices were "worse case scenario", but I'm really starting to wonder now.
Given that the budget started out at $3000 to begin with, that's a significant overage. Not enough to stop us, but enough that it's starting to get on my nerves.
RE: Road Grades
Sorry dude you're not going to crest Burgess Jct at 60mph, I don't care what you are driving. Your post has no reasoning behind it. The adage I gave is correct in all respects. If I'm climbing the 'Horns or the 'Tooth in 3rd, I come down in 2nd PERIOD! It doesn't make any difference whether it's a Monte Carlo with a pop up, a 3500 with a 5er or the semi with 18 bales of hay on it.
Nevermind, I guess you know it all and I know nothing, despite having been on both sides of the fence and having first hand experience based on reality.
Often that sort of thing doesn't seem to account for much around here.
RE: Road Grades
You are comparing a paltry 650 torque vs 1850 torque. Get real.
With all due respect, you are also comparing weights that average less then 20 thousand pounds (RV's) to a fully loaded semi that starts at 80 thousands pounds.
I speak from being on both side of the fence - I drive semis for a living. My TV/Fiver combo will pull grades at 60 MPH (comfortably on cruise control none the less) that would slow my truck down to 30MPH. Suggesting that it's OK for me to crest that same grade towing my Fiver and roar down the other side at 60 MPH (just because I climbed it at that speed) is simply irrational.
Power to weight ratios have made the old "go down at the same speed you came up at" less of a viable guideline in recent years, which was the entire point behind my post.
If your TV/TT will roar up a mountain grade at 75MPH, great. Please don't put the rest of at risk by going down the leeside at that same speed.
RE: Is it comfy on the road inside a slide-out RV?
Along this same line: I can access all parts of my TT with the slide in, yet I try not to put to mich weight on the part of the slide that I have to step on as I go by. It is a little raised and I dont want to mess up anything. How correct is my thinking?
I cannot possibly imagine that they would design a section of floor that wasn't designed to be used as such, regardless of the position of the slide.
At some point in the units life someone is going to step there with the slide in, and if that resulted in damage I think you'd hear people screaming from the rafters about it around here.
I step on mine all the time with the slide in and have seen no ill effects.
RE: Road Grades
A great guideline, but those with massively powered TV's must remember that it's entirely possible to haul *up* a grade at a speed that would be suicidal to go down the other side at.
Well, they are no more "massively powered" than the double tanker rigs that drive that mountain without any problems every day.
I think you need to re-read my response.
If you compare the power to weight ratio of a pickup truck (especially the 3500 series trucks) pulling a trailer to a semi hauling a full load, you'll see that the pickup truck is vastly ahead of the curve.
The pickup truck / TT can therefore pull a grade without loosing any speed, whereas the semi will loose considerable speed. One must keep that into consideration when coming down the other side - just because the pickup truck / TT combo roared up the hill without ever dropping a single MPH it doesn't mean it's safe to come down the other side without slowing down (and downshifting) at the top despite the fact.
RE: Toronto Rush Hour
We have driven it too with our BC plates & did not get a tickets as other family members have done. BUT they DO ticket out of province & US plates, IF they can identify them. Our aunt from Michigan has been ticketed, so we can only assume that they either only have arrangements with neighbouring provinces and states, or they simply cannot identify the state or province.
I believe it's still only surrounding provinces and US states that have reprocity for billing purposes. I don't believe that you'd have much to worry about with BC plates, but don't quote me on it if you get a bill down the road.
RE: BEWARE! Ontario RVers!
that special knowledge does not come with a license and that can be verified by simply watching & listening to SOME of the professional OTR drivers behaviour on the highways today
One can have skill yet fail to exhibit or utilize it. I'll agree that many of the OTR drivers fall into that category.
That said, in Ontario, if you go through any sort of reputable training school to obtain your AZ licence, you'll come out better educated. How much or little of this skill and professionalism you decide to utilize after the fact is one thing, but having the skills remains none the less.
RE: BEWARE! Ontario RVers!
There are far heavier motohomes out there being driven by "G" licenses and pulling enclosed car hauler trailers as well, when was the last time you saw one pulled over by an MTO officer?
True, but they don't attract the same attention that your MDT TV would attract. Your TV carries the commercial stigma, and without doubt it attracts more attention then someone with a MH towing something behind them.
The trailer in your sig line is probably over the 10,000lb GVWR as well, remember it's not the empty weight or shipping weight but the labelled GVW (unloaded vehicle weight plus carrying capacity) on the trailer.
It is indeed, but I hold a class AZ licence myself (for work) so it's of no concern for me. If I was pulling it with a half ton most MTO officers probably wouldn't bat an eye, but pulling it with a longbox crewcab dually causes more attention. Your in a similar (even worse, actually) situation.
My attempt to pull my trailer in a safer manner than using a pick-up should not result in an MTO officer spotlighting me while ignoring Motorhomes and pick-ups towing over 10,000lb trailers.
I wholeheartedly agree, but it doesn't change the laws in the end, and taking up your argument with the MTO or OPP (or even a county-mounty who knows his laws) won't get you out of the ticket, and finding someone properly licenced to come and pickup your rig from the side of the road/highway won't be fun. If you get busted they will not let you drive your rig away after you've received your ticket.
That A/R is still a COMMERCIAL license and I am very reluctant to get involved with that. I do not see the need to learn "hours of operation", "logbook keeping" etc., and be queried on these things simply so I can tow my personal use RV to a campground.
Well, the short story is that if you want to be legal, you'd best unfortunately warm up to the fact that you're going to have to do it. I couldn't find any details on the website I quoted (detailing the new AR license) to see if there are logbook and inspection exemptions for people using the AR strictly for RV use, but I suspect that's a possibility.
If not, logbooks and inspection books really aren't that big of a deal - an inspection sheet takes <1minute, and logbooks aren't complicated.
It's easy to complain that in "other areas" the rules are much more lax, but IMHO anyone driving a large vehicle (be it an RV, whatever!) on public roads should be held to higher standards. Frankly, it worries me seeing people who have quite possibly never driven anything bigger then a subcompact car all their lives suddenly retire and invest in a massive Class-A, put a big enclosed trailer behind it with a few toys in it, and set out upon our roads with nothing more then their class G (passenger vehicle) license.
In many US states, you don't even need an endorsement or any training whatsoever to use airbrakes on an RV, and that too is a huge mistake in my opinionon - the people driving these setups with airbrakes really have zero understanding of how their braking system works.
Extra training, extra knowledge, and (unfortunately sometimes) the extra responsibilities that go with such generally make for safer roads.
RE: BEWARE! Ontario RVers!
About Time: Hey PrivatePilot when did you find this AR information. As I said I have been intouch wiht the ministry and had recevied no information on it. I will be looking for further information as it come available.
Details are here for anyone who missed it.
This new class of license was brought about to remedy the problem (in Ontario) of people obtaining a full blown class AZ (tractor trailer) license by showing up for their road-test in a truck/RV combination or a truck/horse trailer combination. There was a big kerfluffle in Ontario a year or so back (some may Remember) when this reality hit the media and the glaring loophole was brought to public attention. This new AR class now allows people to legitimately get a license that fits the weight of the vehicle they are driving, yet prevents them from using that same license to jump into commercial trucking - something that some people were doing but were woefully unprepared for the realities of.
RE: Toronto Rush Hour
You drove 30kms round trip on the 407 and it cost you $20!!! I would check your bill on that one, I think they must have screwed up. Or maybe you have your figures wrong.
Did you remember the no transponder and video toll charge fees?
The milage rates are one thing (and the 407 is really the most expensive toll highway in the world!), but the extra fees that they tack on for people who don't have transponders can be ridiculous.
RE: BEWARE! Ontario RVers!
Bruce, if your driving the rig pictured above (with the weights you mention) in Ontario, you are not doing so legally - you are far in excess of the maximum allowable weights for both the G (and even D) license and if you get pulled over you'll be calling someone else to bring your rig home for you as they'll park you. The fact you hold the Z airbrake endorsement means nothing except for the fact you are legal to operate airbrakes, but the tractor alone is proble
There is a new "AR" licence class coming into effect this June which will fit your bill - it's not the full "A" licence, but a restricted version thereof. You can find details on it HERE.
You can do the road test with your current rig, and will resceive the restricted A class licence which allows you to legally drive your rigs weight. You cannot however exercise the privledges that a normal (unrestricted) A licence would have, but that seems to be something you are specifically looking to avoid, so I'll assume that's not a problem.
Check it out.
RE: Toronto Rush Hour
The 407 is usually wide open.
There's a reason for that - the cost.
The last time I drove on the 407 I went about 15 kilometers return and the toll ended up being over $20 by the time they stuck me with the peak daytime rate, the "video toll fee", the "no transponder" fee, and the "just because we can" fee, amongst others.
I've not driven on that highway since. It's the most expensive toll highway in the world, and I will not give them another dime of my money for the privilege of being screwed.
RE: BEWARE! Ontario RVers!
Privatepilot thats the weblinks I'm also looking at as well. Have a look at this though, with repsec tot registered truck weight on how to calculate the weight we must register our trucks for carefully and you will read that we must add the totoal trailer and truck weights together to get our truck registered weight if our trialers are over 288kgs
Determining registerd gross weights
cheers
If you have the "personal use" exemption the website seems to indicate the opposite - trailer weight need not be included in the GVWR.
RE: BEWARE! Ontario RVers!
I did some digging on the MTO website tonight on this topic just to confirm things.
Quoting some key areas:
Vehicles That Are Exempt From Inspection
A Daily Vehicle Inspection Is Not Required On:
# a truck with a registered gross weight and an actual weight of 4,500 kg or less, whether towing a trailer or not and regardless of the trailer's weight,
# a personal use pick-up truck,
...
Recreational Vehicles
* a motor home and a truck camper with the camper installed, including any type of trailer or vehicle towed by the motor home or truck camper,
* a truck, regardless of size and weight, that is towing a house trailer that is being used for personal purposes,
* a house trailer being used for personal purposes, and
* a car tow dolly.
Details on the "Personal use pickup truck section:
personal use pickup truck
means a pickup truck;
* that has a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of 6,000 kg (13,227 lb) or less, and
* is fitted with either,
o the original box that was installed by the manufacturer, which has not been modified, or
o a replacement box that duplicates the one that was installed by the manufacturer, which has not been modified.
and
* is being used for personal purposes without compensation, and
* is not carrying, or towing a trailer that is carrying commercial cargo or tools or equipment of a type normally used for commercial purposes.
Note:
* the personal use pickup exemption applies regardless of the pickup's registered gross weight or any actual weights of the pickup or trailer.
* a pickup that is normally used for business purposes, including a farm plated pickup, qualifies as a personal use pickup if it complies with and is being used in accordance with the personal use pickup rules above.
* a trailer that is normally used for business purposes qualifies as a personal use trailer if it complies with and is being used in accordance with the rules above and is towed with a personal use pickup.
* some 450 and 550 series cab and chassis trucks are converted to large pickups or are fitted with fifth wheels for towing house or other types of trailers. This type of truck does not qualify as personal use pickup because the vehicle manufacturer did not install the box and the manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating will likely be over 6,000 kg. If the registered gross weight or actual weight of this type of truck is over 4,500 kg, the truck and any towed trailer, including a personal use trailer, are subject to daily inspection. However, this type of truck is exempt when towing a personal-use house trailer.
The following considerations may assist in determining whether a pick-up is being used for personal use:
* pick-ups towing house trailers, camper trailers, boat trailers, all terrain vehicle and snowmobile trailers, etc. used for recreational purposes are examples of personal use trailers.
* stockcar and racecar trailers, when operated for recreational purposes, are normally considered personal, even though a purse may be involved in the racing.
As I interpret that, so long as your not legitimately using the truck for commercial purposes, can register your truck for 4500KG or less without actually being over that while unladen (shouldn't be a problem for most people) then the trailer (so long as it's "house trailer" as our RV's qualify for) are exempt from needing to be included in the registered plate weight.
Add in the daily inspection and annual exclusions, and so far as you fall under the "personal use" restrictions, RV'ers should be home free to escape annuals/inspection requirements.
Now, as for maximum weights under license classes, that's another ball of wax - some RV'ers in Ontario may find themselves falling under all the above exclusions for their TV licensing and GVWR issues, but actually be over the allowable weights for their class G licenses. I'm an AZ licensed driver myself so I've never concerned myself with it, but others may want to take heed - some RV'ers in Ontario have found out the hard way that they require a class D license to be legal with their large RV's.
The MTO page that this is all quoted from is HERE. All Ontario-licenced RV'ers using HD TV's may well be advised to print this out and keep it in your glove box - if you ever get pulled over as the OP did you can arm yourself with the very paperwork that would quite possibly either stop the problem at the roadside, or make the officer/inspector realize that you know your rights, are within them, and will fight the ticket if you are fined regardless.
RE: Toronto Rush Hour
Not enough time to arrive for 7AM IMHO - you'll hit lots of traffic on the QEW heading into Toronto at that time, and the 427 and airport area will be messy as well.
For something as time-sensitive as getting to an airport, I'd be leaving with at least 1.5 hours for the drive at that time of the morning.
RE: BEWARE! Ontario RVers!
The trick is to make sure that your registered for 4500KG or less, and that you receive the little red "Primarily used for personal transportation" sticker for your license plate. .
I just saw that sticker today on a truck. I had not seen or heard of it before. How does a person go about receiving one?
Thanks Will
When you register a heavy truck at the 4500KG limit (or less) the sticker should have been applied at the time you got the plates for it.
If your registered over 4500KG right now, take your plates into your local MTO office and adjust your registration down to (or below) the 4500KG limit. You'll remove your annual requirement, and they should put the sticker on your plate then and there. If not, remind them.
You do need to sign a certificate "confirming" that you are only going to use the vehicle for "personal transportation" before they'll provide the sticker, but that's just procedural.
RE: Road Grades
b) Put the vehicle in one gear lower than when you came up;
A great guideline, but those with massively powered TV's must remember that it's entirely possible to haul *up* a grade at a speed that would be suicidal to go down the other side at.
RE: How Much Canadian $$$$ is needed?
Spending US dollars in Canada can result in a negative exchange rate now. With the dollar being at basically parity now, add in the few percentage points that most retailers wash into the mix, and your now in the negatives.
I spotted "USD Exchange -5%" at a highway rest stop a few weeks back. Yes, that's MINUS five percent.
As others have said, get a few hundred in cash and use your credit card for big expenses. Talk to your CC company as many now charge a conversion fee which can amount to a percent or more depending on your banks policies, so take note.
Debit is almost everywhere now but again, talk to your bank about the fees involved. Canadians use it routinely because most banks include unlimited debit transactions for free, but your US bank (especially using it in Canada) may surcharge you significantly, a rotten thing to find out after the fact.
