Driving a class A, YIKES!

[UTTransplant]

As many of us said, it takes about a thousand miles to start getting comfortable with it, this will continue to improve over the next 5,000 - 10,000 miles.

I know I was not comfortable until 400-500 mIles. We now have 3500 miles or so, and I have driven well over half. It feels awfully nice now, even on narrow roads and through construction.

 

[BikerFlex&HappyJen]

I love it! The first half of day one was white knuckle, full body tension. By the end of the day, and 400 miles into my journey, I was only tense when a truck passed me or going through construction. Now, at the end of my second day and 858 miles into it, I can honestly say I'm almost as comfortable driving Ace as I am driving the 15 passenger I drive every day. It isn't nearly as difficult as I imagined and I'm learning much quicker than I thought I would.
As I told Tom earlier, I have no desire to go back to my house, I could do this full time.

From one mom to another, hats off to you Amanda! You are inspiring to other ladies, like me, who would be apprehensive in a rig that big, even though I?m adventurous. You?ve got this. Looks like you are well on your way to making some fabulous memories with those kiddos of yours. Stay safe on the road and I look forward to reading about your adventures as you head out next year on your road trip.

 

[RVMommaTo6]

From one mom to another, hats off to you Amanda! You are inspiring to other ladies, like me, who would be apprehensive in a rig that big, even though I?m adventurous. You?ve got this. Looks like you are well on your way to making some fabulous memories with those kiddos of yours. Stay safe on the road and I look forward to reading about your adventures as you head out next year on your road trip.

Awww thanks! Believe me, I was scared out of my mind. Then after all the help from the awesome people on here and watching you tube videos, I felt a lot better. I'll definitely keep you all updated on our way!

 

[Charlie 5320]

From the Illinois General Assembly web site:

  Sec. 11-905. Merging traffic. Notwithstanding the right-of-way provision in Section 11-901 of this Act, at an intersection where traffic lanes are provided for merging traffic the driver of each vehicle on the converging roadways is required to adjust his vehicular speed and lateral position so as to avoid a collision with another vehicle.
(Source: P.A. 100-201, eff. 8-18-17.)
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=062500050HCh%2E+11+Art%2E+X&ActID=1815&ChapterID=49&SeqStart=123600000&SeqEnd=125200000

That may be the written law, but there is a YIELD sign on every on ramp that I've seen in my neck of the woods. To me when you have a YIELD sign on the ramp the through traffic has the right of way. 

 

[John From Detroit]

The two things are not in disagreement.  What that YEILD Sign means is this..

IF you adjust your speed so you merge SAFELY into through traffic.. Well that is one definition of YEILD.

But if you merge into the side of a car already in the lane. Ye how passed the YIELD sign gets the ticket  AND the coveted #1 driver position on the accident report (At Fault)  (me I rater prefer the "W" seat).

 

[QZ]

I don't have a motor home but the concept is the same with a pickup when driving in the cement barrier zones. You can't be looking in the mirrors or you're going to hit the sides You have to concentrate on learning where the front of the vehicle is in the lane and staying with that.

one of the first ones that I encountered was heading south out of St George between cement barriers and my wife kept saying oh it's beautiful. I don't remember anything about it.

 

[Mile High]

Realistically with a 43' MH and a 4 dr Jeep in tow, I have no business insisting the right lane is mine in city traffic where people are juggling to get on and off the highway.  There is nothing worse than getting trapped over there and 12 cars are trying to merge.  You either stop, break them up, or watch in your mirror as two of them grab the dirt when they finally realize your towing.  One biker even waived a gun around at me after he came around me on the left, while his wife waved her finger. 

If there are more than 2 lanes in the city, I move over a lane and stay moved over until we get out of town.  I don't really care what the laws say.

Interesting note on light controlled merging - you still have to merge as usual, but the lights are used to throttle merging traffic to reduce congestion.  Many are side by side merge lanes.  Some states are smart and alternate the green lights so it is a systematic release of cars into the merge.  Colorado likes to play games and turns both lanes green at the same time creating a dragstrip every 45 seconds.

 

[Bill N]

That may be the written law, but there is a YIELD sign on every on ramp that I've seen in my neck of the woods. To me when you have a YIELD sign on the ramp the through traffic has the right of way.

I tried to take notice of this today and travelled on several 4 lane divided highways this morning.  I did not see one yield sign on an on-ramp.

Bill

 

[scottydl]

I tried to take notice of this today and travelled on several 4 lane divided highways this morning.  I did not see one yield sign on an on-ramp.

They don't exist on Illinois interstate ramps, except in construction zones or other temporary traffic control situations.

 

[SeilerBird]

Realistically with a 43' MH and a 4 dr Jeep in tow, I have no business insisting the right lane is mine in city traffic where people are juggling to get on and off the highway.  There is nothing worse than getting trapped over there and 12 cars are trying to merge.  You either stop, break them up, or watch in your mirror as two of them grab the dirt when they finally realize your towing.  One biker even waived a gun around at me after he came around me on the left, while his wife waved her finger. 

If there are more than 2 lanes in the city, I move over a lane and stay moved over until we get out of town.  I don't really care what the laws say.

Interesting note on light controlled merging - you still have to merge as usual, but the lights are used to throttle merging traffic to reduce congestion.  Many are side by side merge lanes.  Some states are smart and alternate the green lights so it is a systematic release of cars into the merge.  Colorado likes to play games and turns both lanes green at the same time creating a dragstrip every 45 seconds.

I don't know about anyone else but I didn't think we were talking about city driving, I thought we were talking about freeway driving.

 

[John From Detroit]

ONe of the written laws is that the traffic already ON the road has the right away.. Very rare that is not the case.

How here is a question. 4 Vehicles pull up to either an unmarked or 4-way stop at the same exact time. A police car. Ambulance. Fire truck and US Postal Service.. Who has the right-a-way?

Answer: The authority to build the road is granted by the US constution where it says Congress has the right to build POSTAL ROADS.. So the road belongs to the post office.

IN practice Fire, then EMS, then Police and the post office being non emergency waits.. But in truth.. It is their road. The others are guests.

 

[Mile High]

I don't know about anyone else but I didn't think we were talking about city driving, I thought we were talking about freeway driving.

Weirdest thing out here in Denver - Freeways go right through the friggen city.  Right smack down the middle - both ways.

 

[HappyWanderer]

How here is a question. 4 Vehicles pull up to either an unmarked or 4-way stop at the same exact time. A police car. Ambulance. Fire truck and US Postal Service.. Who has the right-a-way?

Answer: The authority to build the road is granted by the US constution where it says Congress has the right to build POSTAL ROADS.. So the road belongs to the post office.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. This myth has no basis in fact and never did.

 

[Bill N]

Weirdest thing out here in Denver - Freeways go right through the friggen city.  Right smack down the middle - both ways.

Yeah,  that seems to be getting more and more common. Guess folks just need to get places in a hurry...lol

Bo;;

 

[Isaac-1]

The alternative is you end up with places like Houston and the grand parkway loop which will be about 170 miles long when complete, adding a number of miles vs shooting straight through.

 

[Mile High]

How here is a question. 4 Vehicles pull up to either an unmarked or 4-way stop at the same exact time. A police car. Ambulance. Fire truck and US Postal Service.. Who has the right-a-way?

Answer: The authority to build the road is granted by the US constution where it says Congress has the right to build POSTAL ROADS.. So the road belongs to the post office.

I don't know about that one, but as an emergency responder a similar question was posed - police car, fire truck, ambulance, school bus, all with lights on:  Yield to 1) school bus (children), 2) fire truck (maneuverability), 3) ambulance (maneuverability), 4 (police car).