Community Forums

petrel · 10-07-2016, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Betr2Trvl

I've stated this on other BRP threads before, if nothing else, driving a big RV on the BRP so YOU can enjoy the beauty, is rude to those drivers stuck behind you that only get to see the back of your RV. It was built for AUTO touring......

You will also cause oncoming traffic to dodge you (hopefully) when you hug / go over the center line to dodge the trees that over hang the road, or ensure you have tunnel clearance. Worst case is you cause an accident or kill someone in a head on collision.

Large commercial trucks are prohibited, for good reason. No reason other than selfishness to drive it in a large RV. Not sure why they don't have a blanket GVW / length restriction.

I know some think otherwise........

Wow, "Rude and Selfish." If you are passing me at 45MPH how much of the view have you been deprived of in those fleeting seconds. If you are behind me and traveling at a safe distance, does an 8' X 13' sheet of fiberglass really obstruct that much of the view?

Those are some remarkably anti-RV remarks to post on an RVing forum. In my admittedly limited RVing experience, I've been inconvenienced and endangered more by bicycles, motorcycles, and sports cars than anything else.

With that said, I think you make an unfair sweeping assumption about your RVing brethren. I believe most would not endanger other drivers, as a matter of course. Furthermore, who would not take the very next turnout if they were holding up traffic, or the very next exit if they found that their RV wasn't up to the task or causing a hazard?

Bang your head against anything you want. Perhaps it is you who is incapable of operating your motorhome in a safe and courteous manner. Don't project that on the rest of us.

mel s · 10-07-2016, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petrel

Wow, "Rude and Selfish." If you are passing me at 45MPH how much of the view have you been deprived of in those fleeting seconds. If you are behind me and traveling at a safe distance, does an 8' X 13' sheet of fiberglass really obstruct that much of the view?

Those are some remarkably anti-RV remarks to post on an RVing forum. In my admittedly limited RVing experience, I've been inconvenienced and endangered more by bicycles, motorcycles, and sports cars than anything else.
With that said, I think you make an unfair sweeping assumption about your RVing brethren. I believe most would not endanger other drivers, as a matter of course. Furthermore, who would not take the very next turnout if they were holding up traffic, or the very next exit if they found that their RV wasn't up to the task or causing a hazard?
Bang your head against anything you want. Perhaps it is you who is incapable of operating your motorhome in a safe and courteous manner. Don't project that on the rest of us.

petrel
I agree

I find both the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Natchez Trace are enjoyable beautiful drives with a coach pulling a toad.
It is not at all selfish for you to drive them...they where both developed and are maintained with your tax $$ for you to enjoy.. (unless you are driving a commercial truck).
However if you are not comfortable driving slowly and carefully or if you are concerned that you and your rig might hold others up there are other faster ways to travel.

MisterT · 10-07-2016, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mel s

petrel
I agree

I find both the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Natchez Trace are enjoyable beautiful drives with a coach pulling a toad.
It is not at all selfish for you to drive them...

also agreed - the type of vehicle should not be a deciding factor of whether someone should be able to 'enjoy' the drive on the scenic drives around our great country.

Why does a motorcycle's drive take priority over a motor coach?

I'm always amazed at the attitude of those who complain about slow traffic, when they themselves chose to drive a 'scenic' roadway, but undoubtedly want to do it as FAST as possible - why not drive the interstate?

I doubt that any RV family is trying to do anything other than enjoy their slow view-filled drive.

twinboat · 10-07-2016, 07:24 AM

In the spring, I was driving the BRP in my MH with toad.

I had to keep slowing down, for a car, that slowed to a crawl, at every vista.

I didn't want him banned, I simply stopped for lunch to give him some lead.

timjet · 10-07-2016, 07:41 AM

The National Park Service states the maximum length inc toad on the Natchez Trace is 55 ft. I would think most 40' MH with a toad would be greater than that. I could find no length restriction for the Blue Ridge Pkwy.

Betr2Trvl · 10-07-2016, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petrel

With that said, I think you make an unfair sweeping assumption about your RVing brethren. I believe most would not endanger other drivers, as a matter of course. Furthermore, who would not take the very next turnout if they were holding up traffic, or the very next exit if they found that their RV wasn't up to the task or causing a hazard?

Bang your head against anything you want. Perhaps it is you who is incapable of operating your motorhome in a safe and courteous manner. Don't project that on the rest of us.

How many times before you got an RV did a RVer aggravate you when you were driving your car? More than one, I bet. I know I said for years, I was "never going to be that guy", so I am very cognizant not to be.

No, it's not all, or even many, it just takes a few here and there, and the BRP is one of those "theres" to me. It just takes 1 oblivious RVer per day to p.o. just 10 others, which is over 3000 people per year, that give RVers a bad name...........

A similar road is 411 over the smokies. Last year, driving our toad one afternoon, a big ol DP was smoking his brakes going down, with at least 25 cars lined up behind him. He passed at least a half dozen turn offs in a few miles that he could have easily pulled into to let everyone by..... When I joined the line, I was a mile behind him, and could smell his brakes.

Then, on another miserable, cold, and rainy day, a Winnebago Tour was holding up a big line going up 411. Same deal again, so this is behavior by RVers is hardly rare......

How much tolerance and courtesy do you think all those people these RVers aggravated were going to give other RVers after that?

Nor am I willing to scratch my coach on the over hanging trees or worry about low tunnel clearances to stay on my side of the road to drive the BRP.

And remember, it's not just you, it's the other drivers (cars, bikes, motorcycles) that are not paying attention looky looing, and drifting all over the road, etc. so while you may not be at fault, why chance it?

I knew I would hit a few nerves, so be it.......

palehorse89 · 10-07-2016, 08:02 AM

There are posts like this all the time.......Blue Ridge, Beartooth Pass, National Parks.....etc.........can they be driven in a large Coach, Fiv'er, towing......? Sure they can.............is it as easy and enjoyable as doing it in a TOAD?????? Not in my experiences........do to the fact you are driving a large vehicle........and are having to watch the road a lot more.
And the biggest thing, you can't just pull off anywhere like you can in a TOAD................as most that choose to drive these road in their Coach.........Will find out.

Betr2Trvl · 10-07-2016, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palehorse89

There are posts like this all the time.......Blue Ridge, Beartooth Pass, National Parks.....etc.........can they be driven in a large Coach, Fiv'er, towing......? Sure they can.............is it as easy and enjoyable as doing it in a TOAD?????? Not in my experiences........do to the fact you are driving a large vehicle........and are having to watch the road a lot more.
And the biggest thing, you can't just pull off anywhere like you can in a TOAD................as most that choose to drive these road in their Coach.........Will find out.

Thanks

And I forgot to mention, if everyone drove thier large RVs on these roads, just how horrible they would become for everyone - cars, bikes, motorcycles, and RVers too.

And think about it, would anyone have ever imagined when these roads were built that there would ever be the gargantuan RVs on the road that we have today? Nope, not a chance. Commercial "big rigs" in those days were small compared to what many RVers take on the road today......

Yes, there are roads you do become a roaming roadblock because you have no other choice to get to your destination. But, they are also roads that are generally driven by large commercial vehicles. And yes, you'll proably annoy other drivers, but no more than the commercial trucks do.

And as a side note, don't even think about taking 129 over the west end of the Smokies, which is also known a the Tail of the Dragon. The sports cars and motorcycles will have absolutely no tolerance for your being there, right or wrong, it's become their road. It makes the BRP look like I90 across the upper plains....... And if you make it over, you will by choice, never ever do it again in a large RV.

Regards

Tabors · 10-07-2016, 08:48 AM

we have done the route several times without any trouble at all and if your in a tunnel and a car or truck see you oncoming they tend to move over at least for us they did, and when id see a couple cars behind me there are many pull overs id just pull over and let them by, great ride i think.

GTobey · 10-07-2016, 09:33 AM

I live only 15 minutes from the BRP. In my younger days, I rode motorcycle from the start of the Skyline Drive to the end of it and the beginning of the BRP at Afton Mountain, to the Roanoke, VA exit off the BRP. Have also driven many cars and trucks (all non-commercial) along the way doing sight seeing and picnics, etc. One beautiful Sunday afternoon in the fall, I was able to stop and offer assistance to a man from Tennessee, still in his fine convertible, who had rolled his car up onto the bank in a curve. It was a good thing he wasn't going fast, so the car stopped on its side instead of rolling over on the top (which wasn't there). He wasn't hurt, but hanging from the seat belt wasn't comfortable.

Love the road, enjoy the views, and will never quit riding it at least once or twice a year in some sort of vehicle. I have always felt that since it was a public highway, everyone there has a right to see the views. Never have I complained about someone driving slowly on the BRP, and hope I don't start doing it, because I know what the parkway is for, and if I get held up a moment by someone else, I guess I'm being paid back for my doing it to another person sometime before...

Would I travel it in my 39' Winnie? Maybe, but doing it or not doing it is my choice, and the same for anyone else. I drove it in my Itasca Navion and loved it. I say come on up to VA and ride the BRP all you want. I'll never complain about your going slowly. We love tourist $$$ here.

harleyjt · 10-07-2016, 09:38 AM

With that said, I think you make an unfair sweeping assumption about your RVing brethren. I believe most would not endanger other drivers, as a matter of course. Furthermore, who would not take the very next turnout if they were holding up traffic, or the very next exit if they found that their RV wasn't up to the task or causing a hazard?

I'm with Betr2Trvl on this subject. Having ridden the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Natchez Trace Pkwy many times in the last 20 years on my Harley, usually with two or three other bikes, there are two things you definitely do NOT want to be behind. One is an RV, the other is a Florida car. Either one seems oblivious to the stacked up traffic behind them. Common courtesy would seem to dictate that you pull off to let others by. Unfortunately, that very rarely happens. Which leads us to pass on a double yellow. Not the best thing, but the only way to get around the slows. Personally, I doubt I'll ever try to drive my MH on the BRP. Just wouldn't be very enjoyable. And the same goes for the NT as well. Neither of those scenic roads were designed and built with large vehicles in mind.

As for the Florida cars, its a running joke with our group - anytime a FL car even sees a curve out in the distance - the brake lights come on, and they are usually travelling below the speed limit anyway. Every time! It's comical. We just get by them as soon as possible.

Just my thoughts on the subject. Flame on!

jt

palehorse89 · 10-07-2016, 09:44 AM

No matter what I am driving.........slow vehicle's, brake lights, stops.......etc........allow me to enjoy the road's and their views a lot more...........as the reason I am traveling them is to take in their beauty

As the old saying goes......"Slow Down, and Stop to Smell the Rose's"

Capt Steve · 10-08-2016, 12:25 PM

No matter what you drive on roads like BRP, Natchez Trace or Highway One in California.... If you can not keep your entire rig completely in your lane 100% of the time you CAN NOT drive that road!

No one has the right to ever cross a double yellow for any reason at any time. The simple truth is there are a lot of larger rigs that cannot safely drive these roads. Moving over in a tunnel for increased clearance {across the double yellow}, is not an option.

What is the guy in an oncoming rig supposed to do when you suddenly pop out of the sun or shadows 4' into his lane? How about the motorcycles coming down the road completely in their lane as you take some of theirs?

If you choose to have a larger rig it is just that, your choice. You get lots of amenities and extra room but everything is a compromise. There will be roads you can not safely drive just like there will be sites that you simply do not fit
into.

If you have a larger rig {Class A or fiver}, you probably have a Toad or TV which makes overdriving tight roads even more absurd, foolish and oh yes.... illegal.

Hooligan · 10-08-2016, 04:17 PM

I have the same attitude as GTobey above. It's there to enjoy...
Speed limit on the BRP is a comfortable 25-45mph. I have driven the parkway in a class A (31ft) and the Siesta class C. Saw many large RV's, tour buses, and 5th wheels, none were holding up traffic anymore than the usual flow. Tunnel clearances list both Maximum (centerline) and minimum (at the edge stripe) heights. Maneuvering room may be a problem on access roads but turns and grades are not that sharp on the parkway... It's not California Hwy 1 South of Fort Bragg.
If you are upset by someone watching the scenery, you may be on the wrong road..