2007 Cadillac Escalade

[TBR]

"Actually, what do you consider highway speeds? If youre towing such a load, the absolute MOST you should go is 40-45 mph, in any vehicle"

You can't possibly be serious, as long as you have a competent tow rig there is absolutely no reason you can't go 75-80 with even a 15000 lb fifth wheel,

[BMWDave]

"Actually, what do you consider highway speeds? If youre towing such a load, the absolute MOST you should go is 40-45 mph, in any vehicle"

You can't possibly be serious, as long as you have a competent tow rig there is absolutely no reason you can't go 75-80 with even a 15000 lb fifth wheel,

I didnt say "could" I said "should."

Lets be reasonable here, at such speeds (75-80mph) things happen VERY quickly.  If youre towing 15,000 pounds(do you realize how much that is???) behind you in a truck that already has slow stopping distances, and bad reflexes, the least thing you should be doing is driving fast.  A 15,000lb trailer is BIIIG--if you have to do anything emergency related, youre in one hell of a situation.  Any lane change, any emergency stopping...even if the trailer has its own brakes, it still takes longer for the truck to stop.  

Let me ask you a question, would you feel comfortable driving such a big vehicle with such a big payload at 80mph?  

[TBR]

Not at this point, but I don't feel comfortable driving a heavy duty truck even without a load until I get more experience.

I suppose you think that every semi truck should be governed at 45mph? That is one of the most ridiculous, and just plain stupid things I have ever heard. I have a question for you, have you ever towed a large load before in any vehicle? Other than your Discovery? (which is probably one of the worst tow vehicles out there as far as stability, braking, and acceleration are concerned)

[BMWDave]

Not at this point, but I don't feel comfortable driving a heavy duty truck even without a load until I get more experience.

I suppose you think that every semi truck should be governed at 45mph? That is one of the most ridiculous, and just plain stupid things I have ever heard. I have a question for you, have you ever towed a large load before in any vehicle? Other than your Discovery? (which is probably one of the worst tow vehicles out there as far as stability, braking, and acceleration are concerned)

No I dont tow much, but the most you should be going when you tow a vehicle is the speed limit.  The fact that you are advocating going 80+ in a vehicle towing a 15K pound trailer scares me just a little bit.

And actually, the brakes on my Discovery are extremely good and strong.  Drive one before you criticize.

[TBR]

I've seen the numbers, they aren't impressive.

And, going 25 mph under the speed limit is more dangerous than going 10 mph over, load or not.

[mazda6er]

I've seen the numbers, they aren't impressive.

And, going 25 mph under the speed limit is more dangerous than going 10 mph over, load or not.

If you ever drive with a trailer or boat or whatever attached to the back, you'll change your mind pretty quick on that. Try changing lanes in that situation. This is why 4-way flashers are there.

[TBR]

Two more things:

1. I never said 80+, I said 75-80, I wouldn't go over 80mph with any trailer.

2. That said, a 7000lb F-350 towing a 16000 lb trailer at 80 mph is much safer than a 30,000 lb Freightliner towing a 70,000+ lb trailer at 60 mph. If you are really that afraid of a light duty truck towing a heavy load than I don't see how you can drive anywhere out of NYC, semi trucks are all over the place out of urban areas.

[BMWDave]

I've seen the numbers, they aren't impressive.

And, going 25 mph under the speed limit is more dangerous than going 10 mph over, load or not.

Who made that up?  Trucks shouldnt be speeding, they simply CANNOT react to emergency circumstances in time.  At the very most they should be going at the speed limit.

[BMWDave]

Two more things:

1. I never said 80+, I said 75-80, I wouldn't go over 80mph with any trailer.

2. That said, a 7000lb F-350 towing a 16000 lb trailer at 80 mph is much safer than a 30,000 lb Freightliner towing a 70,000+ lb trailer at 60 mph. If you are really that afraid of a light duty truck towing a heavy load than I don't see how you can drive anywhere out of NYC, semi trucks are all over the place out of urban areas.

Who said I am afraid of semis or pickups towing loads?  I'd sure as hell be pissed if a guy in an F350 towing 16K pounds sideswiped me at 80 or even 75mph.  Get it?

[TBR]

I just did, and I still stand by it. A truck going that far below the speed limit would cause many trucks to have to react to it blocking up traffic.

[TBR]

Two more things:

1. I never said 80+, I said 75-80, I wouldn't go over 80mph with any trailer.

2. That said, a 7000lb F-350 towing a 16000 lb trailer at 80 mph is much safer than a 30,000 lb Freightliner towing a 70,000+ lb trailer at 60 mph. If you are really that afraid of a light duty truck towing a heavy load than I don't see how you can drive anywhere out of NYC, semi trucks are all over the place out of urban areas.

Who said I am afraid of semis or pickups towing loads?  I'd sure as hell be pissed if a guy in an F350 towing 16K pounds sideswiped me at 80 or even 75mph.  Get it?

I would be pissed if anyone sideswiped me at 75-80mph. But, it is a simple fact that most people who tow heavy trailers know what they are doing. By your logic big trucks should going 25mph, something that will never happen.  

[BMWDave]

I just did, and I still stand by it. A truck going that far below the speed limit would cause many trucks to have to react to it blocking up traffic.

You are just ignoring my point, you do NOT get it.  

[mazda6er]

I just did, and I still stand by it. A truck going that far below the speed limit would cause many trucks to have to react to it blocking up traffic.

Ok Tim, this is a good time to go to bed. Step away from the keyboard.    

[TBR]

I perfectly get it Dave, but going under the speed limit as you have suggested would cause other vehicles towing big loads to have to react quickly as well, ones that actually go the speed limits. Going that far under the speed limit almost always creates more problems than it solves.

[BMWDave]

Two more things:

1. I never said 80+, I said 75-80, I wouldn't go over 80mph with any trailer.

2. That said, a 7000lb F-350 towing a 16000 lb trailer at 80 mph is much safer than a 30,000 lb Freightliner towing a 70,000+ lb trailer at 60 mph. If you are really that afraid of a light duty truck towing a heavy load than I don't see how you can drive anywhere out of NYC, semi trucks are all over the place out of urban areas.

Who said I am afraid of semis or pickups towing loads?  I'd sure as hell be pissed if a guy in an F350 towing 16K pounds sideswiped me at 80 or even 75mph.  Get it?

I would be pissed if anyone sideswiped me at 75-80mph. But, it is a simple fact that most people who tow heavy trailers know what they are doing. By your logic big trucks should going 25mph, something that will never happen.

Thats not my logic in any way.  At the very most Semis and vehicles towing large loads should stick to the speed limit.

But, it is a simple fact that most people who tow heavy trailers know what they are doing.

Hmm, thats new to me.  I dont think anyone who "knew" what they were doing would take a vehicle towing 16K pounds up to 80mph when there were other vehicles on the road.

[BMWDave]

I perfectly get it Dave, but going under the speed limit as you have suggested would cause other vehicles towing big loads to have to react quickly as well, ones that actually go the speed limits. Going that far under the speed limit almost always creates more problems than it solves.

45-50mph isnt that much below the speed limit(depends where you are).  But my point is that a truck sticking to the speed limit - ie. 55, 45, or 65, will be a lot safer than a truck doing 80 mph.

[TBR]

I don't believe you have ever towed a 16000lb trailer at 80mph so I really don't know how you can say that. I give people the benefit of the doubt, you clearly don't, I just assume that they have some experience and common sense, that they basically know what they are doing. Many people go 75-80 with large trailers every day, apparantly it doesn't create that big of a problem or we would hear about it.  

[mazda6er]

[BMWDave]

I don't believe you have ever towed a 16000lb trailer at 80mph so I really don't know how you can say that. I give people the benefit of the doubt, you clearly don't, I just assume that they have some experience and common sense, that they basically know what they are doing. Many people go 75-80 with large trailers every day, apparantly it doesn't create that big of a problem or we would hear about it.

Well, I rest my case.  Go argue with physics and this guy called Isaac Newton.

[TBR]

I perfectly get it Dave, but going under the speed limit as you have suggested would cause other vehicles towing big loads to have to react quickly as well, ones that actually go the speed limits. Going that far under the speed limit almost always creates more problems than it solves.

45-50mph isnt that much below the speed limit(depends where you are).  But my point is that a truck sticking to the speed limit - ie. 55, 45, or 65, will be a lot safer than a truck doing 80 mph.

I would hardly go as far as to say a whole lot, but yes it would be safer. But it would also be safer if we all went 5 mph and drove cars wrapped in bubble wrap, yet I don't see you advocating that. That said, there are reasonable limits and sometimes it is perfectly reasonable to speed while towing (I am not talking about in a city or on a little 2 lane, the most safe place to speed (Especially while towing) is on a rural interstate).

[BMWDave]

I perfectly get it Dave, but going under the speed limit as you have suggested would cause other vehicles towing big loads to have to react quickly as well, ones that actually go the speed limits. Going that far under the speed limit almost always creates more problems than it solves.

45-50mph isnt that much below the speed limit(depends where you are).  But my point is that a truck sticking to the speed limit - ie. 55, 45, or 65, will be a lot safer than a truck doing 80 mph.

I would hardly go as far as to say a whole lot, but yes it would be safer. But it would also be safer if we all went 5 mph and drove cars wrapped in bubble wrap, yet I don't see you advocating that. That said, there are reasonable limits and sometimes it is perfectly reasonable to speed while towing (I am not talking about in a city or on a little 2 lane, the most safe place to speed (Especially while towing) is on a rural interstate).

Except its not a 5mph difference.  Its a 30mph increase in some area, and a 20 mph increase in others!  Thats going beyond what is safe.

[TBR]

What are you talking about? I never said that anyone should go 80 in a 50 or 60 mph zone (truck and trailer or Porsche). In my mind most places in which it is safe to speed have a 70 mph speed limit.  

[TBR]

Also, I never talked about a 5 mph difference.

[BMWDave]

What are you talking about? I never said that anyone should go 80 in a 50 or 60 mph zone (truck and trailer or Porsche). In my mind most places in which it is safe to speed have a 70 mph speed limit.

Its is still well over the speed limit (even in the few rural places with a 70mph speed limit-most are 65).  

[TBR]

All most all rural interstates have 70mph or even 75 mph speed limits. And, speed limits aren't always reasonable, when we went to South Dakota we spent a lot of time driving through Nebraska. There was so little traffic and the roads were so straight (whenever there was a turn, no matter how slight it was, they marked it with a sign!) that we could have set a land speed record, yet the speed limit was 65! But, by your logic it would be dangerous to go 85mph despite the fact that it would have taken pure stupidity to run off the road and even so the possibility of actually hitting anything other than corn was practically non-existent.

[Raghavan]

Dave, you have no idea WTF you are talking about... <_<

[BMWDave]

The fact of the matter is that not every road is as abandoned, as rural, as the roads you described.  And while it may not be dangerous for a trucker to track true and straight on those roads, it certainly is on roads that have traffic.  

[TBR]

Which I agree with wholeheartedly and always have. Of course I don't think it is safe for anyone to speed in medium to heavy traffic.

[thewizard16]

My statement remains. GX or Range Rover for me. If my boat weighs more than 6,000 pounds, I'll buy a dock.  

[ifcar]

Dave has his point for safety concerns, but TBR is all over it with practicality. It's safer for everyone to drive at 45 mph than 60-70, and while I wouldn't advocate 80 mph in any vehicle towing a trailer, even the mediocre ones are entirely capable of safety at the speed of traffic. Just be careful to allow extra space between you and the other drivers, and there isn't a much higher risk of an accident than if you're driving anything else.

How do you think the semis manage it?