Vehicle weight limits

[Alan_Hepburn]

There's a discussion going on in an RV forum about weight limit signson roadways, and what they actually mean. It's pretty much agreed that if you see a sign that states "WEIGHT LIMIT 11 TONS" it means that the bridge/overpass/roadway is not designed to carry more than 11 tons. Where the discussion gets heated is when the sign says "NO TRUCKS OVER 11 TONS" - some say it's still a weight limitation due to a bridge/overpass ahead; others say it's simply an attempt to keep commercial trucks out of certain areas.

So, the question comes down to: for the purposes of those latter signs is a motorhome considered a truck, and should not drive on that road, or does the sign only refer to tractor/trailers? To confuse it even more - is a pickup truck pulling a large fifth wheel trailer considered a truck?

 

[motomania2007]

Interesting question. I always assume the weight limit applies to any vehicle. My motorhome is only 12000 lbs and never had a weight issue.

 

[Junkie]

A motorhome isn't legally a truck

410. A “motor truck” or “motortruck” is a motor vehicle designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.


471. A “pickup truck” is a motor truck with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of less than 11,500 pounds, an unladen weight of less than 8,001 pounds, and which is equipped with an open box-type bed not exceeding 9 feet in length.  “Pickup truck” does not include a motor vehicle otherwise meeting the above definition, that is equipped with a bed-mounted storage compartment unit commonly called a “utility body.”




while weigh stations generally exempt pickups, I'm not aware of anywhere else that they don't qualify as trucks

in Alameda, a significant number of roads prohibit trucks over 3 tons - some places they specify for distances over 1 block, other places they don't. This has to do with traffic rather than the road design. I don't think it's ever enforced though, as any full size truck is >3 tons GVWR (which is what they look at) and I see tons of them. They even have the signs on Lincoln, which is either the most or second most trafficked route along the length of the island.

 

[ctwo]

I always thought the weight limit applied to the vehicle. What does a trucker do when they see a "total" combined weight limit of all vehicles on a bridge?

Does that apply to a fleet of RV's and everyone else using the bridge?

 

[Junkie]

we've had to design bridges in the middle of nowhere on 1 lane roads so that 2 permit loads can pass each other :rofl

 

[auntiebling]

some say it's still a weight limitation due to a bridge/overpass ahead; others say it's simply an attempt to keep commercial trucks out of certain areas.

it's both, or either. depends on the location i'd say

we've had to design bridges in the middle of nowhere on 1 lane roads so that 2 permit loads can pass each other :rofl

i've driven across a few like that. there is a 1 lane road over Kaiser Pass on the way to florence/edison lakes and about half way in, maybe more, i don't recall exactly right as you get ot the ranger station there is a bridge barely long enough for a car to have both axles on it at the same time with some insane weiight warning sign right before it. it includes up to i think a semi and 2 trailers as if a) one could get that deep into the road and b) more than one of those axles could be on the bridge at any one time.

the road is barely a road. it's paved, but also makes use of the granite as a road surface, and has several hairpin turns that no normal tractor trailer could traverse, let alone double trailers.

cracks me up every time i drive by.

 

[295566]

it's both, or either. depends on the location i'd say



i've driven across a few like that. there is a 1 lane road over Kaiser Pass on the way to florence/edison lakes and about half way in, maybe more, i don't recall exactly right as you get ot the ranger station there is a bridge barely long enough for a car to have both axles on it at the same time with some insane weiight warning sign right before it. it includes up to i think a semi and 2 trailers as if a) one could get that deep into the road and b) more than one of those axles could be on the bridge at any one time.

the road is barely a road. it's paved, but also makes use of the granite as a road surface, and has several hairpin turns that no normal tractor trailer could traverse, let alone double trailers.

cracks me up every time i drive by.

Better over engineered than under engineered.