So, you can't haul ass around corners in a vehicle the size of a fire truck?

Who knew?

Really, I was expecting that thing to take corners at no less than 45 mph

TehNacho: So, you can't haul ass around corners in a vehicle the size of a fire truck?

Of course you can, I do it in GTA all the time!

15 mph is hauling ass? Do you live under water?

FTA: "But a prototype based at Hamilton fire station rolled over on one of its first jobs last year. ... The driver was charged with careless driving but no further proceedings were taken."

Step 1: Give a fire truck driver a truck that will roll at speeds over 15mph in a turn
Step 2: Don't tell him about.
Step 3: Charge him with careless driving -> Profit.

Thread was Boobied in the Boobies.

It is the 60 year old RV owners who step behind the wheel of a Prevost for the first time, often hauling something massive like a Hummer or huge trailer.... who learns the same lesson.

Did you know that in most states in the USA you can drive a vehicle of ANY SIZE with ZERO additional training or license? Just use it for personal use. You can drive a tractor-trailer rig without any additional license!

Just use it for personal use.
There's a kid at my school who bought an old fire truck, and he drives it as his regular car.

Also, isn't the plural of apparatus "apparatuses"?

So, instead of FIXING the problem, they issue a WARNING?!?

They should walk off the job.

There is only one solution... wait for the fire to come to the truck.

nickerj1: 15 mph is hauling ass? Do you live under water?


In a vehicle the size of a firetruck, taking the corner at 15 mph is hauling ass.

Round-Sparrow: Did you know that in most states in the USA you can drive a vehicle of ANY SIZE with ZERO additional training or license? Just use it for personal use. You can drive a tractor-trailer rig without any additional license!

Survey Says: Fail! And yeah, I'm bored. But not enough to get you more than four random states. I'm pretty sure most, if not all of the rest would be the same (new windows)

Round-Sparrow: Did you know that in most states in the USA you can drive a vehicle of ANY SIZE with ZERO additional training or license? Just use it for personal use. You can drive a tractor-trailer rig without any additional license!

Bullshiat. You need a CDA for anything with 3 or more axles. Why do you think dualies exist? They need the extra tires but without the extra axle.

TehNacho: nickerj1: 15 mph is hauling ass? Do you live under water?


In a vehicle the size of a firetruck, taking the corner at 15 mph is hauling ass.

I'm fairly certain I've seen city buses take corners at more than 15 MPH, and they're at least on the same order of mangnitude the size of a fire truck.

/of course, I've seen city buses do lots of shiat that wasn't particularly legal or prudent, but whaddayagonnado. It's not like you're going to win any confrontation with a bus.

Round-Sparrow: It is the 60 year old RV owners who step behind the wheel of a Prevost for the first time, often hauling something massive like a Hummer or huge trailer.... who learns the same lesson.

Did you know that in most states in the USA you can drive a vehicle of ANY SIZE with ZERO additional training or license? Just use it for personal use. You can drive a tractor-trailer rig without any additional license!

You're an idiot. (new window)

Or you're being sarcastic. I could go either way.

The maker of the trucks should be find 5,000 pounds a day until they fix the problem.

/yeah, I'd like the firetruck at my house as fast as possible, not at 15mph.

ajgeek: Round-Sparrow: It is the 60 year old RV owners who step behind the wheel of a Prevost for the first time, often hauling something massive like a Hummer or huge trailer.... who learns the same lesson.

Did you know that in most states in the USA you can drive a vehicle of ANY SIZE with ZERO additional training or license? Just use it for personal use. You can drive a tractor-trailer rig without any additional license!

You're an idiot. (new window)

Or you're being sarcastic. I could go either way.

That's a link for commercial licensing. What are the regs on licensing private vehicle drivers? Might be suprised.

ElLoco: ajgeek: Round-Sparrow: It is the 60 year old RV owners who step behind the wheel of a Prevost for the first time, often hauling something massive like a Hummer or huge trailer.... who learns the same lesson.

Did you know that in most states in the USA you can drive a vehicle of ANY SIZE with ZERO additional training or license? Just use it for personal use. You can drive a tractor-trailer rig without any additional license!
...
That's a link for commercial licensing. What are the regs on licensing private vehicle drivers? Might be suprised.

FAIL. Fail. Fail. and Fail. (PDF new window)

By federal rule, a commercial motor vehicle is defined as:
✗ Any combination of vehicles with a Gross Combination Weight Rating
(GCWR) of 26,001 lbs. or more, providing the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 lbs.
✗ Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 lbs. or more, or any such
vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 lbs.
✗ Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more
persons, including the driver.
✗ Any vehicle, regardless of size, required by federal regulations to be
placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

Round-Sparrow: Did you know that in most states in the USA you can drive a vehicle of ANY SIZE with ZERO additional training or license? Just use it for personal use. You can drive a tractor-trailer rig without any additional license!

Really?

Besides the CDL lashing, I'm pretty sure you need a motorcycle endorsement to drive anything with only two wheels.

The fire truck in question (click for larger, pops)

I don't know about other states, but in Tennessee, you're allowed to drive ANY vehicle without a license so long as it is an 'instrument of husbandry', i.e., a vehicle used for work. The permission is intended to apply to things like tractors and excavators, etc that occassionally must drive down a public road, but due to the vague way it's worded, I could imagine someone successfully defending themselves in court for driving a flatbed truck, tow truck, or other 'specialty' work-intended vehicle without a license (so long as you could show that you use it for work).

bassett: Also, isn't the plural of apparatus "apparatuses"?

You are correct, sir. I'm a chemist; I work on many different apparatuses.

Had to learn that pluralization for a grad school application. Funny thing is, I and other chemists and literary people who proofed my application all accepted 'apparati' at first.

'Apparati' is an Italian word, not in the English dictionary.

incredibe safety warning over new vehicles that wasn't given to rescue crews

Limeys invent the language and then can't farking spell it.

netringer: lLoco: ajgeek: Round-Sparrow: It is the 60 year old RV owners who step behind the wheel of a Prevost for the first time, often hauling something massive like a Hummer or huge trailer.... who learns the same lesson.

Did you know that in most states in the USA you can drive a vehicle of ANY SIZE with ZERO additional training or license? Just use it for personal use. You can drive a tractor-trailer rig without any additional license!
...
That's a link for commercial licensing. What are the regs on licensing private vehicle drivers? Might be suprised.

FAIL. Fail. Fail. and Fail. (PDF new window)

By federal rule, a commercial motor vehicle is defined as:
✗ Any combination of vehicles with a Gross Combination Weight Rating
(GCWR) of 26,001 lbs. or more, providing the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 lbs.
✗ Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 lbs. or more, or any such
vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 lbs.
✗ Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more
persons, including the driver.
✗ Any vehicle, regardless of size, required by federal regulations to be
placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

Original poster poses the premise that it's the "60 year old RV owners" that are a problem. Someone calls him an idiot. I tell them they might want to check up on their facts a bit. You fail immensely by not reading just a single paragraph down from your quoted section of the pdf doc stating:

"Operators exempt from obtaining a CDL- Recreational Vehicle
When using a Recreational Vehicle primarily for personal use, you do not need to obtain a CDL."

There are more exemptions down there, too. Might wanna check up on those.

ElLoco: ajgeek: Round-Sparrow: It is the 60 year old RV owners who step behind the wheel of a Prevost for the first time, often hauling something massive like a Hummer or huge trailer.... who learns the same lesson.

Did you know that in most states in the USA you can drive a vehicle of ANY SIZE with ZERO additional training or license? Just use it for personal use. You can drive a tractor-trailer rig without any additional license!

You're an idiot. (new window)

Or you're being sarcastic. I could go either way.

That's a link for commercial licensing. What are the regs on licensing private vehicle drivers? Might be suprised.

Licensing for private vehicles is the same across the board. Can't use commercial vehicles in any capacity without the license to do so. Even if it's for personal use.

The commercial drivers license laws fall under "every state must abide" category because the main arteries in the states are federal roads, not state roads. This is includes freeways and federal routes.

So just like you can drive an unlicensed, unregistered vehicle on your own property and never be in violation of the law, you could technically drive commercial vehicles (over 26,000 lbs) these on any non-federal road, IF the state allows it. But you so much as cross a federal road, you have to obey their laws, and that means you're in violation of their laws by driving it.

U-Hauls and the other brands are the main exception to this for one reason or another, I'm guessing because even their heaviest truck is still under 26,000 lbs.

It's not the use, it's the vehicle weight that makes a difference and only as a general rule. A town in my area requires all trucks (regardless of size or weight) to be registered as commercial vehicles and they have to obey all the laws that are associated with them.

fluffy2097: The maker of the trucks should be find 5,000 pounds a day until they fix the problem.

/yeah, I'd like the firetruck at my house as fast as possible, not at 15mph.

In my mind (but I'm neither a fire truck driver, or an engineer, or someone who read the article) they would only have to slow down to 15 for the corners. They have to come to a stop at most intersections anyways (just to make sure no stupid jerkoff is trying to beat them through and that everyone stopped), and most corners are at intersections.

So, how did this really ever even come about?

just_dis_guy:
I'm fairly certain I've seen city buses take corners at more than 15 MPH, and they're at least on the same order of mangnitude the size of a fire truck.

A city bus is mostly empty space from the top of the tires to the roof. A fire truck has a higher centre of gravity so I imagine it has a greater tipping hazard.

ajgeek: Licensing for private vehicles is the same across the board. Can't use commercial vehicles in any capacity without the license to do so. Even if it's for personal use.

I understand that. There is what I consider a loophole, tho. A commercial vehicle is only a commercial vehicle if it's used commercially. Now, the DOT has pretty much got tractor-trailer rigs covered now and removed most of the cracks in the system, however, if a tractor-trailer is used for farm use and has a traveling radius of less than 150 miles from its registered ownership location... a regular driver license will suffice. It could be loaded down to 80,000 pounds with a bobtail in tow... regular license.

On the issue of RVs; nearly anyone, anywhere, anytime can hop in a Prevost which was the example used earlier(for those that don't know what that is, it's a bus conversion like the tourbuses bands use, etc) that weighs in at 55000+ pounds plus any towed vehicle. It's an RV. They're exempt. It's not exempt if you haul a rock band around, because then it becomes a commercial vehicle, but if you haul you wife and kids around it it... a class C will get it done.

Big loophole. Big issue at times, in my opinion.

I wasn't railing on you, by the way, it was the failfailfail guy later on.

Someone branch this out into the Mexican trucks that cross the border. Those are always good. Those usually don't have brakes, much less a licensed driver.

I've gotta go play WoW. That biatch at the end of HoL owes me a purple from last night. :/

Theres another factor that goes into that speed restriction with corners for fire trucks. Fire Apparatus including ladder trucks carry water which shifts weight when travelling around a corner. All drivers are told this during training on fire trucks.

Samwise Gamgee: I don't know about other states, but in Tennessee, you're allowed to drive ANY vehicle without a license so long as it is an 'instrument of husbandry', i.e., a vehicle used for work. The permission is intended to apply to things like tractors and excavators, etc that occassionally must drive down a public road, but due to the vague way it's worded, I could imagine someone successfully defending themselves in court for driving a flatbed truck, tow truck, or other 'specialty' work-intended vehicle without a license (so long as you could show that you use it for work).

Okay, I'll give you Tennessee. Applying for Your CDL
The first step to obtaining your CDL is getting your CDL learner permit (Class PA, Class PB, or Class PC). You'll be subject to the same requirements and knowledge tests as required of a regular CDL.

In order to obtain your CDL in Tennessee, you must be at least age 21, unless you're operating intrastate and within 100 miles of your job, in which case you can obtain a Class A or B CDL at age 19 or a Class B CDL at age 18 (see below for class specifications).

You must obtain a valid DOT medical card (see below), and you can't currently have a suspended or revoked driver's license.

Exemptions
The following operators are exempt from obtaining a CDL:

Military personnel
Recreational vehicle operators
Emergency vehicle operators
Farmers and nurserymen who drive only within 150 miles of the farm or nursery
Those who operate vehicles only to transport personal property
(new window)

So please ignore the first of my four links in my first po... initial communication. However, I will argue that Tennessee is a backward-assed state, and not representative of the country as a whole.

The firetruck can go more than 15 mph, it just can't take corners at more than 15 mph. I have rode in a fire truck on an open track, and they really don't handle turns so well. The one I was in had a g-force meter that beeped really loud when you were approaching the truck's maximum allowable lateral force in a turn, then had a terrible solid tone as you got even closer.

The DRIVERS are all VETERANS of departments with trucks so they take the corners just like they NORMALLY would.

The problem is that THESE vehicles have a much lower cornering speed but they were not TOLD about it.

While not unsafe I do wonder if there is a way to return these to the maker/have a team come out and look at ways of adjusting the suspension, and anything else that might make it better.

Publicity wise, unless this is the only company they can buy trucks from they will probably lose any sales from Great Britain for the next couple of years

http://unix.dude/

Inside he is probably smoking cigars wrapped in $20's lit with $100's

At least the Hummer will get better mileage than the RV

I'm guessing they are speaking of 90 degree turns. Our fire "engines" are about 30 feet long, 8.5 wide, and probably 40,000 pounds (20 tons). Part of this weight is the water tank (750 gallons at 8 pounds a gallon) located on the top half, making them top heavy. Our fire "trucks" (aka "ladders") are 40 feet long, 8.5. wide and again 40,000 pounds. Also top heavy due to our retractable heavy ladders.

This being said, most top out at speeds around 65 miles on straight aways. On city streets most should not be driven more than 45. Part because that is a lot of weight to stop, and we often are manuvering around traffic. Often it looks faster due to others cars slowing down or stopping. You slow down on curves, and way down and turn wide on 90 degree turns.

The "fast" speeds you might see on tv and movies are: done by stunt drivers, often have the vehicles stripped of heavy weight, and aren't loaded with water.

Also you can't pump/spray water and drive at the same time (except some small pickup sized brush trucks). Scenes such as in Con Air where N Cage starts spraying the driver of the highjacked firetruck, from it's own hoses, is impossible. Most ladder trucks cannot move the ladders if the vehicle is in motion, due to outriggers. I've seen it in other movies too.

/firetruck driver
/I love my job

Shouldn't something you pay 5 million pounds for have some sort of intrinsically safe turn-radius/speed limiter built into it? I mean, it would be a pretty simple implementation if anyone bothered to think of vehicle safety for these things.

Smeggy Smurf: Round-Sparrow: Did you know that in most states in the USA you can drive a vehicle of ANY SIZE with ZERO additional training or license? Just use it for personal use. You can drive a tractor-trailer rig without any additional license!

Bullshiat. You need a CDA for anything with 3 or more axles. Why do you think dualies exist? They need the extra tires but without the extra axle.

Only if your driving commercially. Farmers can drive class 8 trucks within 100 miles of the farm with no added endorsements.

TehNacho: So, you can't haul ass around corners in a vehicle the size of a fire truck?

Who knew?

No, but I can in my Corvette, and I love it.

JonEdangerousli: Round-Sparrow: It is the 60 year old RV owners who step behind the wheel of a Prevost for the first time, often hauling something massive like a Hummer or huge trailer.... who learns the same lesson.

Did you know that in most states in the USA you can drive a vehicle of ANY SIZE with ZERO additional training or license? Just use it for personal use. You can drive a tractor-trailer rig without any additional license!

citation needed.

Any vehicle equipped with Air Brakes without a control limiter system requires a CDL to operate in public.

prjindigo: JonEdangerousli:
citation needed.

Any vehicle equipped with Air Brakes without a control limiter system requires a CDL to operate in public.


// Hotlinked Baby

That's a Prevost towing a Hummer right there, just like my example on my Boobies. That's probably around 60,000 pounds + 8,000 pounds for the hummer. That Prevost can come with granite counters, fireplace, hot tubs, spare no weight! Also easily $800K to $3M pricetag.

You really need to do your homework, there is a blanket exception when used for personal camper/motorhome use! Most states even have special (often inexpensive) license plates.

A breakdown of all 50 states, also Look at the first FAQ on this page.

I know this because I traveled for 3 years full time (only home for my wife and I) in a Bluebird Wanderlodge that was 50,000 pounds without trailer. Detroit Diesel 8v92, would kick ass on any newer full size city bus. We talked to people all the time about the lack of CDL requirements. Even in Texas where it is on the books at 26,000 limit there are plenty of Prevost and Bluebird clubs... and when we got together with these clubs, nobody ever told of having it enforced. You would meet Texas highway patrol and ask them, they said that they never were concerned about it for RV/motorhome use.

And for tractor-trailers, the RV versions are called "5th wheels" and they can be huge. Yes, some very wealthy RV'ers are known to use big rig trucks to tow their 5th wheel trailer (Peterbuilt). Most 5th wheels are inexpensive (budget) compared to a Prevost or Bluebird, but that doesn't mean there aren't some that weight as much as a 18 wheeler.

You can zoom on by all the commercial weigh stations too!

In many states, pretty much if you install a toilet, sink and bedroll in it... you can get it titled/licensed as a motorhome. I personally did this in Washington state with a converted VW camper van. This post suggests you can take up to 16 people in a motorhome with no special license.

Ok, you want a REAL RV, check this out :)


// Hotlinked

http://www.cowboycadillac.com looks like they have all kinds of big rig (18 wheeler) RV/Motorhomes.

// Not associated
/// No special license required!

ajgeek:
Licensing for private vehicles is the same across the board. Can't use commercial vehicles in any capacity without the license to do so. Even if it's for personal use.


If it is P-E-R-S-O-N-A-L it isn't commercial.


you could technically drive commercial vehicles (over 26,000 lbs) these on any non-federal road, IF the state allows it. But you so much as cross a federal road, you have to obey their laws, and that means you're in violation of their laws by driving it.


The federal laws say COMMERCIAL again. If me and 15 of my friends wanted to drive from Seattle to Vegas for a bachelor party, we could purchase a 55,000 pound truck and drive it there with nothing more than a normal car drivers license. Could add a bucket with toilet seat and a few jugs of water, get it licensed as a RV/motorhome to be on the safe side.


U-Hauls and the other brands are the main exception to this for one reason or another, I'm guessing because even their heaviest truck is still under 26,000 lbs.


Well a u-hual IS a commercial truck being commercial rented, so I have no idea the rules there. But COMMERCIAL.


A town in my area requires all trucks (regardless of size or weight) to be registered as commercial vehicles and they have to obey all the laws that are associated with them.

So, license it as a RV or Motorhome, no longer a TRUCK!