Be careful if you're taking the trailer. Over in the land of fruits and nuts there are different speed limit signs posted. My SO has to live in Torrance for a while (she hates it) and I've seen three different signs on the beautiful, or is it boring I10. Trucks with trailers 55mph, trucks and cars with trailers 55mph and the bad one, all vehicles with trailers 55mph and you have to stay in the right lane.
Take it from me. I lived in Commiefornia for 40 years and ran 888-BIKE TOW for 13 years of that time.
To be accurate, all vehicles towing a trailer MUST stay in
the RIGHT TWO lanes of "through traffic."
This means that when a freeway split is coming up, and you are "close" to the fork and you want the freeway that branches off to the LEFT, you CAN move over one, or even several lanes to the left, to get into
what will become one of the two right lanes of the freeway you are merging onto.
You will want to
watch the overhead signs. When it is okay to move over, you will see a small sign over the lane(s) further to the left that reads "TRUCKS" with arrows pointing to the lane(s) below, meaning that vehicles with trailers can now legally move over into those lanes.
Also, if an on/off-ramp lane appears to your right, designated by shorter, FATTER white lines, this does NOT count as a right lane, so you can be as far as two lanes to the left of it.
Also, DO NOT get caught towing a trailer in a carpool lane (also called "HOV lane" and "Diamond Lane".) That is a VERY expensive ticket. :shock: This includes on and off ramps.
The CHP is ... fickle. They "allow" bikes towing trailers to hit and maintain 65(
ish) MPH to keep up with traffic, HOWEVER, when you are doing this,
make sure you use your turn signals, keep a safe following distance, etc. They will look the other way for ONE violation in the interest of safety, but TWO violations will earn a ticket.
When doing 65, make sure you are "keeping up" with traffic. If you are doing, or exceeding 65 and passing cars and trucks in the second lane from the right, you will be cited.
Also, you MUST NOT lane split or lane share while towing a trailer. If you do, you will be cited.
Also, a trailer in Commiefornia
requires a license plate. Don't dare tow a trailer without one. If not, you will be cited.
Also, you will need TWO safety chains on the trailer, and a locking pin for the hitch. This can be a bolt and nut or a padlock. If not, you will be cited.
Also, the trailer lights had better work perfectly. If not, you will be cited.
Also, the trailer license plate MUST be illuminated. If not, you will be cited.
Also, you must be able to see everything behind the trailer from your mirrors. If not, you will be cited.
Also, the CHP officer MUST be able to lift the tongue with ONE hand. If the tongue weight is too much, you will be cited.
Also, do not get caught riding without a helmet, even in a supposedly "privately owned" parking lot. You will be cited.
Basically ... don't go to Commiefornia.
You will be cited.