California Dreamin'?

Here is a photo I just took on the Oakland Bay bridge riding as a passenger (was under anesthesia a little while ago). This truck was driving the speed limit and not impeding traffic so he is legal in the lane he in.

Heres a quote from Callahan law firm out of Santa Ana CA :

If there are three lanes or less traveling in the same direction (not including carpool lanes), the trucks must use the far-right Lane. If there are four or more lanes traveling in each direction on the highway, trucks are allowed to use the two right-hand lanes.

Your example appears to have 4 lanes so he's allowed in the lane you're in but no farther left. He's breaking the law. Harvey I know you mean well but you know very little in regards to trucking. Michael may have gotten lucky so far in regards to speeding. His luck will run out. Please don't make it seem like driving 5 mph over the limit is OK and you'll be fine. Speeding is speeding.

Here is a photo I just took on the Oakland Bay bridge riding as a passenger (was under anesthesia a little while ago). This truck was driving the speed limit and not impeding traffic so he is legal in the lane he in.

Heres a quote from Callahan law firm out of Santa Ana CA :

If there are three lanes or less traveling in the same direction (not including carpool lanes), the trucks must use the far-right Lane. If there are four or more lanes traveling in each direction on the highway, trucks are allowed to use the two right-hand lanes.

Your example appears to have 4 lanes so he's allowed in the lane you're in but no farther left. He's breaking the law. Harvey I know you mean well but you know very little in regards to trucking. Michael may have gotten lucky so far in regards to speeding. His luck will run out. Please don't make it seem like driving 5 mph over the limit is OK and you'll be fine. Speeding is speeding.

Rob, thanks. My comments in no way are meant to say speeding is okay. I am speaking from experience of driving on these highways next to trucks for nearly 50 years. The 55 MPH speed limit is not a deterrent for the large number of truck drivers that drive and live in this state which is what Don is asking about. It is common for me to see a car pulled over for speeding but rare for a truck even though it is rare for me to see trucks limit their speed to 55 MPH. It doesn't matter if I am a trucker or not, that is what actually exists. BTW, just saw a 4 wheeler pulled over as Linda is driving us home.

I only responded to the code Pacific Pearl quoted (plus the legal commentary from that site). Trucks are also allowed to use the second lane from right for passing. The vehicle code sections are referenced on the Cal Trans web site.

As I said before, I've had many friends here with a career in trucking who have done well. Some are retired and one is on disability.

If Don has other reasons for considering a move to California, I'm sure he would do well here and my knowledge of California is of value to him even if I am not a truck driver.

To reiterate…

Harvey there is zero ambiguity in the last two sentences of the code Pacific Pearl posted; clearly states trucks are required to run in the right lane unless specified otherwise. PERIOD. If a LEO chooses not to enforce it, that’s a different story.

Where is any of your interpretation supported in those last two sentences of that code?

You have never driven a semi in any state, let alone Cally. Harvey I’ll read your advice regarding investing, farming, life skills, taxes, and Michael’s experience at Marten, but not truck driving. I draw the line there! You are unqualified and completely out of line suggesting that truckers exceeding the speed limit in California are given a pass by law enforcement.

I’ll ask you nicely, one time, please refrain.

To reiterate…

Harvey there is zero ambiguity in the last two sentences of the code Pacific Pearl posted; clearly states trucks are required to run in the right lane unless specified otherwise. PERIOD. If a LEO chooses not to enforce it, that’s a different story.

Where is any of your interpretation supported in those last two sentences of that code?

You have never driven a semi in any state, let alone Cally. Harvey I’ll read your advice regarding investing, farming, life skills, taxes, and Michael’s experience at Marten, but not truck driving. I draw the line there! You are unqualified and completely out of line suggesting that truckers exceeding the speed limit in California are given a pass by law enforcement.

I’ll ask you nicely, one time, please refrain.

G-Town, you only read what Pacific Pearl posted, not the link. This is a commentary from a law firm and other comments were omitted. Please read my last post with the link to Cal Trans and I will leave it at that. This discussion was supposed to be about life a trucker in California and I know a fair amount about that.

I hate Cali on principle but I make bank there.. i ignore the 55 limit and do 65. Been passed by cops numerous times, I use the hammer lane when needed. Almost all of my driving in SoCal is done at night. Northern CA is fine, bay area, same thing, only at night. I grew up in Half Moon Bay. By SF.

This discussion was supposed to be about life a trucker in California and I know a fair amount about that.

How exactly? Other than unbridled narcissism without bounds, what qualifications do you possess? Why do you think you know more than a professional driver with a CDL who has safely and lawfully turned more than a MILLION MILES, many in Mexico's Gay District (some of the old timers still call it, "California")? Several professional drivers (all of whom possess actual qualifications) have asked you to reconsider your position and you just keep digging...

Not all the folks reading this forum are professional drivers (yet). It's important to convey accurate, truthful information for their innocent eyes so they don't start out on the wrong foot. Speeding is not o.k. Violating lane restrictions is not o.k. A professional driver will have a real bad time if he gets ticketed for either of these offenses. Telling the cop, your employer or the judge, "I saw a bunch of other people doing it, so I thought I could too" won't help with the ticket or the fine and may find the driver looking for a new job. Partially for the ticket, mostly for not accepting responsibility for their actions.

On the original point, California is easily the most regulated state for truck driving West of the Mississippi. Offenses (HOS, Hazmat) that would mean getting a ticket or maybe being put out of service in any other state mean JAIL TIME for the driver in California. In any other state (except Illinois) when you move to the state you exchange your old CDL and a small fee for a new CDL. In California you must retest! Not just for the CDL - you need to take the test for a Class C license! I mentioned the income tax rate (8-9.3%) in my earlier post, but left out the sales tax. The state sales tax is 7.5% but cities and counties can add their own sales taxes to that so in many cities and counties the actual sales tax is over 10%!

This discussion was supposed to be about life a trucker in California and I know a fair amount about that.

How exactly? Other than unbridled narcissism without bounds, what qualifications do you possess? Why do you think you know more than a professional driver with a CDL who has safely and lawfully turned more than a MILLION MILES, many in Mexico's Gay District (some of the old timers still call it, "California")? Several professional drivers (all of whom possess actual qualifications) have asked you to reconsider your position and you just keep digging...

Not all the folks reading this forum are professional drivers (yet). It's important to convey accurate, truthful information for their innocent eyes so they don't start out on the wrong foot. Speeding is not o.k. Violating lane restrictions is not o.k. A professional driver will have a real bad time if he gets ticketed for either of these offenses. Telling the cop, your employer or the judge, "I saw a bunch of other people doing it, so I thought I could too" won't help with the ticket or the fine and may find the driver looking for a new job. Partially for the ticket, mostly for not accepting responsibility for their actions.

On the original point, California is easily the most regulated state for truck driving West of the Mississippi. Offenses (HOS, Hazmat) that would mean getting a ticket or maybe being put out of service in any other state mean JAIL TIME for the driver in California. In any other state (except Illinois) when you move to the state you exchange your old CDL and a small fee for a new CDL. In California you must retest! Not just for the CDL - you need to take the test for a Class C license! I mentioned the income tax rate (8-9.3%) in my earlier post, but left out the sales tax. The state sales tax is 7.5% but cities and counties can add their own sales taxes to that so in many cities and counties the actual sales tax is over 10%!

“Unbridled narcissism”? Where did that come from? I would hardly label Harvey as narcissistic. Actually I enjoy his comments. He does have a solid connection to trucking, as does Anne.

I seems to me that the truck lane issue is very technical, at least to a non California driver like myself. I normally trust G Town on anything technical about trucking. So in my next life if I drive in California, I’m going to stay in the right lane just to be safe. Lol.

This discussion was supposed to be about life a trucker in California and I know a fair amount about that.

How exactly? Other than unbridled narcissism without bounds, what qualifications do you possess? Why do you think you know more than a professional driver with a CDL who has safely and lawfully turned more than a MILLION MILES, many in Mexico's Gay District (some of the old timers still call it, "California")? Several professional drivers (all of whom possess actual qualifications) have asked you to reconsider your position and you just keep digging...

Not all the folks reading this forum are professional drivers (yet). It's important to convey accurate, truthful information for their innocent eyes so they don't start out on the wrong foot. Speeding is not o.k. Violating lane restrictions is not o.k. A professional driver will have a real bad time if he gets ticketed for either of these offenses. Telling the cop, your employer or the judge, "I saw a bunch of other people doing it, so I thought I could too" won't help with the ticket or the fine and may find the driver looking for a new job. Partially for the ticket, mostly for not accepting responsibility for their actions.

On the original point, California is easily the most regulated state for truck driving West of the Mississippi. Offenses (HOS, Hazmat) that would mean getting a ticket or maybe being put out of service in any other state mean JAIL TIME for the driver in California. In any other state (except Illinois) when you move to the state you exchange your old CDL and a small fee for a new CDL. In California you must retest! Not just for the CDL - you need to take the test for a Class C license! I mentioned the income tax rate (8-9.3%) in my earlier post, but left out the sales tax. The state sales tax is 7.5% but cities and counties can add their own sales taxes to that so in many cities and counties the actual sales tax is over 10%!

“Unbridled narcissism”? Where did that come from? I would hardly label Harvey as narcissistic. Actually I enjoy his comments. He does have a solid connection to trucking, as does Anne.

I seems to me that the truck lane issue is very technical, at least to a non California driver like myself. I normally trust G Town on anything technical about trucking. So in my next life if I drive in California, I’m going to stay in the right lane just to be safe. Lol.

This thread boils down to the difference between technicalities written as to the letter of the law and real world enforcement by officers of the law. In reality, both sides are likely right. The conflict is the result of both sides fully believing they are right (even though it seems like the points run contradictory to each other), but what is missed is that it is simply people viewing the matter from differing perspectives.

G-Town knows the laws and regulations for trucking as well as anyone. It doesn't mean that this is what is commonly enforced. It is a valid point that we certainly don't want to send a rookie driver into a situation where he/she thinks not following the law is acceptable, only to find him/herself in quite a jam. I think it's wise to post comments on what is commonly practiced with a caveat that the law is written differently, in cases where this is true.

Pacific Pearl you could have made your points without the psychological opinion degrading Harvey’s character. Unacceptable.

Harvey I apologize for not reading the link to Cal Trans. That said, I believe several things need to be emphasized here. Trucks are restricted to 55 and are subject to rules that 4-wheelers are not. Davy, “yah wanna drive at 65 in a 55?” Thats on you, but I do not advise anyone to speed or suggest you can get away with it. Second, based on what I read, when there is no signage restricting truckers from passing, we can use the next lane to the left to pass a slower vehicle. And third move back over to the right when clear of the slower vehicle in the right lane. Common sense. But be aware there are posted restrictions for many stretches of road. That is in any state, don’t ignore them.

Harvey although I agree, you do know some things about a truckers life, but it’s second hand as Michael’s father, not first hand. Many of us enjoy reading about that. However when you offer up statements that downplay trucks speeding or the likelihood of getting caught, I take exception to that. It’s not okay, especially when so many people use this forum to learn the best way into a career, that includes safety. Obedience to traffic law and posted speed limits applies to safe operation regardless of what is enforced or not. And it is definitely part of a truckers life, it’s driving.

A closing thought… Catch a cop on a bad day, when you are running 65 in a 55 zone, and see what happens next. Maybe nothing, maybe not… is it worth the risk? Harvey you are in no position to weigh that risk from a truckers perspective. So please, in the future I respectfully ask you take that into consideration when posting anything related to truck driving.

Peace.

I’ve followed along reading and watching. I will start off by saying that Ca has many traffic laws in the vehicle code, and several contradict each other. I think I have a tad bit of experience given I was a LEO there for 30 years.

First of all CHP is the leading authority in commerical enforcement. Not all CHP officers are trained in it, really a small number given the total amount of officers. That said all peace officers can enforce traffic laws for all vehicles, but certain agencies do, and some not so much, unless it is pretty ergeous.

We used to have an unwritten rule espically on freeways that you don’t bother with anything less than 10 over. We gave 5 for human error and 5 for mechanical difference as a courtious thing. The letter of the law as written was always there, I’m just saying the way we did it statewide.

I have driven my truck to Ca numerous times. Even knowing how things are I still watched myself and behaved because with all the traffic it was the safe and reliable thing to do.

The grapevine chp watches pretty hard, as well as 99 through the central valley.

The prices of everything for decades has been crazy. I moved out of there 10 years ago and have never once regretted that decision.

With freight rates the last 3 years I won’t even consider going out there in my truck. I did ride the bike out last year and spent 2 weeks visiting my grandkids.

Just because a person can do something doesn’t mean its the right thing to do.