THSCC Forums

Adam for president

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Jim Pastorius
2008 Silverado VortecMax
1992 Camaro CMC#92
2002 BMW R1150R

2009 3rd Place CMC Mid-Atlantic Championship
2009 CMC Hyperfest Winner

Just depends on the cost difference between the trailer we're already getting (apparently) and one that can handle a car as well. *shrug*

Remember, while only one person *did* tow their car with the bus this past year, that's one more than can EVER pull their car with the new bus if the bus has to also have the trailer full of gear behind it (if there's no room for a car, too).


--Donnie

Regarding the inability of the current plan to not be able to pull a trailer to the events --

I neglected to mention that in the original post, and, yes, it is a concern which has been discussed at length by the staff.

The reality of the situation for the last few years is that it has been FAR easier to find volunteers who are sharing a car who can drive the bus than it has been to find people who will tow their car. Ron, with the exception of you, Shawn is the only other one who has done it (I think), and Shawn says it sucks.

We really depend on bus driver volunteers. Every event, it is a stressful thing until someone steps forward, and we are all grateful for those of you who do it a lot!!!

If at some point in the future we are having trouble finding bus drivers, we will just have to keep increasing the incentives to do so. Right now it's free entry and a free hotel room if one is required. We don't have too much trouble finding people at that level -- between Dustin, Carl, Mark Senior, the Guthries, and others we have been able to cover it.

Given that we *can* find bus drivers now, I'd say that we don't need to plan for a car hauler trailer. I can think of a lot of downsides to trying to implement that plan - cost, added complexity of the trailer setup/storage (ie 2400 lb of club stuff all the way in the front OR on high shelves is a bad idea), and we're getting to an extreme overall length for "novice" trailer towing drivers. Also, most people who know how to/are comfortable with tieing their cars down in a trailer are probablty already doing so and are probably resistant to using a tow setup other than their own. Again, I think we will find more volunteer co-driver situations to drive the bus+trailer than we would find volunteers to tow their own car in the club trailer to the events.

But the nice thing about going this route -- if we decide that either the bus OR the trailer isn't the best solution down the road, we can replace one or the other only if needed.

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Mike Whitney
whit32@gmail.com, 919-454-5445
V10, V8, V8t, I6, I6, V6, F4t, I4, I4, I4, I4, I2, 1, 1

Mike I had replied off line to Adam that given that no one else has towed a car with the bus then indeed its a non issue. I think the longer enclosed trailer would be indeed difficult to implement. I'm sure it would be a dicey tow given the overall length of the trailer compared to the length ofthe new bus.

In short, sounds like its all covered!

Ron

Okay, okay!

I actually forgot how short that bus really is...had to go back and look. Yeah, going from 14' to 22" would be a pretty big deal, as would the weight. I also forgot there were incentives to driving the bus...although I'm stlil not sure they were enough to drive the old one, at least for me.

Hey, is the stuff in the bus really 2400 pounds??? I know those cones are heavy, as are the fire bottles, but damn!


--Donnie

Well, Ron I am a member of the exclusive "towing with the bus" club. The only reason I did not do it more was the PIA logistics. Towing the trailer over to Cary, unhooking, hooking to the bus and doing it all in reverse late Sunday. As for the actual towing, it was not a big deal. The bus would go as fast as "normal" with the trailer and car behind it.

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Jim Pastorius
2008 Silverado VortecMax
1992 Camaro CMC#92
2002 BMW R1150R

2009 3rd Place CMC Mid-Atlantic Championship
2009 CMC Hyperfest Winner

Just put a trailer hitch on the trailer and then attach the car trailer to the cone trailer. Dually trailers are legal in NC

I know you're joking, but I believe you're wrong...I think they're only legal for very specific commercial vehicles (basically semis with "doubles" are legal, but that's about it) here in NC. I know they are legal in many other states, especially out west...out there you'll see semis pulling "doubles" but they are the full length trailers as well as triples of the smaller "doubles" trailers we normally see. I know in Michigan I've seen quite a few pickups pulling a camper with a boat behind that, so it must be legal there, too. But I don't think double trailers for normal folks are legal in many states east of the Mississippee. I'd love to see evidence to the contrary, though.


--Donnie

Normal



There is no evidence that any of us are normal.

I have my double trailer endorsment on my class A CDL. Also have tanker and Hazmat.

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George Bright Member # 141
One of the youngest of the old farts.
Yes I voted against you joining the club.

Yeah, but I still think that it's only legal for you to pull doubles if it is a commercial vehicle of the proper type.

Those endorsements don't mean anything past what they say, nor are they even required if you're driving a personal vehicle. For example, I had to get a Class A license due to the weight capabiility of my tow rig, but since it is private I did *not* have to get a CDL. We verified, too, that I don't need the air brake endorsement since that is ONLY available to CDL drivers (as is hazmat and combination vehicles) since we're talking private vehicles only.

What does all this mean? I have no idea. I'm just relatively certain that non-commercial double trailers aren't allowed in NC.


--Donnie

Well, you asked, so here you go! The formatting of this will probably get all screwed up. These are estimates but the total is probably pretty close, maybe a bit high:

Description Weight est

Wireless microphone 5
Registration materials 10
Electrical supplies 10
Box of Lost & Found 10
Toolkit 10
Box of JA circuits timers 15
Printer (spare) 10
Printer 10
Inverters 5
Shelving, desks, storage units 100
Filing cabinet 100
Horn PA speakers 10
PA amplifier 10
FM Transmitter 5
Base station radio 5
Box of novice materials 10

= 325 lb in the bus


Fire extinguishers, flags, station markers 80
Little cones 20
18" cones 1000
36" cones 80
Shelving, storage materials, & hardware 250
Spare big batteries 80
Jack boards 30
Canopy frame 50
Folding tables 60
Folding chairs 30
Brooms 20
Shovels 40
Signs (A, B, welcome, etc) 100
Bungees, cables, locks 10
Tripods 20
Canopy vinyl 50
Box of vests 10
Box of radios 15
Battery Charger 10
Box of water, cups, and bags 15
Box of paper numbers 15
Box of tech materials 15
Box of speedy dry 30
Box of banners and protector hose 30
Box with lumber crayons, chalk, marker paint 20
Box of reflectors 10
Box of Timing spares 40
Box of Timing wire spools 40
Display 100
Box of tools and parts 20
Box of Merchandise 1 15
Box of Merchandise 2 15
Loaner helmets 50
Laser heads 30

= 2400 in the trailer

_________________
Mike Whitney
whit32@gmail.com, 919-454-5445
V10, V8, V8t, I6, I6, V6, F4t, I4, I4, I4, I4, I2, 1, 1

I have been looking for an enclosed trailer, and noticed that there are a lot of smaller enclosed trailers on ebay for relatively inexpensive prices. It may mean a trip to pick one up tho. Even new ones aren't outrageous and could get one that's customized with a lift up side say that could serve double duty at an event for registration, worker check-in, announcer's booth, ???

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SPIN or WIN!
there's no glory for going slow.

At least we wouldn't need an awning

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Dustin Fredrickson
-- I'm a nobody --