Driving the Rancho Carrillo Road

Post date: Mar 15, 2017 5:13:10 PM

Think CAUTION and COURTESY every time you drive the hill. Stay on your side of the road at all times. Please be polite on our road and if a car comes up behind you, pull over and let it by.

People are shouting at me, “You have to have an escort!!” What does that mean? All large vehicles or vehicles with large trailers MUST be led up and down the hill by another vehicle with flashing hazard lights.

The homeowner (not the contractor) is responsible for properly escorting large trucks such as cement trucks, building material trucks, cranes, moving vans, and heavy equipment transport vehicles. Homeowners need to carefully instruct the contractor or escort vehicle drivers.

It is recommended that the lead vehicle be approximately 1000 feet (or 1/5 mile) ahead at all times, with emergency flashers on AND flagging down oncoming traffic Wave your arm up and down to get their attention. If they don’t slow down, honk your horn. Indicate the number of trucks you are escorting – i.e.“1” or “2" and motion for them to pull over. Make eye contact or talk to the driver in the oncoming car so that they understand a large truck is behind you.

In the “S” turns or the oaks, it’s advisable to be even farther in front of the large truck and point oncoming vehicles to the turns outs.

Visitors don’t know our system – so wave your arm and yell “1 large truck is coming – please pull over now.”

If you encounter an escort vehicle, PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT as soon as you safely can and WAIT for the truck to pass.

Why are “escorts” needed?” Aside from the danger and fear factor of meeting a large vehicle such as a concrete truck or on one of the “S” turns or in the oaks, heavy vehicles need to stay on the pavement at all times so the asphalt does not break down on the edges, causing costly repairs.

Uphill traffic has the right-of-way. You must pull over for a large vehicle, if a heavy truck has to come to a complete stop on a steep climb, he might break an axle or his transmission, blocking our access road for hours.

There is a $100.00 fine for not escorting your large vehicles.