In my mind, hauling ass means to go as fast as possible, generally dangerously so. There usually is a solid reason for it, like escaping something, making it somewhere on time when you’re already late.
I’d say it’s under strain, but the strain isn’t that you’re carrying a load, it’s that you’re pushing your vehicle or yourself to its limits, or perhaps beyond them.
In my mind, hauling ass means to go as fast as possible, generally dangerously so. There usually is a solid reason for it, like escaping something, making it somewhere on time when you’re already late. I’d say it’s under strain, but the strain isn’t that you’re carrying a load, it’s that you’re pushing your vehicle or yourself to its limits, or perhaps beyond them.