Not a happy camper....crash while towing

[MC1]

Just another sample of an trailer getting loose. Looks like a number of factors are to blame. Heavy weight on the rear of trailer, lifted pickup, possibly no WDH, excessive speed, etc??
Be careful out there.

https://youtu.be/INyiMA3hfto

[Carol H]

Go full screen and take a look at the skid marks the trucks tires left!

Clearly the guy had no idea what that little switch on his brake controller was for so he instead did the big no no & used the trucks brakes causing what started out as a stopable sway situation to get totally out of control real fast!

[The Minimalist]

Interesting the way the trucker braked when the RVer got in trouble.

[gordon2]

Well.. big rig.. little truck.

If the video is running at real time (which might or might not be the case), the speed based on the number of lane markers passed before the wreck show a speed of around 51-57 MPH. I wonder what the guy with the camera was towing that such a big rig was passing him.

[Carol H]

Also from

youtube : How to Control trailer Sway 101

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by gordon2

I wonder what the guy with the camera was towing that such a big rig was passing him.

Suspect the party with the camera was a semi. Most of the commercial trucks have a dash cam on them these days just for such incidents in the event they get caught up in it, so their bosses know what actually happened.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Suspect the party with the camera was a semi. Most of the commercial trucks have a dash cam on them these days just for such incidents in the event they get caught up in it, so their bosses know what actually happened.

Good point.. I have been looking for a good dash-cam to protect myself (like about everyone in Russia does)... but so far not found a good one at a good price.

I really like the idea of a good stand-alone GPS unit with built in camera. I have only seen one and it as a Magellian so it was off my list real fast.
Anyway maybe start a new thread on Dash Cams..

[Bob Miller]

Look at the video.... The stop lights on the trailer never came on, suggesting that the 7 pin connector came disconnected or was not connected from the start, meaning he didn't have any trailer brakes.


Rather than finding lots of other things to blame, like excessive speed, wrong kind of hitch, overloaded trailer, raised Pick-up(?) let's look at the evidence, no trailer brakes and operator error


When things started to go south he might have saved everything by trying to accelerate, not locking up the TV's brakes.


But the good news... The trailer came out right side up and, WDH's have been known to take the TV with them when they roll over. One lucky guy.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by gordon2

I really like the idea of a good stand-alone GPS unit with built in camera. I have only seen one and it as a Magellian so it was off my list real fast.
Anyway maybe start a new thread on Dash Cams..

In the same boat Gordon. Waiting for Garmin to come out with a GPS/dash cam unit.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by MC1

In the same boat Gordon. Waiting for Garmin to come out with a GPS/dash cam unit.

Wait no longer:
http://www.costco.ca/Garmin-Dash-Cam...100109366.html

Or with a GPS:
http://www.costco.ca/Garmin-n%C3%BCv...100219721.html

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

Wait no longer:
http://www.costco.ca/Garmin-Dash-Cam...100109366.html

Or with a GPS:
http://www.costco.ca/Garmin-n%C3%BCv...100219721.html

Ouch! US $400 (with GPS)... ... so still looking.

Please make any replies here, I will not be watching this thread.

[Ken C]

amazon
https://tinyurl.com/p6e26zq

[MC1]

Originally Posted by gordon2

Ouch! US $400 (with GPS)... ... so still looking.

Please make any replies here, I will not be watching this thread.

Thnxs Dave for the link to the Garmin. I wasn't aware they made the product.

But wow, $500. CAN is $300. more than the Magellan offering which is now on sale at Canadian Tire for $199. I know the Garmin is creme de creme but that is a lot of dollars. Will wait and see if they can bring the price down.

[Mike Magee]

Another factor: all that stuff hanging on the back of the trailer. Likely he had insufficient hitch weight.

I couldn't see definite evidence of the tow vehicle's brakes being applied; the tire marks look to me like the places where the trailer was pushing the rear of the truck skidding sideways, which would leave black marks. But it's hard to tell for sure.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by MC1

...

But wow, $500. CAN is $300. more than the Magellan offering which is now on sale at Canadian Tire for $199. I know the Garmin is creme de creme but that is a lot of dollars. Will wait and see if they can bring the price down.

Looks like its actually $395-400 from US retailers.. but I've been reading the reviews and the owners manual, and I am seriously thinking of pulling the trigger on this.

It has a few quirks and issues, and is not cheap, but it's looking pretty good overall.


(OK, so I lied about not watching this thread.. I can't help myself)

[MC1]

Originally Posted by gordon2

It has a few quirks and issues, and is not cheap, but it's looking pretty good overall.


(OK, so I lied about not watching this thread.. I can't help myself)

Yup, it does a lot of stuff Gordon. Hummmmmm!

[Paul O.]

After watching the video a few times, I concluded that the big truck (the dash cameraman) slowed down eventually, but I would be slowing down hard as soon as somebody out of control passed me, in order to keep distance.

Only if that red tow vehicle rolled, would I think of possibly stopping and offering assistance. The truck driver was right to go on, but we do not know the rest of the story.

[Uplander]

Everyone new to towing a RV Travel Trailer should be required to look at a few of these video recordings of what can go wrong when towing.

This case suggests the following: no sway control....lack of trailer brake controller and/or lack of knowledge on connecting it...he never used it to control the situation. I'd even guess no weight distribution system either. A real BOZO.

Happy Safe Camping!

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Uplander

(clip) This case suggests the following: no sway control....lack of trailer brake controller and/or lack of knowledge on connecting it...he never used it to control the situation. I'd even guess no weight distribution system either. A real BOZO.

Happy Safe Camping!

I think that you are jumping to a lot of conclusions about what may have caused the accident and about the skill of the driver. If you watch the video you will see that the trailers brake lights never go on. This suggests that either the plug fell out or that they forgot to connect it when they last hitched.


Suggesting that they didn't have a brake controlled is a bit far fetched.


The driver may not be a "Bozo" at all, especially if what happened was that the 7 pin connector came out.

[Uplander]

I have been doing the RV towing thing since 1985 and I have a system to insure that the "plug" stays connected....the video shows a BOZO in action...can't fix stupid.

You might note I did say the video "suggested" ...ergo my conclusions.

Memo: if the plug falls out you don't have any brake control to the trailer or any brake lights!