Tom I fully agree with you, and feel the same sentiments. That said I have been driving 20 years this upcoming year, and have caused zero at fualt accidents to anyone else's property. Not to say It can't or won't happen, but I leave my ball mount in on purpose, as I've been hit far too many times and walked away with no damage at all.

I have a larger concern these days with all of the texting and distractions people have going on in their vehicles. To me the hitch is my extra margin of defense. If someone whacks their knee on it in a parking lot? They are too close to my truck anyway, and not paying attention.

That said, seeing that I have a 157", Screw chassis, I do my best to back her in 95% of the time if possible, mostly because it makes it much easier to pull out later, and not risk getting hit by a speeding carbon the lot.

 

Just a point to note, make sure you check your laws for your area, up here in some provinces it is illegal to keep the ball mount in the hitch. The RCMP were on some ticket blitz and were ticketing farmers for having them on, almost the same as having no mud flaps on a truck but that's another story in itself.

 

Whenever you get too close to a big city you risk breaking laws you didn't even know exist.

Just a few days ago a co-worker told me that it is illegal to park my truck on the street in downtown Chicago. Now I didn't really care since I'll never go there, but I was confused and asked, why? I heard all the explanation and thought to myself, this law was made solely for the convenience of the traffic officer. Instead of having to evaluate if each truck was parked correctly, now all they have to do is evaluate if it's a truck. I wonder if they have an advanced training course about the El Camino?

And how about the out-of-state traveler from the Superduty forum that drove his empty F350 dually into Massachusetts and got a ticket for not having a CDL license because he had 5 wheels on his truck? As far as I'm concerned, he's lucky that is the only ticket he got in that place because.....

..... A Texas man got a 5 year jail sentance in New Jersey for possessing firearms and hollow point ammo in his car. He was moving from Texas to Maine and transporting his belongings when he made the mistake of stopping in New Jersey to take a nap. I guess he'll see his family in Maine after 5 years.

 

Nxt time break out the dark window first. LOL Thing that gets me is people still blow by even when I'm looking out the rear camera screen on the lil woman's.

 

What about the guys who ride with their tailgates down? I suppose someone could walk into an unstored tailgate. If someone hits their leg on my ball hitch then are too close to my truck.

I back my truck into as many places as possible anyway as pulling out is far easier than backing out.

But Tom, you actually are correct about the additional possible damage. I'll expect my insurance company to pay as agreed. The hitch has saved my bumper twice.

 

Tim, I agree. We that have/drive company trucks are required to take the Smith driving system training and have a refresher each year (not sure if anybody is familiar with this?) . I also keep my hitch in, HOWEVER I always park far away and walk when I go to a store. It never fails though, someone is always parked next to me when I come out. Thanks for sharing Pool, we have all done it I'm sure Reps sent

 

I leave the hitch in the receiver 365 days a year and never give it a second thought. I usually park out in the back 40 when I go to town because I don't want to be next to anyone. I've seen too many incidents happen the times I've decided to wait in the truck while my wife runs in to get things, plus the exercise isn't bad either. I also think the reverse sensors and cameras are a joke if used only to prevent hitting things. They give people a false sense of security, but it is still possible to hit stuff with them.

Example, one morning my wife was leaving for work and I had my semi tractor parked on the street but instead of having it facing forward like I always do I just had it facing the other way. I was laying in bed half awake and heard this loud thud, I looked out the window just in time to see my wife getting back in the truck and leaving. I called her up and asked how much damage she did when she backed into the duals of my truck and she said not much. I found that hard to believe as loud as the thud was so when she got home I checked the truck out and found the rear bumper pushed in and the entire side of the box was crinkled past the front of the rear tire. We ended up having to replace the rear bumper and the entire side of the box. There was no other damage to the truck. She also said the sensors didn't go off, I guess she was at just the right angel and the sensor didn't pick up the truck behind her. But of course it will beep wildly when you back out of the garage and if you try to back up with the tailgate down.

Another time after my wife got her new FX4 with the backup camera I decided to try it out. I was just using the camera to back up to the garage and not looking out the mirror. I stopped when the sensors started going crazy and the chart turned to red and when I got out I was only a couple of inches from the garage. If I had been going any faster than a crawl I'd have never been able to stop in time.

 

To the op you shouldn't have anything to worry about it can't be even close to the stress your hitch receives when using it to recover vehicles!