Yesterday my wife and I decided to take a break from remodeling our house and head down to the Knoxville RV Show. It was snowing on the way down off and on and just starting to stick in a few places so I was driving 70 mph when I see a large fiver in tow gaining on us fast, very fast. I'm used to see that on dry roads, but it is not only snowing, but the driver is pretty much going shoulder to center line suggesting to me either a new driver or not a very good one.

Shortly there after, going the other way I see an F350 dually with a very long travel trailer in tow. The truck is perfectly level, but the trailer tongue is almost scrapping the interstate, tail running way up in the air. No safety chains, not distribution bars, nothing.

So we go to the show, look around, and are heading home. Coming up next to us is an F250 6.7 Platinum towing a large box trailer. The truck is built up on a ladder frame line you see on mud boggers big wide tires and all. Not talking lifted here, talking sky box high! The rear of the truck is dropped so far down the headlights can only be used to signal low flying air planes. Safety chains are unhooked and dragging on the pavement.

Funny isn't it, we devote so much energy here discussing the pluses and minuses of weight ratings and half an inch of adjustment in sway control and then I see this stuff. Makes me stop and think, compared to the stuff I saw yesterday, the folks here all seem like saints!

Steve

 

Education and the Lack there of.

Intelligence and the Lack....

something about can't fix stupid.

sometimes Prayer is the only help with some.

special license , YES.

 

I see these things all the time, too! I just shake my head and try to stay out of their way. While I have had thoughts like you at time about a special license.....a special license will NOT make them any smarter!!! I have heard people say stuff like "I have an F250/350/dually, so I don't need to mess with sway control and weight distributing hitches" or down the road we go pulling a 30' 5th wheel with an F150 with the nose stuck in the air, because the RV salesman and the pickup salesman said it would be fine!

 

I know you are right. It sure changes perspective though when you think about what we end discussing in regards to safe towing and what is going on in the real world.

Steve

 

And why maybe they should also be pulled into weight stations to weigh and do a safety check like they do big rigs.


Something don't check out and they are put Out Of Service till they call someone to come fix it or a proper tow rig that passes safety before going on down the road.
Dave ----

 

like 500-600 pounds hanging off the rear bumper;

generator, fuel cans, 3 bicycles. BBQ grill...

 

But........don't we already have enough government over-reach and over-regulation? DOT is kept busy enough regulating commercial traffic, which is probably one big reason they want nothing to do with RV world!! Not that I am any against doing everything as safely as possible. You will never catch me running down the freeway at 75-80 MPH while pulling!

 

One thing I had thought about was simply writing a friendly letter (not being sarcastic) to our state police and telling them of my concerns. I don't think they have much training in what to look for when folks are towing.

 

But DOT does and do pull over big rigs, so in passing if they see something not right should also pull over the RV'ers that are not safe.
If nothing more to teach them right from wrong as they may not have known.
Dave ----

 

I would not be against DOT pulling folks over, even if just for a warning. I agree that there may well be a good number of folks who make mistakes out of ignorance.

Steve

 

I had an RV dealership from 1975 to 1982. The majority of tow vehicles were sedans or station wagons. Some dealerships have staff that are very unprofessional. Many customers do NOT want to learn what is involved, beyond: You need a 2" ball and should have a 7 way RV connector on the trailer.

Even with legitimate RV trailers, there are a number of laws to be followed, including operational lights, working trailer brakes above a certain trailer weight, properly sized & attached safety chains, tow vehicle mirrors of sufficient width to see around the trailer sides.

 

Man, the "many customers do NOT want to learn" part I hear loud and clear. Most of the folks in this forum are here because they are trying to learn and share. That is not what much of the "outside world" is like.

Steve

 

Agreed Steve, the folks in here are either trying to learn to do it right or have it at least somewhat figured out and are here helping the others. I joined here with a decent amount of towing experience but I have learned so much more from the membership here and now am comfortable passing on what help I can whenever possible. Much respect for the folks coming here trying to educated themselves, they are the exception to the rule it seems from what we see out on the highways!

 

Sooner or later Messers Darwin and Murphy will deal with the folks you described... Hopefully they won't hurt anyone else.

 

It's that "anyone else" part I really worry about!

Steve