Sales vs towing knowledge

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

What about selling A class motor homes to folks that have never driven anything bigger that a car? Ya' can't keep people from buying whatever they think they want.

I dont mind em buyin.... driving them YIKES
Just think that class a, tt or 5ver on the interstate ahead or behind you could be a rookie. to them and us !!
Safe travels

[jwedell]

I've seen some rookies drive far better than some veterans.

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by jwedell

I've seen some rookies drive far better than some veterans.

so true. Some people just can't handle the task of a large vehicle or trailer no matter how long "practice". I was fortunate to have grown up on a farm. Drove everything at a young age. Was hauling truck loads of corn down the roads at 12 years old.

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by jwedell

I've seen some rookies drive far better than some veterans.

Good point. But
Hmm its late at night its raining your towing your unit. Big class a behind you and a big 5er in front of you. Like in prior post that I was replying too, neither driver has never driven anything but a car. You can pick rook or vet??
Drive safely my friends!

[jwedell]

Seen a lot more truck driver accidents than rv accidents in my life.

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by jwedell

Seen a lot more truck driver accidents than rv accidents in my life.

because they are forced to drive to many hours and put everyone at risk. Either do it or loose their jobs. Us RVers are normally traveling at a more laid back pace.

[jwedell]

And usually not at rush hour or at night.

[Platokidd]

I rather have the guy behind me with a 5ver who was hauling corn as a kid then a class a driver with car only experience day or night

Guess I have to agree with rockfordroo ya cant fix stupid

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by Platokidd

I rather have the guy behind me with a 5ver who was hauling corn as a kid then a class a driver with car only experience day or night

THANKS

[TxTravelingRN]

Originally Posted by Platokidd

I rather have the guy behind me with a 5ver who was hauling corn as a kid then a class a driver with car only experience day or night

Guess I have to agree with rockfordroo ya cant fix stupid

I have to agree 100%.
Experience is almost as important as GCVW, pin weight, and all of the other formulas used to calculate safe towing.
I wanted to buy a 41 foot 5er, a real mansion on wheels. I decided though to get a 26 ft Rockwood Ultralite for now. Why would I pass on a great 5er that I really liked?
Because I DON'T have experience towing anything that large. There's a reason teenagers aren't driving 18 wheelers as soon as they get a drivers permit. RVs should be no different. (No I'm not calling for regulations) People should consider their experience / comfort level in addition to the TV capability when making their purchase. IMO it's just common sense.
My TV (F 350 DRW Diesel) is capable of pulling just about any trailer made. I personally just didn't feel comfortable pulling a huge trailer without more experience.

Personal Responsibility, it might just save your life and those around you.

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by TxTravelingRN

I have to agree 100%.
Experience is almost as important as GCVW, pin weight, and all of the other formulas used to calculate safe towing.

Personal Responsibility, it might just save your life and those around you.

to bad more people don't think like you. Most think just because they can buy it, they can do whatever they want. Buy more trailer than they can handle, probably not even hooked up properly (un-level, WD bars not set properly), towing fast on Chinese tires, etc. Sometimes the best entertainment at the campground is watching people back in and set up.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

What do you call pulling a trailer that's too big for your TV? I'd call THAT driver error!

Well THAT's not what the man in the know was saying. He was referring to errors in DRIVING, such as following too close, traveling too fast, making an error such as running a light, and so on.


I am glad to see that we are making some progress here in regards to driver experience being very important. You can crunch numbers until you are blue in the face, but the simple fact of the matter is that being safe while traveling involves much more than that.

[Platokidd]

Having good numbers is a good start.


Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forest River Forums mobile app

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by Platokidd

Having good numbers is a good start.


Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forest River Forums mobile app

There are at least 4 variables I can think of off the top of my head that would affect how much one can safely(as if there is a definite point between safe and unsafe) tow that those "numbers" don't take into account, so we'll have to agree to disagree about how much stock to put into them.

[OldCoot]

I just try diligently to stay away from all motor homes on the highway. If I see one coming up behind me, I will purposely slow down to get them out of the way asap, if I come up behind one (very rare) I will hug the median and accelerate as much as possible to make the pass as quick as possible. Motorhomes on the highways scare the crap out of me.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

I just try diligently to stay away from all motor homes on the highway. If I see one coming up behind me, I will purposely slow down to get them out of the way asap, if I come up behind one (very rare) I will hug the median and accelerate as much as possible to make the pass as quick as possible. Motorhomes on the highways scare the crap out of me.

Is that because you think most of them are driven by old guys that have been chauffeured from one corporate meeting to the next their entire lives, have ZERO experience driving or towing anything and have an ego large enough to think they can COMMAND the vehicle to do what they want and it must OBEY? Or something else??:rollback:


Edit: Just poking a little fun here. I've met some very nice and knowledgeable RV drivers over the years.

[EarlyRetirement]

For reference, my set up is in my signature. Let me start by saying that this is my first TT but that alone does not make me a mark for the shady sales person. I went in to this educated as I could be, I researched for months before purchasing. I know my TV can handle more trailer than I got, but why? I don’t need anymore than TT than I ended up with. As far as “The Numbers” go...well, I’m with-in by choice. I looked at my TV “Numbers” as a soft guideline when shopping. The best thing I did was not let my sales person know what I actually know, and at no point in the sales/shopping process did he try to steer me towards the huge 5ver, or over-bloated toy hauler. In fact, he didn’t even know what my TV was until I picked the TT up. This tells me that a sales person depends on the customer to do their own homework and they don’t quite care what you buy as long as you buy it. All that said, I found it funny when We were setting up the WDH and I asked him what the weight rating of the hitch was and he launched into some long explanation of how “this is plenty of hitch for this trailer, and he sells this trailer to people with half ton trucks all the time”. I just chuckled and rolled on. Ultimately I am of the opinion that it is up to the consumer to educate themselves and ask all the right questions because nobody else is going to do it for you. In my mind it’s the same as all those folks that singed for mortgages during the housing boom and then blamed the banks when the bubble popped, a total copout as far as I’m concerned. The only one responsible for your actions is you. When you go to buy a TT, house, car, or anything for that matter, just assume they are out to get you because they probably are.

[jevanb]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

Is that because you think most of them are driven by old guys that have been chauffeured from one corporate meeting to the next their entire lives, have ZERO experience driving or towing anything and have an ego large enough to think they can COMMAND the vehicle to do what they want and it must OBEY? Or something else??:rollback:


Edit: Just poking a little fun here. I've met some very nice and knowledgeable RV drivers over the years.

It is true, the owner of my company bought a 1mil prevost ripped all 3 A/C units because he wanted to go under the bridge and it was too low, also got high centered on a road the fuel attendant told him not to go that way and he tried to turn around at another low bridge... also hit numerous trees,, every time he showed up at the hanger it had to get a new piece of stainless wheel well covers at about 5 grand.. at one time I saw 4 of the busted up covers in the scrap bin..

[ourflat]

Be nice to those of us with MHs. The door swings both ways! I own a Class C because I will not drive a Class A, but that's me. I know my driving abilities and not only drive for me but everyone else around me. It's just like riding my HD motorcycle; self preservation!

[caper]

What scares me the most are the drivers of cars that have never towed and will cut in front of you and slam on the brakes when in heavy traffic. You are always trying to keep the distance between you and the traffic in front at a distance that would allow you to stop with out pushing the trunk into the drivers seat. I had one young girl do this to me at a construction site. I was slowing down and she passed me at full speed cut in front of me and then slammed on her brakes in order to avoid hitting the slow moving vehicles in the driving lane. I had to do an emergency stop and only missed her back bumper by and inch.