Road Hazards

Bill U · 10-22-2009, 05:05 PM

Comming back from Stone Mountain this weekend after attending the Highland Games (yes we wear kilts, the whole family does) I saw something on I-75 about 1000 feet away in my lane. Being the cautious driver I drifted right and narrowly missed a shovel laying face up in the lane. Whew...thoughts of blown tires with a thirty footer TT whizzed through my mind. Later around Macon Ga I saw blue smoke from tires locking up about six car lenghts ahead. A small suv had blown a tire in the fast lane and went from left lane to middle lane and then back to the left lane and then into the median strip grassy area where the suv proceded to hug the guard rail separating the the north and south lanes. This all happened in nano seconds. Sixty seconds later is when it all hit me. It could have been a lot worse, me ramming that poor suv, me wrecking my truck and TT, my wife in the Expedition comming forty minutes later and finding our truck and camper a wreck. There but for the grace of God go I.

bigdaddy1 · 10-22-2009, 09:39 PM

I have one motto when I am behind the steering wheel.."expect the unexpected".

cfsoistman · 10-23-2009, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdaddy1

I have one motto when I am behind the steering wheel.."expect the unexpected".

I'll add in. Expect the other drivers to do something really careless.
We purchased a Coleman PU years ago and were on our way to the Yogi park at Luray Caverns. While traveling of Rte 70, traveling in the right hand lane I came up on a tractor trailer on a hill. He was down to about 45 mph. I changed lanes and passed him in the center lane. Once we were getting to flatter ground he went by and blasting his horn. There was a piece of a tire tread laying straight on the line between our lanes. All of sudden he drifts over right on to the tire tread and threw it right back into our vehicle. We were fortunate that we weren't seriously hurt or worse. It took out my headlight, blinkers etc. Another foot up it could have come right through the windshield. He just went blasting down the road. I think he was ticked off because I went by him when he was battling the hill. I pulled off in a rest area and contacted GEICO. They gave me the address of the closest repair facility. We were pulling the PU with a brand new 2000 Durango with 1300 miles on it. We only had it for 6 weeks. Fortunately we were able to get immediate service at Fitzgerald Dodge in Frederick MD. The service writers got me to pull my vehicle and camper inside the service area. They,the service writers, bummed tools and replaced the headlight assembly and fuses that blew. They only charged me for the parts, no labor. Without their help our trip would have been over right then but we were able to still reach our destination just about 90 minutes later. I made sure I had their names and sent a letter to the owner of the dealership. We had the body work done later after the trip.

ScottnKimmer · 10-23-2009, 12:17 PM

We too have experienced this wonderful road debris issue. While bringing our brand new rig home from TN we were in a construction zone in the far left lane of two lanes and the lanes jogged one lane to the right. Those orange construction barrels to our left as we moved one lane over. All of a sudden a cloud of dust came from in front of us two tractor trailers ahead. We could not see a reason but were immediately met with a barrel coming up from the rear tires of the tractor trailer in front of us. It hit us in the front left of the front bumper and went directly under the trucks tires then came up from the back of the truck and hit the trailer in the diamond plate then proceede to go under the left trailer tires. I was fully expecting a tire to go down. We pulled to the right when we could and slowed a ton waiting for something to happen. I was so pissed I refused to pull over and look at the damage if the tires were fine. I wanted to be clear of the construction zone and we were planning on a dinner stop shortly anyway. The tires never went down and were completely spared any issues. Once we stopped I found scratches on the front bumper and 9 little dents in the diamond plate. I know it could have been much worse so we ate our dinner and chaulked it up to a close call.

Don and Elaine · 10-24-2009, 09:59 AM

Don`t get me wrong, but I have found that many truckers view RVs as a pain you know where. I have family that are over the road truckers and all have that view of RVs. Its unfortunate that a trucker will go out of his way to hit some road debris and kick it up in front of us (that has happened to me also, as I passed a truck on a hill. When he was able to get his speed back up , he seemed annoyed that we passed him and procedded to cut back in front of us causing me to lock up the TT brakes to avoid hitting him. Later he drifted onto the shoulder and kicked up a chunk of tire). I understand the fact that RVs are generally slow moving and nobody wants to stay behind us but I just wish that other vehicles would give us our "safty space" and show the RV'ing community some common courtesy.

rockwood06 · 10-24-2009, 06:46 PM

I usually try to stay out of everyone's way because I know we, RV'ers are not liked on the road. I always try to help out truck drivers and give them the right of way when ever possible. I have been in situations where they have helped me and I thank them for that. I often think about road and traffic situations and what I would do in case of an emergency, some times It's hard to come up solution when It hasn't happen but of course reality is the real test.
Most of the problems I have experienced with people in car is that they will not let me change lanes, so to them I move my steering form left to right in my tow vehicle many times to start the trailer swaying....You would not believe all of the lanes I have to myself, they back off quick. but of course once I get in the lane I want and everyone starts passing me, I get some nasty looks and some times hand jesters, I just smile.....

TulsaSteve · 10-25-2009, 08:49 AM

I'm especially fond of pickup trucks with loads stacked high and seem to forget to tie things down. You haven't lived until you have a coffee table launched from the back of a pickup at 70 MPH.

I find the rules of riding my motorcycle and driving the RV are similar. Lots of space, assume everyone else hates you for having so much fun.

Remember, those truckers just got screwed out of a load, their wives are pissed and probably cheating on them and they are probably a few payments behind on the rig, while you are driving a ~$100K of FUN down the road on your way to Disney or the Grand Canyon.

cfsoistman · 10-25-2009, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TulsaSteve

I'm especially fond of pickup trucks with loads stacked high and seem to forget to tie things down. You haven't lived until you have a coffee table launched from the back of a pickup at 70 MPH.

I find the rules of riding my motorcycle and driving the RV are similar. Lots of space, assume everyone else hates you for having so much fun.

Remember, those truckers just got screwed out of a load, their wives are pissed and probably cheating on them and they are probably a few payments behind on the rig, while you are driving a ~$100K of FUN down the road on your way to Disney or the Grand Canyon.

Yeah that's it or they're just plain stupid. I don't care what the excuse may be. It doesn't give them the right to kill or almost kill someone with their vehicles. We were just fortunate that chunk of tire wasn't a foot higher or I would be a widower. I did nothing wrong, no different if I was 20 mph below the speed limit and someone in my lane went around me. What his problem was I don't know. I just hope for all of our sakes is if he's going to drive like that he either gets caught or kills himself before he kills one of us.

TulsaSteve · 10-25-2009, 12:49 PM

cfsoistman:

No doubt. No excuses for these a$$holes. It just makes me feel better to pretend that they hate me because I have really cool stuff and they don't.

cfsoistman · 10-26-2009, 11:07 AM

On most of my trips since we bought the motorhome the drive has been very enjoyable. The truckers for the most part have been fine to be traveling with. The biggest problem I've had though has come from a few passenger cars and one pick-up truck ( no towing hitch ) pulling right in front of me and then just dying. When I come up on a hill I generally try to excellerate so I have a good run at the hill. I've had "EINSTEIN" pull onto the yeild lane and then drag race me, cut me off and then slow to 45 mph. I'm braking like no tomorrow to keep from flattening the idiot and when I've lost all of my momentum they pull off like a rocket. Guess who's now struggling to go up that hill. I really believe if there was a common sense test required for all drivers, the roads would be quite a bit safer. Stupidity should not be a license to kill.

powerboatr · 10-26-2009, 02:56 PM

road alligators,

i tend to give folks wide berth as well,
you just never know when things decide to leap for freedom from a truck

were we stayed for a while in a state to remain nameless we used to joke about the 30th of the month as everyone was playing musical trailer parks and would stack their belongings sky high with no ropes and drive around town to the new abode

otr truckers I find are about 70/30 for being cordial/rude
most wave at us when they pass, but some scowl...usually at truck stops, once they see how crippled and young i am , seem to be friendlier than when they first eyeball me as i drive up.
either way i drive defensively but courteous
always looking ahead as far as i can see.
i have had to pass a car with the motorhome on a two lane though

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