Now I'm stressed out......

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Timex

Let me guess, you didn't believe the sign and if the bridge was out there would be a way around, right? And you got to the spot and there was no way out, no place to turn around and it was a dark country road and you had to back up almost a mile to find a place to turn around. In the dark. Needless to say, your navigator, had to walk behind the TT with a flashlight so you had an aiming point.

I bet you believe those signs now don't you?

Don't ask me how I knew!

Been there, done that and on a muddy road to boot!

[Timex]

At least the road was paved. Had to back into a driveway and around a mail box. If it were a backing competition I'd have won 1st place but I was just glad to get out of there!

[Zhanna]

Bless his heart!

[Brother Les]

If you have not been in a situation like this.... you will be.

Mistake #1) relying on Google which took him down a dead end street. Look beyond the hood of the truck.

Mistake #2) Not using the whole area available to him. (I would have) He should have driven up on the sidewalk to the right side (there was a ramping area). This would have given him more than enough room to cut it around.

Mistake #3) having a 'spotter' that was not very good. The spotter must know what 'he' is doing in order to help the driver. 'We' all know that there are too many blind areas that can get 'us' into trouble.

Mistake #4) backing down the street when one is under the amount of stress he was now under. He went too far... too fast... with no 'spotter' to stand in and watch for and stop traffic if need be. He could have easily been hit or hit someone else.

Learn from his mistakes... but know, if you pull a trail all over the country, your WILL be in a situation like this. Remain calm, take your time, and use your head.

And Be Nice.....

Safety First and Always.

[Campin Cajun]

Some of the replies on this thread surprise me. Yea It was kinda funny, but did some of us forget, none of us were born towing a TT.

[DougP47]

I'm just glad they didn't take the fence down and try to turnaround in the sand.

[Timex]

I also knew a fellow who pulled into an almost empty Taco Bell parking lot and thought he had enough room to turn his rig around and get out after he ate. When he came out the parking lot had filled somewhat, preventing him from turning around and getting out. So he thought, well, he'll just go around the building thru the drive-thru and then out the front. While he was going thru the drive thru he noticed the lane made a sharp left turn in front of the building. Not to fear, he hopped the curb on the right side and made the turn with only inches to spare. All the workers were standing next to the glass windows, with their heads shaking and thinking there is no way this is going to turn out good.

That was before I bought a Vlite.

I still think about that when I drive thru Semmes, AL.

The moral of this story, plan your escape before you perform your entrance.

[mark0224]

We may not have been born to tow but we were given the common sense enough to not let ourselves be caught in a rat trap. Come on there must have been a dead end sign at the corner.

[Timex]

OK, I've confessed to 2 major errors in judgment but was able to get out of it. Am I the only one to have ever done something stupid or am I the only one dumb enough to admit it?

[Mr. Dan]

I haven't done this with a trailer... but I DID get a tractor and plow hung in the corner of a field once. I didn't notice before I got in the corner that the fence in front of me was not perpendicular to the one beside me. The corner was less than a 90° angle. However, it took me less time than the novice in the video to get extricated. How's that? Is that a like enough confession?

[Timex]

I guess.


Certainly, somebody has gone down a one way street the wrong way or forgot to latch the tongue hitch to the ball, etc.


Help me out somebody, ya'll don't leave me hanging!

[Brother Les]

Originally Posted by Timex

I guess.


Certainly, somebody has gone down a one way street the wrong way or forgot to latch the tongue hitch to the ball, etc.


Help me out somebody, ya'll don't leave me hanging!

Ok.... I will help you out..... "Dude... your going down a one way street the wrong way, so turn around.... and I will spot you".


As for not latching the tongue hitch that would be in the thread, "Things I forgot when going Camping"......

[DreiHunde]

Originally Posted by Timex

OK, I've confessed to 2 major errors in judgment but was able to get out of it. Am I the only one to have ever done something stupid or am I the only one dumb enough to admit it?

Oh no...not the only one! During a recent trip to Myrtle Beach I pulled into a station to get fuel that had a way out around the back of the store...or so I thought. Got behind the store to find it blocked by a storage shed.
SO.... sheepishly with the assistance of my outstanding DW clearing cars out of my way I had to back out around the store pass the pumps and along the front of the store until I could drive out to the street. The wife and store manager were impressed with the "mad backing skills"....but I was hiding my face cos I got in that situation in the first place!

[Iwritecode]

This video is 100X worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYcsW48HHXM

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

This video is 100X worse.

That's hard to watch

[Soxfan1957]

How did that person ever get a license?

[racingmom]

Admittedly, I am one of the worst backer-uppers in the world, but good Lord, turn the wheel, turn the wheel! Even I can do that!

[Terier]

Originally Posted by Timex

OK, I've confessed to 2 major errors in judgment but was able to get out of it. Am I the only one to have ever done something stupid or am I the only one dumb enough to admit it?

I also have 2 major errors in judgement. The first time was a Del Taco just minutes after taking delivery. An experienced driver towing would had gotten out of the situation sooner. This was my first time towing and I was alone. I regretted trying to stop for a soda.

The second time I was in a busy area and thought I would go through a parking lot that circles around so that I could head in the other direction. I realized too late that the fast food place had changed the layout of the parking area since the last time I was there. I was smart enough to back out but I got a workout using the GOAL method. I would had thought that someone would had been kind enough to help but they all just stood & watched. There were parked cars on both sides and also behind me.

In both cases it was what I couldn't see that made the situation harder to deal with.

[Zhanna]

Originally Posted by racingmom

Admittedly, I am one of the worst backer-uppers in the world, but good Lord, turn the wheel, turn the wheel! Even I can do that!

Same here. I can barely back my car out of a parking spot. My brain just doesn't do backwards!

[5 hole]

That video with the car happened just down the road from me. They never did identify the driver or any repercussions....