truck and trailer total loss due to black ice
So it's been almost 3 weeks since we totaled our truck and fifth wheel. We were an hour from home enroute to Florida from Hamilton, Ontario when we hit black ice, lost control, went down an embankmen...
Forum Discussion
Well here I am back again.
First of all I was NOT in cruise control.
Secondly, the weather and road conditions were good when we started out. We had checked on-line for conditions along the various points along our route at the times we would passing through. Also, the highway this happened on runs within a mile of our house and I had driven over a few overpasses with our car before our departure and everything looked fine. So seemingly, I had taken all the precautions. But it happened!!
There is one thing I didn't mention is that we had just come over a bridge over a small creek and the slide might have started there. When I say bridge, I am talking level and paved like the rest of the highway. I should also mention that while we are sitting in the back of the police cruiser nobody else wipes out and I see big honking fifth wheels one and a half times the size of ours go by in the passing lane.
So, what have I learned as I keep playing this thing over in my mind. First, slow down significantly if I even remotely suspect the possibility of black ice. Secondly, I will ease off the accelerator on bridges.
Also, I have only 1100 pounds of pin weight. I carry my 40 gal blue boy behind the fifth wheel hitch of my truck. I will fill it almost full of water before I leave to give me some more weight over my rear wheels.
There seems to be a variance of opinion regarding the use of 4 wheel drive under these conditions so I'm still somewhat confused on this score. We were coming home from Florida about 10 years ago in end of March. Just north of Pittsburgh it started to drizzle and then snow which turned into a regular snow storm. There were all sorts of vehicles in the ditch. We had ample warning slowed right down and in 4 wheel drive I don't think my wheels spun even once. Made our way to a Cracker Barrel, stayed overnight at a Waalmart and the next morning the snow had thawed and we were on our way again.
Anyhow, the insurance companies have settled (different insurance co for trailer than for truck) (not without a fight) I have bought a 2014 Rockwood same model as I had waiting to be picked up. And there is a 2016 F250 crew cab short box diesel that will be picked up middle of next week. Wanted another Duramax but the used ones are all being sold to the US because of the difference in our currency lately. A new Duramax is roughly $ 10,000 more than a Ford right now. Ford has been running some incentives lately so the choice was Ford or Ram.
First of all I was NOT in cruise control.
Secondly, the weather and road conditions were good when we started out. We had checked on-line for conditions along the various points along our route at the times we would passing through. Also, the highway this happened on runs within a mile of our house and I had driven over a few overpasses with our car before our departure and everything looked fine. So seemingly, I had taken all the precautions. But it happened!!
There is one thing I didn't mention is that we had just come over a bridge over a small creek and the slide might have started there. When I say bridge, I am talking level and paved like the rest of the highway. I should also mention that while we are sitting in the back of the police cruiser nobody else wipes out and I see big honking fifth wheels one and a half times the size of ours go by in the passing lane.
So, what have I learned as I keep playing this thing over in my mind. First, slow down significantly if I even remotely suspect the possibility of black ice. Secondly, I will ease off the accelerator on bridges.
Also, I have only 1100 pounds of pin weight. I carry my 40 gal blue boy behind the fifth wheel hitch of my truck. I will fill it almost full of water before I leave to give me some more weight over my rear wheels.
There seems to be a variance of opinion regarding the use of 4 wheel drive under these conditions so I'm still somewhat confused on this score. We were coming home from Florida about 10 years ago in end of March. Just north of Pittsburgh it started to drizzle and then snow which turned into a regular snow storm. There were all sorts of vehicles in the ditch. We had ample warning slowed right down and in 4 wheel drive I don't think my wheels spun even once. Made our way to a Cracker Barrel, stayed overnight at a Waalmart and the next morning the snow had thawed and we were on our way again.
Anyhow, the insurance companies have settled (different insurance co for trailer than for truck) (not without a fight) I have bought a 2014 Rockwood same model as I had waiting to be picked up. And there is a 2016 F250 crew cab short box diesel that will be picked up middle of next week. Wanted another Duramax but the used ones are all being sold to the US because of the difference in our currency lately. A new Duramax is roughly $ 10,000 more than a Ford right now. Ford has been running some incentives lately so the choice was Ford or Ram.
