Beware the Danger Zone!
Danger Zone - The area between your tow vehicle and dinghy. Woman crushed helping husband hook up towed vehicle
Forum Discussion
Hooking up our toad safely:
First, I configure the tow bar to approximately the right location to connect to the toad baseplate - spread out to the right width + half way between all the way compressed and all the way extended.
Second, I drive the toad up to be close to tow bar arms and closer to the RV than the final spacing.
Third, I get out of the car and look, and if necessary I jockey the car around to be about where I want it (lined up with the tow bar arms, and closer than they will be when the arms extend and lock).
Fourth, I connect the ends of the shortened tow bars to the base plate.
Fifth, I back up the toad to latch the tow bars at their extended lengths.
Sixth, if I can't quite get it right, I have DW get in the car and make some slow short movements - forward or back plus left to right - until both tow bars latch.
Even if she gunned it, she couldn't squash me because I'm standing to the side, and the collapsed tow bar arms will stop the car before it can get all the way to the RV.
First, I configure the tow bar to approximately the right location to connect to the toad baseplate - spread out to the right width + half way between all the way compressed and all the way extended.
Second, I drive the toad up to be close to tow bar arms and closer to the RV than the final spacing.
Third, I get out of the car and look, and if necessary I jockey the car around to be about where I want it (lined up with the tow bar arms, and closer than they will be when the arms extend and lock).
Fourth, I connect the ends of the shortened tow bars to the base plate.
Fifth, I back up the toad to latch the tow bars at their extended lengths.
Sixth, if I can't quite get it right, I have DW get in the car and make some slow short movements - forward or back plus left to right - until both tow bars latch.
Even if she gunned it, she couldn't squash me because I'm standing to the side, and the collapsed tow bar arms will stop the car before it can get all the way to the RV.
