Boat trailer comes loose - tragic.

wing_zealot wrote:

Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote:
The max weight limit for no trailer brakes is 1500/2000# isn't it. Also no matter the cause the driver is going to be issued a citation. Unsecured load at minimum and most likely a vehicular manslaughter charge.

Towing anything is not a joke as we have seen many times. I feel everyone should have to hold a upgraded driver's license and be tested as to their ability to be able to handle a vehicle towing anything, even a small utility trailer.

How many people regularly inspect their safety chains, correctly attache the brake away cable and then stop and re inspect you're set up after 50 miles?

I just bought new chain for my boat trailer. There are three safety chains two attach to the truck and there is one that attaches to the boat along with the winch cable.

Don

Typical. Somewhere in the country one guy has an accident for some unknown reason and the Answer Is:
-More regulations
-More red tape and bureaucracy
-More licensing hoops to jump through
-More restrictions
-And the only thing you forgot was the huge luxury tax to pay for it

The fact that the vast majority of the people seem to not be having a problem be damned. Regulate it to death, and if it still moves tax it.

Welcome to modern day America. Home of the wimps and land of the "government please protect me's"

qtla9111 wrote:

Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote:

wing_zealot wrote:

Oasisbob wrote:
Some time ago there was a post about someone who sawa campground neighbor with an unsxafe trailer hook up. Many said best response was to "mind your own busness". This story is a prime example of why unsafe towing is everyone's busness.

You have the absolute right to say anything you want to me. I have the absolute right to ignore you and tell you mind your own business. That's where "everyone's business" ends.

Would expect nothing less from you. Then a phone call to the police to let them know what is heading down their roads. A quick honk and wave as I drive by.

I agree with OasisBob. OTOH, it's human nature to be defensive when approached by a stranger who is telling you that you are not doing something correctly be it following a rule or how your rig is hooked up.

The approach is important. The best way to make an enemy is to start out by saying something stupid like, "you rig isn't hooked up right!". "That truck isn't enough to pull your trailer", "you need to pick up your dog poop". Those approaches never work. You need to be kind, as if it were you on the other side.

When it comes to safety, it doesn't matter what country you live in, your lack of knowledge or ineptness becomes my business. My kids, my family, my neighbors or my community are at risk.

Very much agreed. There are people that don't like my setup. Most will say something to me, usually at the dump station, like: How's that setup work out for you? Do you tow very far? Have you towed that trailer very long? (This happens 2-3 times a year.)

I'll then explain about weighing the trailer, weighting the full setup with everyone and gear loaded, hitch, complain about how hard it is to hit that high-up button on Cat Scales (I have to jump and slap to hit it), along with the limits on the door sticker, how I stay within those, towing at 60mph, etc... They usually huh! a few times and walk away (likely not knowing what they think at that point).

BUT - if I were unaware of the limits, it would be very effective in terms of informing me of them. On the other hand, for those few that have walked up to me and said flat out, "That trailer is too much for your vehicle." They just get a brief look, a shrug, and ignored while I go about my business.

DougE wrote:
I don't see safety chains, but the article seems to indicate that the boat came off the trailer.

That's kind of how I interpreted the article too.

The article is written in a very odd manner, due to two different (and vague) descriptions of what happened.

PA law: 1500lbs plus requires brakes and annual inspections. You should see the clowns throw pallets of pellets into grocery getters. In depressed areas 20 plus year old frame plated together variety as well.

What a tragedy.

I have a couple of the same hitches that are 2 5/16 ball for pulling my dump trailers and flat bed. Spent a lot of time looking at hitches and found these have some of the highest weight ratings on the market. My dump trailers are 14K rated so can't use a normal off the shelf hitch with them.

A couple years ago spun out on an icy bridge and "totaled" out the 00 Excursion while pulling the 20ft flat bed. The left side of the trailer hit the center median and also hit a car in the other lane before the rear driver side of the X hit the center median. The trailer never came off the hitch but after a close inspection found the shaft on the hitch got really bent from the accident.

The insurance tables will be the starting point for the 'value' of that
lost life and for the surviving girl. Payment will be low balled and
up to those two girl's family lawyers to work the jury on 'pain and suffering...etc'

You guys won't notice a 1,500 lb trailer, nor would I, but most who
would rent/own that small a utility trailer will NOT be (typically)
towing it with what we have as TV's

Most will be 'ride quality' half tons and 'cars' with less than 5K GVWRs

They are the ones am addressing with my comment of needing trailer brakes
on those small utility trailers

Another designers axiom...: "design it for the idiot and gorilla"
as if they can do it wrong, they will...

Am okay that California has a 1.5K threshold line for trailer brakes, and
wish it was lower and again, okay at the current threshold

If you want to be conservative when towing a trailer that does not have brakes, keep your GCW bellow your tow vehicle's GVWR. In my state, trailers with a GVWR under 3000 lbs do not require brakes and the tow vehicle GVWR has no bearing whether the trailer should have independent brakes. However, there is a braking performance test that can be administered by a LEO if you are pulled over to verify you can stop in a prescribed distance from a set speed.

So for the crowd that thinks 1000# limit is extreme, why not say the towed unit must have a braking system if the GVWR of the unit exceeds the payload of the TV. What everyoneis for getting os not everyone owns a one ton truck!

Without regulations we would have morons out there towing a 16,000# fifth wheel with a 1500/150 class truck.

As for this guy not facing Manslaughter charges. I know a truck driver that is serving a 25 year sentence for aggravated vehicular homicide for the death of 4 people and the injury of 2 others. The fifth wheel pin broke causing the trailer to crash into a van. They charged him because they said he should have noticed that the pin bracket was so rusted that he should have taken the trailer out of service. Does not matter if you hold a commercial DL or not, you are responsible to make sure the tow vehicle and the vehicle being towed is safe before you drive on the road. Note I did not say he should be charged, I said he most likely will be.

Don

wing_zealot wrote:

Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote:
The max weight limit for no trailer brakes is 1500/2000# isn't it. Also no matter the cause the driver is going to be issued a citation. Unsecured load at minimum and most likely a vehicular manslaughter charge.

Towing anything is not a joke as we have seen many times. I feel everyone should have to hold a upgraded driver's license and be tested as to their ability to be able to handle a vehicle towing anything, even a small utility trailer.

How many people regularly inspect their safety chains, correctly attache the brake away cable and then stop and re inspect you're set up after 50 miles?

I just bought new chain for my boat trailer. There are three safety chains two attach to the truck and there is one that attaches to the boat along with the winch cable.

Don

Typical. Somewhere in the country one guy has an accident for some unknown reason and the Answer Is:
-More regulations
-More red tape and bureaucracy
-More licensing hoops to jump through
-More restrictions
-And the only thing you forgot was the huge luxury tax to pay for it

The fact that the vast majority of the people seem to not be having a problem be damned. Regulate it to death, and if it still moves tax it.

Yet, even with that "nanny-state" mentality, they haven't demanded that their state pass a law specifically requiring that a towed vehicle have an auxiliary braking system, AND that such systems be tested and approved by an independent testing laboratory before they can be used on THEIR roadways!
go figure....

Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote:
The max weight limit for no trailer brakes is 1500/2000# isn't it. Also no matter the cause the driver is going to be issued a citation. Unsecured load at minimum and most likely a vehicular manslaughter charge.

Towing anything is not a joke as we have seen many times. I feel everyone should have to hold a upgraded driver's license and be tested as to their ability to be able to handle a vehicle towing anything, even a small utility trailer.

How many people regularly inspect their safety chains, correctly attache the brake away cable and then stop and re inspect you're set up after 50 miles?

I just bought new chain for my boat trailer. There are three safety chains two attach to the truck and there is one that attaches to the boat along with the winch cable.

Don

Typical. Somewhere in the country one guy has an accident for some unknown reason and the Answer Is:
-More regulations
-More red tape and bureaucracy
-More licensing hoops to jump through
-More restrictions
-And the only thing you forgot was the huge luxury tax to pay for it

The fact that the vast majority of the people seem to not be having a problem be damned. Regulate it to death, and if it still moves tax it.