Please remove your hitch

:) Hi, two more points.

If you must leave the hitch in your receiver, maybe you could paint it fluorescent orange so people could more easily see it. Or put a red cone on it.

And when the hitch becomes too heavy for me to remove it, and re-install it, maybe it's time to stop towing. Might be time to turn in your license and stop driving altogether.

I'm sorry to hear your wife was injured.

Those hitches can be a pain to remove since they are so heavy. And then there's the issue of where to store them while they're off. They can't generally be stored on the TT since they're so heavy -unless one has a jack or stand to hold it up. And you might have to worry about it "walking away" from your campsite, as well.

That said, after running into our own TT hitch a time or two and getting ball grease all over me, I did cover the it with a plastic Target bag. Maybe that would cause someone to see it more readily and not run into it. Worked for me, anyway.

-J-half

I don't have a hitch.

I would never think to blame the owner of a parked truck for walking into their hitch, anymore than I would blame them for my walking into their side view mirrors, bike racks, storage racks, winch, lowered tailgates, etc. It is my own personal responsibility to watch where I am going.

If I am walking around a parked vehicle in tight quarters, it is MY responsibility to make sure I don't run into it. When the vehicle is in motion, it is the driver's responsibility to make sure they don't ram the hitch into a stationary object.

dodge guy wrote:
For those that like to leave it in place......you do know that with the thinking of "it will protect me if anyone rear ends me" is ridiculous! I work in a body shop and have seen frames damaged because the hitch acts as a lever and makes it very easy to fold a frame down when rear ended! many of them were totaled because it costs too much to replace a frame.

I remove mine whenever it`s not being used. it protects it from the elements, and it keeps me or anyone else from running into it with their shin! plus it reduces potential damage to my truck in case of an accident. and it won`t rust in place!

And yes sometimes it`s necessary to walk close to some ones truck, so don`t get upset when you are told it is unnecessary to leave it in place!

:) Hi, I have worked at new car dealers since 1968 and I have posted this on several forums, but people still don't want to believe me. I, too, have seen several vehicles that were rear ended with the hitch still in the receiver and it bent the frame down. For sure, this is not what anyone would want to happen to their tow vehicle especially when camping / traveling three states away from home. Also when walking on a sidewalk, or in a store parking lot, you don't expect to see a hitch sticking out about a foot behind someone's truck.

What ever happened to "personal responsibility" instead of trying to place the blame on someone else? Have I walked into someone's hitch? You darn right I have and did I run tell them that they were to blame, NO I knew who was at fault and cussed him out. Suck it up and put the blame where it lies, NOT on everyone else.

2oldman wrote:

rbpru wrote:
I know from experience that my hitch is not afraid of me.

Yah, I still have scars from walking into my insert.

Plus I've lost track of how many jeans I've ruined with grease (and blood) getting on them from smacking into the hitch. And then there's the theft factor. Imagine how bad it would be to have someone swipe it during a trip.
I always take it out.

rbpru wrote:
I know from experience that my hitch is not afraid of me.

Yah, I still have scars from walking into my insert.

I remove mine because I had one stolen at a campground once, I also don't like the way they look. Mine is a non WDH so it isn't too heavy to deal with.

If someone rear ends me without the hitch in their insurance will buy me a new bumper. If someone rear ends me with the hitch in I will worry about the stress put on the hitch/frame and the unseen damage that may occur.

But to each is own, if you want to leave your hitch in thats your choice, after banging my shin on several over the years I just pay attention to where I'm walking.

Would it be nice and considerate for people to remove their hitch? Yes.
Is the vehicles owner in the wrong here? No.
I am sorry she ran into it, but it the DW's fault.

And for the posters who were chastising the vehicle owner for the me first and the it's all about me attitude, I'd say that applies even more to the DW's situation. Instead of putting the blame where it rightly belongs, it must be someone else that caused all their problems.

jerem0621 wrote:
I'm kind of shocked at some of these answers here.

It takes 30 seconds to remove a draw bar. There is no need to put a draw bar on the back of the vehicle if you are not towing. Its called being considerate of others, people walk close to cars.. sometimes they don't have a choice. I don't want to be in a parking lot walking to my car, get past a truck and turn and walk into a hitch. Its easy to do and I have done it myself.

This kind of cr@p is why RV'ers and truck owners get a bad rap. We do things to intentionally create problems (pain) for others and then we spout personal responsibility and how its THEIR FAULT. Ya know that personal responsibility deal goes BOTH WAYS. Why would you want to intentionally set a booby trap for someone to bust their shins.. or a little kid take a draw bar to the chest or worse.

Please be considerate of others and take your draw bar out of the receiver when not in use.

As a byproduct, your draw bars will stay in better shape.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

Umm.. "RVrs" are NOT the ONLY ONES to leave a hitch drawbar in.

I for one do not leave mine in but it is not for reasons of me or anyone else getting grease or hurt..

It is because they are often a target for thieves.

A coworker years ago left his in because he used it nearly daily, he had a very high 4x4 and needed a long drop shank to tow. He took his truck to a football game, when he got back to the truck to leave the hitch was gone..

The replacement hitch cost him almost $500..

While YOU feel that is only takes "30 seconds" to remove and install a hitch YOU are incorrect. Some hitches fit tight some fit pretty sloppy..

Pretty much every time I need to install or remove mine I end up having to drop to my knees to line up the hitch pin hole, then insert pin then clip the pin in place. Not exactly a huge amount of time but I do spend a few minutes each time plus kneeling..

Then because I tend to have to kneel, I have two choices, drag something to kneel on or enjoy a nice big mud/grass covered knee the rest of the day or even the enjoyment of embedded gravel in my knee..

At home I can install or remove my hitch in my garage but at a campsite I have to drag a piece of 2x12 or a heavy rubber mat to kneel on.. Not a lot of fun to do but while camping I will do that just so my hitch doesn't grow legs..

I don't condemn anyone for leaving their hitch in, it IS their CHOICE to do so and if YOU walk into that hitch it is YOUR FAULT not the owner of said vehicle. There is no reason to be walking that close to a vehicle.. Parking lots tend to have a lot of space for vehicles and pedestrians to move without the need to hug the rear of the parked vehicles.

For those who state that it is illegal to leave a hitch in (keeping in mind that those laws could apply to anything else which is left in the receiver), please post the actual law(s) which state this, instead of repeating a bunch of hearsay.