Yesterday my wife hurt her knee on a hitch on the back of someone's pickup in a parking lot. I don't know if it was a TT owner's truck but the lesson was clear. We need to be considerate and remove the hitch after we are done towing.

Lots of luck with this one. We have people who tow a fifth wheel south for six months, yet have hitch bars in place. I guess it is to protect their rear end from people like your wife.

Why was she walking so close to the back of someone's truck? My hitch weighs about 35 pounds, no way am I going to remove it!

I got an instant reminder to take mine off after banging my shin into mine. DOH!They even put up more lights where I work. Guy ran into someones in the dark and got hurt. So I second the motion. Take them off!

Sorry that your wife hurt herself but I would not put the blame on the hitch.

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!

Please remove your hitch | Good Sam Community

Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Dec 27, 2014
Caveman Charlie wrote:
I didn't read all 8 pages of this thread. (Wow 8 pages from 9am to 5 pm on the same day. You must have really hit a nerve... Get it,, hit a nerve.)

I too am sorry your wife got hurt but, I rarely remove my hitch. I use it every couple of days so it just stays in there. After banging my shin on it a couple of times I just learned to avoid it.

I have a buddy that left his in for so long we couldn't even get it out using a tractor. Just pulled the pickup backward.

They do make rubber things that go around the hitch to protect your legs if you hurt yourself on it a lot.

Maybe the OP could invent and patent a hitch air bag for folks to install on their vehicles which would help cut down on the deaths caused by lazy folk walking to close..

Or perhaps a extremely loud siren with airport flashing lights which would go off whenever someone is within 20ft of the rear of the vehicle..

OP could make bunches of money by legislating some laws requiring all hitch owners to "retrofit" their patented "safety" systems for the lazy folks walking too close..
Caveman_Charlie
Explorer II
Dec 27, 2014
I didn't read all 8 pages of this thread. (Wow 8 pages from 9am to 5 pm on the same day. You must have really hit a nerve... Get it,, hit a nerve.)

I too am sorry your wife got hurt but, I rarely remove my hitch. I use it every couple of days so it just stays in there. After banging my shin on it a couple of times I just learned to avoid it.

I have a buddy that left his in for so long we couldn't even get it out using a tractor. Just pulled the pickup backward.

They do make rubber things that go around the hitch to protect your legs if you hurt yourself on it a lot.
Mr__Camper
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
Maybe someone should form a club...The Kneenockers. Whatever happened to personal responsibility?
jake2250
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
If I am Camping I leave my hitch in and locked! I do not want it stolen.. When we go site seeing I cover the greasy ball with a bright yellow tennis ball,, If someone busts a shin on it I am sorry for your injury but I have done all I can to warn you! I was at a small coastal town and parked near a popular sea food joint,, Parking lot was tight! When we come out I noticed a note under my wiper,, It said "Thanks to your inconsiderate laziness my child ruined his shirt from the greasy hitch you left on your truck"! I kinda chuckled at first,, but that would have meant that your little germ bugger had to have taken or knocked the tennis ball off and rubbed themselves against the hitch ball!! I mean really?? How is that my fault? Now that kid is going to grow up hating campers!! Oh,, and I use synthetic grease!! Not going to wash out......
SprinklerMan
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
I use my hitch almost every day , the only time I take it out is to swap it with another size . I have bumped into it before , and it hurts . I also leave my snowplow on just about all of Jan.and Feb. And yes I have had people walk into the big red 8 ft wide 2 ft tall plow with flags on each corner . If you are not paying attention to where you are walking you will walk into something .
tvman44
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
Sure blame someone else because you don't watch where you are walking. :)
bfast54
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
gchackett wrote:
Pretty sure it not legal to have a hitch receiver in when not towing here in Michigan. I see them all the time however but still don't make it right. I never drive around with one unless I am using it to tow. I have done that dance myself of getting a good shin buster from one. Don't recall ever doing it in a parking lot on someone else vehicle.

ARE YOU FRIGGING KIDDING ME?????????? Against the LAW???????

Please......educate us all.....Quote the statute........:S
matt7591
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
There's a new con in the world revolving around oneself department.
nevadanick
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
Come on now be reasonable, dont you know its always someone elses fault.
Steeljag
Explorer
Dec 27, 2014
I remove mine as soon as we return from camping. It is maybe 30 lbs? No biggie, simply take it off and put it away,

In open parking areas, If your not physically able to remove it, none of my business. I do get irritated with those who back into spaces where the bumper hangs over the sidewalk, and the hitch extends another foot over the sidewalk. I just worry about kids and the elderly.