Passenger in your 5er

[theoldwizard1]

While I know it is illegal (at least in most states) is there any logical reason that passengers should not be allow to ride in a 5er while going down the road ? Sure, they need to be seated in a well designed, bolted down chair with at least a seat belt, but are the odds of the trailer being struck any more than the tow vehicle ?

[DutchmenSport]

Just curious, to stir the pot a little more.... does anyone know of, or seen, or actually heard, or even read anywhere where someone was riding in the back of a 5er or a TT and the trailer was involved in an accident? If so, what was the outcome of the passengers in the trailer? In the real world setting, has this actually happened? We can speculate and theorize till the cows come home. Real life examples might be more beneficial to this discussion.

If no one responds, then I can assume no one has actual first hand knowledge, so pretty much everything discussed here, about how dangerous it is to ride in a trailer is all speculation.

And FYI, those who posted that they don't let anyone ride in their campers, even to the point of having the "smarts" to get a 12 seater passenger van, you have most definitely chosen to do a wise thing. No one will every argue the point of riding in the tow vehicle... ever.

[JIMNLIN]

In high school my best buddies dad had a rv/house trailer(mobilehomes) repair and recovery service. He and I would go into a blowover/roll over/wrecked unit and set things up so they caused no more damage when the unit was rolled over on its wheels. It was a eye opener of severe damage a stove/fridge or even a glass bowl from the cabinet or any loose object does in that situation. A person inside may survive the impact but its doubtful if they survive serious injury from a volley of loose items banging around inside the unit.

When I had truck campers I would let the kids ride in the overhead around the campground but never inside the TC. No way would I let someone I loved ride in a rv trailer.

[Hondavalk]

SugarHillCTD wrote:

N-Trouble wrote:

B.O. Plenty wrote:


B.O.

No more dangerous than riding a motorcycle.

Strongly disagree.

On a motorcycle you can see around you and, in many cases, control the situation. Smart riders will wear a helmet and all the proper safety gear.

In a trailer you have almost no vision around you and zero control over the vehicle. You probably aren't wearing anything other than street clothes.

Everyone has to make their own risk assessments. How many life long motorcyclist haven't been in a least one or more accidents, myself included. On the other hand I personally don't know one RV'r that has been in a accident. Motorcycles, ATV's, Jet-skis, rock climbing, there are risks in living life. Enjoy the ride. 🙂

[troubledwaters]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Hmmmm. I guess a family with 4 kids no longer camps !

My pickup seats 6 just fine when we go camping (all adults).

[Oldmaple]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Hmmmm. I guess a family with 4 kids no longer camps !

I have 8 kids and we camp. No one rides in the RV, 90 lbs. dogs included. 12 passenger van, reasonably sized trailer pulls fine, but then not through the Rockies.

[valhalla360]

BB_TX wrote:
Pictures like these should help you decide for yourself before putting someone in a trailer.

Not that I would recommend it but pull pictures of your average Class C after a crash...the living space is basically the same style construction but no one panics about people riding in the back of a MH.

Plus as others have said, a motorcycle has no where near the protection (and no passengers really can't do anything even if they see that mack truck coming).

[fj12ryder]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
Hmmmm. I guess a family with 4 kids no longer camps !

Not with these guys. 🙂

[theoldwizard1]

Hmmmm. I guess a family with 4 kids no longer camps !

[MrSeven21]

My rule of thumb about riding in the 5er was "If It Has a Pulse it rides in the TV " we put a go pro camera back there once just to see how rough it could be, didn't look to bad but I still wouldn't want to ride back there.

[SugarHillCTD]

N-Trouble wrote:

B.O. Plenty wrote:
Your tow vehicle has airbags, crush zones, seat belts, shoulder harnesses, and more all there to protect the occupants. Trailer has nothing. Couldn't pay me to ride in one.

B.O.

No more dangerous than riding a motorcycle.

Strongly disagree.

On a motorcycle you can see around you and, in many cases, control the situation. Smart riders will wear a helmet and all the proper safety gear.

In a trailer you have almost no vision around you and zero control over the vehicle. You probably aren't wearing anything other than street clothes.

[Lwiddis]

A logical reason would be to avoid death in an accident.

[ppine]

There is only a trailer hitch between you and disaster. There is no frame to protect the occupants. It is illegal to ride back there for a reason.

[N-Trouble]

B.O. Plenty wrote:
Your tow vehicle has airbags, crush zones, seat belts, shoulder harnesses, and more all there to protect the occupants. Trailer has nothing. Couldn't pay me to ride in one.

B.O.

No more dangerous than riding a motorcycle.

[sgfrye]

from experience i will share this. in the 1970's my sister and i rode in our family's TT many times..... until the one trip that dad was almost ran off the road by another vehicle which caused a "fishtailing" situation. we didn't crash but my sister and i bounced around like a couple of ping pong balls. after that we rode in the truck. with that being said i ride a motorcycle which is probably more dangerous than riding in a fiver. to each his own.

[laknox]

azdryheat wrote:
In Arizona it is legal to ride in a trailer so long as there is some sort of communicating device with the tow vehicle. My wife and granddaughters rode 60 miles in our toy hauler. The girls loved it, the wife hated it.

We're getting ready, as I write this, to get on our Harley and take a day-long ride. Being on a motorcycle has to be the worst form of transportation if crash-worthiness is your concern. If I was worried about crashing and the aftermath I wouldn't be on the road.

CAVEAT! This is only legal in a FIFTH WHEEL, not a TRAVEL TRAILER! Must have 2-way comm; must have emergency exits and main door can NOT be locked from the outside, and this means flipping over the fold-away grab handle! Last time I read the statute, there was no requirement for seat belts.

FWIW, we tried this on a trip to Mexico about 15 years ago. DW lasted from our home in Chandler until she called me and told me to pull over, which was right in front of the Mobile School, on the Mobile Rd. All-told, about 40 miles. I know that my mom and a friend rode in the friend's FW and friend was laying on the bed in front and got bounced right off the bed at one point. Mom, surprisingly, didn't get sick, but wasn't real happy. Was about a 4-5 hour ride, IIRC.

Lyle