REMINDER TO ALL: Keep a safe distance when towing

[Njmurvin]

I just had a close call yesterday in Las Vegas on our way to Zion National Park. The vehicle in front of me decided to stop on the freeway for no good reason that I could see. Fortunately, I got stopped in time (barely) ... but it was a wake up call reminding me that these rigs don't stop like cars. Sometimes it's hard to maintain distances in high traffic areas because people love to cut in front of us when we leave a big space. That's what happened to me. End of PSA.

Happy and SAFE travels to everyone.

[Njmurvin]

filrupmark wrote:
Thanks for the reminder of following to close. Not only is it a safety issue but when I have to stop fast DW ALWAYS TELLS ME THAT I TURNED EVERYTHING IN THE CABINETS OVER ! HaHa LOL . Anybody else hear the same thing.

I have a rear kitchen so there are quite a few front facing cabinets. Fortunately the largest two are behind the slide. So those didn't come open. One of the overhead cabinets had coffee mugs, etc. in it. The cabinet door stayed closed but one of our ceramic mugs had its handle knocked off. Not even sure it was from the sudden stop but I suspect it was.

[partsman01]

It seems whether towing or not, if I leave a safety cushion someone just has to come up and cut in, thus taking away my space, so I have to back off again, and there have been times when they cut in and all of a sudden traffic slows right down, so it has been too close sometimes.

[Dave5143]

The one thing I've noticed is that the driver who cuts into your following distance doesn't tend to stay there long. Always maintain your distance and try not to get upset if someone takes advantage. Things go better for everyone that way.

[Fiver_Driver1]

When I taught traffic school many years ago the rule was to leave one second following distance for each ten feet of vehicle length. (That was before the National Safety Council changed the recommended following distance from two to three seconds for cars) If your tow vehicle and trailer measure 50 feet you should leave (if you can) five seconds.

Start your count when the rear of the vehicle ahead passes a lane divider stripe. Count until that stripe disappears beneath your hood.

I know this is not always possible, but it is important for your own safety to try.

[gitane59]

This past spring coming home had a car suddenly come to almost a full stop on the I75 from 60+ mph to let a car merge in from an on-ramp in heavy bumper to bumper traffic. Both the car on the I75 thru lane and the car on the on-ramp each kept slowing down more and more in a game opposite of chicken while I was sliding my trailer and front truck wheels trying to avoid slamming into the car in front of me as it quickly kept slowing to a stop.
AS for the OP good reminder to always drive defensively even if it means occasionally going backwards to maintain your safe stopping distance while towing as vehicles continually jump into the safe space you are trying to leave yourself.

[Hobo2]

Yeah coming home after hurricane Irma yesterday. They speed up ut in front of you then hit the breaks southbound on i75

[huntram]

My hydraulic disc brakes on my 5th wheel has saved me a couple times when some jackwad switched lanes at 50 mph and slammed on their brakes in front of me. If not for the discs they may have not been here to tell how stupid they are. Instead no harm but definitely a foul!

[dwayneb236]

This is kinda relevant to what the OP wrote. Yesterday, was in a funeral procession for a fallen officer. About 150 of us in patrol vehicles with lights flashing escorting the body.

Of course the road going our direction was blocked off for us so no one else was on it as we were traveling. But the other side, man, what a show. We honestly did appreciate all the drivers who actually stopped to show respect. But I couldn't count how many just randomly stopped in the middle of the lanes of the highway instead of pulling off to the shoulder. And this was not like a bunch of cars in one spot blocking the highway, This was random cars here and there just stopping in their lanes, with traffic still coming. Crazy. Thankfully all of our lights slowed people down quite a bit so there were no incidents that I am aware of.

Some people just don't quite think things out.

[Veebyes]

Even more so with the trailer than without I try to maintain the "3 second rule" for distance to vehicle in front of me. Trouble is, too many cars think that all that space is there for them to slip into as they weave from lane to lane.

[romore]

I recently had a guy cut across from the left hand lane to an off ramp, if I had been towing his car would be somewhat narrower now. As said it can be very difficult to maintain a safe distance in traffic, somebody will be eager to fill the space. All we can do is be extra vigilant.

[bpounds]

I appreciate this reminder, and it is something I struggle with. I've driven in LA traffic my entire life, and as someone said, you just don't get away with leaving a lot of space between cars here. So I have to mentally force myself to back off when towing. And this small fiver just tows so easily that it is too easy to forget. Have had to smoke the trailers tires far too many times.

Tow/haul mode really helps in those panic stop situations. I have to remember to use that too, even though it isn't needed much except in the mountains.

[Me_Again]

I had cars try to force us off onto Lost Wedges Blv last fall. I was coming in on I-15 and looping around to I-515 the right lane is exit only and no one would let we merge left one lane. Had to just force my way over, with Hook Hooks!!! Chris

[SidecarFlip]

filrupmark wrote:
Thanks for the reminder of following to close. Not only is it a safety issue but when I have to stop fast DW ALWAYS TELLS ME THAT I TURNED EVERYTHING IN THE CABINETS OVER ! HaHa LOL . Anybody else hear the same thing.

I remember years go, my wife and I stayed in a campground in Vitginia (we went to a horse show) and the road in the campground was off camber near the spot we were in. Every time a MH or TT came by, you could hear the 'stuff' inside the coaches dumping out on the floor......:E

We kind of chuckled about it but I imagine the people that were 'dumping' weren't too happy.

[SidecarFlip]

Dumoldles wrote:
I drive through Vegas several times a year and always give a big sigh when I make it. I agree make sure and give plenty of space when towing these huge rigs.

Dumoldles

Pus me in mind of Chicago.