Please don't do this

[supercub]

I'm watching a couple hook up their tow vehicle this morning. The husband is standing between the rear of the motor home and the car directing his wife driving the car into position. One slip on the accelerator and he's crushed. PLEASE don't do this. Stand off to the side if you need to give the driver directions.
Brian

[smacdiesel]

Tedtoo wrote:
Please note that it is the MEN standing behind the MH. It does not matter how many times I tell him this is not safe (I could have a stroke or something). And then he wants me to pull the car forward faster. You are right about not being able to fix stupid or testosterone!

You make me sick.

[MrWizard]

haydoracin wrote:

romore wrote:
Some people don't stop and THINK. You can't fix stupid.

I do THINK about it and I like to think I'm not STUPID but haven't figured out a way to guide my rigid tow bar mounted on the tow vehicle on to the ball hitch without standing between the vehicle and the motor home. After 52 years and not a huge amount of life insurance I guess I'll just have to trust the DW until we upgrade to a MH mounted tow bar.

Any suggestions will be considered.

Try a different tow bar,
Or
Maybe get ONE of those little wireless rearview camera, and mount the camera on the front of the car to see the hitch

[Bill_Satellite]

I (and my bride) have been doing it that way since 1997. I hold the tow bar level until I see that the car is close enough to connect and then nod my head that she is close enough. We never speak, we just know and watch each others signals. "Could" something happen? Of course! But it's much more likely that I will be hit by a drunk driver tonight.

[Dale_Traveling]

haydoracin wrote:
Dale, I could do it with our previous toad (98 Tracker) by holding the tow bar vertical with a bungee and reference points but the bumper on the HHR won't allow the tow bar to be raised far enough.

I found on our CRV if I use the line where the hood meets the fender and match to the inside edge of the coach tail light I'm good left to right. When the license plate of the coach drops out of site I'm close enough for the bar length. It's not exact but I don't hit it the first time the second usually does the trick. Only works on level surfaces.

[jsmart]

I'm guilty of this exact thing, had a jeep wrangler with a rigid tow bar, tried unsuccessfully with those yellow balls on a stick that is supposed to let you hook up by yourself, never worked, resorted to DW driving the jeep (manual) and me hooking it up, wondered why she always asked if my life insurance was current! Now we have a new toad (2014 Ford C-Max) with a blue-ox tow bar, and I can hook the thing up myself. (Still have the life insurance though.)

[lj2654]

this is where a quadcopter comes in handy, hover the drone about a foot above the hitch and let the wife know when it's aligned, then let her know using the walkie talkie.

[GMandJM]

The thing is that NOTHING HAPPENED except that the OP saw something he/she thought was too dangerous. And everyone else piled on. (Yeah, that almost never happens.)

They are simply stating that something bad could happen.

It would be pretty inconvenient to hook up a tow'd vehicle without standing between the RV and it. You'd have to be spot on as to where the tow'd is in relation to where the bars are. (right, left and distance).

[FIRE_UP]

Why is it that when someone or, a couple in this thread, makes a mistake, that some folks think it's inevitable that it's GOING TO HAPPEN TO EVERYONE?????

I've been directing my wife into position for tow bar hookup, standing directly in front, for years and years and I'm not dead yet!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have no idea what happened in the situation talked about in the OPs thread. Yes, it could have been a slip on the gas pedal, a slip on the brake, or both, who knows?


How many times have we all seen on the news, a car comes crashing into a restaurant, a garage, a business, etc.??? Are we all supposed to stop eating at restaurants, or never be in our garage or, any other business where there's parking spots outside of them for fear of being crushed because of a slip of a pedal?

I mean, you can only be "so safe" in ones life. In todays world, you can be anywhere and be shot by a gunman.

Some of you drive your own toad, up to your own coach, without any help from the other half. That's great. I've done it that way too. But, even with an extendable tow bar, even I might have to move the toad a time or two to get it to the right spot for hookup. So, the wife just does it for me. That way it's done the first time, and no screwing around.

There's just times when calculated risks, and I call this time a low one due to the competence of both of us, are taken. I'm under my rig all the time at home, with the Jacks holding up, aint dead yet. Even been there without the jacks, heck, even a tire "could" blow at that very instant, WHO KNOWS?
Scott

[Bumpyroad]

GMandJM wrote:

vegasfoodguy wrote:


Considering, How many times toads are hooked up every day, Have you ever heard about any problems?

x2

x3
bumpy

[korbe]

I am not commenting to be argumentative, but the "One slip on the accelerator and he's crushed" comment, can hold true just about everywhere out there in the driving world we live in. Think about that statement while looking at a busy grocery store parking lot. 🙂

[supercub]

Rick Jay wrote:
I usually don't stand between the vehicles while hooking up, but apparently many men trust their wives more than I trust mine. I fear that she would make it LOOK like it was an accident! LOL 🙂

~Rick

ONLY TAKES ONCE !!!

[Rick_Jay]

I usually don't stand between the vehicles while hooking up, but apparently many men trust their wives more than I trust mine. I fear that she would make it LOOK like it was an accident! LOL 🙂

~Rick

[GMandJM]

vegasfoodguy wrote:


Considering, How many times toads are hooked up every day, Have you ever heard about any problems?

x2

[haydoracin]

Dale.Traveling wrote:
What, there are copilots that help with stuff outside the coach? Whats next, taking turns behind the wheel also?

Actually found connecting the toad solo is pretty easy once you establish line up points to aim with on both the coach and toad. Using a modern tow bar helps also. Now if I was connecting with a solid bar to a ball hitch I would probably need assistance.

Dale, I could do it with our previous toad (98 Tracker) by holding the tow bar vertical with a bungee and reference points but the bumper on the HHR won't allow the tow bar to be raised far enough.

[ronmc]

Been hooking up this way for 23 years full time. But will think it over! I think we are about to stop full time.