SpeakEasy
Sep 27, 2016Explorer
Another ABRUPT Braking Situation
Yesterday I was on my way home from a camping trip about 3:00PM towing my 4300-lb (weighed) travel trailer. I was on a rural road that was winding and hilly; the speed limit was 55MPH. I was pretty much traveling at the speed limit. On the uphill climbs I was really powering into them to keep my speed from dropping too much.
I came to the crest of a hill, and around a blind curve ahead there was a stopped school bus with lights flashing and stop sign deployed. It was in my lane, heading the same direction as me, and there was a car stopped behind it.
I had to slam on the brakes to their maximum in order to be able to stop.
For a split second I was unsure I'd have enough room to come to a complete stop, and I did a quick visual check to see whether to use the opposite lane or the shoulder for an emergency. On what side were the children?
Fortunately, I was able to stop safely.
I was very glad for a number of things: (1) all my gear worked as it was supposed to; (2) I am within my weight limits; (3) I was paying full attention to the road.
If any one of those three elements had not been true, there could have been a bad ending.
Be careful out there, especially during school transportation times.
-Speak
I came to the crest of a hill, and around a blind curve ahead there was a stopped school bus with lights flashing and stop sign deployed. It was in my lane, heading the same direction as me, and there was a car stopped behind it.
I had to slam on the brakes to their maximum in order to be able to stop.
For a split second I was unsure I'd have enough room to come to a complete stop, and I did a quick visual check to see whether to use the opposite lane or the shoulder for an emergency. On what side were the children?
Fortunately, I was able to stop safely.
I was very glad for a number of things: (1) all my gear worked as it was supposed to; (2) I am within my weight limits; (3) I was paying full attention to the road.
If any one of those three elements had not been true, there could have been a bad ending.
Be careful out there, especially during school transportation times.
-Speak