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btd35's avatar
btd35
Explorer
Apr 01, 2014

Be careful hitching up

My neighbor was getting ready to move his boat/boat trailer yesterday. He had a front bumper hitch and was nosed up to the trailer. He got out of the truck didn't realize it was in reverse with the parking brake, wheels cramped to the right. The truck started to roll back, and he attempted to get in and stop it. It knocked him down and the front wheel of his dodge 2500 rolled over his pelvis. Fractured it bad. It will be a long painful recovery. He is older, and has difficulty now, so possibly the end of these kind of recreational things. At least the neighbor on the other side heard the truck as it rolled down an embankment and across the drive into a tree.

Shook me up a lot. Lets all remember to take it slow when doing these things, especially when it's been since last season we got them out, and may not be used to doing it.
  • spoon059's avatar
    spoon059
    Explorer II
    Apr 01, 2014
    Wow, hope he recovers fully. Pelvis injuries in older folks can be devastating. Be careful and take that extra 10 seconds each time to make sure you are being safe.
  • Mvander's avatar
    Mvander
    Explorer
    Apr 01, 2014
    Accident's happen. I hope He recovers fully. It's for this reason the kids stay in the house untill the trailer is on the ball and the truck is off. They want to help but you can never fore see the unexpected.
  • DutchmenSport's avatar
    DutchmenSport
    Explorer
    Apr 01, 2014
    Thanks for the reminder!

    Hope it does not stop him from camping. I would like to think that even if I get to the place where I'm attached to tubes to sustain me, I'll just have to power all those medical machines with my generator, and still take it all camping with me!
  • Reader1's avatar
    Reader1
    Explorer
    Apr 01, 2014
    So sorry he was injured so badly. Thanks for posting this as a reminder to us, and thanks Spoon059 for the reminder to slow down and take those extra seconds. A couple months ago I posted a question about mistakes we don't want to repeat as we begin the new season. So many responded. We all make mistakes and we often get away lucky.
  • gbopp's avatar
    gbopp
    Explorer
    Apr 01, 2014
    That's a good reminder. We all probably get a little complacent after doing a task many times over the years.
  • ependydad's avatar
    ependydad
    Explorer
    Apr 01, 2014
    Old-Biscuit wrote:
    NEVER leave a vehicle in gear when exiting........NEVER!


    gbopp wrote:
    That's a good reminder. We all probably get a little complacent after doing a task many times over the years.


    Sadly, it happens. Last year after a tough day of travel got to a campground, put on the emergency brake but left it in drive. Got lucky that nothing happened and the wife put it in park. Scared me quite a lot at what could have happened, though.
  • Turbo_Diesel_Du's avatar
    Turbo_Diesel_Du
    Explorer
    Apr 01, 2014
    I seem to remember that there was a recall on the 2005 Rams about that very same thing whereas the lever would drop down out of park to reverse. Don't know what the fix was as my 2005 2500's number wasn't in the match.
  • rhagfo's avatar
    rhagfo
    Explorer III
    Apr 01, 2014
    ependydad wrote:
    Old-Biscuit wrote:
    NEVER leave a vehicle in gear when exiting........NEVER!


    gbopp wrote:
    That's a good reminder. We all probably get a little complacent after doing a task many times over the years.


    Sadly, it happens. Last year after a tough day of travel got to a campground, put on the emergency brake but left it in drive. Got lucky that nothing happened and the wife put it in park. Scared me quite a lot at what could have happened, though.


    First hope your neighbor has a fast and full recovery, fractured pelvis is a bad one, but at least he is still alive and may go camping and fishing again.

    As to leaving the truck in gear, if my truck is in gear and I get out the engine dies, as soon as my foot comes off the clutch!!

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