Drivers unaware you are pulling a Toad

[DAS26miles]

We are about to buy our first toad, a Jeep Wrangler. I've notice that many drivers pulling onto the freeway and those jockeying about to exit are unaware that there is something behind that motorhome in their way. Seen a few close calls with trucks, trailers and 5ers and crazy merging drivers. Guess there isn't much you can do except stay alert.

[down_home]

I have heard of this and experienced this among other things.
Now I'll be worrying about our next trip.
Anyone come up with ideas to alert the phone users we are present and a toad behind us?
Maybe a siren? 🙂

[Johnny_G1]

Had a fender on the dolly wrecked last september in Spokane Washington by somebody that didn't look that we were towing and attempted to pull in behind the mh. Makes you wonder where their heads are at.

[DAS26miles]

from the OP, Here in California, the speed limit is 55 towing anything. Can't do 55 mph without causing more trouble in the second lane over. But I hate to drive in the right lane with constant mergers and cutoffs from those about to miss their exit. And then there is the road quality in the right lane degraded by overweight Semi's. Wonder how much affect towing a 4dr jeep will have uphill driving and mpg? Not good I'm sure!

[rhagfo]

phillyg wrote:
You cant fix stupid, and stupid drivers have no situational awareness. All you can do is be a defensive driver.

10X!
I never ceases to amaze me with all the regulated on ramps now days, that when the regulating device is off you see a string of vehicles bumper to bumper coming down the ramp expecting to merge! :S

You would think they would at some point get the idea, but most likely they just see those lights as something to slow them down.
Just like those that tailgate a semi getting on the highway then jump out in front of much faster moving traffic to pass him.

I slow way down when I have a semi in front of me on an on ramp until I have about 20+ car lengths (top of ramp), this gives me the room to get to speed, blend to first lane, and likely to the 2nd lane and safely pass the semi.

[D_E_Bishop]

I have had people try and merge immediately after my rig and suddenly find another 17' of towbar and towed in their way. Not to suggest that it is one specific group of folks but most of the time the driver is under 30 and driving Prius. I've taken to putting a dash cam in the rear window of the RV aimed to the shoulder just in case someone does try and squeeze in and hits the towed.

Like most I try to stay one lane away from ramps while driving in Metro areas but then you have the jerks that can't bear to pull behind and RV when they are heading to an off ramp and try to speed up and pass you before their ramp. The combination of the Wolo BadBoy air horn from HFT and the F53 OEM horns usually causes wet spots on their drivers seats.

Then there is the driver entering the freeway at 35 - 45 MPH and not looking to their left, I saved the video of the reaction of a driver and passenger when the horns alerted them to my presence. In the video you can see my wipers but not the cars bumper they were so close. My foot was solidly on the brakes and I did a bit of a nose dip in order to miss them so maybe I started braking too late but I couldn't believe they didn't see us coming.

[DiskDoctr]

Gotta love the lane ends merging prowess of some people.

One time this group of "kids" decides to go beyond the merge point on the right side where all traffic on the ramp now has to stop due to his "fellow geniuses" doing the same thing ahead of many of us.

The road is narrow and tapers to where he can no longer go beside and he is only at the trailer hitch during the stop-n-dart traffic. Somebody has to slam brakes.

I stopped watching the mirrors and told the Mrs. to hang on. We are several times the Honda's mass and not going to run off the road into the ditch.

Not sure how, but he got stopped without hitting us or the barriers, though I'm sure he took some life off his tires.

With our Hybrid, he was 18ft from our front bumper and 23ft from the rear bumper.

Can imagine his face when he realized his side mirror was to about the top of my tires :E

I politely moved to the new right lane a short distance later as we were all merged onto a four lane highway.

Want to pass me? No problem. Want to endanger my family and try to merge me into a ditch? Driver, meet Undercarriage.

(I tell it more dramatically than the few moments it likely took. Enjoy!)

[tinstartrvlr]

time2roll wrote:

tinstartrvlr wrote:
"Few years ago, someone on these forums made a comment they were on an interstate in California. The traffic was so heavy and so crazy, and tailgating each other so close, that someone tried to squeeze between their MH and their toad. Evidently they didn't realize they were connected and was attempting to force the toad to back off so he could get between them. Now.... that's just ruthless! But, I suppose it happens."

That's hilarious! Wonder if he cursed out the toad driver for not yielding, just to prove his stupidity.

I had a lady merge between my truck and trailer. And yes she hit me. PITN with trip delay and insurance to deal afterward. Her insurance did pay and no one was hurt so not all bad.

Sorry to hear that happened to you. Actually that is a concern for anyone towing anything. In Florida, home of probably the worst drivers in the country, tailgating is the state sport. I have had more cars than I can count merge and sit right on my bumper until they can race past. I can see how easy it would be to miss the fact that someone is towing something in their haste to merge.

[traveylin]

First trip to Alaska south of Anchorage to Homer there is a long stretch without much passing capability and we were stuck behind a class A with toad for 15-20 miles. Road was still 2 lane coming to a town and class a makes a rapid stop for a gas station pulls in and leaves the toad on the highway. Our class c breaks worked well. The gasoline tanker behind us slid by to the left in a cloud of tire smoke. Lots of laundry work. When pulling a toad, ya gotta clear the highway when pulling off

[naturist]

Driving along in my Jeep one day a while back. Not towing, just going down the road on a section of 4 lane limited access that happens to see little traffic at that time of day. The only two cars on that section of road at the time were mine and the guy who happened to be passing me in the left lane. Came to an on-ramp and somebody was coming down it. They never bothered to look to the left, and the moment I realized they were about to run right into my passenger side, I laid on the horn. Probably scared **** out of the guy beside me on the left, but from the odd waggle and sudden slow-down of the merging car, it was clear that the horn was the first hint he had there was another car in the county. No collision, thank goodness, but it wasn't because he was alert.

[time2roll]

tinstartrvlr wrote:
"Few years ago, someone on these forums made a comment they were on an interstate in California. The traffic was so heavy and so crazy, and tailgating each other so close, that someone tried to squeeze between their MH and their toad. Evidently they didn't realize they were connected and was attempting to force the toad to back off so he could get between them. Now.... that's just ruthless! But, I suppose it happens."

That's hilarious! Wonder if he cursed out the toad driver for not yielding, just to prove his stupidity.

I had a lady merge between my truck and trailer. And yes she hit me. PITN with trip delay and insurance to deal afterward. Her insurance did pay and no one was hurt so not all bad.

[tinstartrvlr]

"Few years ago, someone on these forums made a comment they were on an interstate in California. The traffic was so heavy and so crazy, and tailgating each other so close, that someone tried to squeeze between their MH and their toad. Evidently they didn't realize they were connected and was attempting to force the toad to back off so he could get between them. Now.... that's just ruthless! But, I suppose it happens."

That's hilarious! Wonder if he cursed out the toad driver for not yielding, just to prove his stupidity.

[phillyg]

You cant fix stupid, and stupid drivers have no situational awareness. All you can do is be a defensive driver.

[rhagfo]

accsys wrote:

jerseyjim wrote:
I think all that pull a toad have this happen. That is why when on a 3 line highway i stay in the middle lane as often as possible. Simply...I try to stay out of the far right lane (exit/entrance) as much as possible.

+1
Large cities are a real problem with many exits and entrance ramps. We have found staying at least one lane away from the far right lane makes going through these cities much less stressful. Once we get past the city and the lanes reduce to two-lane, we get back in the right lane.

Toad or pulling a trailer, drivers in cars think they can just zip in front of you no problem. Wish I had a dollar, for every time a driver raced ahead of me to pull in front of me when the space behind me was at least 10 car lengths and we were traveling at the speed limit! :S

[DutchmenSport]

Few years ago, someone on these forums made a comment they were on an interstate in California. The traffic was so heavy and so crazy, and tailgating each other so close, that someone tried to squeeze between their MH and their toad. Evidently they didn't realize they were connected and was attempting to force the toad to back off so he could get between them. Now.... that's just ruthless! But, I suppose it happens.

All you can do is hold your own and keep driving as smart as you can. If an accident happens, make sure you are not the one at fault, follow all the rules of the road, and keep your insurance paid up to date. Beyond that, you can't be responsible for the stupidity of others.