Rookie move.... Again!

[Anmacc2]

Okay, I've been RVing for forty years! Yet, every trip DW and/or I make at least one stupid rookie move. This time I didn't tighten down the hatch on my LP tank cover and it blew off. Never anything major, thankfully. But always one!!! Please tell me I'm not the only one!!!

[CavemanCharlie]

On my first TT I hooked up then drove 70 miles to the casino. When I got there and went to unhook I discovered that I had never put the latch down on the ball hitch.

[Dustytuu]

On a previous 5th wheel we went under a limb and took off the plastic
cover on the air conditioner.
That was a $ 100 dollar limb.
We had missed our turn and had to go down where we could turn around and encountered the limb.

[billkaufmann]

GoPackGo wrote:
When I am unhooking or hooking up, I do not want anyone around. I need to concentrate. I don't want to talk with anyone or answer any questions.

So far this has worked. The few times that I have been interrupted were the times that I almost made a mistake or forgot to do something.

Also, when I am finished hooking up, the last thing I do is a complete walk around of my 5er, looking at everything. And I take a look at my hitch from behind the tailgate to make sure everything looks good there too.

And I am NOT in a hurry.

X2

[trailerbikecamp]

I also have a loose hitch story. We were getting ready to store the fiver for the winter. Raised the rear jacks, lifted the front stands to the right height for the hitch. Backed the truck under, got out to connect the break away cable and electrical cable. Forgot to latch the hitch, and that's when the trouble started. Backed the fiver off the levelling blocks.as the fiver rolled back off yhe levelling blocks it came out of the hitch and dropped onto the bed of the truck.

Lets just say that a couple thousand pounds of trailer landing on the bed rail caps make an awful loud noise, especially when DW is watching!!!

Luckily no real damage was done to either truck or trailer.

[LaTriker]

DW and I also have a set routine we follow when leaving a campground. She puts up everything inside and brings in the slides while I dump the tanks, disconnect the water and unplug the shore power. The last thing I do in unplug. This summer we were getting ready to leave an RV park in MI. DW had done her thing and I was all through except unplugging when my cellphone wrang. While still on the phone, I had to go inside and write down some numbers. When I completed the call, I sat behind the wheel, cranked up and drove off.

[Bigdog]

Have done a lot of dumb things in 30 years of camping from tents on up. It seems the most prevalent is forgetting to unhook the power cable when moving the MH or taking it out of the yard for service. Have never done it when going on a trip.
Had a 32' Cougar TT and were camping with a BUNCH of friends who all got there ahead of us and stood around watching as I made a perfect parking job. Got out, checked the level and put some blocks under the right wheels, set the chock blocks that go between the wheels, set the little jack pylon under the jack and proceeded to crank up the tongue. The tongue came off of the hitch very nicely and so got in the Excursion and moved it up a ways. As I was walking back to the trailer, the DW opened the door and got in the trailer and there was this big bang as the chock-a-block on the right side of the TT popped out and the trailer rolled off the blocks and not only dropped off the jack, but bent it to where it wouldn't raise or lower. I did carry a scissors jack and we were able to raise the TT enuff to hook it up and straighten it out. The chock flew about 30' thru the air and dropped right in front of a MH, but didn't hit it. Should have double checked the chocks and where the tires were on the block.

[pbitschura]

Any one know where I can buy just one wheel cover? It's windy in MN. and I should have learned that the elastic which holds them in place gets stiff and useless in the cold. OOPS!

[Anmacc2]

DS and DIL drove up to join us camping this weekend. We have an eight pound dog. They have an eighty pound dog. Our dog stays with us and is often off the leash. Their dog is a runner and needs to be leashed or he chases, well just about anything and everyone. We suggested they leash their pooch to the back bumper of the TT so he could still reach us. DS decides it's best to just slip their dogs leash under the leg of his chair. Yep, you guessed it... Dog got excited and took off! Chair flipped over backward and dumped DS. I jumped on my bicycle and took off after the dog. When I caught up to him he was very happy to chase me! I made three laps around the campground with the dog staying right with me! Get back to the campsite, son takes pooches leash, and slips it under the leg of his chair and jokes about how dumb the dog is....

[GMandJM]

holstein13 wrote:
...I was outside when I heard dripping / leaking sounds coming from the coach and could smell the sewage. The neighbors were none too pleased and neither was my wife as we had to clean up the mess.

Sheesh! Do that again and we'll be finding you a big BROWN water hat to wear. 😉

[holstein13]

I make rookie mistakes all the time. The one that I'm most ashamed / amused by was 4 years ago when I wanted to empty my black tanks upon arrival. I didn't have enough in them so I decided to use the fresh water flush to fill them up before releasing the contents.

You guessed it. I became distracted and left the fresh water flush sprayer on while the tank filled and then over filled. I was outside when I heard dripping / leaking sounds coming from the coach and could smell the sewage. The neighbors were none too pleased and neither was my wife as we had to clean up the mess.

[GMandJM]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Do you bump your head jumping in the Honda with your red hat on? :B

No, but I did require a change of undergarment. :B

[Old-Biscuit]

GMandJM wrote:
We all make mistakes, Anmacc. If no one needs medical attention by the end of one of our trips, we consider it a complete success.

That said, a certain someone has forgotten so many times that the water is on outside to fill the tank that we now have a big, bright red designated "water hat" to be worn whenever the fresh water tank is being filled.

And the same person has TWICE unhooked our tow'd vehicle while leaving it in neutral. Once it was no harm/no foul, just a matter of getting in to drive it and saying "Wow...that could have been a problem". The second time I had to jump in and stomp on the brake as it was rolling backward.

Stuff happens. And it happens to all of us.

Do you bump your head jumping in the Honda with your red hat on? :B

[Bill_and_Marie_]

This trip we forgot the coffee (OH NO!) so we unhook everything and head into town to get some. A mile down the road someone pulls over to our side blowing their horn and making a "T" with their hands. Took a minute but we finally figured out the TV antenna was up! No damage but talk about rookie, and yes, we had the orange clip-on sign on the handle, still missed it.

[GMandJM]

We all make mistakes, Anmacc. If no one needs medical attention by the end of one of our trips, we consider it a complete success.

That said, a certain someone has forgotten so many times that the water is on outside to fill the tank that we now have a big, bright red designated "water hat" to be worn whenever the fresh water tank is being filled.

And the same person has TWICE unhooked our tow'd vehicle while leaving it in neutral. Once it was no harm/no foul, just a matter of getting in to drive it and saying "Wow...that could have been a problem". The second time I had to jump in and stomp on the brake as it was rolling backward.

Stuff happens. And it happens to all of us.