RV Dangling off bridge

[Chris_Bryant]

This is live right now- I don't have a link other than Facebook- sorry!
https://www.facebook.com/news6/videos/10156267552497210

[DavidP]

I agree, staying within a tow vehicles capabilities is paramount. Reading the limited details of how the accident occurred, this could have easily been an f250 or any other ¾ ton tv attached to that trailer. No doubt he was close to his limits and may have been over but we don’t know one way or the other. We can say the same about a 35ft tt weighing in 10K+ being pulled by (Insert your 3/4/1 ton here) and the same laws of physics apply. Accidents happen and there is no stopping that. All we can do is stay within capacities and capabilities of both truck and trailer and drive defensive and conservative in our approach. Even then it’s not going to stop a inattentive Hyundai Elantra driver from drifting into your lane and crashing into you

[Lantley]

pennysmom09 wrote:

dhust wrote:
According to This report the trailer was hit on the left and then again on the right rear causing it to fishtail and climb the rail.

This! The first I read about it was that it was not the RV drivers fault, just a bad situation.
I totally sympathize with the camper owner.....no reason to criticize tow vehicle, etc. Glad they weren't injured.

I don't think we should criticize the tow vehicle, however much of the debate and even towing parameters are focused on the unexpected things that could happen.
There is a point where mass matters. A larger, stouter vehicle is capable of withstanding larger forces, this may not matter much on a good day. But on a bad day it can make all the difference.
This thread is proof the unexpected happens. We often focus on wind and bad weather and known conditions that impact are travel.
However bad things can happen in a hurry on a clear sunny day as well.

[pennysmom09]

dhust wrote:
According to This report the trailer was hit on the left and then again on the right rear causing it to fishtail and climb the rail.

This! The first I read about it was that it was not the RV drivers fault, just a bad situation.
I totally sympathize with the camper owner.....no reason to criticize tow vehicle, etc. Glad they weren't injured.

[Atlee]

True. But it will probably be closer to the GVWR than the UVW.

dodge guy wrote:

Mortimer Brewster wrote:
He’s extremely lucky. Even if it wasn’t his fault, an Explorer pulling a trailer that’s just under 25 ft long with a GVWR of 6005 lbs is trouble waiting to happen.

Just because it has a GVWR of 6k lbs, doesn't mean it was loaded to that.

[dodge_guy]

Mortimer Brewster wrote:
He’s extremely lucky. Even if it wasn’t his fault, an Explorer pulling a trailer that’s just under 25 ft long with a GVWR of 6005 lbs is trouble waiting to happen.

Just because it has a GVWR of 6k lbs, doesn't mean it was loaded to that. At 4k lbs dry and not much storage, I don't see them loading to more than 5k lbs. not to say they couldn't have done that, but it would be hard.

looks like it was a very unfortunate accident in the worst possible place!

As was said, they are very lucky! looking at the pic of the trailer hanging over the side, they had more than enough tongue weight!

[ScottG]

spud1957 wrote:

Halmfamily wrote:
The news report says a 23 year old driving a Hyundai Elantra drifted into the lane hitting the trailer in the back left corner causing the accident. Driver was charged.

Finally someone posted what actually happened!!!

This is what the news reported as well; he was hit from the side (and completely different than our "experts" presumptions).
Very sad, family on their way to Disney World.
Hope they get a few good days in.

[spud1957]

Halmfamily wrote:
The news report says a 23 year old driving a Hyundai Elantra drifted into the lane hitting the trailer in the back left corner causing the accident. Driver was charged.

Finally someone posted what actually happened!!!

[wnjj]

d3500ram wrote:

PartyOf Five wrote:
Looks like a blowout on the rear driver side

The LR tire was definitely flat when the TV was pulling forward to return the rig to the pavement.

In general, what direction would a TV/ trailer tend to move towards if a LR tire were to blow out?

The flat tire may have been a result, not a cause of the accident.

[Mortimer_Brewst]

He’s extremely lucky. Even if it wasn’t his fault, an Explorer pulling a trailer that’s just under 25 ft long with a GVWR of 6005 lbs is trouble waiting to happen.

[Steeljag]

RV owner will be calling his / her dealer asking about warranty work stating all was working well when we left !

[Halmfamily]

The news report says a 23 year old driving a Hyundai Elantra drifted into the lane hitting the trailer in the back left corner causing the accident. Driver was charged.

[gitane59]

gitane59 wrote:
As indicated by a previous poster based on pictures and video shown on Tampa TV it is clear that this is a Tracer 205AIR with a 4005 lb UVW. So before we hang the owner for blatantly unresponsible disregard for human life and limb we should get the fact's first. Yes I think he could have been close to being overloaded but that does not appear to be relevant at all to the collision he found himself to be part of today
News video down here in Florida is now showing the damaged second vehicle that rear-ended the towable trailer. The news report's are saying that the sedan rear-end the trailer. The grill and hood of what looks like an older Fusion style sedan is evenly crushed across the entire front of the sedan appearing to indicate that the sedan rear-end the trialer pretty square on.
Family in the RV was on route to Disney. Told news reporters they will still make it to Disney for March break.
I wish him a safe and relaxing vacation and hope his insurance makes him whole quickly.

[gitane59]

..

[dhust]

According to This report the trailer was hit on the left and then again on the right rear causing it to fishtail and climb the rail.

[pnichols]

:h Once again ... it looks like too small of a thing pulling too big of a thing.

Motion dynamics will always rule. Just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be done.