rockhillmanor wrote:
It's pure physics, the wrong tow vehicle can not handle keeping a too long TT from swinging/jack knifing when confronted with 'everyday' occurrences on the road such as wind, semi's passing by, or a sudden correction if another driver cuts you off, or having to brake suddenly etc. A 'correct' tow vehicle will be able to handle unexpected incidences that can and does happen on the roads we travel.
Respectfully, the competence and ability of a driver is often more important than the "wrong tow vehicle".
I investigated a wreck years ago that involved a F350 towing a Bobcat loader. It was a construction company vehicle, Bobcat and trailer. The guy hauled that Bobcat on that trailer with that truck for years, never had a problem. This time when he loaded it, he was distracted and didn't pull far enough forward with the Bobcat and didn't have enough tongue weight. He started to get sway, didn't know how to handle it and eventually lost control and flipped the trailer and truck. The Bobcat was well within the weight ratings of the trailer and truck, but incompetence caused the wreck.
Now, perhaps if he had a class 8 Volvo pulling that trailer then only the Bobcat and trailer would have flipped over, but the wreck would have happened none the less.
My father-in-law drove trucks for a living for a long time. I don't have any doubt that he could pull a long heavy trailer with a Tacoma and get there safely. He might destroy the drivetrain in the process, but he would get there safe. He knows how to control trailer sway (proper loading prevents it, applying trailer brakes stops it), he knows how to scan the road ahead of him and have sufficient following distance. He knows to gear down and maintain speed on inclines and declines. He would be fine.
On the other hand, my mother-in-law could immediately wreck a 1 ton pulling a pop up, because she just doesn't have the first clue how to tow, turn with a trailer, back up, change lanes, etc.
The tow vehicle is not the issue here, a competent driver is.
A lot of the "unexpected incidents" to which you make reference are only "unexpected" because the driver is oblivious. I know how my rig is effected by passing trucks, getting passed by trucks, or encountering a truck in a different direction. I keep constant 360 visual as I drive and am aware of trucks and how they will interact with me. I am prepared for a push or pull, it isn't a surprise to me.
I always know who is next to me and where I can safely escape. I try not to drive with a vehicle immediately next to me. I can't always avoid it, but when I am boxed in and have no path of escape I always provide a larger cushion with vehicles in front of me. That gives me a larger window to escape a problem situation.
I watch the car in front of me, the car in front of that car, and the car in front of that car. If I see them slowing down, that's usually a good indication to me that I should be preparing to slow down. I don't wait until the guy in front of me has locked up his brakes... I am already downshifting, using my exhaust brake and if need be, my service brakes. Very rarely am I surprised on the road.
Most tractor trailers barreling down the road at 80K lbs and doing 68 mph have a MUCH longer distance to stop than us RVer's do. The reason that most OTR drivers have millions of accident free miles isn't because they can stop faster or those 80K lbs rigs handle better... they simply pay WAY more attention to the road and anticipate problems before they occur.
