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That hitch is higher off the ground than I remembered!

trailernovice
Explorer
Explorer
Just learned a painful lesson about aging and idiocy

Hooking up TT today in preparation for return leg back to home...have the standard Reese round bar...to those familiar, we understand that bars need to be connected on both sides of the hitch

so what do I do, when done with one side? With my almost 55 years of life experience? Do I do the sensible thing, and walk around the front of the truck to get to the other side of the hitch? NO!!! I step onto the hitch, to lift myself up and over.....so, what happens??? (drum roll).....I catch my toe under the breakaway cable or something, lose balance and fall straight onto my lower leg....now I have 'road rash' that makes it looked like I dropped a motorcycle or something...about 4 inches across and 6 inches high, completely scraped

and I KNOW better!!! I'll often say, "I USED to jump off pickup tailgates....but now I step down gently"

Putting this out there for benefit of others....not as some sort of a 'clickbait' thing
Glenn and Toni
2019 Jayco JayFlight SLX8 264 BH
2019 Ram 1500 5.7 3.21 gears
Reese round bar w/d with sway control
9 REPLIES 9

BarabooBob
Explorer III
Explorer III
I stepped over my flat bed trailer hitch while getting gas last year. I caught my toe on the coupler as I was stepping over and ended up doing the most ungracious face plant. I am a certifiable old guy that looks like I have been rode hard and put away wet When my face hit the pavement, I didn't get any prettier. I looked up to see a beautiful young lady coming over to help the senior citizen out. I think back 40 years and would have liked to make a better impression.
Bob & Dawn Married 34 years
2017 Viking 17RD
2011 Ford F150 3.5L Ecoboost 420 lb/ft
Retired

GrandpaKip
Explorer II
Explorer II
Yeah, I still catch myself stepping over the hitch, even after catching pants or shoes on something. Somewhere in my punkin head, it thinks I’ll save time by not walking around, I guess.
Hopefully, you’ll heal up just fine.
Kip
2015 Skyline Dart 214RB
2018 Silverado Double Cab 4x4
Andersen Hitch

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
Before my hip replacement I couldn't hop over the hitch. Now I can...but so far haven't.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

bgum
Explorer
Explorer
I no longer leave the ground. If I can't do it from the ground I find it doesn't need doing or hire someone to do it.

mleekamp
Explorer
Explorer
When we had a TT, I used to jump over. One hard fall later, and I'd step over. Then, one hard fall later after getting my foot caught like the OP, I began to WALK around...and made it part of my safety check.

Yes, I think the older we get the fear of breaking bones gets higher on the list of things to avoid. At least for me!

valhalla360
Nomad III
Nomad III
Yeah, the rule is never go between truck and trailer...but we all lose track and do stupid things from time to time.

Couple years back, stopped to pull lunch out of the fridge. Didn't bother to pull the steps out. Jumped down, thought I landed OK but my back was killing me for 3 days. Don't jump so much anymore.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV

MitchF150
Explorer III
Explorer III
That hitch is also heavier than I remember too!
2013 F150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab Max Tow Egoboost 3.73 gears #7700 GVWR #1920 payload. 2019 Rockwood Mini Lite 2511S.

Nv_Guy
Explorer III
Explorer III
All of us have done the same (or something similar) at some point. I stopped jumping off tailgates in 1991...

CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Explorer III
tailernovice - You are no longer a novice and we all learn! Thanks for sharing your story! :B
2009 Holiday Rambler 42' Scepter with ISL 400 Cummins
750 Watts Solar Morningstar MPPT 60 Controller
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland

Bob