Close call today - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Towing and Hitching
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 10-22-2018, 04:29 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Iowa Dave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Benton County, Iowa
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic Number 6, pulled by 2018 Toyota Highlander
Posts: 8,234
Close call today

1969 was the first summer I worked for the US Forest Service at Fenn Ranger station on the Selway River on the Nez Perce National Forest. If there was an accident or a near accident on a particular day you were expected to flip down a sign on the drive into ranger station. The sign said “Close Call Today”. At quitting time the incident was related and if safety rules were violated it was pointed out how following the rules might have have avoided the accident or if it was a close call and no rules were broken a discussion was held to suggest a better outcome the next time.
Today while traveling North on 1-75 about 25 miles south of Lima Ohio I was pulling the 21 with the Highlander at 65 mph. Watching the road, I saw a semi trailer going in the other direction loose a tire and wheel off the median side of his trailer. I watched it come bounding through the median taking trailer high bounces and approach our rig at about 15 degrees off of dead on. My only comment was “Holy ( expletive deleted) and then I hit the Highlander brakes, and swerved to the left of the bounding wheel and it missed me by about 18 inches. I could see it in the rear view mirrors as it went into the ditch and continued south. Everything in the trailer was ok, the Anderson hitch had kept the truck and trailer from fishtailing, and the Even loading in the trailer kept it from tipping over. With the thread about things to check on an Escape, here are my hooking up and operation suggestions to everybody after this “Close Call Today”

Make sure your tires and brakes are in the best shape that they can be in and adjusted and inflated perfectly.
Make sure your brake controller is set for adequate voltage to lock up the trailer brakes at Highway speeds.
Do not panic in the two or three seconds you have but instead think “how am I going to avoid an accident” you can do more than you think.
Finally when someone tells you “safe travels” think what that means and wish them well too.
This is the first time I’ve had this happen to me in 55 years of towing, Hope it’s the last.

When the semi in the farthest lane throws a hurtling wheel how will you behave?
Hopefully to save all three lives, Just like Iowa Dave.
Burma Shave. ( Thanks Bill Sonnenburg who wrote this and with me, checked all my tires and lug nuts in the rain a few days back)

Iowa Dave
__________________
Ain’t no trouble jacking a double Burma Shave
Dave
Iowa Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2018, 04:38 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
gbaglo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136

Sounds like you had your eyes on the road, not on some rear view monitor or GPS. Not watching Survivor.



baglo
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2018, 04:46 PM   #3
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Knox, Maine
Trailer: 2017 19'
Posts: 96
So scary, glad everyone is ok.
TallyHo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2018, 04:52 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
amirie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 17B Escape
Posts: 766
woah---glad things worked out as they did!!!!
__________________
Anna-Marie
amirie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2018, 05:40 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
Let us hope that close calls count as an accident, statistically, so that your future remains accident free....I bet you got more grey hair though.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2018, 05:52 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Ruthe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Highland Park, New Jersey
Trailer: Escape 19 February 2014
Posts: 975
What you said about not panicking in the two or three seconds you have, but spending that time thinking about what to do is dead on. Applies to so many things in life.

Glad you are safe. And I’ll mention this to my near and dear who are distracted by their phones. All it takes is one second and the world turns upside down.
Ruthe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2018, 07:09 PM   #7
Member
 
1Oldman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: South Bend, Indiana
Trailer: 21' Escape - 2018
Posts: 98
Glad you were alert (I'm not surprised) and avoided the danger that was in front of you. Thanks also for sharing the wisdom from your experiences but then again that's the person I've come to know and appreciate.

Dan and Martha
1Oldman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2018, 07:22 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Southern, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 Escape 19
Posts: 164
Dave, I'm so glad you and Rita are fine. Reading about that close call has me a bit rattled. Once you're settled down I would appreciate your input on correct brake controller settings and hearing from others as well. In the meantime I'll do some independent research. All I know at this point is what Dennis told me on pickup day. -Tom
mtnest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2018, 08:38 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Trailer: 2015 Escape 21'
Posts: 280
Really glad you and Rita are well. Hats off to your preparedness, alertness, and skills!
__________________
Tom & Linda
ATHiker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2018, 09:10 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
rubicon327's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,126
Really glad you guys are ok. Close call is right. When I was in sixth grade the daughter of my teacher was killed by a wheel that came across the median and through her windshield.
rubicon327 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2018, 11:04 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Mike G's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Trailer: 2012 E19
Posts: 1,733
Glad you are ok. The mind can work at hyper speed in emergency situations like that, which helps.
Not sure we'd want to lock up the trailer brakes; more braking action will result if the tires don't skid.
Mike G is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2018, 06:33 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: alpharetta, Georgia
Trailer: 2014 21' Escape
Posts: 494
WOW!!!!!!!!! Dave glad to hear you and Rita are OK. I remember an incident like that a few years ago here in the Atlanta area not far from where I live, someone driving a dual wheel truck lost a wheel it jumped the median and smashed through the window of an on coming car unfortunately that driver was killed.
I hope the rest of your journey is smooth as can be and thanks for sharing all that you do.

All the best,

Steve
stratos175 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2018, 06:33 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Westcliffe, Colorado
Trailer: 2010 EggCamper (#083); 2017 Escape 21 (#053); 2016 F-150 5.0L FX4
Posts: 1,765
We had a nearly identical situation (but not pulling a trailer) driving through Atlanta many years ago, except the tractor-trailer wheel had come over the top of a concrete barrier and was bouncing about 4 feet high when it went past us. After that, nearly hitting a washing machine laying in the middle of 4 lanes of traffic, and having motorcycle thrill-seekers zoom through bumper-to-bumper traffic at somewhere north of 100 mph, we avoid Atlanta like the plague. Be safe out there....
War Eagle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2018, 07:54 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
azjack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tucson, AZ, Arizona
Trailer: gone, 19 and 21 & 17B with 5.0 now. gone
Posts: 790
close calls

Dave, just your subject made me miss a beat or two until I read the complete story which you have many but fortunately not like this one. We're glad you and Rita are fine and I'm sure your attention to the job at hand helped and the equipment didn't let you down. Whenever someone mentions they may not need a WDH I disagree.
Your friends, Jack, Nancy and Murphy(you'll meet him next time)
azjack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2018, 08:13 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
skiman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Jeromesville, Ohio
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21' pulled with 2014 Silverado Crewcab
Posts: 853
Quote:
Originally Posted by azjack View Post
Dave, just your subject made me miss a beat or two until I read the complete story which you have many but fortunately not like this one. We're glad you and Rita are fine and I'm sure your attention to the job at hand helped and the equipment didn't let you down. Whenever someone mentions they may not need a WDH I disagree.
Your friends, Jack, Nancy and Murphy(you'll meet him next time)
__________________
Carl,

"Isn't it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation?"
Zig Ziglar
skiman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2018, 08:19 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Glad it all worked out okay, Dave. Good reactions.

Did Rita ever question the fact you swerved so the wheel went by her side of the vehicle?
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2018, 08:51 AM   #17
rfs
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Eastern Iowa, Iowa
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21
Posts: 136
Rita’s perspective

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett View Post
Glad it all worked out okay, Dave. Good reactions.

Did Rita ever question the fact you swerved so the wheel went by her side of the vehicle?
No questions here, Jim. The Escape is one heck of a trailer and Dave is one heck of a driver!!! And he’s my hero❣️
Also the Highlander could not have performed better. Highlander and trailer moved as one unit guided by a quick thinking “old” guy with lots of experience.
rfs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2018, 09:11 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
Jim Bennett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 15,532
Quote:
Originally Posted by rfs View Post
No questions here, Jim. The Escape is one heck of a trailer and Dave is one heck of a driver!!! And he’s my hero❣️
Also the Highlander could not have performed better. Highlander and trailer moved as one unit guided by a quick thinking “old” guy with lots of experience.
Glad to hear you had that great combo of trailer and hero. I have no doubt at all his quick thought processing was the best scenario. I just pictured the wheel flying close by on your side of the car and imagined you musta been a bit concerned. I know Lisa woulda missed a heartbeat or two.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
Jim Bennett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2018, 09:46 AM   #19
Senior Member
 
Steve Clark's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Fremont, California
Trailer: 2016 21. '15 Ford Explorer V-6
Posts: 1,558
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruthe View Post
What you said about not panicking in the two or three seconds you have, but spending that time thinking about what to do is dead on. Applies to so many things in life.

Glad you are safe. And I’ll mention this to my near and dear who are distracted by their phones. All it takes is one second and the world turns upside down.
Good job on all counts, Dave, and thanks for the thorough write-up!

Well said, Ruthe
__________________
Steve and Debbie
2016 - 21'

“Get out the map and lay your finger anywhere down” -Indigo Girls
Steve Clark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2018, 10:19 AM   #20
Senior Member
 
Greg A's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19 "Seventy Degrees"
Posts: 3,495
I had a similar situation but without the trailer. Going about 50 on a two lane frontage road when a tire and rim passed me in the other lane. Its rare, but it does happen. Glad ur OK, and good advice given. You have to be prepared for anything out there.
Greg A is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:29 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.