Bigfoot Wreck

[steve dunham]

I got her message without feeling a need to critique / criticize the messenger .
I still believe the base cause was too much trailer for too little truck tied to an inexperienced driver . I would like to believe I could safely handle what she experienced but that may be my male ego overriding my brain .

[SamIam]

I don't recall the women mentioning her speed at the time of the wreck. She stressed time and again, that she was in a rush to get to her destination. I suspect that she was driving quite fast; clearly faster than the conditions dictated.

Speed impacts trailer sway and handing in an emergency; no matter the emergency.


Drive to arrive alive.

Sam

[Donna D.]

I have to wonder how many people in this thread critiqued the video based on ALL the knowledge they have, rather than as a total newbie.

Could the video be better? Sure, just like anything. Items could be added, like speed rating on tires and PSI and are ALL the exterior lights working before pulling out.

I watched it twice. These are her tips:
1. Take responsibility for your own safety.
2. Practice before a road trip.
3. Lose the agenda.
4. Don't drive in the dark.
5. Know the weight of your camper.
6. Be aware of your surroundings.
7. Know how to use your trailer brakes.
8. Check the recall list.

None are wrong, at least for newbies.

All you have to do is spend sometime reading social media groups for towables to realize there are literally hundreds of people who don't know what they're doing when it comes to towing and their responsibility for sharing the roads with the rest of us.

It's not like every single buyer of an ETI build is experienced either. We've seen trailers rolled for various reasons that have nothing to do with frames or bad roads.

[Greg A]

20% rule is usually pretty universal.

[MyronL]

Drive like hell. You'll get there.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I got her message without feeling a need to critique / criticize the messenger .
I still believe the base cause was too much trailer for too little truck tied to an inexperienced driver .

Isn't that the message which you wanted to hear, expected to hear, and would have heard even if the video consisted of nothing other than the words "Newbie Toyota Bigfoot crash"? She didn't even mention the gross weight or tongue weight of the trailer, or the trailer or hitch rating of the truck.

I don't care about the messenger, but the message doesn't contain anything useful about matching the truck and trailer, so if that's what some people are getting from it, perhaps it wasn't well communicated.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Isn't that the message which you wanted to hear, expected to hear, and would have heard even if the video consisted of nothing other than the words "Newbie Tundra Bigfoot crash"? She didn't even mention the gross weight or tongue weight of the trailer, or the trailer or hitch rating of the truck.

I don't care about the messenger, but the message doesn't contain anything useful about matching the truck and trailer, so if that's what some people are getting from it, perhaps it wasn't well communicated.

My wife and I are considering purchasing a Bigfoot trailer . We’ve researched the published weights of various Bigfoots including listed weights on the Bigfoot website , Trailer weights in the real world and various other forums / websites . I would not attempt to tow a larger Bigfoot with most 1/2 ton trucks including my Ram 1500 .
I watched the Youtube video and made my remarks on what I saw and heard
If we purchase the Bigfoot 25RQ we want then we will be towing it with a 3/4 or 1 ton truck
I see nothing wrong in learning from the mistakes of others even if they are not presented in an Oscar quality video
I witnessed my neighbor trying to tow an 8000 lb travel trailer with a Tundra and it didn’t take an engineer or a towing expert to figure out that it wasn’t a good or safe match .

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Isn't that the message which you wanted to hear, expected to hear, and would have heard even if the video consisted of nothing other than the words "Newbie Toyota Bigfoot crash"? She didn't even mention the gross weight or tongue weight of the trailer, or the trailer or hitch rating of the truck.

I don't care about the messenger, but the message doesn't contain anything useful about matching the truck and trailer, so if that's what some people are getting from it, perhaps it wasn't well communicated.

I agree. In all the years since the accident she had plenty of time to learn that tongue weight is critical to maintaining control of the trailer. But she didn't mention tongue weight. Has she even learned about it in the long interval.

One thing she did mention was all the "stuff" that they had purchased or brought with them. It may not have been placed in the trailer with any regard for tongue weight and that might have initiated loss of control.

Ron

[gyuill]

Are there any states that require a written or driving test to get a drivers license for towing? Alabama has such requirements to get a motorcycle and boat endorsement on a drivers license. I think towing requires as much knowledge as either one of those.

Graham
Opelika Al

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gyuill

Are there any states that require a written or driving test to get a drivers license for towing? Alabama has such requirements to get a motorcycle and boat endorsement on a drivers license. I think towing requires as much knowledge as either one of those.

Graham
Opelika Al

A separate license class (with associated testing) is normally required to ride a motorcycle, but I haven't heard of a class or endorsement (with testing) for personal (non-commercial) or RV towing. There are jurisdictions (states or provinces) that have specific licensing and testing requirement for air brakes (found in some large motorhomes) and for trailers over a certain weight, even though the RV is otherwise allowed under a normal car driver's license.

[stratos175]

Some people sure have thin skin in this thread if you believe anyone was attacking this woman personally, they were only questioning the information she is trying to give.
I would agree yes she brought up some important points but also missed many that are crucial and that is all I have seen in this thread is people pointing out what she did not talk about that's equally or more important then some of the things she did.
For instance her not driving at night, many would disagree on that statement.

If you read enough forums and or watch enough you tube videos you will see everyone has their opinions.

Enjoy the journey.

Steve

[skiman]

The one point I liked was don't tow in the dark. Besides the safety aspect, arriving at campsites in the dark is stressful at best. Can be hard on your marriage.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by skiman

The one point I liked was don't tow in the dark. Besides the safety aspect, arriving at campsites in the dark is stressful at best. Can be hard on your marriage.

I would totally agree on driving after dark . Your eyesight , reactions times are not what they use to be . Trying to get in your sight and set up in the dark is not anything we like to do . Pat

[Greg A]

Sometimes after dark is safer though. I remember 93 through E NV had no traffic at all driving it after dark. Daytime after leaving Ely, NV continuing N the truck traffic alone was much more dangerous. Most of the time it is probably safer in the daytime hours, though. In by 2pm!

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Greg A

Sometimes after dark is safer though. I remember 93 through E NV had no traffic at all driving it after dark. Daytime after leaving Ely, NV continuing N the truck traffic alone was much more dangerous. Most of the time it is probably safer in the daytime hours, though. In by 2pm!

Hey Greg your a youngster still ! I hear you don’t care for busy traffic either . Pat

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by skiman

The one point I liked was don't tow in the dark. Besides the safety aspect, arriving at campsites in the dark is stressful at best. Can be hard on your marriage.

The three best sentences uttered in a campground when arriving after dark are:
1. Look there’s a pull through that’s not reserved.
2. It looks level enough that we won’t have to unhook
3. The restroom is right across the road

Worst sentences
1. Can you back between those trees?
2. Look at all those little bicycles next to us
3. It’s been a while since I saw a Grateful Dead decal on a Winnebago.

And finally, move on if it is:
“I hear banjos.”
Iowa Dave

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by skiman

The one point I liked was don't tow in the dark. Besides the safety aspect, arriving at campsites in the dark is stressful at best. Can be hard on your marriage.

Much of the time we travel in the dark when we're making tracks. In that case we're usually heading for a Walmart or a truck stop that we've been to before. I wouldn't take an unknown twisty turny two lane mountain road in the dark but other than that, it's not a consideration for us. Except in Baja, then it's never drive at night.

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

And finally, move on if it is:
“I hear banjos.”
Iowa Dave

Oh man, if they're playing "Cripple Creek" I've just made new lifelong buds.

Ron

[John in Santa Cruz]

my takeaway is, she had no concept of tongue weight, a Tundra should /not/ be pulling a bigfoot over 17f (and that one looked like a 25 to me), and she didn't udnerstand brake controllers (which she admitted).

this june, i had my escape 21 come unhitched from my F250 (the hitchball came out of the tow bar, with a stripped shank), and start to sway violently. because A) my F250 is as solid as a locomotive, and B) I knew to grab the manual brake before slowing, I quickly brought in under control and pulled off the road. If we'd still been using a Tacoma, things could easily have gotten out of hand.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

my takeaway is, she had no concept of tongue weight, a Tundra should /not/ be pulling a bigfoot over 17f (and that one looked like a 25 to me), and she didn't udnerstand brake controllers (which she admitted).

this june, i had my escape 21 come unhitched from my F250 (the hitchball came out of the tow bar, with a stripped shank), and start to sway violently. because A) my F250 is as solid as a locomotive, and B) I knew to grab the manual brake before slowing, I quickly brought in under control and pulled off the road. If we'd still been using a Tacoma, things could easily have gotten out of hand.

Question ? When should you replace the hitch ball ? Pat

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

Question ? When should you replace the hitch ball ? Pat

they /should/ last forever, unless the surface of the ball shows excess wear or galling. in my case, somehow the nut had come loose, perhaps it wasn't torqued on hard enough in the first place.