Epic Rookie RVer Fails !!!!

[FT4NOW]

Stopping when you can't see you spotter is very important. When backing the trailer in next to our house one time we had a terrible accident. The trailer was headed toward the house and it was on the side I couldn't see. Our walkie talkies had quit working. Marcy decided to run up to tell me to stop and I couldn't see her. Should have stopped and didn't. Ended up pinching her between the trailer and the house. Our son had come up yelling at me to stop. She was already severely hurt but she lived. Learn from othr's experience, if you can't see your spotter, stop. I was probably only 1/2 inch from killing her as she was pinched in the chest.

One time I ran over our little deck I made because it was on the passenger side and my wife wasn't saying stop on the walkie-talkie....apparently the battery died and she was saying stop. She thought I was ignoring her so she she was just as frustrated. Now when she isn't actively giving me direction, she keeps saying something on the radio (e.g "keep coming" or "beeper beeper" or anything to ensure we have communication) as soon as I stop hearing anything I immediately stop.

[DaveMatthewsBand]

We’ve only been pulling a trailer for 4 months so we learned not from our mistakes, but from reading various accounts from other RV’ers.
Luckily most boondock spots we go to are large enough to where I don’t need any help, but in the heavier forested spots my wife has disappeared several times from my view while I’m trying to back into a spot. Then she walks up to me asking why I’m not moving and every time I tell her... if I can’t see you in the mirror, I’m not moving, and its your job to move yourself to where you can see my face in at least one mirror.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[theburgerts]

Stopping when you can't see you spotter is very important. When backing the trailer in next to our house one time we had a terrible accident. The trailer was headed toward the house and it was on the side I couldn't see. Our walkie talkies had quit working. Marcy decided to run up to tell me to stop and I couldn't see her. Should have stopped and didn't. Ended up pinching her between the trailer and the house. Our son had come up yelling at me to stop. She was already severely hurt but she lived. Learn from othr's experience, if you can't see your spotter, stop. I was probably only 1/2 inch from killing her as she was pinched in the chest.

OMG. After I read this, I just made it a point to read the story to my hubby. We just stated... rule of thumb from here on out..no movement in any direction unless we are in each other's sight.

And hoping your wife is ok.[emoji120]

Sent from LB's phone using Tapatalk

[Txfivver]

Wow whittleburner so glad she's ok. We can all learn a big lesson from this! Great advice to not move unless in communication with your spotter. I'm usually by
myself setting up and I try not to communicate too much with trees

[WhittleBurner]

Yea she' fine. Except for a bunch of screws pin's and a plate. Main thing is that she is okay. If I ever showed you a picture of what she looked like I would be dead.

[howson]

Stopping when you can't see you spotter is very important. When backing the trailer in next to our house one time we had a terrible accident. The trailer was headed toward the house and it was on the side I couldn't see. Our walkie talkies had quit working. Marcy decided to run up to tell me to stop and I couldn't see her. Should have stopped and didn't. Ended up pinching her between the trailer and the house. Our son had come up yelling at me to stop. She was already severely hurt but she lived. Learn from othr's experience, if you can't see your spotter, stop. I was probably only 1/2 inch from killing her as she was pinched in the chest.

Just. Scary.

I'm also going to implement this with Fran--if I can't see her I'm not going to move. If I know she needs to approach the camper (to pull a chock or whatever) we already have a "in Park and brake set" rule, but we need to step it up a notch.

[WhittleBurner]

Yea she' fine. Except for a bunch of screws pin's and a plate. Main thing is that she is okay. If I ever showed you a picture of what she looked like I would be dead.

Yes you would be dead if that pic ever showed up , but I'd make it look like an accident

We both made bad choices that day, me for thinking I was fast and thin enough to get past a stationary object and a moving vehicle. Why did I chose to go that way I'll never know.
I had several fractures in my ribs , fractured cheekbones and a very broken wrist . Along with plenty of brusing. The hospital cut apart my favorite jeans and t shirt . But fully recovered in a few months and was able to go to the 1st GD rally. We both learned from it .

It's amazing how many times I stop to say something at campgrounds to people backing in because they are behind the RV or between the RV and a tree , truck or anything that can catch you. I feel that even if there is a backup camera it does not make it any safer if there is a suden increase in speed.

[Dick Noble]

I am convinced that most divorces in the RV community are caused from backing-up.

[Cate&Rob]

Marcy & Gary . . . Ouch! . . . How come we are just hearing about this now? Glad this turned out OK! No wonder Marcy now does the driving (just kidding).

Walkie Talkies and Cell Phones . . . We have tried both. The first were an epic fail when we learned that “nothing heard” meant the signal was lost, not that everything was OK. The cell phone connection usually has about 1/2 second delay. You can back into a lot of things in a 1/2 second. We use cell phones (hands free in the truck) for getting close, but only hand signals for final positioning.

Rob

[Canyonlight]

Oh my goodness, Gary & Marcy - this was scary reading your posts ! Even though this was a very bad accident, so glad things turned out OK with no lingering issues I trust.

I learned long ago that having Carol and most anyone else helping to guide where they are positioned at the back area of the RV when backing up is more often not effective and possibly not safe. Carol's and others help is appreciated when watching the front/sides of the truck in close situations where we all can see and communicate easily.

Having been towing and backing trailers of all types since I was in grade school, backing comes pretty naturally once a new type of trailer being towed is learned. In more difficult situations, I jump out of and back into the truck as necessary to survey the rear, sides, upper, and lower surroundings to prevent issues. Someday when I have mobility challenges and we are still RVing I will have to consider other options.

Dan