Why Some People Shouldn't Have RV's

JanAndBill

Well-known member
Couple weeks ago an elderly gentlemen behind us in a big MH decided to take a short cut across the grass rather then pulling out of his site like he should have. Of course it sunk in the mud. We had a ring side seat as we watched him and a couple others try to get it unstuck. First they unhook the VW Beetle they were towing and tried again, only managing to sink deeper in the sand. Then they decided to try and lift the coach with the jacks, and put boards under the tires. This was working pretty well as they got blocks under one side, and had just finished getting blocks under the other. In his haste to get out however, he forgot to raise the jacks. The loud pop we heard was one of his rear jacks breaking off. The next 30 mins was spent trying to retrieve the broken jack from the mud and secure it so he could move. Finally without fanfare he was able to pull out. When they asked him why he had done what he had, his reply was "I didn't think I could make the turn with the car hooked up". When asked why he didn't unhook the car, his reply "It doesn't run because the motor locked up and I think the transmission's gone. I'm embarrassed to say, but I forgot to take it out of 1st gear and towed it down the interstate.":p

The neighbors and I were still laughing about it the next day, when we notice another big MH attempting to leave the park with the passenger side slide still out. Luckily they caught him just before he got on the highway.

Must have been some kind of crazy moon that week.
 

OEFVET

Well-known member
Thanks for sharing your story. Never seems to be a shortage of people that just don't seem to use their heads.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Just another reason to do a complete walk-around, "pre-departure" check before pulling out.
 

sengli

Well-known member
Wow, if they are that absent minded with these basic things. It is very scarey to think, they are now driving a multi-ton motor home down the road!
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
It always scares us when we see an elderly person need help to climb out of the Motor Home, and then out comes the oxygen tank they are hooked up to, and then have to helped to the chair where they sit. Just think about that person driving that mult-thousand pound motor home down the road toward you at 60 mph. Scary thought.
 

DocFather

Well-known member
I don't understand what having a walking, or breathing disability has to do with our safety. Really?
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fredwrichardson

Past New Mexico Chapter Leader
It always scares us when we see an elderly person need help to climb out of the Motor Home, and then out comes the oxygen tank they are hooked up to, and then have to helped to the chair where they sit. Just think about that person driving that mult-thousand pound motor home down the road toward you at 60 mph. Scary thought.

One day you might be that "elderly person that needs a little help". Age and health have very little to do with safety. The youngest and inexperienced healthy person could be the one that is texting on their phone right before they plow into the car in front of them. Think about it insurance companies want young healthy people to pay more for insurance than older less healthy people. There is a reason for it.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Age isn't always the deciding factor in one's ability to operate a vehicle. If a physical impairment prevents normal operation of the controls, pedals, etc., then modifications are available to make them hand controls. If some medical condition exists that might cause the operator to suddenly lose consciousness, or their mental faculties have deteriorated, then maybe it's time to let someone else take the wheel.

And I've seen enough "young bucks" with all of their faculties and physical prowess that can't drive worth a (expletive).
 

Possum51

Well-known member
You know I really don't like this post. Hopefully, the "elderly" man that you witnessed having so many problems did not hear you and your neighbors laughing at him. We have all made mistakes, ALL of us young and old. I believe we should help each other out and not make fun of each other when we have a bad day. You have no idea what that gentleman might have been going through in his life that day. Be kind.

Elaine Poole
 

codycarver

Founding Wyoming Chapter Leader-retired
You know I really don't like this post. Hopefully, the "elderly" man that you witnessed having so many problems did not hear you and your neighbors laughing at him. We have all made mistakes, ALL of us young and old. I believe we should help each other out and not make fun of each other when we have a bad day. You have no idea what that gentleman might have been going through in his life that day. Be kind.

Elaine Poole

Thank you for putting into words what I've been trying to get from my head to my fingers.
 

JanAndBill

Well-known member
You know I really don't like this post. Hopefully, the "elderly" man that you witnessed having so many problems did not hear you and your neighbors laughing at him. We have all made mistakes, ALL of us young and old. I believe we should help each other out and not make fun of each other when we have a bad day. You have no idea what that gentleman might have been going through in his life that day. Be kind.

Elaine Poole

Actually my post didn't have anything to do with age, I myself am in the senior class. Yes many of the problems that this gentlemen and the other experienced could have happened to someone at any age, but the difference is you don't see many "young drivers" able to afford a 45' class A coach or any other type of expensive RV. I don't really believe age is as critical to operation of a large RV as are the abilities of the person behind the wheel. There are many drivers of large RV's, that prior to getting behind the wheel of said vehicle, have no previous experience in anything other than auto. Frankly, many of those same drivers had problems driving a 3500# car. We have a couple of elderly friends who bought an expensive MH, with no prior experience in operating a large vehicle. Everyone that knows them jokes about the fact that they have a collision repair shop on speed dial, because they've hit so many things. We actually worry about theirs and other drivers safety when they take to the road, but still they won't listen. Doesn't have anything to do with their health or age.

Health, is a critical element of driving any motor vehicle, but even more so when the weight and size of the vehicle increases significantly. There's a reason you lose your CDL driving privilege when you have a heart attack. The potential damage to property and health is far to great. Doesn't matter what the age, if you're not physically qualified to drive the vehicle, then don't get behind the wheel, I don't care if you're 20 or 80. Driving is a privilege not a right, and no one should abuse that privilege young or old.
 
B

BouseBill

Guest
The wife and I camphost during the summer. What we have seen as rigs come in and go out, would knock your socks off. Guess what? Age has nothing to do with it. On Sunday mornings and afternoons I would sit in my chair at our exit and watch the rigs go out. I would wave the driver down and point out: The TV antenna is still up or the stairs are still down, The entry door is still open, cargo hatch is open, safety chains dragging on the road not hooked up, you name it we saw it. I did see a F-150 with its rear wheels completely off the ground one Friday afternoon. Noobs were trying to disconnect the pull trailer from the truck and failed to pull the release on the hitch as the power wench raised the rig higher and higher. A boat trailer came in with the right side wheel bearing smoking like a 1800s locomotive and the YOUNG driver did not notice it, needless to say he did not spend the day on the water, but repairing his trailer so he could pull the boat home. Ahh the life of a camp host, all the above were from this past summer, I try to keep an eye on my campers but I hate to think of the ones I missed! LOL
I don't remember seeing any driver that I was concerned about health wise.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
As a side bar to all of this, my part-time job takes me to vehicle accidents of varying levels of severity and trauma. The majority of the folks we cut out of vehicles are well below the "senior citizen" age level. And more often than not, if another vehicle is involved, they're in the same age bracket.
 

jdfishing

Well-known member
Most accidents are caused by aggressive drivers and most aggressive drivers are not elderly with physical limitations.
 
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