denverpilot
Tied Down
He and his pickup truck and his utility trailer (low deck, mesh style with loading ramp tailgate, completely see-through) decided after passing me that he'd come over into my lane.
I was driving the Dodge 3500 DRW covered in lights, pulling the 35.5' fifth wheel, also covered in lights, with the whole rig weighing in at the CAT scale just 20 minutes prior at 19,440 lbs.
I'm roughly 45' long, front to back. The trailer is 12' high. He had just PASSED me on the left (was in the process of doing so, I guess) so he was so oblivious he didn't even remember driving past 45' of vehicle that had 31' of wall higher than his truck, nor did he have any idea where his truck bed was, let alone the back of his trailer.
And apparently never looked in a mirror before coming over either... I'm kinda hard to miss. Four headlights, wide vehicle markers on the top of the cab, extra markers on the dually bump outs, trailer covered in side marker lights and multiple wide vehicle markers on top.
I had the automatic exhaust brake active, which probably came on two seconds after I lifted my foot off the accelerator pedal, which is normal for the system, and I had to lock up (ABS actually) all six tires and slide to the right as carefully as possible (curb over there) to miss being hit by his right rear bumper and hope the rig slowed enough that his trailer would clear.
It missed my front bumper by 4" I'd guess. I couldn't tell you if he was braking or signaling because I couldn't see his tail lights on his trailer over my hood. That close.
I was waiting for the crunch and wondering if he'd lose control of his vehicle when the nose of the Dodge shoved his trailer to the left and put his nose into the curb. I was fully expecting him to lose it and my rig to broadside his passenger door.
My horn was blowing the entire time. He never even flinched. Dude and his truck and utility trailer just about became my hood ornament.
The only test the guy ever had to pass to get his "driver's" license was to parallel park a sedan and go around the block (using turn signals) when he was 16, around here.
I had purposefully done some panic stops with my rig on a deserted country road at about 30 MPH before, so I at least knew how the rig would behave, but hadn't done one at 45 MPH yet. Now I have.
Wasn't my idea of "fun" but the rig is controllable if you just keep it straight and wait for the crunch. Steering very much is not recommended, but Dodge's notoriously slow steering box ratios take care of that problem for you anyway. Even an aggressive turn wouldn't amount to much. Especially on an 8' bed 3500.
I need a ****ing louder horn. I'm once again seriously considering a compressor, tank, and a train whistle. LOL. Scare or BLOW the ass-hat back into his lane next time. Sigh.
Sure makes the "trailer aware" ABS systems built into today's pickups sound nice. Mine allows the steer tires to lock for a moment and then ratchets back slower than if the truck is empty trying to figure out where the threshold is. Newer systems are much faster. (It's a 2001.)
Sliding 20,000 lbs of "stuff" on dry pavement for a moment is interesting to say the least.
After pulling over at the Walmart both to check the dog (all 75 lbs of him... He has a "shelf" in the back extended cab with a "wall" to keep him restrained from becoming a forward projectile), tires, lug nut torques (Yeah I'm a freaking Boy Scout and carry a torque wrench.), leaf springs, hitch condition, etc...
And doing a quick milk, cheese, coffee creamer, and dog treats run into WallyWorld... And listening to the awesome Rockies comeback win on the radio when I got back in the truck...
I was finally not ****ed off enough to finish pulling the trailer home.
On the fun side, it's a blast to watch the Cummins pull on the performance computer/monitoring gadgetry. 28 lbs of boost and 1200 EGT pulling the biggest 1/4 mile long hill on the way home.
Tom D joked back when I got that truck that it'd pull like a scalded cat, but I had no idea how well. It accelerates up large hills and hardly notices, other than the occasional turbo bark if I lift off the accelerator too quickly between gears.
In the performance computer's "Tow" mode (60 extra HP and roughly 200 ft lbs of additional torque), it's fun to drive even loaded that heavy.
I was driving the Dodge 3500 DRW covered in lights, pulling the 35.5' fifth wheel, also covered in lights, with the whole rig weighing in at the CAT scale just 20 minutes prior at 19,440 lbs.
I'm roughly 45' long, front to back. The trailer is 12' high. He had just PASSED me on the left (was in the process of doing so, I guess) so he was so oblivious he didn't even remember driving past 45' of vehicle that had 31' of wall higher than his truck, nor did he have any idea where his truck bed was, let alone the back of his trailer.
And apparently never looked in a mirror before coming over either... I'm kinda hard to miss. Four headlights, wide vehicle markers on the top of the cab, extra markers on the dually bump outs, trailer covered in side marker lights and multiple wide vehicle markers on top.
I had the automatic exhaust brake active, which probably came on two seconds after I lifted my foot off the accelerator pedal, which is normal for the system, and I had to lock up (ABS actually) all six tires and slide to the right as carefully as possible (curb over there) to miss being hit by his right rear bumper and hope the rig slowed enough that his trailer would clear.
It missed my front bumper by 4" I'd guess. I couldn't tell you if he was braking or signaling because I couldn't see his tail lights on his trailer over my hood. That close.
I was waiting for the crunch and wondering if he'd lose control of his vehicle when the nose of the Dodge shoved his trailer to the left and put his nose into the curb. I was fully expecting him to lose it and my rig to broadside his passenger door.
My horn was blowing the entire time. He never even flinched. Dude and his truck and utility trailer just about became my hood ornament.
The only test the guy ever had to pass to get his "driver's" license was to parallel park a sedan and go around the block (using turn signals) when he was 16, around here.
I had purposefully done some panic stops with my rig on a deserted country road at about 30 MPH before, so I at least knew how the rig would behave, but hadn't done one at 45 MPH yet. Now I have.
Wasn't my idea of "fun" but the rig is controllable if you just keep it straight and wait for the crunch. Steering very much is not recommended, but Dodge's notoriously slow steering box ratios take care of that problem for you anyway. Even an aggressive turn wouldn't amount to much. Especially on an 8' bed 3500.
I need a ****ing louder horn. I'm once again seriously considering a compressor, tank, and a train whistle. LOL. Scare or BLOW the ass-hat back into his lane next time. Sigh.
Sure makes the "trailer aware" ABS systems built into today's pickups sound nice. Mine allows the steer tires to lock for a moment and then ratchets back slower than if the truck is empty trying to figure out where the threshold is. Newer systems are much faster. (It's a 2001.)
Sliding 20,000 lbs of "stuff" on dry pavement for a moment is interesting to say the least.
After pulling over at the Walmart both to check the dog (all 75 lbs of him... He has a "shelf" in the back extended cab with a "wall" to keep him restrained from becoming a forward projectile), tires, lug nut torques (Yeah I'm a freaking Boy Scout and carry a torque wrench.), leaf springs, hitch condition, etc...
And doing a quick milk, cheese, coffee creamer, and dog treats run into WallyWorld... And listening to the awesome Rockies comeback win on the radio when I got back in the truck...
I was finally not ****ed off enough to finish pulling the trailer home.
On the fun side, it's a blast to watch the Cummins pull on the performance computer/monitoring gadgetry. 28 lbs of boost and 1200 EGT pulling the biggest 1/4 mile long hill on the way home.
Tom D joked back when I got that truck that it'd pull like a scalded cat, but I had no idea how well. It accelerates up large hills and hardly notices, other than the occasional turbo bark if I lift off the accelerator too quickly between gears.
In the performance computer's "Tow" mode (60 extra HP and roughly 200 ft lbs of additional torque), it's fun to drive even loaded that heavy.
Never shut off the motor, traded driving duties... Passed through Nebraska at night with tornadoes chasing us on I-80.. He had a I phone with one of the weather apps and for 4 hours, all he said was " DON'T SLOW DOWN !!!!!!.. Passes through Kerney Neb on the trip home and saw the aftermath.. YUCK....
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