Speculation

[rickety]

Pretty much sums up the attitude of the today generation. They have a "who cares" attitude, it is always someone elses fault and even if it's mine, "chill out".
Aaargh! I get so disgusted with these little creeps out there that have no respect for anything, including themselves. As long as they can play with the cell phone, look like crap, and drive worse they are ok in their minds.

enough.....Can't rant

[richfaa]

Helen's generation (60's) were pot smoking, Acid dropping, anti establishment, freaked out good for nothings who would ruin the world. My generation 50'S)were the wild bunch, Blackboard jungle, pack of luckies rolled up in their tee shirt sleeve no respect good for nothings who would ruin the world.We did not chill out..but Be cool daddy-O. yet here we are.. Todays generation will ruin the world.. just like ours would..

[bncinwv]

Rich,
Not sure where that leaves me, born in Dec of 59, amybe a little of all of it mixed together?? Regardless, I believe you are correct in your assessment of today's generation, it is just as hard for us old fogies to believe that they will eventually mature to some kind of responsible being as it is for them to believe that they don't know everything!! The latter statement is driven in part from still having a teen in the house. OUCH!!
Bingo

[The Oldguard]

Ok here’s the good news. They opened the front end, and no frame damage they did find one gas fitting that was split. Now it’s time to have the axles alignment checked for any damage, so far life is good. Talking to the insurance adjuster he said as much as they would like to have drivers like this, or us take a driver course to show that they can handle these large rigs, they can’t make them do it. Isn’t this a great county?

David, anyone that takes the time to practice with these rigs before hitting the freeway to all points is at least trying to learn something that will help them and us in the long run. I’m only upset with someone that hits someone and then has the gall to tell their insurance company that they couldn’t see any damage to the other rig because there was not a big hole or something else they could see!!!

[Merv]

I understand how upset you would be from the accident.
But in looking at the comments that the driver should have had training it makes me wonder how many of the ones saying this had any training when they first started. Also there are comments that there should be licensing. This is another sticky area because then there may be physicals to pass as with the CDL's. How many would not pass because of a disqualifing medical condition?
I am sure that most of us started out learning to tow on our own either in a parking lot or something. How did you get to that parking lot? Could you have hit someone on your way?
How many of us still hit something ocasionally while backing into a site?
I agree the girl may have said the wrong thing or acted inapropriate when the accident happened, but I can see where it could happen to anyone EXPERIANCED or NOT.
Just my opinion
Merv

[snfexpress]

Like many of you who are not professional truck drivers, I was intimidated when I picked up our 3400RL (our first 5er). The first thing my wife and I did was to coerce my NHP Trooper buddy into setting up a cone course in a large parking lot nearby. Actually didn't have to coerce, just promised him lunch. We spent nearly 8 hours practicing backing, cornering, getting out of problems and thenpanic highway braking.

As for a license, in Nevada a "J" endorsement is required for anything over 10,000 pounds. Same practical test as a CDL, but no physical (medical) requirements.

Having pulled this 5er around parts of the U.S. for the last year and a half, getting pretty good - but not so confident that I don't have my wife watch my rear end when backing or even turning in tight areas.

[DONnANNIE]

Good job Michael, that's the way to do it.

[Bill Frisbee]

What amazes me is the creativity employed by various RV Dealers Associations and RV Owners Groups in interpreting drivers licensing laws across every jurisdiction in North America. Without exception, these interpretations are biased toward increasing RV sales and avoiding any "drivers licensing inconveniences" to potential buyers and biased against highway safety and common sense. In Ontario, the RV Dealers Association has interpreted the law such that anyone with a drivers license that qualifies him/her to drive a Honda Civic is also qualified to drive a motorhome with a GVWR of up to 24,200 lbs (which can be a motorhome in the 38' - 40' range) while towing another vehicle of whatever weight the motorhome is rated to handle.

The smartest thing I ever did was go through the process of obtaining my Class A (semi-truck driver's) license three years ago when I started towing our Monty 3400. We have since moved to a 37', 22,000 lb GVWR motorhome towing a Jeep Liberty. Even after three years and the training program I went through, I still feel like a novice and approach every trip with a feeling of "controlled concern" about my ability to handle the "beast" safely and properly under all circumstances. Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of that course was to make clear to me how little I knew about safely driving a big rig even after driving various automobiles for more than 40 years.

It is beyond my comprehension that people who have never driven anything bigger than a Buick Sedan can hop behind the wheel of a motorhome or a pick-up towing a big fiver without any appreciation for the fact that they are piloting 12 - 15 tons of RV down the Interstate and haven't the slightest ideas of what the hell they are doing. As with so much in our society, making a buck trumps the public good every time.

Bill

[richfaa]

When I get back home to Ohio I have to take my ANNUAL physical and I mean a real physical, so that I may drive a school bus in the state of Ohio for another year.I have never taken a physical or any kind of test to drive my 21K + rig.So not to worry if I am medically disqualified to drive a school bus I can still careen down the highway in my RV. Bill...nice post and so true..

[Dustytuu]

A school bus has about 50 or 60 kids in it. That makes a big difference.

I have towed trailers for many years, Don has pulled stuff in the military and we have been RVing for a long time. We now own our 3rd 5th wheel and ready to buy our 4th 5th wheel. We both tow.
We don't know everything and are still learning. No one should ever stop learning.


The OldGuard ...so sorry to hear about the damage to your unit. Hope it will be an easy fix and quickly.