Just when you think you've seen everything

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Just when you think you've seen everything

August 20, 2018, 08:43:20 am

If I had a video it would go viral. We were coming home from the coast of Washington and stopped late in the day at Big Pine campground along the Yakima river knowing it would probably be full but you never know. Did a loop and all the sites were occupied or reserved but as we were about to pull out I saw a huge triple axle fifth wheel pull into the campground. I told my wife this guy can't fit into any of these spaces so lets wait and see if he has a site reserved and when he leaves we will just take that site. Sure enough he had a site reserved and was going to attempt to back into it. He cranked the wheel and started backing and immediately the driver's side rear bumper smashed into a good size Boulder. He pulled forward and backed in again even faster crunching the bumper and spinning the wheels of his big f-350. Then he decided to leave or so I thought. He did a loop around the campground and decided to try again. This time he got over even farther towards the driver's side of the road and started backing in but this time the driver's side rear of the trailer took the brunt of the abuse. Crunch crunch crunch as people from other campsites walked over to see what was happening. He put it in 4 wheel drive turned the wheel hard and backed over a couple of boulders with front and rear wheels of his pickup doing major body damage to that side of the truck. He got into his site though and I guess was satisfied with his efforts. We parked in the very nice day use area and walked the dogs by his camp to get a first hand look at the damage and it was extensive to truck and trailer. So much for our free campsite so we hung out in the day use area until evening, caught a few technically illegal hours of sleep and drove off early the next morning still shaking our heads.

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #1 – August 20, 2018, 10:21:03 am

It takes all kinds 🙃🤪 to make us laugh 🤭 😁😂

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #2 – August 20, 2018, 10:51:55 am

OK I admit it but ......

It's one of my guilty pleasures watching others park their rigs. Over the years it has supplied me with many hours of entertainment. I'm sure I have entertained others as well.

I once watch a gentleman driver of a larger diesel RV pass a dumpster that was blocking the entrance to his assigned spot. He apparently decided to use his RV to back into the dumpster to push it out of the way. BTW he had his wife (an assumption on my part) directing him. After successfully pushing the dumpster back a few feet he pulled forward then backed up at a greater speed to knock it out of the street. He was successful but one of the dumpster wheels hit a smallish rock that caused it to flip on its side. A large majority of the contents escaped the confines of the dumpster. When he got out of his RV to view what happened said wife (again an assumption on my part) then had a few words as to who was at fault. I'm very sure the loudness and tone of the words had to be do to the running diesel engine.

It was hard to look these folks in the eye for the few days we were parked across from each other.......

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #3 – August 20, 2018, 01:03:46 pm

I suspect that when the F-350 dude realized his dream rig was too big for his intended camping purposes, he flipped out. Bigger is not always better....

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #4 – August 20, 2018, 03:21:59 pm

No photos?

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #5 – August 20, 2018, 05:02:44 pm

Quote from: squeakytiki - August 20, 2018, 03:21:59 pm

No photos?

How I wish! I was afraid to take a photo of the damage as we walked by figuring the guy was drunk or insane or both and might not appreciate my taking pictures.

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #6 – August 20, 2018, 05:04:25 pm

Quote from: kool83704 - August 20, 2018, 01:03:46 pm

I suspect that when the F-350 dude realized his dream rig was too big for his intended camping purposes, he flipped out. Bigger is not always better....

Afterwards I told my wife that's the guy that rides your bumper and passes on a blind turn with double yellows.

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #7 – August 20, 2018, 09:34:05 pm

In a Word,

So satisfying when it happens to the severely deserving.

joel

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #8 – August 21, 2018, 08:35:32 pm

We too are shaking our heads (and secretly entertained by) at those trailer & 5th wheel owners attempting to back their units into a space that is not suited for it or have no good method of communicating from the one directing to the driver. Usually it is the companion standing at the rear (usually where the driver can't see her or him) waving their hands in all directions. These events can sometimes take up to a half hour and, yes, a lot of screaming back and forth. For many years we have used Motorola FRS 2-way radios for directional communication with my wife transmitting continually (so I hear every word clearly) saying "Straight" or "Left" or "Right" and "Stop." I don't need to see her for the instructions. Those radios also come in handy if we are driving separately for whatever reason. Some use cell phones if there is service in the area. I do recommend those radios to those having problems but usually the next day after they are speaking to each other again. :-)

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #9 – August 22, 2018, 06:28:33 am

Quote from: Mike Coachman - August 21, 2018, 08:35:32 pm

We too are shaking our heads (and secretly entertained by) at those trailer & 5th wheel owners attempting to back their units into a space that is not suited for it or have no good method of communicating from the one directing to the driver. Usually it is the companion standing at the rear (usually where the driver can't see her or him) waving their hands in all directions. These events can sometimes take up to a half hour and, yes, a lot of screaming back and forth. For many years we have used Motorola FRS 2-way radios for directional communication with my wife transmitting continually (so I hear every word clearly) saying "Straight" or "Left" or "Right" and "Stop." I don't need to see her for the instructions. Those radios also come in handy if we are driving separately for whatever reason. Some use cell phones if there is service in the area. I do recommend those radios to those having problems but usually the next day after they are speaking to each other again. :-)

For the short period we had a 24' trailer I told my wife to sit tight and let me back in on my own. It just wasn't worth the aggravation. Fortunately I had some experience driving truck OTR and backing a 24' trailer into a site was child's play after spending time backing a forty foot trailer with a semi truck to bump the dock at incredibly tight locations all over the country. I tried to help a guy that was having problems once and giving him some truck driver advice on backing but he was so flustered he couldn't listen and I never tried to help anyone again. Sometimes it's best just to stay out of these things.

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #10 – August 22, 2018, 07:37:05 pm

In the early '80's we were settled in at the Salt Lake City KOA/Good Sam park on North Temple. It was parking on grassy sites with hook-ups. A large class A arrived to park next to us. A woman got out with her little dog on leash, pulled out a yard chair, sat down, and lit a cigarette. It was clear she was having nothing to do with parking that rig. The husband (?) backed in, pulled out - again and again and again. He finally got out, took a look at the site - all the way to the back - and determined the problem: a tree. One more try at backing into the site, hopped out, and yanked a couple of branches off the tree. All the while, Mrs was watching without a word. I'm guessing they'd been through this routine before.

At least he didn't take out the power stack or water. All the amenities of the park . . . and live entertainment!

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #11 – August 22, 2018, 09:37:25 pm

After “cutting it a little close” to a tree on our Maiden Voyage, I thought of carrying some loppers in the rig. Even went so far as to put it on my “Gotta-Have” list. Never did put ‘em in the LD. Just decided to follow Joan’s advice and Get Out And Look. Sound advice.

And yes both my DW and DD help me back in when I’m not solo. Actually got a few “well done’s” from folks up here at Serrano for my skillfull parking job. That and my quick levelling technique.

Practice, practice.

Kent

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #12 – August 23, 2018, 11:53:59 am

Quote from: Kent Heckethorn - August 22, 2018, 09:37:25 pm

After “cutting it a little close” to a tree on our Maiden Voyage, I thought of carrying some loppers in the rig. Even went so far as to put it on my “Gotta-Have” list. Never did put ‘em in the LD. Just decided to follow Joan’s advice and Get Out And Look. Sound advice.

And yes both my DW and DD help me back in when I’m not solo. Actually got a few “well done’s” from folks up here at Serrano for my skillfull parking job. That and my quick levelling technique.

Practice, practice.

Kent

Get out and look is the best advice. I pull up to where I think I should start backing then get out and really look things over. Then half way through the back I do it again just to remind myself exactly where everything is and how I'm doing in the backing in process.

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #13 – August 23, 2018, 01:24:16 pm

Quote from: Sawyer - August 23, 2018, 11:53:59 am

Get out and look is the best advice. I pull up to where I think I should start backing then get out and really look things over. Then half way through the back I do it again just to remind myself exactly where everything is and how I'm doing in the backing in process.

Such "underconfidence" is very beneficial to your insurance rates

I care more about the intactness of my parked rig that the opinion of any observers about my parking expertise.

Re: Just when you think you've seen everything

Reply #14 – August 23, 2018, 03:55:04 pm

Quote from: joel wiley - August 23, 2018, 01:24:16 pm

Such "underconfidence" is very beneficial to your insurance rates
I care more about the intactness of my parked rig that the opinion of any observers about my parking expertise.

At one point in my life I thought driving log truck looked like it beat being out in the heat or snow or rain all day falling timber so I decided to get a CDL (Commercial Drivers License) and pursue that line of work as I got in my 50s. A major trucking company offered free training if you agreed to drive for them for a year after you got your CDL so I went to their school and getting out to look twice during backing in to bump a dock was stressed repeatedly. After getting your CDL you had to complete an obstacle course without hitting anything before they sent you on the road and a backing obstacle was part of that course. Not getting out to look twice was an automatic fail. That lesson stuck with me.

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