MH Safe Driving

[TonyDi]

You can have all the licenses and certifications you can get, but it won't correct careless driving or inattention at the wheel.

[sailwing2003]

We meet and know other RV owners that are clueless about what letters their driver license should have listed.

Love the "salesman said no special license needed", or "I have always driven on the license I have". And then the many different regs. per different states. That some states allow a private person to drive their 50,000# or more RV's with a car license is strange indeed. That trucks are pulling overloaded set ups, i.e. trailers or 5th wheels, amazing. But we are back to "salesman said my truck would work fine".

[jdoc]

Already this year, just 3 months old, 20 people have died in accidents in the area of Texas where I live, the Permian Basin. At this rate we are heading for a record number of traffic deaths this year. Three in one accident alone. One of them was a child. The cause of this particular one? A man driving a pickup truck run a stop sign and hit the vehicle these people were in. Having a CDL would not have stopped him from running the stop sign. What would have? Paying attention. The particular license you have DOES NOT make you pay attention. There are truck drivers out here that do not have a CDL, which is required for their job. Law Enforcement Officers can't stop all of these people. They are slowly getting better at it though.

Another thing that hasn't helped at all is, the legislature, in their infinite wisdom, increased the speed limit statewide to 75 mph on all Interstate Highways and State Highways. The exception to this is a stretch of I-10 from west of Kerrville, TX. to east of El Paso, TX. The speed limit along there is either 80 or 85 mph.

The bottom line is drivers everywhere need to PAY ATTENTION to what is going on around you at all times and if you feel like you are getting tired and sleepy STOP and take a break or a nap. I can't count the number times I have had to stop and take a break or just stop for the day. My wife and I have this thing about living and, we have a lot of money invested in our motor home and, we would like to continue doing the thing we really enjoy. Being out in our rig and seeing and going.

Jerry

[Bad Bolt]

I consider myself an excellent defensive driver. Always looking for bad drivers, distracted drivers, stupid drivers. I've done pretty well and have never been at fault in the few accidents I've been in.

When I flew to Denver to pick up my coach, I had never drivin a full size DP. By the time I made it back to Ohio, I was doing pretty good. It's all about knowing your limitations and driving in such a way as to maximize your safety in operating the rig.

My driving technique is to at all times let others pass, lane change, whatever. If I have ten cars in a row pull in front of me, I am going to slow down and reset my spacing between me and them. I will not tailgate if cut in front of, I will slow and reset spacing.

I also determine the flow of traffic and go about 2mph less than the flow of the middle and slow lane. This way, EVERYBODY is passing me and I'm just a bit slower than the rest of traffic, so as not to be TOO slow.

When traffic is merging, I try to time the merge as best as possible, even if the dope getting onto the freeway is not merging properly. I will not tailgate...ever...ever...ever.

Why?

On my most recent trip to Florida, my rig was spaced at least 200' from the semi in front at 65mph in the right lane.

All of a sudden, the semi made a very quick left lane change revealing a small car that was braking very hard and fast....not hitting the break down shoulder......just basically stopping completely in the right lane...OMG!

Either the semi in the middle lane next to me did not see me or wanted to see a coach/car wreck for jollies, but, he did not budge on inch to let me over.

That 200' of spacing vanished in a millisecond...gone. I did all but lock up the brakes, as the semi that was keeping me in my lane moved ahead enough for me to slide over enough to not smash the little car like a dang bug...it was that close.

I broke sufficiently enough to where my day bag sitting on the bed in the rear of the coach ended up a few feet behind the driver/passenger seat.

I will not tailgate...ever...ever...ever...ever..ever...

[Fiesta48]

Tailgating is my Number 1 pieve. I love my RV because there's so much space between me and them.
I agree lack of attention is the Number One cause of accidents. No regulation/law will stop stupidity. Look at Illinois, they have to most gun laws and highest crime.

[stratob377]

I mainly drive at night, less people on the road, no rush hour to contend with going through Metro areas

[Krisbc1]

Jerry,

Do you mind my using your title, (love it) all I ever hear is the Corps is a dept of the navy...."All I say is yes, you are correct....The Mens Dept".

[chuckinthebus]

According to this, in all fairness, unless you have updated information, the cause was yet to be determined. What if it was icy, or someone cut in front of him and he laid it over to save some fool texting and not paying attention?
Two Taken to Hospital in RV Rollover on I-81 SB - Your4State.com

[2NewRVers]

Originally Posted by cnkinthebus

According to this, in all fairness, unless you have updated information, the cause was yet to be determined. What if it was icy, or someone cut in front of him and he laid it over to save some fool texting and not paying attention? Two Taken to Hospital in RV Rollover on I-81 SB - Your4State.com

Agree , well said. Thanks

[JFXG]

Originally Posted by Bad Bolt

..... On my most recent trip to Florida, my rig was spaced at least 200' from the semi in front at 65mph in the right lane.
...

Virtually all professional driving courses recommend 1) a 4-second gap between you and the vehicle in front for safe spacing, and 2) don't drive behind large trucks. These two points both become somewhat untenable sometimes on urban freeways, in rush hour traffic, etc., as traffic is fluid, and other vehicles constantly move in and fill that 4-second space.

However, it still provides an easier way to establish buffer zones than trying to judge 200 or 300 or 400 feet of distance. At 65mph, for example, 200 foot spacing only amounts to a two second gap- inadequate by any standard, particularly in a heavy vehicle. And driving behind trucks is a negative simply because you can't see, and thus you can't have any idea what's going on in front of you.

[falconman]

People don't have a clue when it comes to speed and stopping distance. They leave more room between them and the car in front at a red light than they do at 80 mph! Another law will do nothing.

[scenic route]

Originally Posted by cnkinthebus

According to this, in all fairness, unless you have updated information, the cause was yet to be determined. What if it was icy, or someone cut in front of him and he laid it over to save some fool texting and not paying attention?
Two Taken to Hospital in RV Rollover on I-81 SB - Your4State.com

No assumption, it was later confirmed the 80 year old driver fell asleep at the wheel, causing the accident.

http://www.navbug.com/article9325112...me_on_i_81.htm

[chuckinthebus]

Originally Posted by scenic route

No assumption, it was later confirmed the 80 year old driver fell asleep at the wheel, causing the accident.

2 injured in overturned mobile home on I-81

Thanks for the update.

[scenic route]

Originally Posted by cnkinthebus

Thanks for the update.