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Old 06-21-2013, 08:19 PM   #85
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Originally Posted by SocioSam View Post
We are planning to purchase an RV in the next 3 months. We have been looking at various models, talking to friends who RV, and reading blogs.

One article recommended against Class A calling them dangerous because 1) they are top heavy and tend to rollover, 2) the have no front end protection because motor is under it, 3) no air bags, 4) harder to drive especially when windy.

But we like the layout of Class A.

Can you help us out? Thanks for any suggestions.
My father told me a long time ago, you can't fix stupid. Drive anything stupidly and you will get hurt or killed. An RV is different from a car and can not be driven like one. With 30 years law enforcement behind me, the best thing I can say is to attend a training course on driving a large RV, practice backing, driving, stopped, parking, and have a plan. If try to drive an RV like a car, you will have an accident sooner or later. Drive it like it as designed to be driven and you should not have a problem. Be aware of the terrain you are going to travel and have a plan. Slow down in windy conditions, rain, etc. You should not have a problem.
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Old 06-21-2013, 08:39 PM   #86
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Originally Posted by CampDaven View Post
Pure baloney.

I could provide details but it is not worth the typing.

Find something you like and get camping!
I agree, when people get in trouble is when they drive a 20,000 lb
vehicle like a vw bug.
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Old 06-21-2013, 08:49 PM   #87
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I had large vehicle (including cab over) experience when We bought
our class A Sure it handles different than other trucks.

Find a friend with one and go out for a couple trips before you decide.
Then find one that suits you A B C trailer 5th wheel and enjoy.

What ever you get find a big open parking lot, use the lines and figure out turning, backing, parking. 4 pm on Friday in city traffic is no time to figure your turning radius.
Keith
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Old 06-21-2013, 09:20 PM   #88
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Media Scare, Hype, and BS. They take a story about a "driver at fault" accident and then want to cast a bad light about the vehicle(Class A Motor homes) being unsafe. All accidents are unique and have contributing factors. This story talks it up that this guy got a brain bleed in the accident an died. (Yes I feel bad for this guy & his family) Did the accident cause this or did the man have a health conditions that added to the situation. A different person may have had a totally different outcome.

If you read the full article, to the end you will see that RVIA responded saying:

"NHTSA (The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) hasn't crash tested finished motor homes because they are fundamentally safe-- there simply haven't been enough deaths to warrant the cost of purchasing and testing these types of vehicles."

Yes, Class A Motor homes are "Fundamentally Safe"

One of the main reasons that we went Winnebago is the steel driver cockpit structure and their drop testing. They just don't do this for fun, it is for safety.

Do your research, buy the best that you can afford, properly maintain it, drive it safely, and have fun doing it.
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Old 06-21-2013, 09:50 PM   #89
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Yes a class A motor home is dangerous. But not enough to cause me to abandon RVing, just dangerous enough to respect it. I built a crystal radio in cub scouts, I didn't think it was dangerous, but I fell out of a 3rd story window trying to string the antenna.
Racing motorcycles was dangerous, but lots of fun, same with old English sports cars, sail boats & 60mph bass boats. Let danger temper your choices,not dictate them & enjoy life.
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Old 06-21-2013, 10:00 PM   #90
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Art - I assume the 60 mph bass boat was slowed down by the weight of fish. :
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Old 06-21-2013, 10:15 PM   #91
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In fact, a recent post on this Forum was someone asking how to disable his DRL's....great...
I had two trucks cut me off when my DRL's were active, now, some 10 years after I disabled them, it's never happened again. Don't understand how the OTR drivers mistook the solid burning, low output lights for flashing headlights that they were clear!!
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Old 06-21-2013, 10:16 PM   #92
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan17 View Post
Media Scare, Hype, and BS. They take a story about a "driver at fault" accident and then want to cast a bad light about the vehicle(Class A Motor homes) being unsafe. All accidents are unique and have contributing factors. This story talks it up that this guy got a brain bleed in the accident an died. (Yes I feel bad for this guy & his family) Did the accident cause this or did the man have a health conditions that added to the situation. A different person may have had a totally different outcome.

If you read the full article, to the end you will see that RVIA responded saying:

"NHTSA (The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) hasn't crash tested finished motor homes because they are fundamentally safe-- there simply haven't been enough deaths to warrant the cost of purchasing and testing these types of vehicles."

Yes, Class A Motor homes are "Fundamentally Safe"

One of the main reasons that we went Winnebago is the steel driver cockpit structure and their drop testing. They just don't do this for fun, it is for safety.

Do your research, buy the best that you can afford, properly maintain it, drive it safely, and have fun doing it.
Basically what I said clear back on post #3 of this thread.
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Old 06-21-2013, 10:39 PM   #93
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They are addictive! You just can't stop with owning one. Soon it's another, then another. Before long you are reading about them and then going to RV shows. Later you spend all your money on them, then you borrow money from strangers to feed your addiction. You sleep with them, you eat in them, you spend all your free time in them.

Class A's are very dangerous......
You forgot to mention boarding wild animals.
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Old 06-21-2013, 11:06 PM   #94
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Just get a couple helmets if you're really worried!!



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Old 06-22-2013, 07:51 AM   #95
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Thanks again everyone. Sheila and I are now wearing helmets and bubble wrap day and night. But we had to change our clothing from all bright orange to red and yellow as police kept stopping us on the theory we had escaped from jail.
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Old 06-22-2013, 07:56 AM   #96
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Originally Posted by SocioSam
Thanks again everyone. Sheila and I are now wearing helmets and bubble wrap day and night. But we had to change our clothing from all bright orange to red and yellow as police kept stopping us on the theory we had escaped from jail.
Don't forget about that heavy paper Amazon packs things in these days. I got a small package the other day with about 100 miles of it if you're interested.
Steve
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Old 06-22-2013, 10:39 AM   #97
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Steve/Jack...Agree there are options. Besides well anchored harness and seats, my big concern is the overhead cabinets, without a way to positively lock those doors, you could survive a collision or even a minor off road excursion and be still be wiped out by various canned goods and an assortment of dinnerware.
This is not a criticism of your post, but of the implication that a class A coach is somehow "dangerous".
IMO, the implication that "a Class A is dangerous" is silly.
Lying in bed is DANGEROUS..... (I believe more people die in bed than anywhere else).

However, as a precaution one should carry NOTHING in the overhead cabinets while a coach is moving!
You can only use canned goods and dinnerware when the coach is stopped!... (common sense dictates that they should only be transported it in a basement storage compartment).
While traveling I simply put those "potentially dangerous missiles" into a basement storage compartment, (the compartment that I use to store my "life saving protective gear" when the coach is parked)........

Doesn't every "safety conscious" coach owner/driver, and all of his/her passengers, wear a helmet, a protective vest and knee pads?
Maybe only the paranoid ones?
Maybe none?
ROFL

As I said, IMO the concept is silly.

Mel
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Old 06-22-2013, 04:27 PM   #98
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Mel: I totally agree:
It was not my intention to indicate motorhomes were unsafe. My previous posts were to emphasis the safety record of MH's compared to other vehicles. I do use the overhead cabinets for storage and I am aware there are other options.... (maybe I drive better knowing they are up there..)
It's obvious the "safety gear" concept can get overwhelming , and with the governments help we can insure that bubble wrap, cargo nets and ejection seats will be standard equipment....
...enjoy..
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