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Topic: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation (Read 1251 times) previous topic - next topic

Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Traveling to San Antonio today on I-10, I noticed 2 semis ahead, going quite slowly, so I pulled into the inside lane to pass them.  As I pulled alongside the first of the two (it was second in line), I noticed that he was speeding up, just about to my speed (65).  "Surely he is going to slow down" was about all I got out before he abruptly pulled toward me (to pass the truck in front of him).  Reflexes took over and I took the coach immediately into the dirt/grass median, slight slope, bumpy, but firm, creating a dust cloud behind me, avoiding the collision as the semi continued on around the first truck.  I brought the coach and our toad back onto the highway with no issue.  The whole thing probably didn't last 20 seconds, but it did scare us a bit.  We tried to get a license plate, but he was going so fast high-tailing it away from us.

I am sharing this with the group  because the experience underscored the stability of the 8 air-bag suspension, even in an old (19 years) Foretravel.  I had no trouble controlling the coach in the median, despite the speed.  In a couple miles, we stopped at a truck-only "picnic" area to check all systems (including our own).  Within a couple minutes there was a knock on the coach door; it was the driver of the first (slow-moving) semi.  He asked how we were and apologized for his load only allowing him to go 50 mph.  He said he was "amazed that your coach didn't roll over in the median", but it just "popped back on the concrete". 

He said he tried to get the license, but it had dirt over it.  Interesting.

Air pressure, front end, brakes, everything is apparently fine, as we continued  another 100 miles to San Antonio.

Although angry at the dangerous driver I felt more relief that we were unscathed and felt pride in our "Hayfever Express".  With a different coach, we might very well had a different outcome.
Don Hay
'92 Grandvilla, U-280
The Hayfever Express
Build #4055
'97 GEO Tracker
Life is like licking honey off a thorn.

Re: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Reply #1 –
Good job Don;
Glad all is well.
David in VA
1994 Unihome Grand Villa U280

Re: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Don Hay –
Reflexes took over and I took the coach immediately into the dirt/grass median, slight slope, bumpy, but firm, creating a dust cloud behind me, avoiding the collision as the semi continued on around the first truck.  I brought the coach and our toad back onto the highway with no issue.  The whole thing probably didn't last 20 seconds, but it did scare us a bit.  We tried to get a license plate, but he was going so fast high-tailing it away from us.

Although angry at the dangerous driver I felt more relief that we were unscathed and felt pride in our "Hayfever Express".  With a different coach, we might very well had a different outcome.
I bet Trudy really appreciates your driving skill now and those dollars to keep it in tip top shape. ::)
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Reply #3 –
Thanks for sharing that with us Don. Glad you and your wife are fine. I guess we should all drive with an extra bit of caution during this busy and sometime hectic time of year. Merry Christmas    :)
The selected media item is not currently available.
Mark and Tanya
Milton , Florida
US Navy Veteran (DV)
1999 U270 Special 40' CAI , 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

Re: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Reply #4 –
While not quite so dramatic I have had a few "professional" truck drivers almost run me off the road also. If you check them out as you drive by you will see them doing all kinds of distracting things like dialing/texting etc. At some point I will install a dash camera that will record incidences like that. There are some nice dash cams out there now but the rewiews on them are not that good so I'll wait a little and see how they develop.
Glad you were able to avoid a crash and any injuries. This may also serve as a reminder not to wander around inside the coach too much while moving.
Rick

Re: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Don Hay –
  With a different coach, we might very well had a different outcome.



This underscores what others have said about continually looking for a way out of a situation that might develop.  Don did just that by heading for the median. 

Job well done!!!
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Reply #6 –
Don,

Great driving!  One of the drills I teach all my grandchildren is to drive off the edge of the pavement and back on smoothly.  There's always a lot of angst the first time, but they get to realize this skill may save their life some day.  You're lucky you weren't facing a Jersey barrier wall, or extremely deep ruts in that median.

Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R

Re: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Reply #7 –
I am so glad everything worked out well. 

Some OTR truck drivers are very courteous, professional and helpful....some are not.  I am glad you were able to maneuver safely and avoid any accident.
Morris and Janice
1997 U270 36'

Re: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Reply #8 –
WOW!  Sounds to me like that driver was "on something".  Too bad he's going to get away with it only to continue to cause problems out there.
 
Good to hear you were up to the task, and that everything turned out alright, Don.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Reply #9 –
Don, glad you and Trudy are ok.  Keep safe and have a happy Holiday.

Jimmy Freytag,  Ardmore, Ok
1999 36ft U320. — -SOLD—-
1988 40ft GV        1990 36ft U280
1993 40ft U280      1996 36ft U280
  TRAVEL WHILE YOU CAN THE TIME WILL COME
            WHEN YOU NO LONGER CAN.

Re: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Reply #10 –
Glad you are ok. That has happened to me as well. The FT does an amazing job in abrupt maneuvers. Glad you are ok.  That is how trips to James Stallings place happen. You did great.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Reply #11 –
We have a small inexpensive camera facing out the front windshield connected to a VCR and record our drive.  I rewind the tape at the end of the trip.
 
Thanks for sharing Don.  Glad it worked out and the 1st truck driver stopped.

Re: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Reply #12 –
Professional Driver???  Only in the sense that they do it for a living, but it does not make them professional in the sense of how well they do it.  I started driving 18 wheeler in 1970 and have done it off and on ever since.  The drivers today are not the same as the drivers way back them.  And many of them can't even speak english.  I still have not figured out how they can get a CDL and pass the written DOT test the company has to give them.  They will take any load no matter what it pays and that drives down the transportation rates and makes it harder for the good driver.  As far as I am concerned, I find many of them unprofessional and unsafe as to their driving ability.  Even the good companies are on a slippery slope!

And yes, the Foretravel is a very capable handling piece of machinery.  Even my old 1994 U225.  Handles so much better than the P-32 I came out of!  Just no comparison one can make!  Glad you were able to avoid contact and kept it between the ditches and sunny side up!
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: Foretravel Handling During Emergency Situation

Reply #13 –
Don,
Thank you for sharing and I'm glade you came out unscathed.  I think we all have to thank CM Fore for the fantastic chassis design he came up with.  The low center of gravity and the the 8 outboard airsprings are what I think probably made all the difference.  With the low slung belly floor, all the tanks and cargo sit very low to the ground.  Combine that with the aluminum framed roof (which I see they are still doing with the new IH-45) make for a very low CG.  I haven't mentioned this before but I spent 9 months working as an engineer in the chassis department of Country Coach in 2008 and I've come to appreciate the simplicity and genius of the Uhihome and Unicoach design every time I work on my coach.
John Fitzgerald
1991 U300 (SAI) Side Aisle Island Bed 40'
Detroit 6V92 with Allison Retarder
Meridian (Boise), Idaho