I am heart broken

Topic: I am heart broken - accident (Read 2348 times) previous topic - next topic

I am heart broken - accident

October 05, 2020, 07:44:23 pm

Well I was going to talk about the work performed at my truck mechanic's shop, but I pulled into a truck stop, to check on the straps holding my Prius, and bent down to turn on the house batteries. I did not pay attention and did not set my parking brake. I rolled forward and hit the tire of a parked truck, and ripped the door almost off, steps went into the docking light, the right side headlamps were hanging down, and I am almost physically sick. The Foretravel I found was the answer to a long search. Will try to post pics.

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #1 – October 05, 2020, 07:48:22 pm

Relax and have the insurance company take care of your stress.

Pierce

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #2 – October 05, 2020, 08:07:43 pm

Sorry to hear this.......... but, like Pierce said, take a deep breath and be thankful it wasn't any worse. It could of happened while parked at an overlook and had a total loss and worse you and anyone else inside could have been seriously hurt ............. or worse!

This can be fixed........... just a pain in the arse,
glad yall are OK.

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #3 – October 05, 2020, 08:18:37 pm

Yes, Justin is right on. When someone is injured, that's one thing. But all of us make mistakes so you are not the first. I point our car down the drive way at night in case there is a fire and we need to escape but have to take out the ignition key to make sure it's in park as the key won't come out unless in park. I left the key in several times and came out to see the selector in neutral and the vehicle moved forward a few feet. Most of the time, we get away with our mistakes.

Pierce

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #4 – October 05, 2020, 09:36:59 pm

Chuckd wrote "I did not pay attention and did not set my parking brake. I rolled forward and hit the tire of a parked truck, and ripped the door almost off, steps went into the docking light, the right side headlamps were hanging down, . . ."

It's an expensive lesson, and one Chuckd is going to remember. For the rest of us, just a reminder, as much as your luxury coach is similar to your automobile, it's not, it's a heavy truck and there are things that operate differently. Sitting still for a moment and considering your next move is not time lost, or time wasted. Plus I enjoy a child-like delight when I set the spring brakes. But that doesn't mean that I haven't shut the engine down in gear, or with the brakes free. So I stop, move my shift lever into neutral and listen for the transmission to shift, pull the air valve for the parking brake and enjoy the sound the venting of compressed air makes. Remove my foot from the brake treadle and look carefully for movement. Adjust the appropriate light switches, push the shutdown timer button and turn off the ignition switch and remove the key.

Chrysler products first got a automatic transmission parking pawl in 1956 and even so it was a separate lever you moved after shifting into neutral.

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #5 – October 05, 2020, 11:18:03 pm

Nearly every one on the forum has at least one "story" they could tell about something missed on pre purchase inspections or damage that was self inflicted. Some of us have more than one. Lots of ways to get bit.

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #6 – October 06, 2020, 08:08:18 am

I NEVER trust the air/spring parking brake and the rear air-chambers to hold the coach on any type of hill. Especially if the rear brake pads and rotors are not hot.

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #7 – October 06, 2020, 08:43:13 am

Quote from: Lon and Cheryl – October 06, 2020, 08:08:18 am

I NEVER trust the air/spring parking brake and the rear air-chambers to hold the coach on any type of hill. Especially if the rear brake pads and rotors are not hot.

So how do you secure the coach from moving? Use chocks?

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #8 – October 06, 2020, 09:23:13 am

I saw the pictures on FB. Indeed heartbreaking.

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #9 – October 06, 2020, 10:07:52 am

Got to ask,why are you turning the house batteries off when driving?Send the pictures to extreme in Nac and get a quote,might as well get the headlight upgrade when they repair it.

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #10 – October 06, 2020, 10:19:25 am

Quote from: Lon and Cheryl – October 06, 2020, 08:08:18 am

I NEVER trust the air/spring parking brake and the rear air-chambers to hold the coach on any type of hill. Especially if the rear brake pads and rotors are not hot.

And I always chock the wheels. The entry step compartment holds two large rubber chocks. Step out of the coach and pull them out. A short poly line connects the two.

Pierce

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #11 – October 06, 2020, 10:22:22 am

Quote from: John44 – October 06, 2020, 10:07:52 am

Got to ask,why are you turning the house batteries off when driving? Send the pictures to Xtreme in Nac and get a quote,might as well get the headlight upgrade when they repair it.

Every time Jeff did something a bit boneheaded (note ... I said EVERY time ... meaning plural) he used it as a justification to have extra work done while the coach was in the shop. "Well ... since you have to fix that crunch and paint on the front end ... let's just do the headlight conversion and step upgrade!"

Don't despair ... If no humans or animals were harmed in the process, it is just a learning experience!

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #12 – October 06, 2020, 10:57:31 am

My wife and daughter were in the motor home with my 2 year old grandson on Saturday. When I was getting the the drivers seat to leave on Sunday my wife tells me that my grandson had been in the drivers seat. As I goto push in the parking brake I find that the button was all ready pushed in. I then told the wife how lucky we were that the coach had not rolled into Lake Conroe since it was sitting on a slope going towards the lake. Not sure why it just sat there and did not start rolling forward. Missed that bullet.

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #13 – October 06, 2020, 11:01:49 am

If you were below 60 psi the brakes would set. Never had the button stay in at that pressure though.

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #14 – October 06, 2020, 11:32:17 am

Note to self,no grandsons under 10 in drivers seat.

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #15 – October 06, 2020, 11:38:10 am

Has anyone tried one of these locks for the Knob?
http://absolutebrake.com/Images/Absolute-AB100.Install.Instructions.pdf

Absolute Brake Product Detail Page - Lockout/Tagout

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #16 – October 06, 2020, 01:05:49 pm

Good idea to prevent kids from playing with it and also to prevent joy rides. But the parking brake is only good on the flat or a very slight incline. Got to go with chocks every time. Emergency and utility vehicles are required to chock each and every time.

People who normally drive an automatic transmission car may think the air controller valve is the same as putting the car in park. It's not.

Pierce

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #17 – October 06, 2020, 01:43:38 pm

I made a stop like the yellow metal one shown out of a Motrin bottle. Cut off the top the correct length and cut a slot in the side to slide it over the brake knob shaft. Won't stop a theft but will stop an accidental push on the knob.

Rich

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #18 – October 06, 2020, 01:45:33 pm

I've read numerous threads on wheel chocks and I'm curious as to how well everyone's different choices fit their tires.

The Importance of a Good Wheel Chock - Gear Up With Gregg's - YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tyha9CRpBQU

Anyone care to put up pictures?

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #19 – October 06, 2020, 05:45:51 pm

Quote from: DayDreamer – October 06, 2020, 08:43:13 am

So how do you secure the coach from moving? Use chocks?

YES.

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #20 – October 06, 2020, 06:19:41 pm

Here are the pair that I use. One in the front of the tire, one in the back. I use a 2 or 3 foot poly rope to connect the two. With two chocks, you can't forget to pull them and put them back in the step compartment. You would never forget if you ran over a front wheel chock with the back tires after you had a little speed up. See the chocks below and be sure to use the 20% off coupon. Video shows the chocks.

https://www.harborfreight.com/rubber-wheel-chock-with-eyebolt-69828.html?_br_psugg_q=chock

Pierce

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #21 – October 06, 2020, 06:22:45 pm

I have almost identical set from Northern Tool and they are currently less than $10.00 each.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200782883_200782883

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #22 – October 06, 2020, 06:33:16 pm

Thanks for the kind thoughts. I have been driving Volvo semi's for 20 years pulling my fifth wheel trailers. Never had an accident. Two of my semi's were a 10 speed and a 13 speed manual, and two of them were auto shifts. Got into the habit of putting in neutral, pulling the park brake, upper right side of dash, and turning off ignition. Since I have only driven the Foretravel a couple of times, my habits were not automatic, and I did not do a mental check list when I shut it off, me bad. I was reaching for the battery cutoff just because I was curious as to what was activated when the house batteries were on, I.e back up camera. Now it has to do with me being more than a little ADD.

Upon further examination of the damage, two parts of the coach hit the truck, the air step which was extended for some reason and the side mirror. The extended stair hit the truck tire, penetrated it and moved the step backwards with a half twist. So the front cap vertical member is intact, but the step has ripped out the side supports, of the step. So new door, step, headlights, windshield, side mirror.

Called Xtreme sent them lots of pics, hopefully will hear from them tomorrow with a rough estimate, and what a schedule might look like. Since they do headlights and air steps, I have saved them some demo work☺️ I do hope there might be a salvage door some place, straightening the current door would be task not for the faint hearted.

Thanks for the support and will let you know what Xtreme says. The coach is very drivable, with the exception of only one light and a very breezy door opening.

Chuckd

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #23 – October 06, 2020, 06:41:30 pm

Quote from: Travelin' Man – October 06, 2020, 01:45:33 pm

I've read numerous threads on wheel chocks and I'm curious as to how well everyone's different choices fit their tires.

The Importance of a Good Wheel Chock - Gear Up With Gregg's - YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tyha9CRpBQU

Anyone care to put up pictures?

These are the 2 I carry. I do not use them everytime I park. If I do use them I remove the ignition key and lay it in the bay they are kept in.

Re: I am heart broken - accident

Reply #24 – October 06, 2020, 07:01:27 pm

Quote from: craneman – October 06, 2020, 06:41:30 pm

These are the 2 I carry. I do not use them everytime I park. If I do use them I remove the ignition key and lay it in the bay they are kept in.

Chuck, yours seem like they fit the radius of the tire a lot better than the other two pictured. I had a pair of the HF ones but the tire only came in contact with the top part of the chock, so for now I'm using homemade 6 X 6s cut to fit the tire radius with non-skid bottoms.

Affiliate Notice