Accident...

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

...snip...

Ignorance can be cured, but it takes effort, and clear thinking, plus a few Google searches, nowadays. The answers are out there...

...snip...

Ignorance is nothing to be ashamed of. It just means you don’t know something. Taking action BASED on that ignorance and failing to do something about it - well, that’s a horse of a different color.

I’ve posted this a million times but I’ll say again - the first weekend we had our first ever brand new trailer (combined with our brand new truck) - we figured the $500 we were about to spend on our Safe RV Driver’s course at the local CDL center was a very cheap investment that would have maximum returns.

No shame in not knowing how to tow a trailer, set up a hitch, use an emergency braking procedure with a brake controller, back in to a spot without wiping out a person or tree, etc. - none of us are born with that knowledge. But it takes some effort to learn and practice. Knowing you don’t know and failing to do anything about that is problematic.....

Glad no one was seriously hurt.

[smithcreek]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Ignorance is nothing to be ashamed of. It just means you don’t know something. Taking action BASED on that ignorance and failing to do something about it - well, that’s a horse of a different color.

I’ve posted this a million times but I’ll say again - the first weekend we had our first ever brand new trailer (combined with our brand new truck) - we figured the $500 we were about to spend on our Safe RV Driver’s course at the local CDL center was a very cheap investment that would have maximum returns.

No shame in not knowing how to tow a trailer, set up a hitch, use an emergency braking procedure with a brake controller, back in to a spot without wiping out a person or tree, etc. - none of us are born with that knowledge. But it takes some effort to learn and practice. Knowing you don’t know and failing to do anything about that is problematic.....

Glad no one was seriously hurt.

I used the word ignorant in my first post, and your post is exactly how I meant it. I said I found it hard to believe you could get to the point where you have a $50K+ trailer on the road behind and $30K+ vehicle, and be so ignorant about towing, but after reading so many of the responses to his post I suppose it happens a lot more than I am aware.


As rmkrum pointed out, I'm not sure how fate is involved in an insurance lapse. Could be wrong, but when my wife told me about this she said they only had the trailer 2 weeks. What insurance lapses after 2 weeks?

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by smithcreek

. . .
As rmkrum pointed out, I'm not sure how fate is involved in an insurance lapse. Could be wrong, but when my wife told me about this she said they only had the trailer 2 weeks. What insurance lapses after 2 weeks?

You are mixing up two accidents, I think:

1. the one here on 7/22;
2. the one described in Post #8 from FaceBook, which occurred about a week before the post.

Two separate accidents, I think.

Not sure about the insurance lapsing after two weeks [did the FaceBook accident report say this?], but if the first coverage was only a Binder, that may be standard practice to protect the company, if the vehicle owner locates permanent insurance elsewhere IMO.

[PKI]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Would those two solar panels fit on a 23' ? The length of the awning makes 25' more likely IMO. The photo in Post #2 will open up as larger if you click on the top bar.

Peter, you may be right. The space where the front solar panel is located looks too big for a 23. The confusing part is it looks like the new 25s have pano windows, front and rear. Maybe it's an older coach. Is there a 25 with the small rear window? The dome TV antenna would indicate newer, but it may be a retrofit. Pat

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by PKI

Peter, you may be right. The space where the front solar panel is located looks too big for a 23. The confusing part is it looks like the new 25s have pano windows, front and rear. Maybe it's an older coach. Is there a 25 with the small rear window? The dome TV antenna would indicate newer, but it may be a retrofit. Pat

I still think it's a 22 Sport w/ bumper added. Rear door, sport taillights, offset rear window.

[smithcreek]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

You are mixing up two accidents, I think:

1. the one here on 7/22;
2. the one described in Post #8 from FaceBook, which occurred about a week before the post.

Two separate accidents, I think.

Not sure about the insurance lapsing after two weeks [did the FaceBook accident report say this?], but if the first coverage was only a Binder, that may be standard practice to protect the company, if the vehicle owner locates permanent insurance elsewhere IMO.

I'm sure I'm not making things easy by bringing a whole different accident in and discussing the details, but the quote I posted was from the OP about his insurance lapsing and was on the facebook page. No matter what the case, the facebook story has lots of details especially if you go there and read some of the comments. All of which make me glad that I am somewhat obsessed with my towing setup and am happy that Airforums exists with it's enormous knowledge base and experts in just about every aspect of travel trailers.

[brick1]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Would those two solar panels fit on a 23' ? The length of the awning makes 25' more likely IMO. The photo in Post #2 will open up as larger if you click on the top bar.

Viewing on my phone, it’s a 23.
Rear window looks like a 23. Not a 25.
brick

[PKI]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

[S] -- snip -- It's a Sport 22FB. -- snip -- an optional rear bumper for Sports?

We have a winner - sky light in front is key. I thought it was a fan until I looked at Peter's picture enlarged. It's the 22 Sport. Good eye's. Well done. Pat

[brick1]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

AC unit is aft of the skylight and that small off-center rear window looks like 23 with the corner bed/corner bath.

Nope I'm wrong, didn't look at the taillights. It's a Sport 22FB.

Rear door, offset rear window fits 22FB (I didn't notice the rear door that's just barely visible at first either.) I guess there's an optional rear bumper for Sports?

Yup, I think you are correct. I initially thought it was a 23 because of the rear window. But the taillights look like a Sport. The optional rear bumper is likely added for the bike rack?

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Is the bike rack / bumper even a standard option on the sport? Is this something somebody though would be a good idea and tacked on? If it's a stock item, AS does a really good job of hiding that fact.

Bob

[OTRA15]

Yes, we were thinking of adding a bumper onto a Sport years ago, and the dealer said no prob as an optional item. The missing bumper is to lower the sticker price.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

I have no doubt you can add this or that to just about any trailer. My concern is what it does to the weight and balance of the trailer. Why I believe that stock upgrades are any less dubious in that regard .... no idea ....

Bob

[Foiled Again]

I played detective recently - to help a new friend. She had told me that no one at the dealership mentioned anything about brake controllers or weight distributing hitches or even mirrors to her. I went in and inquired about the same larger A-frame she had bought..... no one wanted to do anything that might make me THINK before buying. I specifically asked about towing schools, safety training and those mirrors that clip on.... "Oh no honey you don't need anything else" was the attitude. Get my money and shoo me off the lot... next customer?

Didn't want to queer the sale by listing all the stuff one should have even with something as small as an A-frame.

I have heard this attitude before. Even from a well known Airstream dealer or two.
We are pretty flooded here, but as soon as the water goes down I and a couple of other veterans will be teaching towing 101.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Is the bike rack / bumper even a standard option on the sport? Is this something somebody though would be a good idea and tacked on? If it's a stock item, AS does a really good job of hiding that fact.

Bob

Bumper is an add-on, and not stock equipment. It seems every 22' Sport we sell, the new owner asks about installing a bumper, so they can install a bike rack. My response is: "The bumper is a simple bolt-on assembly, and is not intended to support a bike rack."

[rmkrum]

This just proves you absolutely have to do your own "due diligence" and research before you even step into the showroom.

(Personally, I'd be super offended at the "Oh no honey you don't need anything else" statement. My DW bought the last several vehicles from our local Toyota dealer, including our first Tacoma tow vehicle. Anyone that made that kind of statement to "The Dragon Lady" would have not liked her reaction...nor mine. She does the deal, I just sit there and aim her at the innocent victim, er, sales droid. She always gets exactly what she wants (based on millennia of ancestral haggling skills)).

[boondockdad]

So, who’s worse?
This poor slobs dealer sending them out without a BC, or the dealer who jerry-rigs a Class III receiver onto a front wheel drive sedan then hooks it up to a 10,000 pound 31’ Airstream?

[uncle_bob]

Hi

To me the big issue is one of an "informed decision". If the buyer gets all the facts, and then decides to do the stupid thing - it's on him. If the whole process is designed to keep him / her from becoming informed ... not so much on the buyer. When stuff goes wrong, there often is a "we told you" / "you never said anything" yack that goes on. Trusting what either side says in this case without written documents is tough.

Bob

[PKI]

Originally Posted by boondockdad

So, who’s worse? -- snip --

Objection your honor. Question is irrelevant and immaterial to these proceedings. Pat

[Caffeinated]

As someone who winces with each little tiny stone ding in the front corners of the stainless stone guard, I cannot imagine the horror of rolling the AS. And it boggles the mind that they did not understand they needed a brake controller.

Mike

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Caffeinated

As someone who winces with each little tiny stone ding in the front corners of the stainless stone guard, I cannot imagine the horror of rolling the AS. And it boggles the mind that they did not understand they needed a brake controller.

Mike

Hi

What's this plug for ... don't worry ... don't care ...

Indeed it does boggle the mind a bit. Having video of the delivery process would be worth a lot in this case.

Having visited more than a few Airstream dealers, they are a mixed bunch. If the trailer came off a used lot .... who knows what was said or done .... I would *not* want to be the dealer's liability insurance company if indeed nothing was said at all .... of course, I'm not a lawyer so who knows ....

Bob