$1,041.95 lost at sewer dump

[Janet H]

We have a small RV dump station in our town built by the municipality near a boat launch. Every day I walk my dog by the river and go past the RV dump. So... not too long ago I was amazed to see a couple in a brand new trailer dumping onto the ground rather than into the dump opening and yelling at each other at the top of their lungs.

The dump is well designed and has well-sloped sides leading to the 'hole' but they had covered the hole with a screen. Why?

Turns out that one of them had dropped a dental bridge into the toilet (never, ever multitask in the morning) and they figured it would flush out at the dump station. I got to watch the entire hilarious project.

First, they dumped and watched the screen for the bridge. This didn't go very well. The mesh diameter was pretty small and kept clogging. It was the screen from one of their windows. Sweeping it with their brand-new collapsible broom helped keep it clear.

Screen replacement parts: $5.00
Broom: $ 8.95

After dumping the entire (very full) tank and finding no bridge, they decided that the device must have settled to the bottom of the black tank and not been evacuated. So... they got out their water hose and a water thief and hooked up to the dump station water stub to fill their black tank via the toilet.

New (unpolluted) hose: $15.00
New water thief: $4.00

Once they had hooked all this up, they apparently shoved the hose into the toilet, keeping the valve open and turned on the water. Then they pulled the dump valve again. No teeth.

After some (loud) discussion they decided that the teeth must be stuck or jammed and that they needed to agitate the tank to dislodge them. At this point 2 more rigs have pulled up to dump and are waiting in line. One is towing a boat with a sunburnt and somewhat drunk crew. The fisherfolk are getting out cans of cold refreshment and one has a lawn chair. Another one has a plan....

How to agitate a black tank (while it's still attached to the trailer) method 1: Get 4 cans of beer and some buddies. Refill the tank with water. Open cans of beer and position buddies on each corner of the trailer. On cue, rock trailer back and forth. Position one person in the bathroom with the toilet valve open to listen for sloshing. Do not drop beer. When good sloshing sounds can be heard in the tank, pull the dump valve and wait for teeth.

Unfortunately, the teeth didn't appear and by this time the helpers were thirsty again. The owner with no lower teeth offered them more refreshments. They were thrilled because he had high-end beer (they were drinking the cheap stuff).

4 bottles of Redhook: $6.00

3 more rigs are now in line at the dump station and one woman (with 2 teens) has a camera out. Her kid has a cell phone held up high in the video capture position.

How to agitate a black tank method 2: Add water and then start the tow vehicle up. Make sure the water is really flowing and the tank is full to get a good dump. Go forward and back in rapid succession to really get things stirred up. So.....

They leave the hose filling the toilet attached and station one person in front of the trailer to keep an eye on the hitch. Another will be the driver and several more will stand and watch for teeth. The wind has picked up and the screen is on the verge of blowing away. One person holds it down with their foot. The wife will pull the dump handle.

The driver decides to set the emergency brake and then does the forward/back thing. The engine starts, the water is flowing, the spotters are ready, the wife is in place, and the forward/back thing starts. You can smell the transmission and hear the clunks as he shifts back and forth. The crowd is cheering and offering advice. Then the dump handle is pulled. Whoosh! Lots of water - no teeth. The foot holding the screen gets soaked and the owner of the footsteps back, sticking foot into open dump hole, twisting ankle and crying out in pain. The proceedings stop and the crowd gathers around the fallen helper to offer aid (and a beer). After a time water begins to run out the trailer door.

Another Redhook: $1.50

Remember the hose stuck in the toilet? It had dislodged during the forward/reverse process and was filling the trailer, flopping around and covering the walls.

Trailer rehab: $1000.00

The volunteer who had been watching the hitch runs inside to trap the hose. A couple of minutes later he comes out and says hey buddy - is this what you're looking for? He is holding teeth and new fresh beer. "I found 'em in the fridge"

One more Redhook: $1.50

[FordTruck]

OUTSTANDING story.

[wheel interested]

That was so funny!!!!

[cosmotini]

Having a senior moment ... $1,041.95

Not having to put poop-bridge in your mouth .. PRICELESS!

For everything else there's MasterCard

[mello mike]

LOL, that was a great story, Janet.

[loudruff]

I haven't seen that one on You.tube yet. Great story!!! Thanks for sharing!

[Cantrell]

Great story but two things immediately come to mind:
1) Does our fellow traveler not know the difference between the toilet and the refrigerator? Do people really store teeth in the fridge--wouldn't they be uncomfortably cold when you put them in your mouth?
2) Would you really put a set of teeth back in your mouth after having been through the black tank? Ain't enough antibacterial cleaners in the world for me to make that happen. What happens in the black tank stays in the black tank.

Now I know why my wife has been telling me for 15 years to put the toilet lid down-- when we are a bit older it may actually save us from having to replace teeth. And to think I questioned her reasoning--she was way ahead of me.

[Happycampers]

Janet.. That is even better than the movie with Robin Williams

[3Ms75Argosy]

Janet, Mona and I are ROLLING on the floor!! Hysterical!

Stupid is as stupid does....
Marc

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by Cantrell

What happens in the black tank stays in the black tank.

.

Got that right!! good low'rd!

[Gene]

They got by cheap—imagine the fine if they were caught dumping that way.

Gene

[Silverwanabe]

This can not be true, no one is that dumb, err slow.
They should not be allowed on the road.

[spenfolder]

Janet,

When we were kids, my grandfather used to love to tell us the story about when he flush his brand-new dentures down the toilet. Times were tough, and dentures were expensive, so grandpa went out to the side yard and dug up the septic system. He shoveled out the entire tank one bucket at a time, checking each bucket for his dentures. They, of course, had settled right to the bottom. So after an entire day of shoveling out the septic one bucket at a time, when he got to the very last bucket and found his new teeth, he was so happy he plopped them right in his mouth! ...or so his story goes.

[TinShack]

Now THAT'S funny! Great story Janet!

[TBRich]

Amazing. I think I have seen these people at a few dump stations!

[Tinsel Loaf]

That was rich.....

[thecatsandi]

Janet,
Thanks for the laugh. I would have loved to been there!

[TinShack]

I imagine the denture owner was very relieved he didn't have to put them pack in his mouth after being in the blackwater tank!

[bullydogsmom]

Janet..... I read this same story on the Escappe RV Club site. Are you sure you were there?

Annette

P.S. It is a very funny story.

[Janet H]

Originally Posted by bullydogsmom

Janet..... I read this same story on the Escappe RV Club site. Are you sure you were there?

Annette

P.S. It is a very funny story.

No - but you may have read this at irv2.com where I was and posted....

These folks actually live in my neighborhood. (I hope they don't do internet).