Anybody ever try to drag race you when towing?

s219 · Dec 27, 2013

So I was coming home with a new Kubota L3200 on my trailer yesterday. It's a 7x16 landscape trailer with dual 3500# axles. Was towing with my Acura MDX SUV. I was very close to the vehicle's 5000# towing limit with the new tractor, but it did just fine. The only change was needing to dial up my brake controller higher than before, which was expected.

I was doing a comfortable 55mph on state highways without any problems (removed the mesh gate from the trailer which helped a lot). About halfway home, I came up behind a dump truck, and had to drop down to about 45 mph for 6-7 miles before I turned at an intersection.

During that 45mph stretch, a dude with a recent model F-150 quad-cab towing a bass boat came right up on my tail, which I found to be very annoying given the situation. There was no passing and it was obvious the dump truck was going to be setting the pace for a while. We would all have reduced braking capability of something went wrong, so he should have known better and backed way off.

After clearing the intersection, which turned into a divided highway with multiple lanes, the moron in the F-150 kept trying to pass me unsuccessfully, all while I was driving steady in the 55mph range in the right lane. I may as well have been on cruise control as steady as I was going, and I couldn't have accelerated much more even if I wanted to. I'd lose him on uphill stretches, then he'd be right back trying to pass me on the downhills and flats, but just couldn't quite pull it off. Eventually, he fell far enough behind on an uphill and I never saw him again.

Bass boat fisherman have a reputation for being real pricks on the river where I fish, and now I've seen that same exact behavior towing on the road. I just don't get what it is about these guys, and lord knows what was going through his mind the whole time. I'm sure his takeaway lesson was that he needs a bigger truck now....

Thomas · Dec 27, 2013

Get those kind of knot heads when riding tour bike,I just keep comfortable speed operator can fume all they want,I never wave them by.

ruffdog · Dec 27, 2013

The sad thing is, when it goes bad, it's the family in the mini van that gets the worse of it.

troutsqueezer · Dec 27, 2013

You can run into stupid drivers every day on the road but you only get to bring your brand new tractor home once (or more, for some of us). Don't let one overshadow the joy of the other. Where's the pics?

ovrszd · Dec 27, 2013

Not having been there, my explanation may be way off, but here goes. He had his cruise control set and was a little underpowered so the truck struggled to maintain a steady pace,,,, and obviously couldn't. Cruise Control will only apply so much throttle, if that's not enough and the auto trans downshifting won't make up for it, the vehicle loses speed uphill, then over compensates downhill.

Beyond that, no excuse. But I see that a lot, and not just with towing vehicles. I lecture my wife about this all the time. DO NOT STAY BY A DRIVER LIKE THAT!!!! Alter your speed to fall behind them or get ahead of them. Obviously they don't understand the risks involved. I NEVER pace a vehicle on an open hiway. I want space to dodge the unforseen Deer or mechanical failure that happens, blown tire, etc.

No offense meant here,

But, you contributed to the danger just as much as the boat tower. You should have removed yourself from that situation rather than go along stressed out by the other driver's behavior. In fact, didn't you contribute just as much to the risk as he did??

I NEVER want to be near anyone when I'm towing and do everything I can to get away. :thumbsup:

Renze · Dec 27, 2013

3 weeks ago on a morning i was pulling an empty trailer to work to get some surplus stuff home, and there was a dude in an econobox getting next to me at the traffic lights... He revved his three cylinder high, but when my turbo spooled up he realised that even against a car with a trailer, his econobox didnt have a chance so he gave up...

About passing when towing, i dont take any chances and stay behind the dumptruck when towing 5000 pounds, but with 3000 i'll try to glide along with traffic at 70mph in the fast lane (if the trailer brakes are 100% functional)

kevin37b · Dec 27, 2013

Texting , cell phone, not driving with your brain engaged . Just an ******* basically .

s219 · Dec 27, 2013

troutsqueezer said:
You can run into stupid drivers every day on the road but you only get to bring your brand new tractor home once (or more, for some of us). Don't let one overshadow the joy of the other. Where's the pics?

Pics here: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/299435-old-new-antique-kubotas.html

I think the star of the day was a vintage Kubota I saw at the dealer....

s219 · Dec 27, 2013

ovrszd said:
Not having been there, my explanation may be way off, but here goes. He had his cruise control set and was a little underpowered so the truck struggled to maintain a steady pace,,,, and obviously couldn't. Cruise Control will only apply so much throttle, if that's not enough and the auto trans downshifting won't make up for it, the vehicle loses speed uphill, then over compensates downhill.

Beyond that, no excuse. But I see that a lot, and not just with towing vehicles. I lecture my wife about this all the time. DO NOT STAY BY A DRIVER LIKE THAT!!!! Alter your speed to fall behind them or get ahead of them. Obviously they don't understand the risks involved. I NEVER pace a vehicle on an open hiway. I want space to dodge the unforseen Deer or mechanical failure that happens, blown tire, etc.

No offense meant here, But, you contributed to the danger just as much as the boat tower. You should have removed yourself from that situation rather than go along stressed out by the other driver's behavior. In fact, didn't you contribute just as much to the risk as he did??

I NEVER want to be near anyone when I'm towing and do everything I can to get away. :thumbsup:

That is good advice when you consider the story from start to end in retrospect, but it wasn't until the third passing attempt that I started to realize the guy was a dope. By about the fourth time, he fell far enough back that it wasn't an issue anymore. If I had to do it all over, I would have sped up right at the beginning to put more distance between us.

But think about it -- my trailer fills up most of a lane, as did the guy's boat trailer. And he clearly wasn't uncomfortable about pulling alongside of me to try and pass each time. I don't think I have ever attempted to pass anyone when towing, much less someone else with a wide trailer. There's just not enough space.

JJZ 109 · Dec 27, 2013

s219 said:
Bass boat fisherman have a reputation for being real pricks on the river where I fish, and now I've seen that same exact behavior towing on the road.

Not to paint all bass guy with the same brush, but I've seen that behavior from them on Lake Ontario. Got the whole damned lake to fish in but have to idle up to about 3 feet from the dock at the boat slip I was paying for. Casting all over the place at all times. Very inconsiderate.