Must remove the hitch?

Mikeeemo · Nov 17, 2014

Maybe I need a hitch on the front, too.

Then I could claim both parking spots!

bcp · Nov 17, 2014

There are Smart Cars, then there are Smart Cars.

Bruce

Mikeeemo · Nov 18, 2014

That would work...

Still not pulling the hitch...

Soundguy · Nov 18, 2014

yup. if they are gonna walk close enough so that their leg is only a few inches away from your vehicle, and not look down.. ever.. then for sure they will run your legs over if you are laying in the parking lot!!

davrow said:
I have two things I'd like to say:
1) anybody close enough to my vehicle to hit my hitch is TOO CLOSE.
2) most of you (I think) are discussing truck hitches. On my minivan I have to lie on the ground to remove the (locked) hitch pin. NOT fun in the cold, rain, mud, dirt, gravel, parking lots with cars trying to run over my legs, etc.

ruffdog · Nov 18, 2014

Some companies take the initiative to lower workers comp claims and work to get rid of trip hazards while others seem to enjoy having junk laying all over to trip on. I don't enjoying tripping at work, at home, or anywhere else. I sure don't enjoy seeing the elderly trip on a hitch and eat the pavement in a stores parking lot.

zing · Nov 18, 2014

Anybody walking close enough to my truck to hit their shin on the draw bar is an idiot who needs to pay attention to where he is going.

Except when I do it. Then it is an honest mistake that could happen to anyone.

Soundguy · Nov 18, 2014

ruffdog said:
Some companies take the initiative to lower workers comp claims and work to get rid of trip hazards while others seem to enjoy having junk laying all over to trip on. I don't enjoying tripping at work, at home, or anywhere else. I sure don't enjoy seeing the elderly trip on a hitch and eat the pavement in a stores parking lot.

I'd like to offer a little perspective on some of the issues you have touched on.

In a commercial audio environment I have worked the past 20 years in many different locations. Bars, restaurants, concert venue's, outdoor areenas, streetside locations during outdoor festivals.. etc.

In that time i have seen the following trip / fall situations ( and I see at -least- 1 trip / fall per week - yes, no joke! )

stepping up onto a curb, or off a curb onto pavement. This is the single most cause of trip fall i have ever seen at all my venue's. I see it up to 3 times a month easy.

the last step on a stairwell before a flat landing. People miss that step then fall. This one is the NEXT most common after falling at a curb. I see at least 1 per month.. sometimes 2.

spontanious falling while dancing. Yup. I'll be setting their in a sound mix position at the front of house, people dancing. and then a hole forms and someone goes down. This is another at least 1 per month thing.

Lastly, when we run cables over areas that there is foot traffic ( or car traffic ). we use cable troughs .. commonly called bumble bee's. these are black / yellow striped, have 2 sloped sides and a trough area about 1" deep for cables. they are about 8: to 10" wide, they are approved for wheel chair and walkers to go over due to the angled approach , they have a positive traction surface and raised traction to reduce slippage if wet. They have 2 primary purposes. 1, prevent cable damage... 2, prevent trip hazard.

Yep. I have seen people trip while walking over the thing that keeps them from tripping!

What I have not. ever seen..

and I'm being truthfull here.

I've never seen a trip over the tounge of a parked equipment trailer ( and we use many, many equipment trailers! ) Or the drawbar on the back of the trucks that pull those trailers, and no. I don't know a single guy on the crew that removes them, as we pull a trailer 2x per day usually.

This includes massive parking areas, the venue locations, party areas.. etc.

All the injury reports go thru management and at all outdoor locations we usually have an EMS tent or a fire rescue or ambulance vehicle on site. At indoor locations, EMS is called if a patron requests it, or unable to request it, and usually if there is blood.

Apparently stepping 'up or down' IE. lifting your feet is the big issue here.

zing · Nov 18, 2014

ozob2k said:
Had a "genius" dart across traffic into the space between the back of my truck and the car following T-boning my car trailer right on the axles. Person backed up and ran the other way. Sometimes you just have to shake your head and wonder.

Kind of the same but more entertaining, I was in the mall parking lot with a 10 foot utility trailer behind my truck. My wife was in her car following behind, don't even remember why. Anyway as I am driving down an aisle a lady waits for my truck to pass and then backs out of her spot into the side of my trailer. Scratched and dented the crap out of her bumper and I didn't even hear it happen, so kept on driving. The lady got out of her car and was losing her mind screaming at me (me still oblivious) saying it was a hit and run, and so my wife stopped and took the brunt of this lady's 10 minute freak out session. She took the lady's phone number and told her I would call her, then gave me the number when we got home.

I took a look at my trailer for damage first, and then called the number. Get the husband, who had listened to the story from his wife. The conversation went like this....
(Me) So your wife described the accident to you?
(him) yup.
(me) So you are aware that she backed into my trailer while I was driving along the aisle?
(him) yup.
(me) sorry I didn't stop, but I didn't hear the bump.
(him) yeah, I can see that could happen.
(Me) Much damage to her car?
(him) yeah, some. Much damage to your trailer?
(me) dented the metal surround for the tail light. Not enough to break the light though. It's an old trailer that already is dented and scratched though. I am not worried about it.
(him) really?
(me) yup
(him) hey, I appreciate that.
(me) no problem. Sorry your wife had a bad day.
(him) I'm sorry she took it out on your wife.
(me) it happens. Have a good one.
(him) you too. Bye
(me) bye.

ruffdog · Nov 18, 2014

Avoidable trip hazards in the work place. One example would be the maintenance guy doing some welding. He can either drape the power cord over things so it is 8" above the floor where people walk, OR, he can make sure the cord is laying flat on the floor. Which way would the "smart" employee do it? For some people, it is very hard to "think" about what they are doing so the work place is safe.