Towing Mishap

[5030]

We don't either and some of the 'clunkers flying up and down our dirt road amaze me. I'm always finding various car parts and tools in the ditch along with empty beer cans which I pick up when I walk the pup. I always carry a smaller trash bag for my 'discoveries'. Michigan has a 10 cent deposit law. I've picked up 5 bucks with of cans before. What I find amazing is the more ratty the car or truck is, the faster they fly. Suspension screaming, fenders flapping and the dirt road sandblasting them underneath. I drive slow, I need my buggies to last.
Couple years ago we had this snot nosed kid fly down the road foot flat on the floor every day about 3pm. It's 2 miles from the pavement to the farm and I bet he was going at least 100. I finally called the State Police and let them set up in the farm lane and they nailed him. he hasn't been down the road since. if it was my kid, I'd have warmed his butt. Didn't ask the officer how fast he was going but he said he was 'flying low'.

 

[5030]

On my wife's Subaru, I called them Anti Stop Brakes, (instead of anti skid brakes) because in snow, you would coast to a stop because they were off more than on (by a lot).

ABS don't bother me except when a sensor pukes and then it has to be replaced and I always replace all 4 at the same time. One never knows when the other 3 will expire.

I don't like them as I check my tire pressures at least every week and of the look or feel low, out comes the air chuck.

 

[CliffordK]

ABS don't bother me except when a sensor pukes and then it has to be replaced and I always replace all 4 at the same time. One never knows when the other 3 will expire.

I don't like them as I check my tire pressures at least every week and of the look or feel low, out comes the air chuck.

Are you confounding ABS (anti lock braking system) and TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system)?

I'm pretty good at seeing/sensing when a tire is low. However, I've been thinking of adding a TPMS to my trailer. Perhaps I'll be able to find a faulty tire before it disintegrates on me.

I do like to kick my trailer tires every time I stop.

When my grandfather was driving a log truck, he'd tap each tire with a bar to determine if one was low. Visual inspection alone could easily miss a low dually.

 

[5030]

Called a tire thumper and doubles as a theft deterrent up side a perps head too. You are right TPMS.

 

[CliffordK]

On my wife's Subaru, I called them Anti Stop Brakes, (instead of anti skid brakes) because in snow, you would coast to a stop because they were off more than on (by a lot).

I try to avoid driving in snow. However, snow tires (or studs) help a lot. 4x4 with snow tires?

I got to drive my Nephew's Honda Insight. It has these little paddle shifters to adjust the regen. Great for in the snow/ice. Just give yourself some room and click it max regen to bleed off some speed.

 

[1Mech]

Some here have been mentioning using the "emergency brake", well, vehicles don't have "emergency brakes" they have "parking brakes" To be used when you park your vehicle, not as a backup brake for when you let your service brakes fail. I guess you could use them in event of a brake system failure, but that is not what they are designed or intended for. As someone mentioned, if you did apply the parking brake hard enough to slow you down much, they may throw you into an uncontrollable skid, probably with a worse effect than rear ending someone.

 

[CliffordK]

Truck is totalled plain and simple and furthermore to comment in insurance, in this state no insurance equals no drive as the State Police won't issue you a tag at plate renewal time.

All states require liability insurance in one form or another, although there are a few drivers that drive without it.

Collision or Comprehensive insurance is generally required if one has a car loan, but it is optional if the vehicle is owned outright.

There may be other things added such as uninsured motorist coverage.

I tend to trust my own driving, and have opted not to carry collision/comprehensive insurance on any of my vehicles. Just going with liability only, and whatever other additional coverages that are mandatory or included.

Later in this thread, the OP has stated that "he has good insurance", which means the vehicle will likely be totaled. There may still be a buy-back option if he wishes to try to take on the repair himself.

 

[MossRoad]

Some here have been mentioning using the "emergency brake", well, vehicles don't have "emergency brakes" they have "parking brakes" To be used when you park your vehicle, not as a backup brake for when you let your service brakes fail. I guess you could use them in event of a brake system failure, but that is not what they are designed or intended for. As someone mentioned, if you did apply the parking brake hard enough to slow you down much, they may throw you into an uncontrollable skid, probably with a worse effect than rear ending someone.

emergency brake and parking brake are interchangeable terms. some call them hand brakes as well. All the same thing. If your hydraulic brakes fail, the parking brake is a completely separate system and can be used to slow you down.

https://knowhow.napaonline.com/parking-brake-vs-emergency-brake-whats-the-difference/

 

[RandyT]

Later in this thread, the OP has stated that "he has good insurance", which means the vehicle will likely be totaled. There may still be a buy-back option if he wishes to try to take on the repair himself.

And that can vary by state. In IL you are not allowed a buyback option until the vehicle is 9 years old. If the insurance totals it they now own it and the only thing is to negotiate a settlement price based on market value.

 

[CliffordK]

A couple of years ago an acquaintance was pulling her horse trailer down a two lane "highway". Somebody managed to do a U-turn across the highway, and clipped her right rear fender of the pickup bed. I'm still not quite sure how they managed to do it. 2005 Ford F150 King Ranch, I think.

The pickup was driveable, but had a mangled bumper and bedside.

Anyway, the insurance sent it out for a quote. Replace bedside, repaint. I'm not quite sure what else, but it came out to about $11,000. So, they "totaled" it.

I found a nearly identical pickup on COPART for about $3000 with front end damage and a good bed, color matched.

So we swapped the bed and bumper. And the friend kept the pickup and is happy. Plus she managed to make some money from the insurance company.

I did find some beds at the junk yard that would have been cheaper, but I wasn't prepared to do painting at the time.