Travel Trailer Questions - thinking of a long trip

[RobertN]

I've noticed that trailering can leave you drained. It does take a little more attention. I see this especially in and around traffic; other folks do not consider your safety buffer, cut you off etc. I am definitely more defensive when I am towing.

I've driven a horse trailer with a couple horses in it from Maryland to Atlanta. It required pretty much my full attention all the time - I don't recall even listening to the radio.

 

[greenmojo]

First time I pulled the fifth wheel, I was coming through Seattle, and had people pull in-front of me (shortening my stopping distance) and slam on their brakes.

No matter how much space I gave the cars in front of me, they'd fill it and I'd have to back off again, and again...

~Moses

 

[RobertN]

Yes! When we go to Bodega Bay, I get that thru Fairfield, and approaching Petaluma. Can only imagine what it is like for the big rig drivers...

First time I pulled the fifth wheel, I was coming through Seattle, and had people pull in-front of me (shortening my stopping distance) and slam on their brakes.

No matter how much space I gave the cars in front of me, they'd fill it and I'd have to back off again, and again...

~Moses

 

[DrRod]

Yes yes yes. no one wants to follow a trailer especially if you are going just a little slower and so they all hurry to get around you and if you leave adequate breaking room it just invites them more to swoop in there. On the DC Beltway, they commonly do this with you even in your car and its nearly impossible to maintain a safe follow distance -- to leave space is to invite an interloper. But with a trailer, where you need more space, you feel like a target. It one reason I love secondary roads out on the flat lands. You can traverse Kansas on non-Interstates and travel pretty much just as fast but never deal with the maddening crowd. I've heard it called shun-piking. Tougher to accomplish in the east but there are places where it works.