What a tragedy

[Bird]

Massachusetts law has it unlawful to have a removable hitch mounted when NOT pulling a trailer.

I didn't know any state had such a law, if in fact they do, but I think that should be a law everywhere. I know a lot of people want to leave the hitch head on there in order to do maximum damage to any car that should rear end them. And if someone should walk by too close to the back of the truck, in a parking lot, they can get their shins damaged.

 

[Creamer]

I didn't know any state had such a law, if in fact they do, but I think that should be a law everywhere. I know a lot of people want to leave the hitch head on there in order to do maximum damage to any car that should rear end them. And if someone should walk by too close to the back of the truck, in a parking lot, they can get their shins damaged.

Are your parking lots in Texas that crowded that you walk that close to vehicles?

 

[Btown]

Massachusetts law has it unlawful to have a removable hitch mounted when NOT pulling a trailer. Stow that hitch!

I think that this law never passed. I have never heard of it and cannot find it in the MGL's. Most likely was passed by one of the legislatures but never enacted. The only thing I find online is several forums talking about this law.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Sad to hear about the woman mentioned in the first post... as to the 'remove the hitch' issue, that has been the topic of long threads on many forums, let's not clog up this thread with that debate...

 

[Bird]

Are your parking lots in Texas that crowded that you walk that close to vehicles?

I, personally, know to watch for the hitches sticking out behind pickups, which are already longer than most of the cars. But people who are watching the cars in the lane sometimes hurt themselves when they hit one of those trailer hitches.

The last accident I was involved in was in July, 2005, nearly 11 years ago. On an asphalt city street, downhill grade, very light rain, and as I approached a stop sign, a car ahead of me stopped for the stop sign, I stopped behind him, and a 26 year old young lady in a compact car slid into the back of my Ford Ranger. There was a fair amount of damage to both vehicles, but they were both drivable. I'm sure that if I'd had my hitch head installed, it would have made her vehicle need a wrecker. Should I have felt better if there was more damage to her car? Why would I (or anyone else) want to do more damage to her car?

 

[4570Man]

I, personally, know to watch for the hitches sticking out behind pickups, which are already longer than most of the cars. But people who are watching the cars in the lane sometimes hurt themselves when they hit one of those trailer hitches. The last accident I was involved in was in July, 2005, nearly 11 years ago. On an asphalt city street, downhill grade, very light rain, and as I approached a stop sign, a car ahead of me stopped for the stop sign, I stopped behind him, and a 26 year old young lady in a compact car slid into the back of my Ford Ranger. There was a fair amount of damage to both vehicles, but they were both drivable. I'm sure that if I'd had my hitch head installed, it would have made her vehicle need a wrecker. Should I have felt better if there was more damage to her car? Why would I (or anyone else) want to do more damage to her car?

I always keep a hitch in my truck. I pull a trailer several times weekly. I always remove the hitch in the Suburban when I finish towing because we constantly hit our shins on it or get grease on our clothes. We only pull a trailer a few times a year with it.

 

[EddieWalker]

Sorry to hear about the accident. A friend back in CA works for Allstate and has several stories about things like this happening with different objects falling off of other vehicles. It's my understanding that it's more common then most people realize. Worse one that I remember is when a pipe fell off a rack on a pickup truck and impaled the driver. She lived for some time with the pipe going right through her, but they where unable to save her.

As for having a tow ball on the back of your truck, I've been rear ended several times in stop and go traffic. The car hits my tow ball, bends up their plastic front bumper real bad, and there is absolutely no damage to my truck. For that reason alone, I love having my tow hitch in place.

 

[oldpilgrim]

Massachusetts law has it unlawful to have a removable hitch mounted when NOT pulling a trailer.

Been here 70 years and never heard of it.

 

[oosik]

Many years ago I was third car following behind a flat bed truck loaded with 100# cylinders of compressed gases of all types. Something happened and row by row the cylinders moved back and fell off the back of the truck. Most landed on their heads - had the heads knocked off and became air borne missiles. No body was hurt but several of the cylinders did blast thru the walls of businesses adjacent to the road. It was very fortunate that no one was injured - this happened in downtown Anchorage.

 

[CalG]

Been here 70 years and never heard of it.

Got that tidbit from my neighbor. He is a VT state trooper (Captain) I took it for fact, maybe something like dingle balls hanging from the mirror.
I doubt you time of residency has anything to do with it.