Of course "pick-up trucks are not built to pull big, overweight trailers", neither are Freightliners! If a trailer is that "big" and "overweight", it shouldn't be towed by anything not designed to tow it! Pick-Up trucks were the first trucks, look at the old model "t"'s made into pick-up trucks by Henry Ford. Then they evolved and split into larger tow and hauling vehicles. The modern Pick-up trucks are designed to tow trailers and fifth wheels.
When we lost our tow vehicle and trailer in a roll-over accident last year, the firemen at the scene, the para-medics and the Highway Patrol all made the same comment. "Oh, yeah, that's the infamous 'hump-and-bump', it claims a lot of trailers and big rigs, too!" When we were at the ER in a local hospital, a retired firefighter took a look at us and said "let me guess, the "hump-and bump", right!" We found out, that even my correctly loaded and set up TT/Tow Vehicle, when it hit this overpass section, was subjected to a twist and a hump at the same time, that puts hapless vehicles towing trailers into a terminal sway, "tail wagging the dog" mode. At 50 miles per hour! This is with my 26 years of towing experience, including some big rig time! Instead of anyone taking the time to report this, so Cal-Trans could fix the roadway, it remained a hazard. I took the action of researching the accident rates on theirs section of road. Of the 10 rollover accidents occurring in a 5 year period, 2 were fatalities. My Congressman worked with me, and Cal-Trans swiftly repaired this section of road, sparing future RVers and Truckers from our fate. Darsea, you may have to get your Highway Department off their butts and at least do a study in that area. May save a lot of lives, whether it is caused by speed, wind, road conditions or over weight trailers. It usually is driver fault, but not always!
I've lived in SoCal my whole life, and have seen 80 MPH gusting winds on the Passes overturn trailers like dominos, big rigs included. But that 20 mile stretch needs a good looking at! Cal-Trans has wind advisory signs that flash warnings in windy situations, maybe some thing simple like that would help up there. Slate
* This post was edited 01/10/06 09:02pm by fordsooperdootydieselsmoker *
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