[crawlin60]

I spotted this in the LA Times, and it reminded me of the times when I've seen or experienced sway. For the record, I pull a 20' Airstream with the 80, and it's a bit heavy.
Read http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...fault-underdog

[CodyRx7]

Ouch. I could barely tell that was an ARB bumper...

[chibo]

Holy shit.

[crawlin60]

Yep, makes the cage project less of an abstract precaution now...

[KliersLC]

Damn Uhaul........


I was much luckier than that lady

[MTNRAT]

At first I was going to dis the lady for not figuring out the brakes were not working or knowing she should have some, but then I forgot that our society has to accommodate the lowest common denominator. Yep U haul should be keel hauled.

[Ting]

I want a cage!!!

[crawlin60]

ya know, just about any kind of cage woulda been helpful on that one. But it didn't help she didn't have a belt on, though from the read it was unclear. Both were ejected, a sure no-belter IMO

[CodyRx7]

Is that someone on the forums truck since it was a slightly built 80?

[NorCalSam]

Originally Posted by chibo

Holy shit.

ya, what he said

me!

[landtank]

Originally Posted by crawlin60

ya know, just about any kind of cage woulda been helpful on that one. But it didn't help she didn't have a belt on, though from the read it was unclear. Both were ejected, a sure no-belter IMO

that was my first thought as well. It's too bad that happened and people love to point fingers of blame but everyone needs to do what they can for themselves.

Buckling up and doing a few low speed panic stops might have prevented it from happening or at least reducing the severity.

[kbellve]

Since I tow a ton....and with a trailer equal to the weight of my LX450...I will point out some things for other people towing.

1) People were thrown from the vehicle = no seat belt use.
2) Load trailer appropriately...you can check using a simple bathroom scale.
3) Always test trailer brakes before getting underway.
4) Maintain a reasonable safe speed.

I bet she failed to do all four things points.

That trailer she was towing can't have been that heavy, maybe 3000lbs loaded at most?

Wow..that 80 was crushed!

[cary]

Originally Posted by MTNRAT

At first I was going to dis the lady for not figuring out the brakes were not working or knowing she should have some, but then I forgot that our society has to accommodate the lowest common denominator. Yep U haul should be keel hauled.

Obviously, the trailer was defective, but as you are properly said, somehow it is automatically U-hauls responsibility for her stupidity. This is straight from the article:

As they left Tucson, the trailer began to rock Sternberg's Land Cruiser — "like a boat," Hollander recalled.

Sternberg tapped the SUV's brakes and the rocking stopped. This continued intermittently as they left Arizona and entered southern New Mexico.

Late that afternoon, they stopped for gas near Socorro, N.M., and Hollander took the wheel. Soon after, the Toyota reached the crest of a hill on northbound Interstate 25 in the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge. Below, the Rio Grande meandered through a lush valley rimmed with rugged mountains.

Hollander said she was going 45 to 50 mph and gained speed as she went downhill, reaching 60 mph. The trailer started to swerve. Hollander said she tapped the brakes but could not slow the vehicles. The swaying became violent.

"There was no way you could control it," she recalled. "It was sheer terror."

The Land Cruiser flipped, ending up on its side in the passing lane of the interstate. The trailer landed upside-down on the median.


This is a classic case of an improperly loaded trailer. Yes, the brakes may not be working on the trailer, but the cause of the accident was failure to put enough weight on the tongue of the trailer. Worse yet, the driver had plenty of warning, but failed to heed those signs. At the end of the day it was the drivers fault and she has paid a horrible price.

This is much different than KleirsLC's accident where the trailer failed in a sudden and extreme manner, solely as a result of Uhaul's horrid maintenance and safety inspections.

[BHMCruiser]

Originally Posted by cary

Obviously, the trailer was defective, but as you are properly said, somehow it is automatically U-hauls responsibility for her stupidity. This is straight from the article:

As they left Tucson, the trailer began to rock Sternberg's Land Cruiser — "like a boat," Hollander recalled.

Sternberg tapped the SUV's brakes and the rocking stopped. This continued intermittently as they left Arizona and entered southern New Mexico.

Late that afternoon, they stopped for gas near Socorro, N.M., and Hollander took the wheel. Soon after, the Toyota reached the crest of a hill on northbound Interstate 25 in the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge. Below, the Rio Grande meandered through a lush valley rimmed with rugged mountains.

Hollander said she was going 45 to 50 mph and gained speed as she went downhill, reaching 60 mph. The trailer started to swerve. Hollander said she tapped the brakes but could not slow the vehicles. The swaying became violent.

"There was no way you could control it," she recalled. "It was sheer terror."

The Land Cruiser flipped, ending up on its side in the passing lane of the interstate. The trailer landed upside-down on the median.


This is a classic case of an improperly loaded trailer. Yes, the brakes may not be working on the trailer, but the cause of the accident was failure to put enough weight on the tongue of the trailer. Worse yet, the driver had plenty of warning, but failed to heed those signs. At the end of the day it was the drivers fault and she has paid a horrible price.

This is much different than KleirsLC's accident where the trailer failed in a sudden and extreme manner, solely as a result of Uhaul's horrid maintenance and safety inspections.

Objection - calls for a legal conclusion.

[MLX450]

The animation was bad ass but it had a 3rd gen 4runner!

[landtank]

personally I think that U-Haul or any rental place for trailers should have a 15 minute video that the renter should or must watch to educate them at least on the basics of towing a trailer.

It's not rocket science but I'd bet the common public thinks it's no big deal.

I saw a camping trailer get destroyed right in front of me on RT 495 here in MA.

The guy was cut off by an ignorant driver in a rush, as he swerved out of the way the trailer started to whip and his first instinct was to apply the brakes. Well the whip was so bad that only 1 of the trailer's tires where on the ground. That trailer started to hop from lane to lane and nearly flipped the truck. Now if he just gave it a little gas to pull the trailer out of the whip it would have been fine.

The truck and trailer did make it over to the center median safely but that trailer was toast, not a straight side on it.

[cary]

Originally Posted by BHMCruiser

Objection - calls for a legal conclusion.

Don't worry, the hired expert will be along later to testify, this was merely argument. But just to keep the peace, the argument is withdrawn.

[tech_dog]

There was a recent Chicago Times article on safety violations at UHaul:http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...l=chi-news-hed

Edit: This turns out to be a near duplicate of the first link posted.

[lathamb]

I've towed plenty (cattle, boats, hay, tractors) and those trailers don't tow well, especially behind an 80. I was towing an identical trailer with my 80 through West Virginia and it tried to get away from me several times coming down the hills. I was always able to straighten it out thankfully, but i won't be renting one of those for the 80 again. I can see how someone with no experience towing could loose it.

[BHMCruiser]

Originally Posted by cary

Don't worry, the hired expert will be along later to testify, this was merely argument. But just to keep the peace, the argument is withdrawn.

[ looks at judge with exasperated expression ]