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Personal military truck negligence causes major accident.
- Thread starter TaylorTradingCo
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My father instilled an analretentiveness towards trailer lights at an early age. We constantly took a boat or camper somewhere. He carried spare bulbs, even whole assemblies, 100ft of wire, etc. We didn't leave until everything worked, and if something happened on the road we stopped and fixed it.
Just last wed I was borrowing a trailer to pick up a outdoor boiler. When I was leaving, it had gotten dark. The markers no longer worked. Thought about just running the four ways home, decided against it. Took about 15min to discover the markers had two seperate circuits, one for eaxh side of the trailer. By disconnecting the one on the pass side the breaker reset and I had driverside markers. Spent another 30min trying to find the short, couldn't find it. So I wired across the back so I had the rear tail lamps on both sides. Worth the added safety.
I also used to be a purist when it came to normal lights. After seeing the benefit of LEDs to be seen, all my trailers get modified with them very quickly.
It isn't just to protect you and your equipment, it is to hopefully save someone elses life.
Just last wed I was borrowing a trailer to pick up a outdoor boiler. When I was leaving, it had gotten dark. The markers no longer worked. Thought about just running the four ways home, decided against it. Took about 15min to discover the markers had two seperate circuits, one for eaxh side of the trailer. By disconnecting the one on the pass side the breaker reset and I had driverside markers. Spent another 30min trying to find the short, couldn't find it. So I wired across the back so I had the rear tail lamps on both sides. Worth the added safety.
I also used to be a purist when it came to normal lights. After seeing the benefit of LEDs to be seen, all my trailers get modified with them very quickly.
It isn't just to protect you and your equipment, it is to hopefully save someone elses life.
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dmetalmiki
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Un believable! All that and people could have been killed, FOR WHAT!?..the PRICE of a trailer board!
"Most trailers and or semis don't have lights"....OF COURSE THEY DO!
I have a 50's low loader..It is like an xmas tree!, Marker lights (Yellow) Down both sides..Whites on the front..Large Red's on the back. Ex Military (U.S. Airforce), And (YES) It CAN be seen. Day or Night.
WE OWE it to the hobby, our friends, The Population at large, and the people looking 'askance' at the hobby TO BE SAFE!.....(Gripe definitely not over).
BnaditCorps
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Trailer lights are extremely important I can name several times I was in a vehicle and the trailer in front of us didn't have operable taillights.
The first, and only I'll share here.
Sunny, fair weather, a few scattered clouds, and the day before it had rained for several hours, but the road was mostly dry.
Pick-up with a fifth wheel camper going Southbound being followed by us, also in a pick-up towing a fifth wheel toy hauler. A small sedan passed another pick-up/5th wheel in a no passing zone on an undivided highway going Northbound. The pick-up/5th wheel in front of us slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting the sedan, who otherwise would have ended up crushed between the fifth wheel and a semi who was in front of the fifth wheel. It took a fraction second to see that the truck and trailer was stopping in front of us since his taillights on the trailer were out. After slamming on our brakes and having to use the Southbound lane to keep from jackknifing. (that lasted about a second after we realized the truck coming the other way was using his whole lane.) We ended up stopping about a dozen yards behind the other trailer. We had plenty of room left, but it wasn't a fun experience.
Everyone was driving exactly as they should have been except the sedan that passed. Following distance for conditions, speed, and all other considerations were accounted for by all drivers except the sedan. It was that fraction of a second realizing the guy in front of us was stopping (and doing it quick) that caused us to have to come to such a violent stop. Had he made sure his lights were on before leaving we would have been able to stop sooner and without using the other lane. For those wondering why the trailer wanted to slide it was because, at the time, the brakes locked-up very easily. No matter how much we tested with the brake controller they locked up, it finally took a few thousand miles for the brakes to stop doing that.
Attached is a rough sketch of the scene. Top is NB and the bottom us SB. Not to scale.
The first, and only I'll share here.
Sunny, fair weather, a few scattered clouds, and the day before it had rained for several hours, but the road was mostly dry.
Pick-up with a fifth wheel camper going Southbound being followed by us, also in a pick-up towing a fifth wheel toy hauler. A small sedan passed another pick-up/5th wheel in a no passing zone on an undivided highway going Northbound. The pick-up/5th wheel in front of us slammed on his brakes to avoid hitting the sedan, who otherwise would have ended up crushed between the fifth wheel and a semi who was in front of the fifth wheel. It took a fraction second to see that the truck and trailer was stopping in front of us since his taillights on the trailer were out. After slamming on our brakes and having to use the Southbound lane to keep from jackknifing. (that lasted about a second after we realized the truck coming the other way was using his whole lane.) We ended up stopping about a dozen yards behind the other trailer. We had plenty of room left, but it wasn't a fun experience.
Everyone was driving exactly as they should have been except the sedan that passed. Following distance for conditions, speed, and all other considerations were accounted for by all drivers except the sedan. It was that fraction of a second realizing the guy in front of us was stopping (and doing it quick) that caused us to have to come to such a violent stop. Had he made sure his lights were on before leaving we would have been able to stop sooner and without using the other lane. For those wondering why the trailer wanted to slide it was because, at the time, the brakes locked-up very easily. No matter how much we tested with the brake controller they locked up, it finally took a few thousand miles for the brakes to stop doing that.
Attached is a rough sketch of the scene. Top is NB and the bottom us SB. Not to scale.
Attachments
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rustystud
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I'm a "purist" on vehicles that will just be used for show. On any other vehicle that will see use I will totally modify them to meet or exceed present standards. That's why my deuce looks like a Christmas tree on steroids ! I want to see and be seen ! There has been many times I almost rear ended a semi trailer at night due to the trailers lack of lights or even markers. Once I came within inches of a stalled semi on I90 going over the pass at night. I was so startled I couldn't crap for a week ! Talk about "pucker" factor !!!!
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When I made the M51A2 street legal, one of the high priority items was the light all around.
1) I had to install new front lights, because the originals were too far to the center relative to the side of the truck. This gives on-comers the impression that the car is smaller than it really is.
2) the same for the standard dump truck rear lights, too much center and too much under the dump body. I had to install a new rear light line/board.
3) You also have to have reflectors. I installed the triangle type used for trailers on my truck. Had to go back to change them for truck type.
4) Side lights had to be installed and functional.
5) trailer has to have functional small white front light indicators and reflectors, so on-comers can see that there is a trailer behind the truck.
6) Rear of trailer has to have fully functional rear lights of normal size.
7) On top and in addition, side-lining lights and reflectors need to be installed.
In Europe, you better not get caught without. If one light is not working properly, you might get away with a warning and repairing it at the nearest parking spot. If the whole rear or front side is out, you are in for a hefty fine PLUS the truck stays where it is until repaired.
1) I had to install new front lights, because the originals were too far to the center relative to the side of the truck. This gives on-comers the impression that the car is smaller than it really is.
2) the same for the standard dump truck rear lights, too much center and too much under the dump body. I had to install a new rear light line/board.
3) You also have to have reflectors. I installed the triangle type used for trailers on my truck. Had to go back to change them for truck type.
4) Side lights had to be installed and functional.
5) trailer has to have functional small white front light indicators and reflectors, so on-comers can see that there is a trailer behind the truck.
6) Rear of trailer has to have fully functional rear lights of normal size.
7) On top and in addition, side-lining lights and reflectors need to be installed.
In Europe, you better not get caught without. If one light is not working properly, you might get away with a warning and repairing it at the nearest parking spot. If the whole rear or front side is out, you are in for a hefty fine PLUS the truck stays where it is until repaired.
dmetalmiki
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"In Europe, you better not get caught without. If one light is not working properly, you might get away with a warning and repairing it at the nearest parking spot. If the whole rear or front side is out, you are in for a hefty fine PLUS the truck stays where it is until repaired"
"Might"..never. And "stay where it is"?. Absolutely..and so it should. .In addition E.U. Law provides that, 'You are supposed to carry spare bulbs as well as safety gear and a first aid kit'.
"Might"..never. And "stay where it is"?. Absolutely..and so it should. .In addition E.U. Law provides that, 'You are supposed to carry spare bulbs as well as safety gear and a first aid kit'.
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In the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, I got away, but that was in a private car. Trucks are treated less lenient. All the other stuff always is in the car, but sometimes I find that my spare bulbs are out or kaput as well.
To be clear, "stay where it is" in Europe means: a safe spot the police guided you to once they spotted you. They want you out of the traffic flow, they would not stop you directly on the highway shoulder and let a truck stand there.
BEASTMASTER
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reminds me of what my old friend CLINT used to say to me. " U CAN'T FIX STUPID "
mdainsd
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This dunce needs to be off the road for good. But even suspending his license probably wouldn't stop him judging from his lack of respect for the law.
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In 1980, while stationed at Ft. Lewis, I worked for the VFD. One night I helped dig two dead girls, twins, 8 years old, out of a pickup truck. Their Grandfather, the driver, died a week later. Thankfully he never regained conciseness. They all died because they slammed into a trailer with no lights, towed by a drunk. It still brings tears to my eyes, when I remember their blue eyes. Capital punishment is to good for people who have so little respect for others, that they are willing to risk life and limb, for a few dollars, or hours.