A detour thru the median.

[macx]

Was trailering my RT on a self-built really low center of gravity trailer thru South MO last Sunday during that recent big ice & snow storm. Behind a small fairly heavily loaded 2 wheel drive pickup. I spent my first 40 yrs in MN, and drove big rig over the Rockies for a few years and across the upper midwest states, so have a great plenty experience on slick roads.

 

So - Was down to 30 mph, really paying attention (!) Ironically, on one of the few level, straight sections of 4 lane, a gust of wind must have caught me and the pickup started not just fishtailing but sort of rotating back and forth on it's center, of course with the bike and trailer not helping things.

 

I thought I was going to get it tracking straight again before I got all the way across the inside lane and off the pavement, but no such luck. You can imagine what went thru my mind as I hit the soft mud off of the shoulder and headed down into about a 6' deep ditch between the 4 lanes. Not wanting to end up buried in the mud int he ditch, I down shifted and stepped on it, managing to keep the front of the pickup basically pointed forward, and to my surprise made it up onto the other side of the 4 lane! My first thought was of course wondering if the bike trailer flipped which of course would have demolished the bike. To my very great relief, in the rear view I saw the bike still upright and following me, altho hardly recognizeable from the amount of mud and snow splatter. The only damage ended up being the left trailer tail light and license plate & bracket getting torn off!

 

As I said, my trailer is very low. A beer bottle just has enuf room to stand up under the bed. I built it that way so I could load the bike myself as I never have any help available. I think that low center of gravity was what saved it from flipping, and the four stout ratchet straps I had it cinched down with kept it planted firmly in the tire guides. A little extra effort on securing it really paid off!

 

http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww200/macx351/R1150R/Bike%20Trailer/SDC12760.jpg

 

http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww200/macx351/R1150R/Bike%20Trailer/SDC12771.jpg

 

http://i719.photobucket.com/albums/ww200/macx351/R1150R/Bike%20Trailer/SDC12780.jpg

 

Once in awhile the sun breaks thru the clouds!!

[Caddis]

Wow, that sounds pretty scary. Nice job "saving it".

[macx]

Was too busy to be scared until later!

 

Kind of funny - a guy following me about 1/4 mile back turned across the crossover I took to get back to the correct side of the 4 lane at the time I came over it.

 

That guy was all eyeballs!

[g_frey]

Yes the gods of luck and skill smiled on you.

[mikeR1100R]

Very nice trailer! Glad you and the vehicles made it through unscathed.

[ESokoloff]

.....

 

I down shifted and stepped on it, managing to keep the front of the pickup basically pointed forward, ......

 

 

"When in doubt, gas it"

 

[upflying]

Actually the accident was caused by the RT attempting to buck itself off the trailer. All BMW's have an allergy to trailers.

[racer7]

That's funny!

 

But the story is a good example of the under rated issues of towing anything, especially in low traction conditions.

 

Driver got bit unexpectedly despite a lot of relevant experience, then used his prior experience to get out with only mud/snow accumulation- when a lot of others would have jumped out the throttle and landed in the first ditch as a result.

 

The only way to have "done better" would have been to stay home..He got the best possible result out of possible mess.

 

Those of us who have also lived in snowy climates and run a lot of miles in such conditions recognize that this sort of thing can always be around the next corner and can happen to anyone. If it does, only your experience and skill stands between you and the problem. I could tell you about the time we ended up pushing vehicles sideways on an ice covered slope to clear a mess, for example, but won't. We could have avoided that one by staying home, too, but would have missed a good day of hunting if we had.