Day 96
Backing Up Accidents
7:03am:We have had yet another accident with Scampy. It happened at nite. A couple of nites ago. It wasn't a biggie. But big enough!
On our way to a Nite Camp, we had entered the parking area of an office building. The way forward was too narrow. So, we went to backup. Because it was dark [11pm]. When Scampy was too far right, we did not see it. Scampy jackknifed into Tránsito's right rear! Tránsito's taillight broke. And, there was bumper damage too. The same bumper that was replaced only a few weeks ago!
Backup camera
The next morning, we received an email from a guy who was developing a backup camera for RVs. That got us thinking. If Scampy had a backup camera, that jackknife accident likely would not have happened.
We went looking on the net for a backup camera, and found one! [Link]
1:40pm:
Brake shop call
The Scampy Team is waiting for a phone call from Al's Trailers here in the
City of Salem, in order to learn if Al's wants to do Scampy's brake repair.
In the meantime, we are messing with the solar panel mounting on Tránsito's roof. Do you recall us buying aluminum angles? These angles will form a base for the solar panels which shall be mounted on Tránsito's roof.
This afternoon, we have placed one of the aluminum angles on Tránsito's roof to find out approximately how the solar panels will be positioned up there.\
We just received a phone call from the brake shop. They are not able to look at Scampy's brakes until the middle of September.
So, we will look around to find another brake shop.
3:42pm:
Brake shops in smaller towns
Auto shops in the Salem area are too busy. No appointments available for a long time.
We are going to try for shops in smaller towns to see what's what over there!
9:12pm:
Best Little Roadhouse
I've just ordered my supper! Half Rack Baby Back Ribs. I asked for a sample of the two kinds of sauces that are served with ribs. But my waiter offered to put the sauces on the side.
That's fine with me. The sauces are:
★ Hickory Smoke Barbecue
★ Watermelon Barbecue
I'm kinda curious about Watermelon Barbecue Sauce. Have you heard of it?
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The other day you mentioned disconnecting the electric brakes on Scampy.
ReplyDeleteDid you ever figure what was wrong and get it fixed?
Ed, Carol and Gopher the dog,
DeleteI believe that something inside the electric brake is broken. When the brake is actuated, the broken part rattles around inside the brake making the sound I heard.
I plan to go to a brake shop this morning.
George
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You might want to browse through the user comments of Amazon about this camera.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.amazon.com/Rear-View-Safety-Backup-RVS-020813/dp/B00PB8KQZU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502726953&sr=8-1&keywords=RV%27s-020813#customerReviews
Ed, Carol and Gopher the dog,
DeleteThank you for the link.
I just read the reviews. When the camera arrives, I will write about it here on my Blog.
George
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You're not gonna like what I'm going to tell you
ReplyDeleteBut a back up camera is not going to solve your problem
Watching what's on your right Watch on you'll left behind you. which way the trailer is turning,, and then you're going to watch a back up camera ?? To
We all know that your intentions are good,,, but the outcome sometimes are poor in some cases. more so since you've got your articulated trailer.
If you said that you were going to get a back up camera so it would make it much easier for you to hook up your truck receiver hitch to the trailer hitch I would say perfect
I have one on my car and I also have one on my class A tractor
And here's what I would tell you from first-hand experience do not get the smallest monitor get the biggest ass monitor you could find.
on my pick up truck is a 7 inch monitor on my tractor is it 10 inch monitor ( The tool guy is right bigger is a lot better )
They make wired monitors and wireless monitors
wireless monitors have a tendency to Flickr what are you watching
a wired monitor gives you a solid picture
If you go wireless they also make one that can adapt to your iPad
Ed,
DeleteWhen the camera arrives, and does not do a good job for me, I shall return it.
George
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I agree with Ed. The camera is not the solution. You need two good rear view mirrors and backup flood lights for night.
ReplyDeleteThen you need to get some traffic cones and head for a large empty parking lot. Practice backing in a straight line till he have it down pat. Then practice backing the trailer into a spot marked by the cones.
Practice! Practice! Practice!
Eddie,
DeleteMaybe I really need a chauffeur driven tow vehicle?
George
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Looks like I'm going to make George's poor List again
ReplyDeleteEddie
If you were teaching Someone how to back up a trailer that would be perfect
However here's the scenario it's 11 o'clock at NIGHT it's dark
Maybe some streetlights maybe some parking lot lights
Now,, in your minds eye,,,,, where is your trailer
This is the part where George is going to get mad at me
Let's hypothetically say you have your back up camera just over your license plate what are you going to see,,, BINGO,,, A white screen (your trailer)
Now if you hypothetically put it up on top of your truck looking down at your trailer hitch
Your field of vision is not going to be wide enough to see the trailer jackknifed
And here's the reason why your infrared camera is going to pick up the white of the trailer the red and white back up light reflection of your vehicle and flash you out ( Another words the white color is going to override)
Now here's the other part Mr G,s not gonna like
The review on his camera wifi set up is only a 3.2 rating
If I'm going to spend 120+ for Wi-Fi unit,, it really only sells for about 40 bucks and not even get a monitor. I'm just a dumb old truck driver but that sure doesn't sound like a good deal to me
Especially if I could get one of these and the whole shebang for a whole lot less
And due diligence check the rating before you buy
http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-Monitor-2-X-Wireless-Rear-View-Backup-Camera-Night-Vision-For-RV-Truck-Bus-/201837429442
PS the one camera unit cost less
Ed,
DeleteAm I correct in my interpretation of what you linked for me to view on ebay?
All of that for only $89.46!! Free delivery??!
This is too much for me to comprehend! How is such equipment as this being sold for such a low, low, very low, ultra low, tiny, very tiny, almost infinitesimal price?
Why don't you order this equipment for me, Ed? If it actually performs as promised, I shall pay you 2x your purchase price!
$89.46 x 2 = $178.92
You can double your money, Ed.
George
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George, how proficient are you at backing a trailer in the daylight using side mirrors?
DeleteEddie,
DeleteI have always rated my level of proficiency as vehicle driver as kinda low. But that was when I was rating myself driving a tricycle. As a driver of a bicycle, I am really, really low!
When I drove MsTioga, who was a 27 foot long [bumper to bumper] Class -C, I rated myself as a fantastically low and rotten driver. Especially when backing up MsTioga!
I was renown in the world of RVers, when driving MsTioga, as a disaster. If there was a fire hydrant, fence, building or car behind me when I was backing MsTioga up....watch out! Because I would take it out!
Trachsel Body & Paint in Salem loves me. Because I am a constant source of revenue for them!
No lie!
George
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I'm on my fourth rear passenger tail light on my Dodge diesel truck. I'm not braggin', just sayin'. It happens.
DeleteIf in doubt GOAL.
ReplyDeleteGet Out And Look
Ed, Carol and Gopher the dog,
DeleteDoesn't do any good!? I got out to look several days ago, and look what happened!
George
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It's cheap because it's from China and likely made very cheaply. But it probably would be better than nothing.
ReplyDeleteDon,
DeleteYou are guessing, right?
George
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I'm guessing that it might be better than nothing. I'm not guessing that's it's from China, it says it on the page.
DeleteGeorge,
ReplyDeleteAs you are probably aware, trailer brakes are very different than automotive brakes. The ones on your Scamp are quite simple. IMO, your best bet is to have an RV shop look at the brakes on your trailer. JMO.
The only difference between RV brakes and automotive Brakes automotive have hydraulic cylinder activators we are Rv brakes have electric magnetic activator
DeleteIf you want to make those brakes hydraulic you just switch the arm out add a slave cylinder and hydraulic lines
Truthsayer,
DeleteSo..... you are Truthsayer?
Does that mean that you always say the truth? Or from time to time, do you fudge-the-truth a little?
George
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Well I could probably do that for you George seeing as how I have a sick 14th cousin over in Bangladesh she just got $52 million from an Ethiopian gentleman actually bought a bicycle with it
ReplyDeleteSo now that she's living the good life maybe I could ask her to send me one from Chinese manufacture out of Bangladesh the only problem is she would have to send it to her 13th cousin in Sudan but then again she would have to send it to her 12th cousin and Nairobi
Now I know the 12th cousin is very honest and she would probably have to send that over to chili (hey that's a good idea I'm gonna go have pancakes)
through her 11th cousin
And then she have to send it all away to Florida
And just to make sure it gets there in perfect shape I probably have to self deliver it to your local body fender shop
But my biggest problem is not getting there my biggest problem is my boss he only lets me have four days off so by the time I fly up there it will really cost you more in shipping you did say free shipping right
So for that $89 you're probably better off ordering it from that Chinese guy manufacture in Bangladesh he does buy them by the hundred from North Korea plus he's gives free shipping all the way to Oregon in the United States
So you better hurry kim ju only has just so many something about a tight squeeze because there a knock off from China
But he said not to worry he has Mexican friends oh I'm sorry Latino friends that buy am by the case
But then maybe one of his Latino friends might send you one from sunny California
He said he had 15 left and he does a brisk business off eBay
PS this is the truth I have the same unit in my pick up truck going on two years and I only paid $58.
I am a Horse trader and cheapskate,,,, remember that's horse trader,, not,, horse thief
As I said in my other post I don't really like the Wi-Fi unit I would much rather had it be wired but I got it and it is what it is
Ed,
DeleteOK! I get it. It's a joke, right? A huge, long, stretched out joke. Not a hilariously funny one. Sort of a, "....if you do not get the humor here, it's not my fault" kinda joke!
Did I nail it, Ed. Did I? Ohhhh? Please tell me! Did I ? Huh?
George
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You nailed it perfectly George and it goes all the way back to your bicycle days unfortunately you're too old to change and that's real sad
DeleteGetting tiresome.
ReplyDeleteBill,
DeleteTake a second look after I put some reply/comments in this thread.
George
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