A funny thing happened on the way to the Smokies.

[Teamubr]

I've been towing things for a very long time and never had an incident... until today.

We were about an hour from the campground in Pigeon Forge. GPS routed us off I-40 around the south side of Knoxville. I have a friend that lives on these roads and I was very familiar with the route. It was supposed to save us over 30 minutes of sitting in traffic on 441.

Well, we were cruising along in the right lane of a 4 lane (Alcoa Highway) I saw a car that was going to turn left in a small cut through. There was a left turn lane, but the car didn't get completely over. Unfortunately, there was a girl in the left lane next to me that didn't notice the rear of the left turning car until it was really late. She hit the brakes and tried to move into the right lane... The one I was in.

Camper took most of the impact right on the front corner and about half way down the side. I was able to continue on after the police finished with everything. The poor car went away on a rollback. Physics I guess. 13,000 lbs vs 3000. The trailer won. Everyone is ok. And that's really what matters.

We made it to the campground and everything works. The cargo door is a mess, but I pried it open. The slides all opened ok. The midbunk slide took some impact, but it looks to be under the structural part.

I'm going to enjoy my week on vacation and start making some calls on Monday to see what I can get done.

j

 

[4077]

Ugh...you seem to be taking it all in stride and no one injured. Hope you can enjoy your vacation still.

 

[2goofycampers]

Ugh! So glad everyone is alright. I hope it's a quick easy fix.

 

[peg110]

Glad everyone is okay. I hope your repairs can be done pretty quickly and painlessly too. Insurances will allow you have a rental vehicle, but I don't know about a rental trailer. Try to make the best of your vacation in the Smokies. We spent some time there last year. It was a first time there at Pigeon Forge. Of course we went to Dollywood.

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

Man, Jim I hate to hear that but glad everyone is ok. Your right no since in letting it spoil your trip, just another campfire story. Hopefully the insurance company will make it right.

Just goes to show no matter how much you pay attention and be careful while driving, you can't control everything. I just bought a dash cam for my truck before our last trip to Disney. Even though it probably wouldn't have helped with a accident like yours, if something ever happens I'll have some type of proof as to what happened not a he said she said kinda thing.

Enjoy your vacation Jim, keep us posted on the camper repair. Safe travels back home.

 

[Teamubr]

Randy,

Agree on a dash cam for this wreck, but I've seen more and more that someone's car video has made a huge difference. Something to think about. I'll see how this turns out. I don't see how the story could change, but if this turns into he said/ she said. I will definitely
Be considering something to prove my side in the future.

Now, back to vacation... Trying to decide on the next fun thing to do.

j

 

[tiggerdad]

Good ole hwy 129 (Alcoa hwy). Traveled it a lot when I lived in Alcoa and worked in Knoxville. It had a nickname (All Killa hwy) due to the large amount of wrecks and unfortunately the fatalities.

I hate it routed you there because that place is a mess. Was it routing you to hwy 321 through Maryville?

Glad you guys are okay.

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

Trying to decide on the next fun thing to do.

My vote would being having dinner tonight at the Ol' Mill this evening!

I've been discussing with DW a trip to Pigeon Forge the week before Christmas.

Jim, I've seen products for big truck and class RVs for 4 camera units mounted on the front back and both sides, only thing they're a bit pricey.

 

[bama_ed]

Jim,

I'm glad you are okay and could still roll on to your vacation.

Hope the insurance takes care of everything.

Bama Ed

 

[garneska]

Big time bummer! Glad everyone is ok. Way to keep your spirits up.

 

[burnaroonie]

Good ole hwy 129 (Alcoa hwy). Traveled it a lot when I lived in Alcoa and worked in Knoxville. It had a nickname (All Killa hwy) due to the large amount of wrecks and unfortunately the fatalities.

I hate it routed you there because that place is a mess. Was it routing you to hwy 321 through Maryville?

Glad you guys are okay.

They have greatly improved the highway over the past few years, just haven't improved a lot of the drivers. Still beats hwy 441 (Chapman Hwy) to Sevierville.

 

[Teamubr]

They have greatly improved the highway over the past few years, just haven't improved a lot of the drivers. Still beats hwy 441 (Chapman Hwy) to Sevierville.

My friend drove over from Knoxville tonight and took Chapman Hwy. He was the 2nd car behind someone drive 30 mph the whole way.

Camper update:
I talked to my insurance today. They said they weren't surprised I didn't get any info on the other driver. Something about privacy laws. I said any right to privacy went away when she bounced off my camper.

Either way. I'm getting the police report tomorrow and I won't involve my own insurance unless the other person's isn't going to cooperate.

Had a better conversation with the factory. They have a specific repair division that I talked to. I sent some pics and he is pretty sure it is all repairable without a lot of problems.

Now I have to figure out how to get the camper to northern Indiana and back.

j

 

[North of Mouse]

Ouch! Sorry about your accident - glad y'all are OK and were able to continue on with your trip. We just got back Friday from a couple weeks in the Smokies.
Had a few meals at the Ole Mill, and Cheddars. Don't think we did enough hiking and biking to make up for 'those' calories!! Cooked most of our meals at the campsite in Elkmont. 'Chilled' in the ice cold river there!

It's terrible the way some people drive. A trucker got mad at us when we didn't move over for him to merge onto interstate - couldn't, as we were basically boxed in side and back. He finally made it around us, then slammed on his breaks! DH almost lost it - hard to stop on a dime when you are driving a mh & towing a vehicle. Thankfully, we did, as he then moved off quickly - guess he wasn't too heavily loaded. Almost enough to make us want to never leave home!

 

[4077]

Ouch! Sorry about your accident - glad y'all are OK and were able to continue on with your trip. We just got back Friday from a couple weeks in the Smokies.
Had a few meals at the Ole Mill, and Cheddars. Don't think we did enough hiking and biking to make up for 'those' calories!! Cooked most of our meals at the campsite in Elkmont. 'Chilled' in the ice cold river there!

It's terrible the way some people drive. A trucker got mad at us when we didn't move over for him to merge onto interstate - couldn't, as we were basically boxed in side and back. He finally made it around us, then slammed on his breaks! DH almost lost it - hard to stop on a dime when you are driving a mh & towing a vehicle. Thankfully, we did, as he then moved off quickly - guess he wasn't too heavily loaded. Almost enough to make us want to never leave home!

Ya know....I try to help out at on ramps when I can...if space is available, I will move over to help traffic getting on the highway. However, the bottom line is traffic entering must yield to traffic all ready there. To be aggressive/angry because someone didn't move over (and I bet the truck couldn't even see on the other side of you to understand there was a vehicle there) when that person physically couldn't, well, that is just being a jerk IMO (and frankly, to be dangerously aggressive with a motor vehicle just to try and prove some sort of point is stupid/reckless in any case).

 

[rajak73]

I've been towing things for a very long time and never had an incident... until today.

So this must be the year for incidents while towing. Just got back from a trip to Arches National park and Grand Canyon, then down to Meteor Crater and Petrified forest National park. First, stayed west of Denver, co on first night, next morning, get 100 miles west, taking everyone off the interstate. Well they have the interstate closed both directions for some work! Great, how about a detour? Yeah, go back it's like a 4 1/2 hour detour through Steamboat springs. Go back to rest area and wait 3 1/2 hours until they open interstate back up, told DW so what, engineers sitting around a table say, know what, I think it's a good idea to close the major East/West route for 6 1/2 hours for 2 days! Get to Moab, Ut about 6 hours later than should have, leave Moab for Flagstaff, Az, around noon, we decide to stop for lunch, find a mall, park, start to go back to trailer door, I see a pickup coming down the parking lot in back of my camper, no driver! Yep, BOOM! Thankfully it had a cattle guard on it, and it only hit the 4 square bumper on the camper! Happens to be on a indian reservation, you know, truck was like 5 different colors, of course he would of had insurance.Wasn't about to get the reservation police involved. I kinda straightened it out with a hammer. It was a interesting trip this time!

 

[Teamubr]

So this must be the year for incidents while towing.

Rajak,
Sounds like one of those things that you see it coming, know what's going to happen and just stand there because there is nothing you can do. Glad the damage wasn't too bad.

Well,

I finally received a call from the person's insurance company. I had sent them pictures while on vacation, but hadn't heard a thing since almost 2 weeks ago. Today, there was a message on my home machine with the amount their estimating company determined.(and the amount of the check they were mailing me)

It actually was good news. They are a little higher than the factory quote from the same pics and they will cover my mileage and expenses for towing it up and back. I'll wait to see what they really send in the mail and I'll make sure I have everything in writing before cashing anything, but I'm pretty pleased. Any other costs once they get into it will get submitted as a supplemental, like any other claim.

I will likely have to take a day off work to pick it up when they are done. I considered making them pay for my missed work, but I will likely turn the pickup or drop off trip into a camping trip anyway and that didn't seem right.

I'm scheduled to take the camper up to Middlebury, IN the first weekend in October and let them get started. They said it will probably take about 2 weeks and they are going to take care of 2 warranty things while it's there.

All in all, the insurance has been ok and the factory has been great to work with. Incredibly accommodating.

j

 

[peg110]

I am glad things worked out. Nothing worth then to have an insurance tragedy after a vehicular tragedy that wasn't even your fault. Sounds like this time, it's not the case.

 

[Govols1997]

I was going to say the same thing about Alcoa Hwy. Wrecks daily. I'm curious how you avoided Chapman Hwy completely. Did you head toward Townsend and take 321 over? That's a lot of extra driving, it seems.

 

[Govols1997]

I'm not trying be be argumentative, just a local trying to understand. Chapman Hwy is four lanes all the way. How did you friend get stuck behind someone going 30?

 

[rajak73]

Sounds like one of those things that you see it coming, know what's going to happen and just stand there because there is nothing you can do. Glad the damage wasn't too bad.

Yep, you can see it coming and know there isn't anything you can do about it. Glad your insurance is working out, that is usually the big hassle.