... the barrier won. :(
I have scrapped the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks out of the driver side on my "new to me" Lazy Daze. It's pretty bad but driveable. The black tank pipe is cracked and spilled some sewage (not a lot as I did my first dump last week and since I'm not living in it haven's used it much).
I have filled a claim via the Progressive app but while I wait to hear back from them... where does one go for repairs in SoCal? Back to the factory? Any recommendations.
Shared album - Debbie Wright - Google Photos (https://photos.app.goo.gl/VRUa5L98obMWn7qdA)
OUCH!!!!!!!! I would definitely call Vince and ask his advice..... good luck!!
Bill
Where does one go for repairs in SoCal? Back to the factory?
I'm so sorry to hear about your accident. There's a long thread on another RV Forum with many stories of RVers who have accidentally damaged their Rigs. Fortunately, all of them seemed to have learned from their experiences and as importantly, they were able to bring their RV back to a good or better condition. I've heard many RVers say "it's not a matter of if you damage your Rig but when." (I'm hoping to be an exception to that rule of thumb.)
If we lived near the Factory, that would be our only choice because the quality of their repair work is second to none and the shop rate is much better than many RV repair shops.
Best of luck with this repair.
OUCH!!!!!!!! I would definitely call Vince and ask his advice..... good luck!!
Bill
I will do that as soon as I hear back from the insurance company. I guess I'm glad I live close to the mothership. :-)
I'm so sorry to hear about your accident. There's a long thread on another RV Forum with many stories of RVers who accidentally damaged their Rigs. Fortunately, all of them seemed to have learned from their experiences and as importantly, they were able to bring their RV back to a good or better condition. I've heard many RVers say "it's not a matter of if you damage your Rig but when." (I'm hoping to be an exception to that rule of thumb.)
I'm actually glad it happened now (if it was going to happen at all). I'm not in the middle of nowhere, I'm staying at my brother's until my August retirement date (but I can hang out here longer if I need to). I'm close to the Lazy Daze factory and it is driveable.
Thanks for the good luck wishes. :-)
No worries, Deb. Those are just considered battle scars which most of us have had at one time or another. By all means, contact the Mothership fo the best repairs. It may take them awhile to get you in though. Good luck!
Actually that is not too bad. You could drive around for quite a while before fixing.
Prior to my LD, with our original SOB.....there's a particular wall at the Grand Canyon National Park that mysteriously had a few bricks knocked loose! :o
In addition to a gas pump barrier on the driver's side, LDy Lulubelle had an unfortunate meeting with a concrete street lamp pole that mysteriously appeared on the passenger side as I pulled into my aunt's driveway late one night, then a mailbox in Wyoming viciously assaulted her fake tire cover. :-[ :-[ :-[
Since the Mothership is on the wrong side of the Rockies, I was fortunate to find a fella up here in the boonies who did meticulous work...though it did take a good bit of time to get on the schedule, plus getting decals/pinstriping/etc. from the Mothership. The only problem was with the pinstriping that started getting little bubbles in various places within a day of him starting to apply it; Cody talked with Vince & they determined there was something defective about that roll, so Vince sent a replacement roll which Cody said went on slick as a whistle.
Glad you're close to the Mothership. Good luck with the cosmetic surgery.
Lynne
Now that you have gotten the first scratch out of the way, you can relax.
You'd think a post set in concrete couldn't jump that far.
I got mine pulling it into the driveway after taking delivery. Misread the backup camera and bumped the spare tire cover - just a small crack that doesn't show on the outside.
I'd call the mothership if you're in in SoCal
You're not alone, Deb. I've broken the awning on each of my three rigs (one building, two trees). And then there's the story of the rock attack (http://www.andybaird.com/travels/skylarking/2012/rock-attack.htm)...
Andy I read your story (yup of all the things that can run at your RV, rocks can be sneaky buggers). I was thinking as I read - he needed a flex coupler - but I was not sure it would fit both over your fitting (the 90 degree, which was larger as the regular pipe went inside it) and the regular pipe, since the sizes would be different. Those flex couplings are great when connecting different size pipes (old existing to new modern pipe). I am glad that one worked for you. If I used one I would add that to my regular check list just to make sure it doesn't develop a slow seep/leak.
There is a sub-club to the LD club called LD's that have been attacked by jealous objects. Looks like you are a member of that one also. I joined the day my porch grabbed the extended step on my way to have it fixed under warranty. At that point the warranty was void $850 void. The next time a mail box attacked poor baxter when her back was turned.
Well as mother always said "all lesson cost money thank gwad for the cheap ones".
glen
Great write up, Andy! Glad you survived the rock attack!!
Just spoke with Vince. He’s going to take a look t it tomorrow. Yay!
Colddog you just had me literally laughing out loud! Thanks!
Thank you everyone for sharing your “boo-boo” stories with me. You’ve all made me feel better.
So glad I joined this forum of really nice supportive people. I feel lucky. :-)
Most owners have put a ding or two (or multiples thereof) on their rigs; it happens.
One technique to avoid or at least minimize future damages from whacking into whatever is to GOAL before moving. GOAL = Get Out And Look. This precaution has saved a lot of “Oh, noooooo.....” moments.
YMMV, as always.
I Love this thread ;D
The bollard. I hate them, now you can't go anywhere without having to maneuver around a maze of them.
I understand the need for them in some situations, but it's crazy now.
Remember the story of a truck being rammed into a Best Buy. Loaded it up and backed right out and were gone in very little time. Now, every Best Buy has bollards in front to stop that from happening again.
I went to the car wash with my buddy the other day. Bollards everywhere, in the corners of the buildings, by the electrical box.
We really must not be teaching how to drive anymore, if we need so many bollards to keep us from damaging things.
We live across the street from a high school, the young crop of drivers put new meaning to bollard usage.
We live across the street from a high school, the young crop of drivers put new meaning to bollard usage.
I had Driver's Ed in the summer of 1970, & as I look back it was useful--probably more for the reduced stomach acid & gray hair it saved the parental units ::) . It was non-existant by the time my kids were at that stage, though.
Joan's GOAL has become my mantra since the paint job...plus, I can add repetitive heaving myself in & out of the driver's seat/walking around to check clearances to my daily activity level. :D
Lynne
There's an Italian restaurant near us that someone drove through the front glass windows....shortly thereafter bollards were installed throughout the shopping center....the restaurant then posted a large sign that said "Effective immediately, drive-thru service is closed"....LOL
Sadly it happens more than you think. Near where I live, My bank has ATM's near the door, and a woman was killed by an errant driver. Large concrete planters showed up with nice plants. At my dentist, I had an appointment....large planter and steel bollards. A car had plowed over about 25' of landscaping and ran into the front door and killed a patient. The staff were still shell shocked. I was asked not to mention it, or talk about it. I think it was just a few days before I was there.
Those steel bollards have inflicted damage on lots of cars and motorhomes. Me, well the stucco wall at my driveway has been damaged more than my LD's bumper. I'm not going to discuss that anymore. RonB
My embarrasing faux pas involved trying to turn right too early after going through the entry kiosk at Santa Margarita Lake in San Luis Obispo County. It was one of the first trips after purchasing my '85 TK. Assuming this link works, my awning caught the little building on the right:
Google Maps (https://www.google.com/maps/@35.3248582,-120.4928332,3a,75y,108.47h,89.33t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svuV7ySf-PiEkodVo355SvA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656)
I'm back from the Mothership. Vince was terrific!
Almost all of the lower body panels on the driver's side will have to be replaced and possibly the lower storage compartment at the back and a new mudflap in front of the duallys (sp?). A new black tank will be installed (this time without the insulating foam of the original). I'll have to leave my LD with them for a while since they are so busy (maybe a couple of months) but that's okay. As long as I can get out by August 4th (before I have to pay for another month of RV storage), I'll be happy. While it is being repaired I will also have them reseal my roof (which I knew I would have to do soon per the inspection).
I still have to wait for the insurance inspector do his/her thing but Vince says he's had good dealings with Progressive.
Vince was also kind enough to show how to use some features on the RV (how to use the Kwikee leveling jacks and how to lubricate the entry step) and even how to adjust the shelves in the pantry (I could not figure out how to move the little white tabs for the life of me).
There really is a silver lining to this little cloud. :-)
Such good news. Once your Rig is repaired and ready, you're going to be mighty pleased as you drive down the road. And your LD couldn't be in better hands. Overall, a big well done on a difficult situation ... and a silver lining to boot! Finally, thank you for the following report.
Debinvenice,
Are you calling Vince a silver lining? Come to think of it, that's not a bad description.
"Almost all of the lower body panels on the driver's side will have to be replaced..."
Perhaps at this point in time what I'm about to say need not be said... however
do not crowd: 1. Gas Pumps 2. Sign Posts 3. Curbs 4. Bollards, 5. Trees, etc.. Give everything a wide berth and please take Joan's advice of G.O.A.L. ::) ;)
"Almost all of the lower body panels on the driver's side will have to be replaced..."
Perhaps at this point in time what I'm about to say need not be said... however
do not crowd: 1. Gas Pumps 2. Sign Posts 3. Curbs 4. Bollards, 5. Trees, etc.. Give everything a wide berth and please take Joan's advice of G.O.A.L. ::) ;)
Sadly we all have bad driving habits we have picked up over the years. Most of the time the world is forgiving but sometimes not. IMHO nothing replaces a professional driving school but short of that .....
https://youtu.be/4CeThR_A4VI
. . . and remember your overhead clearances!
Karen~Liam
98 ~ MB
NinA
The dreaded bridge video for your enjoyment!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USu8vT_tfdw
IMHO nothing replaces a professional driving school but short of that .....
https://youtu.be/4CeThR_A4VI
Or a little closer to home: School locations – Click on map icon to see the town & date availability |... (https://www.rvschool.com/school-locations/)
I've lined up my brother, a retired fire captain used to driving big fire trucks to help me practice. Also, an RVing friend who tows a big trailer will work with me as well.
I agree with taking an RV driving course; it's not inexpensive, and the "school" locations may not be particularly convenient, but an experienced, knowledgeable instructor can have a very positive impact on one's confidence, and the "road savvy" a new RVer can gain is worth the cost of the instruction.
I had driven large vehicles on the ranch, pulled a tent trailer through western Canada, and had a small class C before I took delivery of the LD in 2003. But even the little 24' was wider, higher, and longer than most vehicles I had driven; I figured that I could always learn some new tricks, so I signed up with what was then Dick Reed's RV School before I left SoCal. (The school is in operation, but under different ownership; the link to "RV School" is given in a previous post.)
My instructor was a retired OTR trucker with over 2 million accident-free miles; for two days, four hours a day, I drove my new rig over L.A. freeways, through tight residential streets, into and out of gas stations, parking lots, and wherever John Ward, the instructor, a very brave and patient man, directed me to go. I learned to maneuver safely through cones, judge distances and heights and lane widths, how to use my mirrors, "center" the rig in the lane, how to brake, how to use the gears when climbing and descending, and so many other things that I can't quantify or even remember learning; I do them automatically. I learned to drive "15 seconds ahead" (and behind, and to each side), and the critical importance of the mantra GOAL! (Yes, I did ignore that one a couple of times; it was stupid, and the results were predictable. :( )
I learned that knowing the height, length, and width of one's rig is critical, that even a short rear overhang like the 24" has can "swing and smack", that it takes a much longer time to stop (and control and/or maneuver) a heavy vehicle than a light one, particularly if one is driving too fast or following too closely, that driving on the top half of the tank is a real good plan, and that driving beyond one's skill level is not. ;)
At the end of the instruction, John Ward told me to start racking up the miles, because I could go anywhere! I took him at his word! ;)
If I may two tips.....
1. I have the heights, widths, and lengths of my LD taped to the windshield. <smile> this old brain isn't as fast as it was in my early years.
2. We carry Traffic Cones (https://www.amazon.com/Sunnyglade-Collapsible-Traffic-Purpose-Reflective/dp/B07GVH8YYX/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=traffic+cones&qid=1557062212&s=gateway&sr=8-6). Comes in handy when needing a backing up point to aim at.
OK one more .....
3. When in any doubt STOP. Then GOAL. Any remember you are driving the RV not the other person in the other car/truck/rv. And who cares what that person thinks you don't know them anyway. They will get over it or not who cares.
glen