Quote:
Originally Posted by rtry9a
Im just not convinced about the TV length issue being a big factor. Anticipation is a huge factor to keep out of trouble as is keeping speeds reasonable.
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You are quite right about anticipation - it is very important. But some things cannot be anticipated, and you still have to deal with them. As an easy example, maybe some jerk makes a sudden lane shift in front of you, or ignores a stop sign and shoots out in front of you from a side road. Think of the sudden appearance of a huge pothole, or a ladder lying in the road (as I have encountered).
One of my most interesting un-anticipated experiences occurred when I was coming down the mountains on the Coronado Trail (Rte 191) in eastern Arizona. The road is very steep, very narrow, full of switchbacks, and often posted at 10 mph. A beautiful place, in other words. But as I was approaching one very steep 10-mph switchback, two unanticipated events happened. First, as I came around the corner, there was a cow standing in the road. A big one. Almost as long as the width of the road. No way around her (actually him). And second, one of the brakes on my TM had failed, unknown to me, so the braking was weak and it pulled to one side.
Between the lack of full braking, the fact that the TM was braking crooked, and fact that the TM and the tow vehicle were at a very sharp angle to each other at that moment - well, let's say I noticed that the TM was trying to push the TV in a direction I hadn't chosen. Namely, off the cliff edge.
At 114", my TV does not have a really long wheelbase. I'm convinced that if it had been 10" shorter, I might not have made it through that unanticipated experience.
Of course, you may be better at anticipating than I am ...
Bill