Hitch inversion theory

Three times in the past week or so, I've noticed something I don't
recall seeing befo someone with a high-riding pickup or SUV who had
two to six inches of drop hitch -- installed upside down.

Two of them had a trailer on, and in the worst case, a flatbed behind a
Ford Excursion, the upside-down apparatus combined with the tall
vehicle to leave it sitting at maybe a twenty-degree angle. I'm
surprised he didn't leave his trailer taillights on the speed bumps --
or his cargo on the road going up a steep hill.

Just for completeness, I went to a local store and looked at the
catalogue from one of the big makers of trailering tools and toys.
Sure enough, it contained not only instructions but photographs showing
what things are supposed to look like when properly rigged. Somehow
people are spending money on an accessory that they probably need --
and using it exactly wrong.
Fishtailing soon down an Interstate near you...

--Joe

I have two vehicles I flip the hitch (the std 2" drop where in the "correct"
position the ball mounting surface is even w/bottom of the hitch). This
gives me a slight down on the back of the trailer for two different boats.
I frequently put my "duck boat" (a 14.5' Duracraft w/25hp Johnson) in
shallow water so this helps get it off the trailer. On the other, a 20.5'
Wellcraft w/200hp motor, it lets more water drain out but it's not down but
a couple of inches. What you're describing sounds kind of scary to be
around!
LD

"Ad absurdum per aspera" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Three times in the past week or so, I've noticed something I don't
> recall seeing befo someone with a high-riding pickup or SUV who had
> two to six inches of drop hitch -- installed upside down.
>
> Two of them had a trailer on, and in the worst case, a flatbed behind a
> Ford Excursion, the upside-down apparatus combined with the tall
> vehicle to leave it sitting at maybe a twenty-degree angle. I'm
> surprised he didn't leave his trailer taillights on the speed bumps --
> or his cargo on the road going up a steep hill.
>
> Just for completeness, I went to a local store and looked at the
> catalogue from one of the big makers of trailering tools and toys.
> Sure enough, it contained not only instructions but photographs showing
> what things are supposed to look like when properly rigged. Somehow
> people are spending money on an accessory that they probably need --
> and using it exactly wrong.
> Fishtailing soon down an Interstate near you...
>
> --Joe
>

Just goes with everything else stupid, brainless SUV owners do. Ever
notice how most of the cars with rear-end collision damage have the
damage about 2 feet up? Guess who? By the way, if your'e driving an SUV,
and I don't allow you you to merge in front of me- BITE ME.
JR
Ad absurdum per aspera wrote:
> Three times in the past week or so, I've noticed something I don't
> recall seeing befo someone with a high-riding pickup or SUV who had
> two to six inches of drop hitch -- installed upside down.
>
> Two of them had a trailer on, and in the worst case, a flatbed behind a
> Ford Excursion, the upside-down apparatus combined with the tall
> vehicle to leave it sitting at maybe a twenty-degree angle. I'm
> surprised he didn't leave his trailer taillights on the speed bumps --
> or his cargo on the road going up a steep hill.
>
> Just for completeness, I went to a local store and looked at the
> catalogue from one of the big makers of trailering tools and toys.
> Sure enough, it contained not only instructions but photographs showing
> what things are supposed to look like when properly rigged. Somehow
> people are spending money on an accessory that they probably need --
> and using it exactly wrong.
> Fishtailing soon down an Interstate near you...
>
> --Joe
>


--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

JR North wrote:
> Just goes with everything else stupid, brainless SUV owners do. Ever
> notice how most of the cars with rear-end collision damage have the
> damage about 2 feet up? Guess who? By the way, if your'e driving an
SUV,
> and I don't allow you you to merge in front of me- BITE ME.

So, you are totally against everyone who drives any SUV? Even those
that use them for the reasons intended? Even those who need the room
for the work that they do?

basskisser wrote:

> JR North wrote:
>
>>Just goes with everything else stupid, brainless SUV owners do. Ever
>>notice how most of the cars with rear-end collision damage have the
>>damage about 2 feet up? Guess who? By the way, if your'e driving an
>
> SUV,
>
>>and I don't allow you you to merge in front of me- BITE ME.
>
>
> So, you are totally against everyone who drives any SUV? Even those
> that use them for the reasons intended? Even those who need the room
> for the work that they do?
>

Those people are in the minority, but they tend to actually know how to
use their vehicles safely so they're not the problem.

nate

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

Have you ever notice that the people who are anti SUV's are from the
same group of people who insisted on gas mileage ratings that caused the
manufactures to build vehiles so small that only one or two people can
ride comfortably, and that can not pull a boat, carry a family, or have
room for other hobby type things that the average person like to do.

I guess it irks them to see their indirect creation.



JR North wrote:

> Just goes with everything else stupid, brainless SUV owners do. Ever
> notice how most of the cars with rear-end collision damage have the
> damage about 2 feet up? Guess who? By the way, if your'e driving an SUV,
> and I don't allow you you to merge in front of me- BITE ME.
> JR
> Ad absurdum per aspera wrote:
>
>> Three times in the past week or so, I've noticed something I don't
>> recall seeing befo someone with a high-riding pickup or SUV who had
>> two to six inches of drop hitch -- installed upside down.
>>
>> Two of them had a trailer on, and in the worst case, a flatbed behind a
>> Ford Excursion, the upside-down apparatus combined with the tall
>> vehicle to leave it sitting at maybe a twenty-degree angle. I'm
>> surprised he didn't leave his trailer taillights on the speed bumps --
>> or his cargo on the road going up a steep hill.
>>
>> Just for completeness, I went to a local store and looked at the
>> catalogue from one of the big makers of trailering tools and toys.
>> Sure enough, it contained not only instructions but photographs showing
>> what things are supposed to look like when properly rigged. Somehow
>> people are spending money on an accessory that they probably need --
>> and using it exactly wrong.
>> Fishtailing soon down an Interstate near you...
>>
>> --Joe
>>
>
>

keith_nuttle wrote:

> Have you ever notice that the people who are anti SUV's are from the
> same group of people who insisted on gas mileage ratings that caused the
> manufactures to build vehiles so small that only one or two people can
> ride comfortably, and that can not pull a boat, carry a family, or have
> room for other hobby type things that the average person like to do.
>
> I guess it irks them to see their indirect creation.

As usual, the gross generalizations have exceptions. Yes, i do *drive*
a car that only seats two people comfortably, but I firmly believe that
market forces should determine what people purchase, not CAFE.

nate

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

/rant
The main beef I have with SUVs is the people who drive them have little
or no experience with the shifted drivers perspective due to the
elevated eye level. I have come within a short hair's width of being
broadsided TWICE by Lincoln Navigators, who's drivers ran a stop sign on
an intersecting side street. This is because they are used to looking UP
at a stop sign in a car. The elevated eye level in an SUV puts the sign
about level with the driver. So, it doesn't register. People who are
used to driving trucks do not make this error. The higher driver
position causes an error in judging the distance of the car in front,
and sometimes not even seeing it because it is below the drivers
straight ahead line of vision. I was waiting to turn left into a 7-11
with my brake and T/S lights on in my '70 Datsun Roadster. I glanced in
my RVM to see a Ford Expedition barreling right at me at 45mph. I
stomped the gas and got out of her way just in the nick of time. I could
see her face as I glanced- see was staring straight ahead- didn't even
see me sitting there. If I hadn't moved, I would have been killed-
literally run-over by that monster.
Suvs rear-end cars for the above illustrated conditions. I have 3
neighbors with SUVs, all 3 currently have front end damage.
As I said, look at the number of cars with rear end collision damage
well above bumper height.
I have had SUV's repeatedly change lanes into me(without colliding),
because they can't see smaller cars next to them.
Am I discourteous to SUVs? You bet. I can't trust one behind me, and
can't see around one in front of me. If one is next to me, I'm just
waiting for it to swerve into my lane. If one is approaching on a side
street, I expect it to run the stop sign. This is no way to drive with
peace-of-mind.
The main problem is the nitwits that drive them have no experience
driving a large, high vehicle.
I'm just counting the days till I get killed by one.....
\rant
JR

Ad absurdum per aspera wrote:
> Three times in the past week or so, I've noticed something I don't
> recall seeing befo someone with a high-riding pickup or SUV who had
> two to six inches of drop hitch -- installed upside down.
>
> Two of them had a trailer on, and in the worst case, a flatbed behind a
> Ford Excursion, the upside-down apparatus combined with the tall
> vehicle to leave it sitting at maybe a twenty-degree angle. I'm
> surprised he didn't leave his trailer taillights on the speed bumps --
> or his cargo on the road going up a steep hill.
>
> Just for completeness, I went to a local store and looked at the
> catalogue from one of the big makers of trailering tools and toys.
> Sure enough, it contained not only instructions but photographs showing
> what things are supposed to look like when properly rigged. Somehow
> people are spending money on an accessory that they probably need --
> and using it exactly wrong.
> Fishtailing soon down an Interstate near you...
>
> --Joe
>


--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth
If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes
Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive
The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me
No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses
--------------------------------------------------------------
Dependence is Vulnerability:
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal"
"I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.."

"JR North" > wrote in message
...
> /rant
> The main problem is the nitwits that drive them have no experience driving
> a large, high vehicle.

Didja ever notice how a really bad driver always seems to be surrounded by
what he perceives to be bad drivers?

El Alumbrado
"Civis Texanus Sum"

"JR North" > wrote in message
...
> /rant
> The main beef I have with SUVs is the people who drive them have little
> or no experience with the shifted drivers perspective due to the
> elevated eye level. I have come within a short hair's width of being
> broadsided TWICE by Lincoln Navigators, who's drivers ran a stop sign on
> an intersecting side street. This is because they are used to looking UP
> at a stop sign in a car. The elevated eye level in an SUV puts the sign
> about level with the driver. So, it doesn't register. People who are
> used to driving trucks do not make this error. The higher driver
> position causes an error in judging the distance of the car in front,
> and sometimes not even seeing it because it is below the drivers
> straight ahead line of vision. I was waiting to turn left into a 7-11
> with my brake and T/S lights on in my '70 Datsun Roadster. I glanced in
> my RVM to see a Ford Expedition barreling right at me at 45mph. I
> stomped the gas and got out of her way just in the nick of time. I could
> see her face as I glanced- see was staring straight ahead- didn't even
> see me sitting there. If I hadn't moved, I would have been killed-
> literally run-over by that monster.
> Suvs rear-end cars for the above illustrated conditions. I have 3
> neighbors with SUVs, all 3 currently have front end damage.
> As I said, look at the number of cars with rear end collision damage
> well above bumper height.
> I have had SUV's repeatedly change lanes into me(without colliding),
> because they can't see smaller cars next to them.
> Am I discourteous to SUVs? You bet. I can't trust one behind me, and
> can't see around one in front of me. If one is next to me, I'm just
> waiting for it to swerve into my lane. If one is approaching on a side
> street, I expect it to run the stop sign. This is no way to drive with
> peace-of-mind.
> The main problem is the nitwits that drive them have no experience
> driving a large, high vehicle.
> I'm just counting the days till I get killed by one.....
> \rant
> JR
>
> Ad absurdum per aspera wrote:
> > Three times in the past week or so, I've noticed something I don't
> > recall seeing befo someone with a high-riding pickup or SUV who had
> > two to six inches of drop hitch -- installed upside down.
> >
> > Two of them had a trailer on, and in the worst case, a flatbed behind a
> > Ford Excursion, the upside-down apparatus combined with the tall
> > vehicle to leave it sitting at maybe a twenty-degree angle. I'm
> > surprised he didn't leave his trailer taillights on the speed bumps --
> > or his cargo on the road going up a steep hill.
> >
> > Just for completeness, I went to a local store and looked at the
> > catalogue from one of the big makers of trailering tools and toys.
> > Sure enough, it contained not only instructions but photographs showing
> > what things are supposed to look like when properly rigged. Somehow
> > people are spending money on an accessory that they probably need --
> > and using it exactly wrong.
> > Fishtailing soon down an Interstate near you...
> >
> > --Joe
> >
>
>
> --
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth
> If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes
> Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive
> The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me
> No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> Dependence is Vulnerability:
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> "Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal"
> "I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.."

Maybe you are bad driver. I now drive an SUV and a Chevy 2500 truck. I
have been hit over the years, including those when I drove non-suv, by
several vehicles. None an SUV or truck. An Oldsmobile while stopped at a
red light. A BMW at a stop light in San Francisco. hitting a Chevy 2500
truck trailer hitch does no damage to the truck at commute stop and go
speed. I have had my S-10 Blazer hit when it was 2 weeks old. Stop and go
on the freeway off ramp. Older Datsun. A fullsize T-bird hit my regular
car while parked. A honda civic in a parking lot. From his perspective I
had to be large, so why did he drive into me while I was in a parking slot.
I was about 2' from the Expedition when he ran into me. A guy fell a sleep
driving through a parking lot and smashed the rear bumper and corner of my
s10 p/u while driving a small rental car. Fact is, I have been hit 5 times
while parked. None were an SUV.
Bill