R-pod Owners Forum : Deer Collision

R-pod Owners Forum : Deer Collision https://www.rpod-owners.com/ This is an XML content feed of; R-pod Owners Forum : Camping Adventures : Deer Collision Copyright (c) 2006-2009 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Sat, 05 Sep 2026 11:25:31 +0000 Sun, 23 Apr 2017 08:55:22 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.64 360 https://www.rpod-owners.com/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=9765 R-pod Owners Forum https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png https://www.rpod-owners.com/ Deer Collision : Thanks, everybody. It sounds like... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91731#91731 Author: Sidewinder
Subject: 9765
Posted: 23 Apr 2017 at 8:55am

Thanks, everybody. It sounds like towing may not make much difference for something like this after all.
]]> Sun, 23 Apr 2017 08:55:22 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91731#91731 Deer Collision : The one time I really had to slam... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91692#91692 Author: StephenH
Subject: 9765
Posted: 22 Apr 2017 at 6:34pm

The one time I really had to slam on the brakes hard was on a not-too-well marked exit in Las Vegas which curved very sharply to the right. The Escape and RP-179 slowed with remarkable grace and speed. The trailer tracked well, and we did not add to the marks on the concrete barrier wall. I'm impressed with how well the trailer brakes work, especially with the proportional controller.]]> Sat, 22 Apr 2017 18:34:13 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91692#91692 Deer Collision : +1 to fwunder. Very important... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91670#91670 Author: mcarter
Subject: 9765
Posted: 22 Apr 2017 at 3:56pm

+1 to fwunder. Very important your equipment is set up and working right. I had a guy pass right before a traffic light, then slam on his brakes to stop for the yellow, the whole rig braked and stayed straight. I think he could hear me talking to him in my best former Marine DI language.]]> Sat, 22 Apr 2017 15:56:05 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91670#91670 Deer Collision : https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91663#91663 Author: Leo B
Subject: 9765
Posted: 22 Apr 2017 at 2:38pm

LOL

]]> Sat, 22 Apr 2017 14:38:53 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91663#91663 Deer Collision : Originally posted by Leo... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91659#91659 Author: fwunder
Subject: 9765
Posted: 22 Apr 2017 at 1:40pm

Originally posted by Leo B

Tell Henry that's why he needs to be seat belted.

You try to tell Henry anything! He's a teenager....and a cat.

fred

]]> Sat, 22 Apr 2017 13:40:47 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91659#91659 Deer Collision : In Vermont (if your a resident)... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91658#91658 Author: Leo B
Subject: 9765
Posted: 22 Apr 2017 at 1:36pm

In Vermont (if your a resident) the Wardens will usually let you keep the deer or moose if the meat isn't totally destroyed.

Gotten several deer and a moose that way.

Though the meat doesn't usually out weigh the damage to the vehicles

Tell Henry that's why he needs to be seat belted.

]]> Sat, 22 Apr 2017 13:36:57 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91658#91658 Deer Collision : I doubt that hitting a big deer... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91657#91657 Author: fwunder
Subject: 9765
Posted: 22 Apr 2017 at 1:25pm

I doubt that hitting a big deer (or moose) is much different than smashing into many more immovable objects with your TV. As Leo notes, the more important thing is that your brake controller and hitch hardware is functioning properly.

For the first time in years, I "locked her up" on I95 this past winter - a senior moment and following too close an high speed. I was incredibly impressed how the trailer locked up a millisecond after my TV locked up and tracked perfectly straight. It happened and was over in half a second and the only damage was the really angry stares and comments I got from Henry (the camping cat and co-pilot).

fred

P.S. Do you get to keep the deer if it ends up on your (car) grill?!

]]> Sat, 22 Apr 2017 13:25:17 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91657#91657 Deer Collision : Got a few deer notches on my belt,... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91654#91654 Author: Leo B
Subject: 9765
Posted: 22 Apr 2017 at 12:48pm

Got a few deer notches on my belt, but got most of them with cruisers.

We were towing our 179 two years ago and a guy a little ways in front of ushad a mattress and box spring come undone and fly off the roof of his van. We were able to hit the brakes hard and come to a stop without running anything over. I was pretty impressed with how we were able to stop.

We were doing about 60 which is our usual highway speed.

]]> Sat, 22 Apr 2017 12:48:38 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91654#91654 Deer Collision : While I never was towing anything... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91652#91652 Author: jato
Subject: 9765
Posted: 22 Apr 2017 at 12:40pm

While I never was towing anything with my 31 deer kills, I have seen numerous accidents involving deer in our area. All I have personally seen or witnessed is a much slower response in slowing down the TV before impact occurs. Many of the accidents have resulted in the towing vehicles totalled or nearly so yet the trailers behind them remained unscathed. It is a scary thing to know you are about to hit/kill a deer, knowing you cannot do anything to avoid it. Nearly every deer this F-150 truck has killed is on a 5 mile journey to my place of employment. I normally drive my stick-shift in 3rd gear at about 35 mph on my way to work and just a few weeks ago, another deer jumped out in front of me, I hit it broadside but it kept on going, so it didn't count or add to my 31 total. The outcome may be different if on a curve verses a straight road, then again you most likely will be traveling slower on curvy roads verses straight ones.]]> Sat, 22 Apr 2017 12:40:35 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91652#91652 Deer Collision : To begin with, we do not yet have... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9765&PID=91649#91649 Author: Sidewinder
Subject: 9765
Posted: 22 Apr 2017 at 12:22pm

To begin with, we do not yet have an Rpod or any other camper, but we are seriously considering buying one, and this experience has me wondering "what if" this had happened while towing.

Several days ago we were on a major interstate in our minivan, going about 70 mph on a straight and level stretch of dry road, with light to moderate traffic ahead and behind, in mid-afternoon, when a deer ran right in front of us. I had seen the deer with just enough time to hit the brakes, but not much braking time, so I'm guessing we were still going at least 50 mph when we hit it, just slightly to the passenger side of the grill's dead center (no pun intended). No glancing blow here, but instead a full-on body slam, and the deer was dead before it hit the pavement.

We didn't lose control of the vehicle, no skidding, sliding, or swerving, no air bag deployment, and we were able to quickly pull over to report the deer strike and check for damage to our vehicle. No other vehicles were involved or had to make panic maneuvers. So aside from a very dead deer and about $5k in repair estimates (body work and new radiator), this was mostly a non-event.

So now I'm wondering if pulling a trailer, like an Rpod 171 for example, could have significantly changed the outcome for this kind of accident. If I was pulling a trailer, it is unlikely I'd be going as fast to begin with, more likely 60-65 mph before braking, even slower if on a secondary road, but aside from that, would the mass of the trailer, assuming properly operating electric brakes and well under a ratio of 80% weight to TV rating, have made things worse? Would the trailer help keep the TV going straight? Or would it possibly put an external sideways force on the rear of the TV through the hitch?

I know from lurking on this forum for a while that there are a lot of you with a lot of experience pulling a camper, and I'm wondering if any of you have hit a deer while towing. I know one member has mentioned 31 confirmed deer strikes, but it's not clear if any of those were while towing.

So I'd really like to hear about anybody's experience with hitting a deer while towing, and how the trailer may have affected the outcome for better or worse.

...Sidewinder
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