Overhead clearance

[JRTJH]

A lot has been said about towing tall RV's and knowing your trailer's height...

I've always thought that even "IF" I ran into a low clearance, the damage would be behind me. I never considered (until I saw this video) that I could end up on the critical end of such an accident. I've no idea if the people in this truck survived or not, but it sure opened my eyes to something I'd never considered could happen.....

https://media.giphy.com/media/OyuK222KTqfXq/giphy.gif

[ROBNPEN]

From Snopes:

The above-displayed video of a bank's drive-through canopy being destroyed by a truck pulling a travel trailer corresponds to security camera footage of an accident that took place on 2 July 2008 at the Texas State Bank in Center, Texas. Shelby County Today posted photographs of the accident along with the following description:

At approximately 3 PM, Tuesday, July 2, a 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 pulling a new travel trailer, hit the corner of the Texas State Bank Drive-In on Tenaha Street, causing the complete awning to come to the ground. Luckily, the driver of the Dodge, Mickey Miller of Garrison, and his 10-year-old son were able to exit their vehicle uninjured. According to Miller he was circling the bank to park on the other side when the corner of his travel trailer caught the corner of the bank awning. Next thing he heard was a rumble as the awning started falling against his driver's side door. Somehow he was able to unbuckle the seat beat and exit the other side of his truck as it was falling. Mark Ivy of Texas State Bank stated that the main lobby would be open for business while the drive-in is being repaired.

[sourdough]

A lot has been said about towing tall RV's and knowing your trailer's height...

I've always thought that even "IF" I ran into a low clearance, the damage would be behind me. I never considered (until I saw this video) that I could end up on the critical end of such an accident. I've no idea if the people in this truck survived or not, but it sure opened my eyes to something I'd never considered could happen.....

https://media.giphy.com/media/OyuK222KTqfXq/giphy.gif



John, I've watched that video multiple times in the past and wondered about the fate of those in the truck..especially the driver. If we look closely at some of the places we pull in to I think you will find that most of those canopies are supported minimally at best. Hang something at the wrong place and I figure half of those "sort of supported" canopies can fall right on you. Figure catching it at the front edge of the roof, putting all the strain on the supports and you get what you see....with what result to the folks??

[JRTJH]

Danny,

I agree. I've no idea what really happened to these people. It's unfortunate that the situation even occurred, but things happen, even to the most alert and cautious among us.

I've read several reports about this video. Most say that the driver escapes through the passenger side of his truck. If you watch it carefully, I don't see how, with the timing, that it's possible for someone to unbuckle their seatbelt, slide across the seat (or negotiate the console if there is one), open the door and get free of the vehicle in the time from the impact to the crush. Maybe it happened that way, but there is precious little time the way I see it....

Anyway, with the multiple posts of "Where's my water pump" and "I can't find my galley gray tank valve" I thought this would be a stark reminder of how fast things can go from "pleasant" to "OMG"......

[Ken / Claudia]

It sure looks like a human seated up right in the drivers seat as the truck is crushed. But just the corner of the RV hit the corner of the roof, maybe only place on the truck that was crushed was the driver door area?

[notanlines]

This video has been around for many years. Any reason we should doubt Robert and the Snopes report?
Check out the photos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGMtkmEeGDk

[Ken / Claudia]

It just goes to show you a how a different camera angle makes an event more explainable. They were still damn lucky to be alive.

[Mongoose9400]

And the tires didn’t pop!