I stopped carrying flares after reading of the fire danger. If you carry them, put them in an ammo box or something. Now I carry triangles, orange safety vest, and LED flares.
I would never stop on the Freeway unless my vehicle quit running and I didn't have a choice, or unless there was enough room to pull over and get way off the road. You see people changing tires all the time on the freeway with cars passing them at 70 mph 3 feet away. I'd ruin the tire and rim and drive to the next off ramp before I'd do that. Don't risk your life just to save further damage to the vehicle.
2004 National Tropi-Cal T-350, Class A, Triple slide, 330 HP Cat DP. 2006 Dodge Dakota 4x4 or
2002 Harley FLSTF Fat Boy on a Trailer or
2004 Polaris Quad on the Trailer
Many states have laws in place that require motorists to move over to the adjacent lane (traffic allowing) for emergency or distressed vehicles stopped along the shoulder. Unfortunately, just as with distracted driving (cell phones and texting amongst others), windshield wipers/headlights during rain, seat belt etc. laws, they're only as good as the people who choose to obey them and those who enforce them.
Recently, the geniuses here in New York State also adopted a law requiring motorists to move over to the adjacent lane for "emergency vehicles". In their winsdom, they didn't include all/any vehicles, but rather only stipulated "emergency vehicles" in the law. Therefore, if travelling through NYS in your MH and you have to pull over, realize that trafiic is not required to move over to give you a safety buffer. Heaven forbid that vehicle operators should use common sense and choose to move over regardless of a law in place or not.
I still choose to use flares for a road side emergency.
Mark & Cherie (& Chloe)
2002 Newmar Dutch Star DP 3872, Cummins 350 ISC, Spartan Chassis
If a semi can't notice a MH with a trailer on the side of the road without hitting it, I don't think a flare is going to help. Like some have said, patrol cars get hit with lights flashing. I agree with some that flares can be a fire hazard. Triangles would be better.
Nascar fans
Bruce and Sharon and Gizmo(Apricot Tiny Toy Poodle)
'07 Beaver Contessa Venice 43' Quad Slide
'01 Jeep Grand Cherokee
'08 Polaris Sportsman 500 Touring Quad on a HydraLift
'07 Joyner 1100 Sand Viper
More and more of these "hit a disabled vehicle" accidents are being caused by prfessional drivers (highway coaches and tractor-trailer rigs). We even had an incident in Washington recently where one police cruiser clobbered another one stopped at an accident scene.
It's not always some zonked out teen texting.
Frank Damp, DW - Eileen
Anacortes, WA
'02 Georgetown 325, F53, V-10, bought used in 2010 at 13,000 miles.
Dogs - 2 Labs again, both yellow males, both 9 yrs old and both adopted.
Most of the triangles have a weighted bottom to them that prevents being blown over. I was just out on I-80 all day cutting concrete to repair a section of road. Speed limit was 45. Only a few of the hundreds of semi's, cars and RV's slowed down. The rest flew by us a few feet away. In Illinois there is a law that you have to move over and slow down for emergency and maintenance vehicles. The only time people move over and slow down is when a patrol car is around. They know the law and what they should do but the vast majority of drivers just don't care. Sad to say but very true.
I carry triangles, and know how to spread them (I keep a copy of "The Book" handy (What every commercial driver must know) in case I forget.
However do not think flares will protect you.. If a driver is asleep or nearly so he may not notice, And some folks do not respect flares.. Story, supposed to be true.
A suburban Police LT was assisting Detroit Fire Dept, they had hoses pulled cross the freeway and he'd layed the flairs closing off the lanes.
One idiot drove right over the flares, AND THE HOSES.
Well he got down the road about half a mile and his car was now fully involved (Seems the LT had a lit flare in his hand and managed to toss it in the jerk's back seat)
Jerk walked back and demanded to know who tossed the flare into his car (No takers on that one) they explained that sometimes, when you run over something (Like the flare) on the road it can fly up and land in the back seat,, They also asked him why he'd ignored the flare line "That flare line don't mean nuttin to me"
Well... Looks like it means something now.......
Then he started on a new track.. "Well way arn't you putting out the fire in MY CAR"
"We'd love to but your car is in Dearborn and we are the Detroit Fire Dept. We can radio our dispatcher to have him send out Dearborn Fire if you like (He'd crossed the city limit and it's for sure that fire crew was not about to do him any favors)
For those who don't knwo, when you run over a fire hose the change in pressure at the nozzle can, depending on conditions, seriously injure or even KILL a firemn.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
wa8yxm wrote: I carry triangles, and know how to spread them (I keep a copy of "The Book" handy (What every commercial driver must know) in case I forget.
However do not think flares will protect you.. If a driver is asleep or nearly so he may not notice, And some folks do not respect flares.. Story, supposed to be true.
A suburban Police LT was assisting Detroit Fire Dept, they had hoses pulled cross the freeway and he'd layed the flairs closing off the lanes.
One idiot drove right over the flares, AND THE HOSES.
Well he got down the road about half a mile and his car was now fully involved (Seems the LT had a lit flare in his hand and managed to toss it in the jerk's back seat)
Jerk walked back and demanded to know who tossed the flare into his car (No takers on that one) they explained that sometimes, when you run over something (Like the flare) on the road it can fly up and land in the back seat,, They also asked him why he'd ignored the flare line "That flare line don't mean nuttin to me"
Well... Looks like it means something now.......
Then he started on a new track.. "Well way arn't you putting out the fire in MY CAR"
"We'd love to but your car is in Dearborn and we are the Detroit Fire Dept. We can radio our dispatcher to have him send out Dearborn Fire if you like (He'd crossed the city limit and it's for sure that fire crew was not about to do him any favors)
For those who don't knwo, when you run over a fire hose the change in pressure at the nozzle can, depending on conditions, seriously injure or even KILL a firemn.
John,
Thats as good as a hose line thru the back windows!
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