ArcticDodge wrote: Let's go and occupy an RV Park!!
Amen, at least we will contain our waste better.......... wait till you have the GMC (Goverment Motorhome Corp) build a motorhome with the guidance of OSHA.....YIKES!!
fordsooperdooty wrote: NHTSA does not appear at all interested in any vehicle that is not motorized. This is unfortunate, since failure of a towed vehicle has caused many deaths and injuries. We have always struck out with NHTSA.
Absolutely BS in my opinion. Where is one shred of data to support that statement? IN the entire time I have been RVing and on RV.net I can'rtremember a single failure of a towed vehicle (RV) that has caused injury or death...let alone many injuries or death.
X2. I've been on here every day for years and have NEVER heard of a death because of a towed rig. Starting out with an outrageous claim like this comes at the cost of some credibility.
Scott, Grace and Wesly
2003 Dodge 3500 4x4, 6 speed Cummins (lightly bombed),
2004 Forest River 25RKS many, many mods.
H0NDA eu2000i
LAdams wrote: Seriously, I don't think a hand built light aircraft is a good comparison to an assembly line RV
Not today it isn't. But if you let the NHTSA regulate RV's, that comparison won't be far fetched at all. The only real difference between a $25K RV and a $200K aircraft is production volume and build criteria specified by the FAA and the manufacturer.
But the question is, if you invite the goberment in to take over, you may be going from the frying pan into the campfire.
I agree, sadly.
What about a personal campaign for better safety? The next time we buy a MH - one of the requirements for *us* signing the dotted line will be extended-length solid metal tire valves, so we can easily check and add air to the tires. And if the vehicle comes with poor-quality tires, we'll want the good tires, please??
If enough retailers have to pony up for things that we, the RVing community demand - sooner or later they'll be demanding the same from the manufacturers. too.
IMO the best thing that could happen to this thread is to disappear.
One word describes her letter. ...........HOGWASH...................
How many people have been killed by Lippert Frames? Anyone can make that statement about anything. Wheres the proof? When you have that and it is abvove the normal, let us know.
I've been on the Bandwagon for Years about the lack of DOT Approval on a lot of things like Tow Bars and auxilliary Braking systems.
I'm Now glad that They are Not involved any further than They are.
After much research I am of the opinion that the Good Old Boys of Government are really only concerned with finding ways of extracting the Maximum amount of money possible from each and everything that They get involved in regulating.
Much of the decision making is baised towards lining the pockets of the Political machine and not for Improving the Products or actually making them any safer!
It's too bad because the original intent of DOT , CSA , UL and other "Standards" organisations was to monitor and maintain Quality of Manufacture and Safety. It was Never intended to cause increases in the price!
Rob & Jean
98 Dutch Star Diesel Pusher ..92 Tracker 4X2
Quote: Bad frames on RVs "have caused many deaths & injuries"
Where'd you get that? That's not what the RV Consumer Group wrote. You very badly mis-quoted that letter.
They specifically stated: "since failure of a towed vehicle has caused many deaths and injuries". They did not say how. Could be a bad hitch setup, bad brakes, tire failures, or many other things.
While I do admit some regulation is a good idea, one example of too much regulation killing a complete industry would be how the EPA had some new laws passed which caused domestic steel and aluminum alloy plants to be unable to keep up price-wise with overseas competitors. With no tariffs to level the playing field, in less than 1 year, the US completely lost nearly all of its smelting ability, and all of that is now done in China.
I also have not heard of a TT directly causing death and injury due to a manufacturing fault. However, the faults that do happen can render the value of an expensive coach into nothing. Cracked frames, delaminated Filon, PVC pipes not glued together can all quickly ruin the value of someone's RV.
Instead, maybe tax incentives would be better, or even subsidies. Instead of using wood framing, tack on a tax break for using aluminum for framing. Same with using a longer lasting composite siding as opposed to Filon or something that will delaminate in a year or two. Long term, the government will get this revenue back, since a trailer that lasts longer is better for the environment. Plus, with a quality bump, it will get people to trade in more often as a matter of wanting a bigger rig, as opposed to having to trade in due to their rig being a scrap heap.
I would say that if RVs were as well built as new cars, the industry as a whole would be better, because it would bring people in who would never have been to afford one and are buying used, and just like autos, people would upgrade just for new gewgaws and a better feel.
mlts22 wrote: While I do admit some regulation is a good idea, one example of too much regulation killing a complete industry would be how the EPA had some new laws passed which caused domestic steel and aluminum alloy plants to be unable to keep up price-wise with overseas competitors. With no tariffs to level the playing field, in less than 1 year, the US completely lost nearly all of its smelting ability, and all of that is now done in China.
I also have not heard of a TT directly causing death and injury due to a manufacturing fault. However, the faults that do happen can render the value of an expensive coach into nothing. Cracked frames, delaminated Filon, PVC pipes not glued together can all quickly ruin the value of someone's RV.
Instead, maybe tax incentives would be better, or even subsidies. Instead of using wood framing, tack on a tax break for using aluminum for framing. Same with using a longer lasting composite siding as opposed to Filon or something that will delaminate in a year or two. Long term, the government will get this revenue back, since a trailer that lasts longer is better for the environment. Plus, with a quality bump, it will get people to trade in more often as a matter of wanting a bigger rig, as opposed to having to trade in due to their rig being a scrap heap.
I would say that if RVs were as well built as new cars, the industry as a whole would be better, because it would bring people in who would never have been to afford one and are buying used, and just like autos, people would upgrade just for new gewgaws and a better feel.
Or, instead of mandating all sorts of different materials, differnt construction methods, different taxing structure etc. They could just outlaw the things to begin with. After all, they are hooked up, maintained and driven by non-professionals who have had ZERO training in their safe operation. They could just toss the baby out with the bathwater and never have to clean up a mess again. I cannot even begin to imagine how expensive any RV would be if the manufacturers had to prove total safety in every installation and modification. If every time they changed the material in a cabinet or countertop the rig had to be crash tested because the weight had changed. If every time they moved an electrical outlet the blueprints had to be submitted to an independent electical inspection lab like Underwriters. If the government ever really got interested in the safety of RVing, you can almost bet the first target will be specialized driver's licenses, inspections and training. All in favor say "Aye", Opposed "Nay". Vote #1 NAY!
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