Two safety lists (short and long) of things I learned during a rather harrowing white-out hail (almost 3" in less than two minutes) and rain storm just west of Gillette, WY on my maiden voyage. The full story with more pictures is here: http://theflirtyguide.blogspot.com/2013/07/day-10-it-could-have-been-worse.html
SHORT LIST:
1. Know where you are
2. Have a cell phone
3. If you use AAA upgrade to a Pllus RV (not Basic) membership
LONG LIST:
1. Listen to local AM weather reports when you suspect something is wrong. I noticed there were signs along the highway with station call signs. If a city has a radio number posted it's probably one that experiences severe weather conditions more often than other areas. When I saw the clouds I'd called my mom who looked at the real time satellite weather map online for an update. The storm had been rated as a rain and heavy rain storm 10-15 minutes before the hail hit and a tornado watch had been activated. Had I been listening to the radio I may have found out in time to pull off in Gillette and wait for the storm to pass.
2. Know your approximate location. To be able to call the police and say I'd just passed exit 126 and now I'm on an incline let them know where I was. If not an exit number try to notice the exit name, the name of the nearest city, a recognizable building, anything that will help rescuers find you as quickly as possible.
3. If you use AAA you'll need to have a Plus RV membership, not a Basic plan. Basic will only cover your car/TV. In this instance they would have pulled my car at no charge but I would have had to have paid out of pocket for the trailer to be moved, possibly even having to unhitch it from the TV and having the driver move them separately which would have been even more unsafe to remain on the highway longer than necessary (I'd already watched one car hydroplane and spin off the highway as I was waiting for the wrecker). The Plus RV plan also includes changing a flat tire (outside only if you have double tires) on your RV.
4. Don't count on your cell phone signal to call out for help or locate your position once you're stranded. As you travel you can (and probably will) hit dead zones even along major interstates. I'm considering purchasing a satellite phone, CB or ham radio, or SPOT System GPS locator when I travel in the future to be able to call out for help in cell dead zones which occur more extensively in the western half of the US.
5. The moment you sense a loss of visibility due to rain, hail, snow, or dust immediately look to the shoulder to assess how far can you safely pull off the roadway. I didn't and was stuck pulling just over the solid white line because I could no longer see if the ground beyond the shoulder was flat, an embankment, or a ditch or cliff. Had I looked earlier I'd have realized I could have pulled over further from the lanes of traffic than I did.
6. If you're stranded on the side of the HWY and can safely exit your car to avoid being injured if your car is hit by a passing car, do so. This means there must be a barrier of some type you can stand behind. A guard rail or steep incline. If there isn't a safe barrier do not stand outside your car to wait for help. Stay in your car with your seatbelt on. In retrospect I should have moved over to the passenger side of the car as the driver's side or rear is what would have taken a direct hit from a passing car.
7. If you're driving through areas prone to hail storms in the summertime, consider using all season tires. I'd just replaced all four of my tires for the road trip. Had I realized I'd be traveling through tornado prone states I would have switched to all season tires especially since I'll continue traveling east now that I have my trailer.
8. Follow your gut. Had I listened to mine instead of the online satellite weather report I would have stayed in Gillette until the storm had passed. I still would have been iced in, but most likely I would have been in a restaurant parking lot instead of the side of an interstate which would have been much safer.
If you have additional tips to add please do so and I'll add them to this list over on my blog!
The funny thing is first I couldn't clear my calendar to get out to MI to pick up the trailer, then he wouldn't have been able to get rid of me once I was there 