Daughter wants to borrow the teardrop...

[doris s.]

I will have to take her out with the teardrop to do some towing lessons before summer. Zach, I love the idea of having a safety check list and a little manual for her to fall back on.

Doris

[absolutsnwbrdr]

The judgment part of the brain doesn't fully develop and mature until sometime around 26-28. Case in point, just look at what some college kids do on spring break!

HEY NOW!! WHAT HAPPENS ON SPRING BREAK STAYS ON SPRING BREAK

[Forrest747]

yeah i remember my mom freaking out the first time i asked to borrow the family plane for a date.

[bobhenry]

I will have to take her out with the teardrop to do some towing lessons before summer. Zach, I love the idea of having a safety check list and a little manual for her to fall back on.

Doris

If you can wade thru the comedic relief in this thread there are almost a dozen good item to incorporate into a pre-tow safety checklist.http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=27040&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[pete42]

yeah i remember my mom freaking out the first time i asked to borrow the family plane for a date.

only those of us who fly or did fly know that feeling,
Uncle Pete can I borrow the jet?
nope, take the cub......if you crash you'll be going slower and we can find the bodys.

Pete

[len19070]

Comon Doris...let go.

Take her out a few times, make the check list and if she gets in any trouble teach her how to wink!

She'll be fine.

Happy Trails

Len

[parnold]

I'm with Len on this one. Let her go!

When I was 15 my parents allowed me and a friend to bicycle 70 miles and stay a weekend in a campground. One of the most memorable events of my life!

[Catherine+twins]

This thread got me thinking and wandering the back highways of the internet until I finally came on this piece.

ttp://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2008/02 ... onspiracy/

Ah, yes, that brings back memories of using my parents' Landcruiser and little (8" wheels) HF-equivilant utility trailer to move back to NM from Colorado 20+ years ago. Had no clue the Landcruiser was only rated to tow 1000 lb, I mean it LOOKED as big as my first dad's old International Travelall. And the trailer? 20+ years later my step-dad sometimes brings up the bow in the axle after that trip.



Of course, with a new axle the trailer was as good as new, and that Landcruiser and trailer are still his rattle-trap go-to workers when he needs to make a trip to the big-boxes.

So now I'm trying to bring my foamie ttt in at around 700 lbs so as not to strain my axle OR my engine, and this article indicates I should be fine pulling twice that!



I'm thinking occasional use of the Cube will be fine.

Catherine

[gregp136]

When I was 16 me and two friends took my mom's red Vega camping Thanksgiving weekend. It is part of what made me fall in love with camping and the outdoors.

Greg(and Laurie)

[bc toys]

well my vote is let her take it after she show you that she can do everything that needs to be done while camping like pulling it threw town and intersections braking on time hooking and unhooking and setting up and taking down camp site. the 1st time my daughter took my 27ft camper she was 18 and she towed it from vegas to laughlin nv she did find but yes i was wonder the hole time about her and the trailer and my truck.

[doris s.]

My daughter is planning to go on a springbreak camping trip to the beach. She already told me if she can't take the teardrop she was going to tent it. I hope she takes pics. It will be her first camping trip without parents. You're right Zach, what happens camping stays at the campground. I don't wanna know, lol.

Doris

[8ball_99]

LoL I learned to drive at 13 and was pulling travel trailers and truck campers to trailer shows at age 15. They would put me in the middle of the line so the chance of me getting pulled over was much less. These were full sized trucks and 21' + travel trailers.. I'd say a 17 year old could manage a teardrop Easily. It depends on the kid though.. My 4 year old drives a 50cc quad around our field. My 14 year old can't drive the lawn mower with out taking out the edging around our flower beds.

[Gadget Man]

I think kids learn fast when they have too.
My 20 year old Son had the fuel pump go out in his Dodge pick up.
I told him he could pay for a tow, or I could come and use the tow rope to pull him home so we could make the repair.
We towed his truck with mine about 3 miles in a 30 mph zone, he did just fine after a few instructional discussions.
I'm sure your Daughter will do fine, I think a few backing up practice runs in an empty parking lot is a great idea.

[Wolffarmer]

All these crazy things people have mentioned they have done towing. Yup, I have done them all and probably a few others that should not be mentioned. After all I grew up on a farm and was driving tractors when I was 9-10, Ran a crawler when I was 12, drove pickups on public roads when 12. Drove to drivers ed classes before I had a license.

Has your daughter ever helped you hitch up the trailer? I would say that is a good starting point. When she can help guild someone back, then start on other things. Does the trailer have brakes? If not impress very very firmly the concept of stopping distance. Also if passing do not turn in to soon. And on and on and on.

Is there some quiet country roads you can drive for a bit to get use to it?

She can probably do it just fine. Mom might be a wreck.

Randy

[Roly Nelson]

Any of my 50-plus, year old kids can take any of my TDs any time they want. After all, someday, they will probably park them behind their garages and use them as chicken coops for the great-great grand kids.
Roly ~~