Asking (re-asking?) a potentially embarrassing question

[DJ Davis]

Fellow TJ Members,

I'm a relative newbie compared to the site (3 yrs) and know that miscellaneous previous posts may have gone to that "great electron collection point in the cyber-sky" at the time of the webpage change.

Always one to laugh at myself, as well as others, all in good fun, of course, I was curious if anyone else has, or will ADMIT TO, actually "living the logo?" Hey, it's almost Halloween! Scary story time! Or have such tales been told at previous Gatherings and have gone no further...?

Yep...I (unknowingly, carelessly, inattentively, etc.) left my hatch unlatched at departure of my last outing and was alerted to this oversight by a driver behind me franticly flashing his lights at me just a couple of miles from the house. Fortunately, I didn't lose my "skillet or coffee cup" and the hatch and hinge were OK. The only thing that was damaged was my pride at failing to note a VERY important "pre-flight" checklist item.

So, if any of you have forgotten to "batten down th' hatches" but wish to remain silent, I hope it was a "one-off," as I pray my experience will be, and have had many great outings since. If any of y'all wish to step on up here with me and share some of this "spotlight of embarrassment," tell us how your faux pas went. Why do I get th' feeling I'm gonna be hearing crickets on this topic...?

Even if I'm "the only one up here," I don't care. If nothing else, perhaps my "confession" will encourage folks to be a little more careful when ya "check th' blocks an' pull th' chocks!"

DJ
LSCD

[Indiana Rambler]

Great story DJ! I’m always afraid I’m going to leave something unlocked or open on our camper. I’m even checking behind us in the rear view constantly to see if I have a flat tire about to happen. I even hand check my hubs when I stop for gas for higher temps. I guess I look over my hand built camper as you should a car as they teach you before you get in it everyday! I have in fact in the past forgot to stow my stabilizer jacks and took off out of the field we were camping. Luckily only the jacks were damaged and I had purchased a four pack!

[SteveC]

My teardrop doors only had a sliding latch to hold it closed. When driving would use a small strap to secure latch.One trip looked in rearview mirror to see door swinging open and shut.Luckily nothing was damaged but never let that happen again!

[Zach]

Oh man, that would be a site to see for sure! Glad there was no physical damage - collateral or otherwise! I was trying to think back if I ever had anything like that happen, and the only thing that pops into mind was one of my side doors swinging in the breeze while headed down the road. I apparently didn't slam it hard enough. Thanks for the reminder to check all the things!

[TheresaD]

"Living the logo" I love that term! So glad to hear that you didn't lose anything important and that there was no major damage.
I have a certain "mental check list that I have to follow when I'm getting ready to leave to go. One of those things on the list is going around the trailer and ensuring that everything is closed and locked and then taping my door shut on my vintage trailer. Yup. It looks pretty redneck but it works. My trailer has a suicide door and in addition, it's a Dutch door. On one occasion, in the early days of pulling this trailer, I glanced in my side mirror to see the Dutch door swinging in the breeze and the curtains blowing along with it. So now, I tape the whole darned thing shut. This past weekend, on check out day, we were expecting rain later in the morning. I made a point of getting things packed back in the trailer as quickly as possible and just as I finished I started to feel rain drops. Needless to say, I shut the door quickly and got to taping. (tape doesn't stick well in the rain). It wasn't until I had the door completely sealed up that I realized that I had locked the dog's leash in the trailer along with my water bottle. I also left a window unlocked. Fortunately I always have a spare leash in the truck and I was able to push the (awning style) window closed tight. It still wasn't locked so I taped that as well just in case it decided to blow open somehow.

[DJ Davis]

Theresa,

Re: Your "...mental checklist..." I do two to three complete walk-arounds after I hitch up. If I re-open a locked door (to add something I almost forgot) I do another. As I go, I either touch or physically point at each item of concern starting at the tongue of the trailer and going counter/clockwise depending on what side of the trailer I'm on. I will admit that on this last trip I had a lot on my mind from events that week and I was not focused. Thinking back, I didn't pack anything into the galley, so that's why doing a latch check slipped my mind so easily. Heck...I guess I'm lucky to have even remembered to hitch up th' danged camper!

DJ

[Camper Chris]

Great story DJ. I've not made that mistake, but I've noticed that when i do my walk-around check at every stop and "test" the clam shell latches, they do want to come loose! However, if the handles are locked that can't happen.

All TJ's should also remember that even when camping in "bear country" the rear galley should be latched and probably locked. True story: while camping in NC on the Blue Ridge Pky were we warned by a ranger that at least 1 bear has figured out how to open the galley if not latched. That very night we felt the camper shake and heard what sounded like a heavy exhale! In the morning we discovered bear prints on the galley hatch. it appeared that the bear figured our that if it shoved the hatch down, it might "pop" open. It also appeared that the bear didn't know how to turn the handles as I hadn't locked them. I do now when in "bear country!" No damage was done to the camper other than the dirty paw prints, I can only imagine what damage could have happened if it was able to open the galley and rip open the refrigerator!