Saturday, July 13, 2013

Sidewalks are for ...

Have you ever scraped your leg on a trailer hitch of a vehicle parked over a sidewalk? It hurts!

Wouldn't it be nice if drivers of vehicles with long overhangs on the front or rear parked so as not to encroach on the sidewalk? This vehicle was parked in the east parking lot of the courthouse last week.

Sure, I saw it and avoided it. Imagine a person in a wheelchair or wearing dark glasses and using a cane? Would an unsighted person take a nasty spill? Who would he sue for injuries? Just the truck owner? Or would he also sue the County?

It was nice that the driver didn't back all the way until the rear tires hit the sidewalk. But removing the trailer hitch and parking not quite so far back would have been even better.

3 comments:

bill Matteson said...

the trailer hitch is one of my pet peeves...there is no reason at all to leave them in when they're not in use...I asked Jack Franks some time ago to see if he could get a law passed. he said it would be to much trouble,,,today instead of a simple bumper bump..you have major damage, these hitches can open up your car like a can opener..so instead of hundreds you move into thousands of dollars in damage...

Maverick50 said...

Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance
625 ILCS 5/12-614 new


Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that if any portion of a motor vehicle hitch containing a ball mount and hitch receiver extends more than 4 inches beyond the motor vehicle's rear bumper, then the ball mount must be removed from the hitch receiver when the motor vehicle is not being used for towing. Provides that if any portion of a motor vehicle hitch extends more than 4 inches beyond the rear bumper of the motor vehicle and the hitch is composed of a single assembly that cannot be easily removed from the vehicle, then the ball of the hitch must be covered with a red cover. Defines "ball mount", "hitch receiver", and "motor vehicle hitch".

DirtyNed said...

Bill....Don't slide into the rear of my vehicle and you won't rip your bumper or "open up your car like a can opener." It actually protects MY bumper from idiots that like to pull too close in parking lots. HOW ABOUT the SUV over height lifts. Headlight about 5 foot off the ground and a bumper that does NOTHING.

I use my trailer daily, sometimes several times a day.

A lady texting drove into the rear of my truck and did minimal damage to my truck (couple hundred) but her bumper got torn. Had there not been m y trailer hitch I would have had serious damage.

Note that he backed into the spot. many extra cab trucks or long bed trucks would extend into the parking lot. I'd rather it stick over the sidewalk than out into the lot where cars drive by.