Potential Darwin Award - Saw this on I-85

ManglerYJ

ManglerYJ

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Lexington, NC
Coming home from Cookout in Lexington tonight saw an odd sight. 9 cars and trucks pulled over on the south bound side. At first I thought it was a bunch of flat tires, but upon further investigation, there were three trucks, one of which was pulling a bumper pull trailer with a car loaded on it, which was also flat towing another car. The trucks behind that one were flat towing a car which was flat towing another car. Trucks appeared to be 1/2 ton trucks, but MAY have been light 3/4 ton. It was sketchy as I could ever imagine. I wish I had gotten a picture of this death train.
 
ManglerYJ said:
Coming home from Cookout in Lexington tonight saw an odd sight. 9 cars and trucks pulled over on the south bound side. At first I thought it was a bunch of flat tires, but upon further investigation, there were three trucks, one of which was pulling a bumper pull trailer with a car loaded on it, which was also flat towing another car. The trucks behind that one were flat towing a car which was flat towing another car. Trucks appeared to be 1/2 ton trucks, but MAY have been light 3/4 ton. It was sketchy as I could ever imagine. I wish I had gotten a picture of this death train.
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But did you die?
 
ManglerYJ said:
Coming home from Cookout in Lexington tonight saw an odd sight. 9 cars and trucks pulled over on the south bound side. At first I thought it was a bunch of flat tires, but upon further investigation, there were three trucks, one of which was pulling a bumper pull trailer with a car loaded on it, which was also flat towing another car. The trucks behind that one were flat towing a car which was flat towing another car. Trucks appeared to be 1/2 ton trucks, but MAY have been light 3/4 ton. It was sketchy as I could ever imagine. I wish I had gotten a picture of this death train.
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Sounds like a Mexican Insurance Auction Train. Used to see those all the time off Westinghouse in Charlotte near yhe auto auction. Sketchy as hell. But the cops let them roll on by and pull me over.
 
That's nothing, at least they were using trucks to pull; usually the Mexican car trains I see coming out of Copart in China Grove consist of a large slightly wrecked crossover pulling a completely totaled car on a dolly, which has a tow-bar lashed to either a somewhat towable car or another crossover.

It's wild to see them, most of the time I come across them they're in doing 75-80 in the hammer lane.
 
I see this every time we go to Alabama, always just south of Atlanta. I've seen a car flat towing two others on I-85 out of ATL. Usually see about 4 or five kinda in a pack, always get by so I'm not involved in their shenanigans.
 
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RockinXJ said:
I can’t imagine how this is legal, but I see it often enough that it must be?
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What law or reg would it be breaking?
Maybe overweight for gvwr, but I'm not sure if that even applies when flat towing a vehicle bc very little toque weight is added.

As long as they have visible brake lights it's good. You can remote control the brakes in the towed car.
Maybe @Tom@Hilltop_Machine has some insight

I'm no advocate of this, but honestly if done properly it isn't as sketchy as a lot of other shit people do.
 
RockinXJ said:
Guess I always thought one vehicle could only tow one trailer. Maybe a car isn’t considered a trailer? Why stop at 2 in tow?
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Never seen big trucks w 2 trailers? Happens all the time.

Many states have a max #of axles. That's what limits it. Soem states limit "double tows" but it varies and not always applied to non-commercial vehicles.
 
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I have to drive to Greenville sc just about everyday for work and on 85 at least 4 times a week I see a busted up suv pulling a busted up car, they are always about 5-6 in the group going about 25 under the speed limit, no tags but always something wrote on the back glass
 
RatLabGuy said:
As long as they have visible brake lights it's good. You can remote control the brakes in the towed car.
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I'd like to know more about this technology that the people who are driving these shitboxes have chosen to afford.


RatLabGuy said:
but honestly if done properly it isn't as sketchy as a lot of other shit people do.
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Aw bullshit. It's about as sketchy as it gets. Maybe we have seen different convoys.
 
jeepinmatt said:
I'd like to know more about this technology that the people who are driving these shitboxes have chosen to afford.



Aw bullshit. It's about as sketchy as it gets. Maybe we have seen different convoys.
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Sarcasm hard to interperet.. but since most states require towed vehicles to have brakes, there's a whole industry for this problem. E.g.
www.demco-products.com

Braking Systems for Towed Vehicles

Demco Products offers braking systems for towed vehicles, providing the absolute cutting-edge technology for towed vehicles. Shop our various brake systems!
www.demco-products.com www.demco-products.com

Whether these particular examples are using it... well that's anybody's guess.
I'm sure many of them are sketchy and not done properly. I'm just saying we've all seen, and some of us (including me) have done crazier things.
 
ManglerYJ said:
Coming home from Cookout in Lexington tonight saw an odd sight. 9 cars and trucks pulled over on the south bound side. At first I thought it was a bunch of flat tires, but upon further investigation, there were three trucks, one of which was pulling a bumper pull trailer with a car loaded on it, which was also flat towing another car. The trucks behind that one were flat towing a car which was flat towing another car. Trucks appeared to be 1/2 ton trucks, but MAY have been light 3/4 ton. It was sketchy as I could ever imagine. I wish I had gotten a picture of this death train.
Click to expand...
I see this on 85 on my way home from work. Salisbury to Concord. I know exactly what you are talking about. First time I saw it, I was confused as to how that is legal. Apparently all you need are makeshift hazards and duct tape that spells iN tOw.. and you’re good to go.

I guess there is more money in pulling over dump trucks and bigger rigs for weight laws, than safety concerns.
 
I’m pretty sure a private vehicle can’t tow two trailers in NC, why should they be able to tow two vehicles? Too much trouble to deal with immigration? And they are definitely exceeding max tow capacity for the vehicle.
 
Triple trailers are pulled by Fed ex on OH turnpike all the time.
And as far as exceeding the capacity, there probably isn't any laws for cars other than exceeding 26K. You can tow without a weighted tag on any suv why not a car? :stirthepot:
 
RatLabGuy said:
Never seen big trucks w 2 trailers? Happens all the time.

Many states have a max #of axles. That's what limits it. Soem states limit "double tows" but it varies and not always applied to non-commercial vehicles.
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I've seen a 5th wheel pulling a bumper pull, but my understanding is that since the 5th wheel is technically "part" of the vehicle, it's legit. Still doesn't seem very fun to try to maneuver.
 
No fries said:
Triple trailers are pulled by Fed ex on OH turnpike all the time.
And as far as exceeding the capacity, there probably isn't any laws for cars other than exceeding 26K. You can tow without a weighted tag on any suv why not a car? :stirthepot:
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Commercial trucks, mainly Tractor Trailers, can pull doubles & in some states, triples. But, all the trailers, have brake & light connections. I seriously doubt these Auction trains, have brakes. It's not hard to add the magnetic brake lights, to the rear car. I expect 99% of the vehicles, are bought at Insurance Auctions, & are being towed to body shops & car lots.
 
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