Hauling Tandem Bicycle

Nice Double Vision. We have one in purple.

I was thinking about doing something similar for our bicycles, and also for hauling some miscellaneous items that now go in our van. I was thinking about starting from scratch, but modifying a small utility trailer makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the idea.

Tom

 

I bought a purpose-built SportsRig trailer to haul bikes and stuff. One reason I didn't go with the utility trailer is because of the super-high weight rating - which means bounce at light loads. Removing one spring from the suspension is a brilliant freaking idea that would have saved me.... oh about $1000. Still, this rig is very nice and even when empty it is totally quiet and never bounces. Fully independent suspension - motorcycle front wheels with large diameter is another plus.



Anybody want to take bets on how long until somebody tells us we shouldn't tow anything with the Prius?

 

Ok, I'm game.

Towing something with a Prius is like sticking something in your ear; it
should be larger than your elbow.

carlbikes,

Great post. Thanks.

Yes, the statement above makes no sense. Without some explanation
neither does the towing restriction in N. America as towing is permitted
on Prii sold in the European and Asian markets.

Could the reason be as simple as at least the European Prii come with
rear disc brakes as opposed to drums in NA?

 

Most likely the difference is the legal climate. Americans like to sue when we do something stupid, and the courts often agree that the stupid person deserves compensation. As a result, we get lots of warnings, Nav lockout, and no HUD.

Tom

 

Tom,

Are you saying that the act of mounting a trailer hitch and connecting a
trailer is in itself stupid?

Or is afterwards that the operator gets "stuck on stupid?"

Finally, could it be that getting "stuck on stupid" is a national trait only of
the USofA... I mean besides home mortgages, securities, banks, the
Detroit-3, and former clients of Mr. Madoff, etc?

 

Towing with the Prius is not "restricted", it's "not recommended". There is a big difference. If you do it and something bad happens, Toyota has covered their rear end, but you can still do it. If you buy a trailer hitch "for the Prius" with published ratings, AND if the hitch fails you can sue the manufacturer. If the trailer flips not due to the hitch, you can try to sue the trailer manufacturer. "Oh, you were towing with a vehicle that was not recommended for that purpose. Sorry about your luck." Kind of forces the owner to take responsibility. Shocking!

So the statement "not recommended" actually makes sense.

BTW, nice trailers guys! I only have to carry one bike so I guess I'll use a receiver hitch and bike rack on that. The mountain bike won't fit inside. It's not set up for wheel removal, and I'm not changing the hubs to make that possible!

 

No, oh certainly no. I'm not saying I think it's stupid to pull a small trailer with the Prius. What I was trying to say is that it is fairly easy to overload a small car like the Prius, but doing so is a stupid thing and a person should know better. You are not going to safely pull a large boat or travel trailer with a Prius. We all know that. But in the U.S., if a manufacturer doesn't say that it is a bad thing, and do everything in their power to warn all of us against being stupid, then the manufacturer will find themselves paying out large amounts of money to settle a lawsuit. Look at the lady who successfully sued McDonald's when she burned herself with hot coffee, which she was carrying in her lap while driving.

In Europe, most liability laws are statutory. In the U.S., our liability laws are based on common law. With common law the awards are essentially unlimited. Entire industries have been bankrupt in this country over product liability, even when time has shown they did nothing wrong. Right and wrong isn't the issue, only who wins in court.

The net result is that in most of the world, when someone does something stupid, everyone looks at him and says "Wow, that guy was stupid" - end of story. In the U.S., someone does something stupid and they say "I got hurt. It wasn't really my fault. Someone should have kept me from being stupid. I am going to sue them."

That's my point. We aren't a bunch of blithering idiots here, but we do have some dumb laws and weird ideas.

Tom

 

Hey, I've got recumbents, too: a home built Tour Easy, and a fixed-gear delta trike I use for parades. They might fit in the car, but I don't know because I've never tried. When I go for a bike ride, I leave the car at home.

 

Hi carlbikes,
I really like your setup. I went to Harbor Freight this afternoon to look at the trailers. They have two the size you got. One with 8" wheels and one with 12" wheels. I was wondering which one did you get? And I was wondering how did you remove one of the spring leafs? Thanks-Rob

 

Actually, if you look into that case more, it was pretty justified. McDonald's has a policy of serving their coffee at an unsafely hot temperature - hotter than other places served their coffee. The woman was not driving with the coffee in her lap, though she did receive third degree burns to her groin and inner thighs. McDonald's did a very good PR job and the settlement included a gag order on the woman who sued. (see HOT COFFEE, a documentary feature film, as well as the wikipedia page Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia )

That said, the United States does have a very litigious culture and I actually support your point, just not this particular example.