Weight and Safety | Witness Mark

By Jim Koca #86367
Escapees RVer’s Boot Camp Instructor

Police officers are always training for “what if” scenarios. As a former police officer, we taught new recruits the “what if” game by asking “what if” questions.

​This type of training can be used for RV safety training as well. RVers drive an unusual vehicle, or pull a large trailer, and most often they receive little training for the task. It is up to RVers to prepare themselves for the various problems they may encounter on the road.

Neil LeKander #54622, the author of The RVer’s Ultimate Survival Guide, mentions burn marks you see on the side of the road. I have seen more and more of these burn marks, and they should remind us of the hazards we may encounter. As Neil points out, “You should take note of these marks to reflect on the hazards that we encounter in our travels.”

We can use these burn marks, or as I like to call them, “witness marks,” to remind us to prepare for what we would do if a mechanical emergency happens. You should ask yourself these questions: What if I have a blowout? What if I have an engine fire? What plan of action will I take?

Planning is the key to survival, so use these roadside “witness marks” to mentally prepare yourself for an emergency and have that plan in place for the “what if” scenario.