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RE: Denied entrance in OC MD, Their Park Their Rules Their Loss
Dog bite statistics
An estimated 4.7 million dog bites occur in the U.S. each year2,3
Nearly 800,000 dog bites require medical care2
Approximately 92% of fatal dog attacks involved male dogs, 94% of which were not neutered1
Approximately 25% of fatal dog attacks involved chained dogs1
Approximately 71% of bites occur to the extremities (arms, legs, hands, feet)2
Approximately two-thirds of bites occurred on or near the victim’s property, and most victims knew the dog
The insurance industry pays more than $1 billion in dog-bite claims each year3
At least 25 different breeds of dogs have been involved in the 238 dog-bite-related fatalities in the U.S.4
Approximately 24% of human deaths involved unrestrained dogs off of their owners’ property4
Approximately 58% of human deaths involved unrestrained dogs on their owners’ properBreed-specific legislation (BSL)
In response to these statistics, many communities have enacted breed-specific legislation (BSL) that prohibits ownership of certain breeds, such as pit bulls, Rottweilers and others.
Any breed of dog can bite, and research suggests BSL does little to protect the community from dog-bite incidents.
In fact, BSL can often have unintended consequences -- such as black-market interest and indiscriminant breeding practices -- resulting in subsequent breed overpopulation that leads to increases in the number of homeless, stray and euthanized dogs.
Enforcement of BSL has been shown to be very costly and extremely difficult to enforce. One county in Maryland spent more than $560,000 maintaining pit bulls (not including payroll, cross-agency costs and utilities), while fees generated only $35,000.5
Responsible breeding and ownership, public education and enforcement of existing laws are the most effective ways of reducing dog bites.
American Humane supports local legislation to protect communities from dangerous animals, but does not advocate laws that target specific breeds of dogs.
1 National Canine Research Foundation. Fatal dog attack studies. Retrieved July 14, 2009, from http://ncrf2004.tripod.com/id8.html
2 Centers for Disease Control. (2003). Nonfatal dog bite-related injuries treated in hospital emergency departments-US 2001. MMWR, 52(26), 605-610.
3 Humane Society of the United States. (2005). National Pet Related Statistics. Shelter Pages, 37-38.
4 Sacks, J. J., Sinclair, L., Gilchrist, J., Golab, G. C., & Lockwood, R. (2000). Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998. JAVMA, 217(6), 836-840.
5 Sacks, J. J., Sattin, R. W., & Bonzo, S. E. (1989). Dog bite-related fatalities from 1979 through 1988. JAMA, 262(11), 1489-1492.
6 Vicious Animal Legislation Task Force, Report of the Vicious Animal Legislation Task Forc
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tallyo
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04/19/12 08:54am |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Why "All Electric"
All Electric Motorhomes have a Combo 120 (or 240 if large expensive motorhome)/Diesel furnace/Water Heater.
So, "all electric" really isn't so. More like "diesel/electric". Nothing wrong with that, but I've often wondered how one could heat water, cook and run an electric furnace all at one time on 50 amps.
Most of the newer MH's have EMS systems that shut down unnecessary systems when the demand for others is high.
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tallyo
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04/19/12 08:46am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Denied entrance in OC MD, Their Park Their Rules Their Loss
It is true all dogs can bite..........no if's and or buts.
The so called vicious breeds have gotten bad reputations primarily from the movies. My 96 yr old aunt still refers to the German Shepherd Dog as a German police dog. How many war movies have been made wherein either a German Shepherd or Dobbie were depicted as "real bad, mean vicious" guard dogs?
Shepherds and Dobbies are good working and herding dogs, along with other herding and working breeds, because they are smart not because they can easily bite folks! Try and get an Irish Setter , Schnauzer, Poodle, Bichon etc to work or herd anything. Sure you can teach dogs tricks but that's not the same. Heck I my wife has finally learned to shuffle cards... Dogs as a rule bite because of fear which goes to their up bringing. Puppies are not born bad. Their owners/ trainers or lack of proper socialization when they were puppies create the problems for the most part.
A dog that never grew up with little people gets very afraid of them when someones youngster runs up all excited wanting to pet a dog because their neighbor has a dog, that grew up with little people, and this kid has no idea and the dog gets afraid and nips at the kid.
It's not the breed folks it's the dogs owner!!!! Insurance companies cause a lot of these restrictions; so I cannot blame the campground owner as he has to have insurance.
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tallyo
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04/17/12 03:31pm |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Want copy of detailed service contract prior to enrollment
Mr Blanc called me yesterday to listen to my story. I was not and am not looking for any monetary reimbursement but rather some assurance that their claims folks would be more customer friendly by looking help a customer rather than give the impressions that they were trying to deny a claim.. He listened as I spoke and the end result was his apology on Good Sams' behalf and he would address the issues in his next meeting. Do I feel all better that if there is a next time for me will history not repeat itself?...no. But at least he listened. Thank you Mr Blanc.
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tallyo
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04/17/12 03:09pm |
Good Sam Extended Service Plan
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RE: dolly vs 4 down
I was fat, dumb, and happy with my tow dolly for 3 years. Then I went to 4 down. I never knew how unhappy I was.
Biggest draw backs to a dolly for me are: 1. you have to move it every time you load and unload the car. You can unload the car at check in , then when you get to your site if it's a back in you have to get out and unhook the dolly and roll it to the back of the site . then you can back in your MH. When you get ready to leave it reverses the process. 2. When it's wet, with front wheel drive, the tires can spin when loading, always thought someday the front of car was going to be in the rear of the MH. 3. Always dirty hooking up and taking off straps. 4. While many campgrounds allow the dolly on site, there are those that make you store it elsewhere on the property.
Other than these things,towing is about the same. If your toad isn't towable 4 down, then a dolly it may have to be.
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tallyo
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04/17/12 03:01pm |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: Want copy of detailed service contract prior to enrollment
At Good Sam Extended Service Plan, we work hard to balance great service with a fair cost. We do ask repair facilities to provide the information we need to be sure that you are getting the right repair work done and at the right price. Sometimes we will send out an inspector to be sure that what the repair facility is telling us is accurate. When we spend money to take care of a claim, we are spending our Good Sam member's money, so we want to be sure that the money is well spent. While that may result in a few "hoops" for the repair facility to jump through, it should not be done with a bad attitude. If you felt that your claim was handled poorly, I would be happy to investigate and take corrective action if needed.
One new benefit that we have just launched to make the claims process go smoother is called our "Preferred Provider Network". We have built a database of over 10,000 repair facilities all over the US and Canada, and we have done the research to record the capabilities, specialties and type of RV that each facility can work on. We also flag those facilities that are willing to work with us, accept payment directly from us, treat our customers fairly and stand behind their work. We also flag those that have not provided good service in the past. With that information, when you have a mechanical problem, we can direct you to the closest qualified repair facility that has committed to us to provide superior service.
So if you will call us before to take your rig in for repairs, we can insure that you will be directed to one of our Preferred Providers, helping to make the claims experience better for everyone.
Scott Blanc
Vice President and General Manager
Good Sam Extended Service Plan
Mr Blanc,
' The whole episode started with my calling 10 days in advance to ensure I was doing the right things. The main reason I was calling 10 days in advance was it was going to take us that long to get to the Winnebago Factory and I had 3 items for consideration. I figured GS would have a multitude of good experiences with the Winnebago Factory service center,( IE no fraudulent claims). When we arrived at the factory a 4th item was discovered,prior to calling in for any approvals. Your claims folks said I would have to pay a 2nd deductible... He finally stated as a "special one time accommodation they would only charge one". and from there it went down hill along way. If you wish to email me your telephone number I will gladly discuss the rest of the story.
Thank you.
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tallyo
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04/14/12 04:30pm |
Good Sam Extended Service Plan
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RE: Want copy of detailed service contract prior to enrollment
I was told by 3 service centers that GS is easy to work with if the repairs are under $500. Where I had difficulties was when the repairs were over $3500 and they tried every way including calling back the next day to change what they approved the day before and add a deductible. When I refer to "they" I mean the company GS has hired to handle claims. Not customer friendly at all and when I brought this to GS attention their response was simply a stock answer that "since your claim was paid we see no need to consider additional payment". My letter to them didn't ask for more money it simply asked for their thoughts on the handling and treatment of their customers and did they have any assurance that this could be corrected in the future before I consider renewing my Policy that I had for 7 years.
Therefor or no more GS for me unless someone can convince me that they have corrected this issue.
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tallyo
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04/12/12 03:30pm |
Good Sam Extended Service Plan
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RE: dolly vs 4 down
I suspect there are far more who have tried a dolly and switched to 4 down than went from 4 down to a dolly or a trailer.. We are not necessarily nay sayers but folks who found a better way for us?
While every method has benefit for some, since this poster has a choice I gave him my opinion. I started with a dolly because my car wasn't tow-able 4 down and the dolly offered the least expense for a past time I wasn't sure we would continue. Once we found out that RV'ing was for us we switched cars and towed 4 down.
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tallyo
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04/12/12 03:17pm |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: dolly vs 4 down
No.....I have had both and I never knew how much trouble a dolly was until we went 4 down. I guaranty that after a month or 2 with a dolly you will wish you had the base plate installed .
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tallyo
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04/11/12 06:21pm |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: Sad day for me
I have been in your shoes. Life does continue and you will be in our prayers.
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tallyo
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04/11/12 05:50am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Winnebego MH Sales Chart
“I think just the general overall confidence in the economic recovery has played a big role,” said Sid Johnson, director of marketing at Jayco in Middlebury, Ind.
• RV shipments to retailers rose 31.8% in February above January’s totals and were up 24.2% over February of last year.
• The 24,600 units reported in the latest survey of manufacturers marked the best February in four years.
• The two-month total, which also included a 5.1% increase in RV shipments in January, were 15.2% above last year for the same period.
The outlook has definitely changed compared with three years ago.
“I think there’s a feeling of confidence that the economy has strengthened to the point where we can plan for the future and are not constantly reacting to things of the marketplace,” said Johnson, who also chairs the market information committee of the RVIA.
His only concern is the rising gas prices. But he quickly added, “I just went to a big rally last week in Phoenix and there were about 4,000 RV rigs at the rally, and I did not hear one comment about gasoline prices at all,” he said. “And I talked to hundreds of customers. So I don’t think the $4 bothers them. What might bother them is the uncertainty of where gasoline prices are headed.”
He added, “There’s a certain amount of concern in our business that that could slow things down. That’s why I use the word confident instead of enthusiastic or a word stronger than that.”
He said all this March 30, 2012
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tallyo
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04/10/12 04:56am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Sprint
We have had Sprint for over 10 years. There have never been any hidden costs. Their disclosure is always as advertised if you read.
We bought new phones last year and when we travel we activated the Hotspot on one phone @$29/month with unlimited data. When we are not traveling we stop the hotspot. So far the internet access has been very good and just as fast as can be. Of course we have to be in a Sprint service area but to date we have had no problems. As others have said Sprint , like others , are sharing towers and coverages are always expanding.
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tallyo
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04/09/12 12:29pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Thinking about dumping the landline
If you have a home security system dumping the land line may not be a good idea.
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tallyo
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04/08/12 06:32am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Thinking about dumping the landline
We got rid of our land line last year. No regrets.
Sprint gave us $125.00 and they handled the paper work and phone calls to cancel my land line and gave me the same phone number on my new cell phone.
we have 1500 minutes each month for 2 phones and no worries about which phone is used how much.
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tallyo
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04/06/12 11:30am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Gasing Up with a Toad
2 WORDS... FLYING J
Is J a word? Sorry the devil makes me say these things:B
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tallyo
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04/05/12 03:35pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Gasing Up with a Toad
As many know, I'm NOT in the "1/2 tank, look for gas" group. 1/2 tank means I've got roughly 250mi of range left. So unless I'm travelling in some very remote area, I wait till I'm down around a 1/4 or so. When my "low fuel" warning comes on, I've got about 75-100mi left, plenty of time.
Also, since I drive by myself sometimes and have a rear fill, I just turn on my backup camera when I pull in to the pump island. I creep forward until I can just see the edge of the pump, and I know I'm positioned properly for the hose to reach.
Jim
With an on board generator I never let the tank get close to 1/4 cause it won't work after that........ By the time I have driven 1/2 tank it is time to stop for a break anyway! Also never stop for the evening without at least 1/2 tank. Generally fill it up first. Spent a night in Nebraska with city wide power outage and had to run generator all night to keep cool and almost ran out of fuel.
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tallyo
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04/03/12 05:05am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: What is the best tow car for a Class A
One word of caution to all those with their weights on tow vehicles......... Manufacturer weights are based on their basic models, I believe a tank of fuel is included.
If you add items such as power seats, power lift gates, sunroofs,and 3rd row seating this all adds to weight. Then like most of us when we throw in such things as golf clubs, water , beer, cokes, chairs and extra stuff the weigh adds up. Might I suggest when you get ready to travel your first stop is at a scale and see what the whole package weighs and watch that 3000 lbs toad move up a few hundred lbs.
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tallyo
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04/03/12 04:56am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Saving on gas
For me fuel isn't the end all to RV'ing. At 7.5 MPG if fuel increases 50 cents to $1.00 then my costs increase $200 - $400 every 3000 miles I travel.
Since I already have a bundle($) tied up in the RV, I have to use it and that 200-400 isn't going to make traveling by car or air cheaper. I certainly ain't staying home, especially in Florida for hurricane season. If I can just keep my wife out of TJ Maxx I can offset the costs of fuel.
At the same time I won't drive at high speeds, I will keep my transmission in "economy mode", and climb every mountain with ease.
Maybe I'll write a song...."Climb Every Mountain".. with lyrics about RV'ing!
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tallyo
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04/03/12 04:49am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Rv's clogged up Flying J gas pumps
Ever since they started charging to dump your RV I haven't gone to a flying J.
Yea they need to let it be free and absorb the costs of providing us the service.
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tallyo
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04/02/12 06:14pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: What is the best tow car for a Class A
The best is many factors. What is important is weight first,then ease of setting up. By ease I mean fuses to be pulled, key positions etc. All will need a base plate, tow bar or a tow dolly, trailer options.
The ask mother which one she likes and buy that one:B
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tallyo
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04/02/12 09:27am |
Class A Motorhomes
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