And not in a good way!! This occurred today in Hillsboro, OR. I wonder if these straps were recalled?

Freak training accident knocks Beaverton policeman unconscious


05:08 PM PST on Wednesday, January 19, 2005

By ABE ESTIMADA, kgw.com Staff

HILLSBORO – A Beaverton police officer and Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputy were injured after they fell off a vehicle helping set up a motorcycle riding training course on Wednesday morning.



http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/L_IMAGE.101688cd0b5.93.88.fa.7c.2480b7e6.jpg KGW

Hillsboro police investigate a Washington County training accident that knocked a Beaverton police officer unconscious.




The accident occurred at the Hillsboro Stadium parking lot. Officer Kevin Stich was unconscious when he was taken by LifeFlight helicopter to Legacy Emanuel Hospital and Health Center, according to Beaverton police officer Paul Wandell.



Stich underwent surgery and was in critical condition on Wednesday night.



"The thoughts and prayers of every member of this agency, and the city of Beaverton are with officer Stich and his family at this moment," said Beaverton police chief David G. Bishop.



The Washington County deputy was awake when medical personnel arrived, according to Lt. Chris Skinner of the Hillsboro police department.



The deputy was taken to the hospital for an evaluation as a precaution. The name of the deputy was not released by the Washington County sheriff's department.



The mishap occurred after police officers and deputies from various Washington County law enforcement agencies finished setting up several hundred traffic cones for training purposes.



Stich, the deputy and a Forest Grove police officer were riding on the open tailgate of a privately owned vehicle when the support cables failed, according to Skinner.



Stich's head hit the asphalt, and he suffered an unknown injury. The Forest Grove police officer was not hurt.

does anyone know which trucks are recalled??

IIRC ALL 99-03s....

does anyone know which trucks are recalled??
If want to know if your truck is affected by the recall, call GM Customer Service and provide your VIN and they can tell you.

I'd like to know if this truck had the straps replaced or not, and whether or not it was part of the recall of course.

Not to take anything away from their misfortune but they should NOT of been riding on a open tailgate while the vehicle was in motion.

looks like a dodge in the picture to me.. not a GM. ???

according to the local news (Beaverton) the truck had been recalled recently and the new straps installed.

Not to take anything away from their misfortune but they should NOT of been riding on a open tailgate while the vehicle was in motion.
I second that, especially cops on duty, they should set a good example...not a dumbass one!

looks like a dodge in the picture to me.. not a GM. ???

Wishful thinking Nick...It's hard to tell with the guys in front of it. I'm guessing it's a GMC...it has amber in the tail lights....could be an 01-02 chevy....but it's GM...

Ox

I second that, especially cops on duty, they should set a good example...not a dumbass one!
You beat me to it BlueOx - i third that. I have buddies that are cops and love 'em, but I have a real problem with the media hyping a bump on the head up and Lifeflight taking him to the hospital when if any of us were doing this, we'd get cited, and taken to the hospital in a regular ambulance - in that order!

We ALL pay taxes and deserve the same level of service. If my dumb arss was in the back of a moving truck and I boinked my head, I don't think they'd put it in the paper and fly me to the hospital in LifeFlight. Come on!

If that is true that the tailgate straps are the new version, it looks like the VR straps are the only safe option. www.vrstraps.com

You beat me to it BlueOx - i third that. I have buddies that are cops and love 'em, but I have a real problem with the media hyping a bump on the head up and Lifeflight taking him to the hospital when if any of us were doing this, we'd get cited, and taken to the hospital in a regular ambulance - in that order!

We ALL pay taxes and deserve the same level of service. If my dumb arss was in the back of a moving truck and I boinked my head, I don't think they'd put it in the paper and fly me to the hospital in LifeFlight. Come on!
I agree that riding on the tailgate is bad idea, but the officer who was evac'd by chopper underwent surgery and is currently in critical condition. I wouldn't call this a minor "bump on the head". If you received a similar injury there's a good chance you'd get a chopper ride too.

Fair enough WatchDawg. You're right. I hope he's OK and doesn't go barebacking in trucks anymore!

I agree riding on the tailgate while truck is in motion is not a smart move ...however this shows how "new-improved" the replacement straps are. I haven't had mine replaced yet and don't intend to now ...VRStraps here we come.

On edit:

Max, that VRStraps link doesn't work.

The owner of the truck said that he had received the recall. He also said he had the truck in for service and assumed that the service department would have taken care of the cables. But he didn't know for sure if it was done nor did he ask.

The chopper in this case is about 2-3 miles from the accident scene and the nearest trauma center that the police and fire guys prefer(for our own peoples) is about 20-25 miles away. We take care of our own and now if the police would quit writing us(me) tickets I would greatly appreciate it. ):h

It's a tough to stomach when anyone gets hurt doing something foolish (because we all act like fools from time to time), & I am sure that most here hope that the injured party recovers - cop or not.

But the bottom line is - riding on the tailgate is not only foolish but illegal (at least in Jersey)
Rusted or broken cables, loose or weak attaching bolts, in this case-what difference does it make?
Your supposed to ride IN the vehicle, not on the vehicle, that's the way it's designed, that's why they install the seats INSIDE the vehicle.
Why not ride on the hood or roof for that matter?
Then if you fall & bust your head - who's to blame?

Ignorance can be cured, stupidity is forever...

Ignorance can be cured, stupidity is forever...
ROTFLMAO. I know, I shouldn't be laughing on a thread like this but dang it Loki, that's a quote I'm gonna have to start using every day...as I'm shaving and looking in the mirror. ):h :eek: ):h

You guys are really jumping on the "ride on the tailgate" issue! They were setting up a course in a parking lot, looks like moving the truck short distances and offloading traffic cones. Not like they were riding on the tailgate on the freakin' Interstate!

The old tailgate straps were galvanized steel and very subject to rusting. Guess the flexing caused the zinc to peel off. Also heard they were made in China. (Nice). Recall notices supposedly sent to replace them with stainless steel straps. Nice to see make a nickel more screw the customer bean counter ideas placed into practice backfire. Manufacturers never learn unless they get sued which they will in the above case.

aka,
The new ones are also made in china. At least when i had mine replaced there was a big made in chine sticker on both of them.

VR Straps, LLC should be a growth company about now as anyone who owns a GM truck should have them on their truck. I don't work for them or know the folks that own them, nor do I gain anything from the company or owner other than a good feeling that I might save someone from a terrible accident. I just have a set on my tailgate as we load motorcycles, snowmachines, etc., in the back via the tailgate and won't take a chance on a cable snapping.

My dealer called to tell me the new cables were in along with my new intermediate steering shaft. He was very impressed when he saw my VR Straps and equally unimpressed when I told him what he could do with his Made in China junk cables. Actually, we're good friends and he was very impressed...took down the web address so he could recommend them to other folks who also "used" their tailgates for something other than showing who made the truck.

I wouldn't wait another minute...get a set for yourself.

Has the website been ax'd or moved? The URL is no longer valid. I want to purchase the VR Straps.

The recall starts at '99 but I can tell you for a fact that prior years have the same exact problem. My wife's '98 cables broke and I had to replace unfortunately with the same ones that'll rust and break again. GM modified the tailgate and cables slightly for '99 so the VR straps won't fit unfortunately, but they used the same type of material which rusts and breaks of course.

Tim

You guys are really jumping on the "ride on the tailgate" issue! They were setting up a course in a parking lot, looks like moving the truck short distances and offloading traffic cones. Not like they were riding on the tailgate on the freakin' Interstate!O/K, State Troopers here in NJ occasionally set cones (on the interstate & off in parking lots) & I've never seen them ride on tailgates to do it. They either have vehicles from the state DOT which are designed to distrbute cones (they have that strap-in seat on the outside rear, the guy in the seat ALWAYS has a hard hat on, they do not exceed 10MPH), or they walk them out.
It is not legal to ride on the tailgate for any reason (at least not in those states that have common sense anyway), that applies to you, me & the police. These laws are enacted in an attempt to prevent exactly the type of incident that occurred in this news article.

In most states where there are seat belt laws, if you can't put a seat belt on, you don't belong there. That includes in the back of vans (without seats), the bed of pick-ups, etc.....
& here in NJ, where you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a lawyer, I would hate to be the person who was unable/unwilling to provide any passenger in my vehicle with a safety belt, god forbid there should be an accident.
And the last time I looked, there were no safety belts on my tailgate.

Sad but true is the fact that most civilians would probably recieve a ticket along with their medical bills for an act like this. Somehow I don't think that will happen here. I think taxpayers will probably be footing the bill for this individuals act of foolishness.

"this is your captain speaking, we are preparing for take-off, please fasten your safety belts & put your tailgate in the upright position"

Ya, What Loki said :ro) including the dead cat.

I'm with Idle Chatter on this one. It doesn't matter if the truck was moving or not, the cables should not have broken. What's next, we shouldn't stand on the tailgate? They are junk, GM knows it and should be required to pay! Those guys did not fall because the truck was moving, those dime store cables broke and caused yet another injury. How many times does this have to happen? It's a truck and we should be able to use it like one without having to worry about the tailgate busting loose, or am I foolish for using my $50k truck for something besides impressing my neighbors. I don't know about some of you finger pointing know-it-alls!

Stich, the deputy and a Forest Grove police officer were riding on the open tailgate of a privately owned vehicle when the support cables failed, according to Skinner.

When did you ever see a DOT sitting on a tail gate of a pick up picking cones? They have a seat with a harness. As for the cable beaking I have had them rust out and break on Fords, and Dodges. It not just a gm thing. Riding on the tail gate when truck is moving and reaching out piking up cones is just stupid.

Race hemi,

I'm with you on the point that these are truck's and we should be able to use them as truck's.
But everything has it's limit, including the tailgate straps. If I load my Bike into my truck I take the tailgate off and load straight into the bed of the truck, that way I'm not concerned with the tailgate or the strap breaking and causing personal or property damage.

Now should the strap's of broken with just the weight of two people sitting or standing on it.... NO, but **** happen's and I think everyone is saying that these 2 officers set them selves up for trouble by putting themselves in harm's way by riding around on the tailgate. If the truck was sitting still and the straps broke they probably just would of slid off and landed on their ass's, or if they were standing they might of broken a foot or something. And again I agree that you should be able to use a truck as a truck but you have to use your head too.

Same as working under your truck with only a jack holding the truck up, when everyone knows you should have jackstands also under the frame holding the truck up too. Does everyone cheat once in a while and crawl under there with just the jack....Yes, but if it falls who you going to blame the jack manufacturer, or yourself for doing something dumb?

The cables should NOT of broken, but the cop's made it worse by doing something that they should NOT of been doing too.

If I or anyone else was riding on a tailgate, you can rest assured the cop's would of been citing the driver for letting that illegal action take place.

We can all blame someone else for a failure that cause's us harm but we all have a brain and should not put ourselve's in a position to get hurt if we can help it, and these cop's deffinetlly could of helped it.

My .02 again

The address for VRStraps is below....................


For those of you who don't feel like GM is out to screw you, and that you chart your own destiny, feel free to go to http://dsdd.com/vrstrap/index.htm
This is the address for VRStraps and they'll get you fixed up.

As for those complaining about "GM should do this" and "GM should do that", you can sit and wait for it to happen...for others like myself who use my truck for work, I needed the right fix now....$70 is a small price to pay for piece of mind versus a lawsuit from an employee or materials that get damaged when the cable snaps...it's only a matter of time and they will snap.

does anyone know which trucks are recalled??
The recall starts in 2000 and the replacements ain't that much better. You will be better off to get a set of VR straps instead. Do a search on VR straps for info.
JP

Even the VR straps (which I have a set of myself) have a waiver that you have to sign

http://dsdd.com/vrstrap/order/libwaiver.pdf

and a guideline sheet that among other things says not to move the vehicle with a unsecured load (read people) and the tailgate in the down position.

http://dsdd.com/vrstrap/order/userguidelines.pdf

Very touchy and tricky subject about something as simple as using your truck as a truck and leaving your tailgate down. Seems no one wants responsibility for leaving the tailgate down.


Put me down for another .02

This is a touchy subject since something everyone has done on their trucks for decades seems no longer safe. You want to be able to trust the truck you own(especially when you're asking 40k plus for it).

I seriously thought I'd be 'out of business' after the recall and in some ways was hoping for it. I'm a single owner, manufacturer, bookkeeper, etc in this venture that I do in my free time(yeah right, a wife 3 kids and a day job that would put a cot at my desk if I'd stay more).

Anyhow I've got one set in stock right now, looks like I'll have to order a few more since Made in China doesn't seem to cut it for most people.

Ok, Straps failed Bad.

Cops who were on the tailgate while the truck was moving isn't bad.
ACCEPT THE RESPONSABILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS.
You were not in the proper restraint for that activity. Whay next? sue thr driver who was driving the vehicle because he should have known better? Or better yet... Sue your fellow officer beside you because it was his lard butt that caused the straps to break?

Sheesh... gimmie a break!

My home town. I bet the dealer who gave me the let go. forget to leplace them. I remember when the recall first came out the dealer did not have the new cables. so to save face and sell the junk ont the shelf the dealer installled the old style telling the owners is was taken care of......I remember seeing the tailgate come apart and knock some old guy in the knees.

My home town. I bet the dealer who gave me the let go. forget to leplace them. I remember when the recall first came out the dealer did not have the new cables. so to save face and sell the junk ont the shelf the dealer installled the old style telling the owners is was taken care of......I remember seeing the tailgate come apart and knock some old guy in the knees.
Can you say CARR chevrolet? :) ok, I said it. Didn't have a very good experience there the one time my truck has been into a dealer. Was after you left.

Well I guess I better take mine in an let em do it. I just got my second notice

Same here but mines a '04 !

I don't know what GM's deal is with their straps. I used to have a 2000 1500 silverado that had the cable straps like all the late model trucks. I was loading up my 4-wheeler into the back of it when I noticed after I had already loaded the machine that one of my cables was unhooked. Their stupid design with the metel retainer in yr 2000 would let the cable undo itself just by closing the tailgate. I bent up my tailgate and my bed by GM's poor design.

I have a 78 Chevy that has steel tailgate straps similar to the VRstraps, except regular steel. Those straps are still to this day very strong and wouldn't think twice about sitting on the tailgate or setting 500lbs on it. Why not stay with something that works?