I accept your data as accurate.  That said, the point of reasonable precaution is not to guard against the incident that does not happen, but to guard against the one that might happen if precaution were not taken.  Some folks always say, "I've been doing this for years, and no accident ever happened."  We're not talking about spending a billion dollars to close the valve before driving, we're talking about a moment's attention to a safety warning provided by the folks who built the camper.  Oh well ................. .

DMc

DMc

---- David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET> wrote:
> At 10:00 AM 11/5/2010  -0400, george jannini wrote:
> >   Picture, shmicture-I want to see the a marshall's report regarding
> >this incident.
>
> To put some rough numbers on it -- there are about eight million RVs
> on the road in the US and roughly 3100 fires per year, of which three
> quarters are caused by 12v electrical systems.
>
> So roughly one in every 2600 RVs has a fire each year, and roughly
> one in every 10,000 has a fire that is not caused by 12 volt
> electrical systems.
>
> The major cause of house fires is cooking.  I *suspect* that the
> major non-electrical cause of RV fires is also cooking.
>
> Incidentally the USFA reports that the major cause of outdoor fires
> between 2003 and 2007 is intentionally set fires and unintentionally
> set fires.  I'd say that was a safe bet.
>
> Yours,
> David

--
David McNeely