Moving can be a real pain in the neck; not only because of all the packing and goodbyes, but also because of the logistics of it all. Once you’ve put all of your belongings into bags and boxes—and likely realized you have too many of them—you also have to find a way to drag them from point A to point B.
That’s when services such as U-Haul come in handy. You can rent a vehicle or equipment that you need and set off on the next chapter of your life. Seems pretty straightforward, right? Well, it’s not always as simple as that and these pictures, shared by the Facebook group fittingly titled 'Uhaul probably wouldn't like you doing that with their vehicle', prove it. Scroll down to find some of the best instances of U-Hauls in the wild and see for yourself what an adventure moving can be.
In addition to the pictures, below you will also find our conversation with a professor in the Faculty of Law at Queen’s University in Canada, expert in accident law and automobile insurance, Erik S. Knutsen, who was kind enough to answer a few of Bored Panda’s questions.
This post may include affiliate links.
So A Guy Drove The Uhaul With The Trailer To Pick Up His New Project Truck Then Decided To Haul The Uhaul Back To Save On Mileage
We used to pull this sort of stunt because the ferry fare to the island where we live is EXPENSIVE.
“This is a Uhaul memes and fails group,” reads the description of the oddly specific yet undeniably amusing Facebook group. Created in 2020, it covers all sorts of mishaps and bizarre situations related to the vehicle renting service in the US and Canada, typically used when moving.
“The group was started by my brother Noah a few years ago,” one of the group’s admins, Rachael, told Bored Panda in a recent interview. “A bunch of us siblings, as well as a few others, administer the page now.”
“I think internet users benefit from pages like these because it builds a sense of community around the comedy of real life, and honestly I think keeps Facebook alive,” she added.
I Mean, Uhaul Said It Could Move A 2-3 Bedroom House
I suspect a combination of optimism and stupidity, mixed with pig headedness and bad genes.
Load More Replies...Every time I see a home being transported I think to myself "ah, another Agoraphobia patient going on vacation". I can make this comment because I have Agoraphobia.
I think they missed ‘contents of’ out when they said that…
These guys needed a team of Amish men. I remember seeing a video of like 50 Amish guys carrying a whole building across a road to it's new location. made it there intact.
Somebody didn't attach the axles well and hit the coward pedal a little hard
Don't Worry, They're Run Flat Tires
Not a joke -- a huge wildfire was started a few years ago because people were emitting sparks from their tire-less wheels.
Those sparks won't be the only thing you see lit up in your rear view mirror!!
A uhaul doesn't make a good getaway vehicle especially when they put out the stop sticks
Looks like a stolen vehicle went over some police spikes...
Rachael told Bored Panda that when it comes to her personal U-haul experiences, being part of this group is the biggest U-haul adventure she’s had.
The company itself was founded back in 1945, when after World War II, Mr. and Mrs. Shoen noticed a need for “do-it-yourself” moving equipment, which allows people to travel one way cross-state when moving households. Back in the day, the couple themselves tried to rent a trailer for moving their belongings from Los Angeles to Portland, albeit unsuccessfully.
I Can Hear This Picture
Areas that receive monsoon rains need lots of pitch in paved areas to prevent flooding.
Load More Replies...If you have no choice, do your best by using angles, it'll get you through it ! or / or etc
My college had a dip like that at the main entrance. In my time there at least 3 busses got stuck in it lol
On the plus side, that’d be a great spot to practice clutch control/bite points when learning to drive…just not in a long wheelbase truck
It Was Tired. Just Taking A Nap On Its Back
Insufficient tongue weight on the trailer set up an oscillation that lifted the back wheels of the truck off the ground. Your first instinct when something goes wrong is to brake, but with little traction on the rear wheels the trailer swung the back of the truck around and broke the receiver. The safety chains did their job and kept the two vehicles together though.
Load More Replies...Is no one going to comment on the blood spatter coming from the front wheel well?
I later realised that is part of the graphic scheme on some of their newer rentals. Glad you guys are just as morbid as me though.
Load More Replies..."Okay. One more time, this time without screaming, tell me how did you break everything?"
One night my buddy was super high and somehow turned his SUV on its side perfectly over a ditch so that it wasn't damaged at all and was just sitting perfectly on top of the ditch....and called me to come "pull him out of a ditch". I was 1. How? 2. How am I supposed to stand your SUV back up???? 3. You're not even in the ditch, technically. Like a week later lightning struck a house that his SUV that just so happened to be parked inside of ...in the basement....and the lightning torched just the SUV. Parked in the basement. It was like God was like your vehicle was supposed to be dead already.... the f*ck? Lemme fix that.
Since the Shoens’ hunt for a rental trailer to move to a different state was an unsuccessful one, they used their car and took whatever they could fit in it. And on that car ride, the idea for what grew to become an internationally recognized name came to life.
According to U-Haul, nowadays, one-in-five people move every year, 75% of whom are “do-it-yourself” movers. Such movers ensure the demand for this type of a rental service, but they also cause situations that end up on 'Uhaul probably wouldn't like you doing that with their vehicle' and similar groups.
Better Hope That Wagon Has Brakes
I drove semi for at least 10 years. I'd hate to haul something that short! It would be very hard to back that tiny trailer up. The smaller they are, the faster they turn and the harder it is to turn them.
I thought getting things to scale involves bananas ? Tho the driver may be...
The Things You See
is ute tray like a down under way of saying truck bed?
Load More Replies...So they loaded up the coffin, and moved to Beverly. Hills, that is. Vampires are swimming pools.
This is the opposite of that "there's no uhaul behind a hearse" saying.
My Customers 2 Seconds After Telling Me "I Dont Need Your Stupid Insurance"
FYI: it is always cheaper to call ur insurance company and have ur own car bumped up to full coverage (if u don't already have it) when u are renting a vehicle, than it is to pay the rental company's crazy Collison waiver rate. A week should cost u less than 20 bucks depending on how much u choose for the deductible and then when u return the car u just call them back and have it change back to whatever ur preference is.
Learned that last week. We pay 30 a year for extra coverage that transfers to a rental. Up to a months coverage. The rental place charges 26 per day for the same coverage 🤯
Load More Replies...I drive transit buses so one of these damn things is a piece of cake
I was told about American Express Blue card 10 years ago - they charge only $25 for the entire rental period, to cover damages to the rental vehicle. Used it once and it was great! Now the card is our primary one for the reward points, too.
Even though accidents can happen to anyone on the road, drivers of U-hauls and other rentals might often get into troublesome situations because they’re unfamiliar with the vehicle.
“Rental vehicles like U-Hauls tend to be larger and more awkward to drive than your typical car or truck that most people have experience driving. Therefore, that makes them riskier to operate,” Queen’s University professor Erik S. Knutsen told Bored Panda.
“They are larger, move differently, have different blind spots and viewing angles, and are heavier vehicles. People operating them may not be familiar with how to drive them, because they are essentially ‘one shot’ rentals that people may do once or twice in their lives.”
There’s Nothing Wrong Here, The Uhaul Was Just Thirsty
*in David Attenborough voice* and here we see a lone majestic U-Haul, separated from it's herd on their long migration south. Sadly, without the protection of its fellow hauls, this young vehicle is easy prey for hungry predators. Calmly drinking at the watering hole, it is unaware of the stealthy approach of caterpillar tracks on the bank behind"
Depending on the load that is going to be a real b***h to winch back up that grade
Got to admire the courage of the mini caterpillar driver.
Load More Replies...AS C L said, it really depends on what's inside. If it can get traction, it should be able to move just the truck.
Load More Replies...Hmm perhaps somebody tried stole it and tried to ditch it in the river and it never made it in?
Surrealism
Apparently, mine does too, as I first read your comment as "my monkey stupid brain".
Load More Replies...Aw! It wants its belly rubbed! (Careful, it really wants to scratch you!)
As a Canadian, you will be surprised what we have seen during the winter.
Real Life Oregon Trail
What is the problem here? It looks a bit odd, but it is just a uhaul on a boat. Probably for a private island or something similar.
I guess they don't have $5 for the Indian guide.
Pontoons on the side and, engines in the back. I'd bet this worked!
Prof. Knutsen explained that because of the drivers’ unfamiliarity with the rented vehicle, you can expect them to do things they might not normally do. “This would include parking in awkward or dangerous places, driving under overhangs that are too low for a higher vehicle, and difficulty backing up.
“If it is a U-Haul trailer, the art of driving with a trailer is an art unto itself—especially backing up with it,” the expert added. “Many people may be shocked to learn that one must turn the steering wheel in ways they may not expect to get the reversing trailer to go the way they want. This can cause all sorts of unexpected accidents.”
Is Now The Wrong Time For Insurance? Asking Fer A Friend
Or success, if the pool was their aim. Not sure I could do that intentionally.
Load More Replies...In the driver's defense, he wasn't parking - he was trying to do some rad tricks
Photo of crane lifting uhaul out of pool: https://news3lv.com/news/local/u-haul-truck-found-in-pool-near-decatur-and-twain
Pole Came Out Of Nowhere
That had to have been blasting through that parking lot for that kinda damage to occur.
Hmmm
That was some precision flying to land it right in the back of the truck
It's a kit aircraft. You can buy the parts and assemble the plane yourself, get it inspected and fly it. I'm assuming the owner put as much of it together as one could in a home garage and is now taking it to the airport hanger for final assembly. I used to work in aviation and can think of at least 10 people who did this.
Knutsen emphasized that a driver is legally mandated to purchase liability insurance when operating a vehicle in either Canada or the United States. “States and provinces require this because we know that driving is a risky activity,” he said. “Therefore, a driver who takes on the responsibility of operating on a road must have valid, collectible liability insurance in case they hurt someone or someone’s property.
“The insurance responds to the loss so that the accident victim is compensated. Most people, on their own, do not have enough assets to satisfy a court judgment if sued for hurting someone in a car accident. For example, hurting someone bad enough so they cannot work could be very expensive. That is why liability insurance is required to drive.”
All That Fun For 19.95 What A Deal
The Hitch On This Pop Up Is Literally Held Together With Zip Ties
No, no, no. Unless you ran out of (and are on your way to get) ducktape.
Naw... Swap the zip ties with some bailing wire and then wrap in gray tape 😂
Load More Replies...That's the owner's fault, the hitch on HIS car dolly is broken, not Uhual.
I think they might be using it as an adapter since you can't change the ball size on the rental truck
Load More Replies...Uhaul just needs to develop one of those tornado sirens to detect stupidity on their equipment
Good lord. And you can see it is a shiny new hitch. They only needed two bolts to mount it correctly. I replaced a hitch like this on my utility trailer a couple of years ago. Easy-peezy. I keep wanting this to be PS but it doesn't look like it is. Hard to believe anyone would think zip ties would hold it. Especially the small white zip ties I can break with my bare hands.
Hope They Got The Insurance
It’s scary to know that trucks this big can be rented out to common consumers ( when the drivers have to get a special license to drive these, I live in a small alley street, the neighbor actually rented a truck bigger than that one, she couldn’t make that sharp turn into the street and nipped the car parked on the side( yes it was my freakin car) dumbass just sat there not knowing what she was supposed to do, a neighbor on that block had to call us to come down the street 🤬😫
I don't have any special license and I've driven multiple trucks larger than that....your neighbor is just a moron.
Load More Replies...Someone needs to let the air out of the tires to lower the U-haul so they can drive it out.
Maybe earlier, I surmise it's way too late now!
Load More Replies...At least they don’t drive that sort of vehicle regularly. I used to live near a low bridge. You could guarantee a lorry would get wedged under it at least once a fortnight. I mean it’s not like cabs have signs in them telling you how tall/wide your truck is to compare with the 3 massive low bridge warning signs that the height of the bridge or anything…
I used to drive a rig. There's been more than a few times I've pulled up on an unmarked underpass or bridge and put it in park while I leaned out to see if I'd fit
Load More Replies...I was at a furniture store looking for a sofa. An elderly woman drove a large uhaul under the awning in front, hit the clearance bumper and kept going. Ripped off multiple fire sprinkler heads and set off the fire alarm. Employees had to figure out how to turn off water and fire department showed up. She was in shock. Her husband was pretty crappy to her. She'd obviously never driven anything that large, while he was a former truck driver.
Hire truck insurance does not cover events of this type. Presumably it happens too often for insurance companies to cover it.
Probably cheaper for the company to cover the losses.
Load More Replies...Judging by the pictures shared by 'Uhaul probably wouldn't like you doing that with their vehicle', it seems that some drivers might act differently depending on whether it’s a rental that they’re operating or their personal means of transportation. (Unless these are some really unfortunate mishaps instead of unfortunate decisions from the driver.)
The expert in accident law and automobile insurance explained that there are several factors affecting an individual handling a rental. “In insurance, there is a concept called ‘moral hazard’, which is the idea that people behave less carefully if they are insured from a loss. However, people are also expected to be careful and avoid risks to themselves or their property—this is called ‘risk aversion’.”
He suggested that if a driver of a rented vehicle would be responsible to pay in some way if it was damaged—either by having to pay out of pocket or have insurance premiums raised as a result of an accident—they would behave more carefully because of risk aversion.
Cuz Who Needs A Dump Trailer
This doesn't seem completely unreasonable... especially if they hose it down properly after they are done.
Agree, in plus it's mulch, the whole trailer full is maybe 1000lb, nothing wrong with that
Load More Replies...Uhmmm.... Not everyone can afford a dump bed? I've humped tons, probably literal tons, of mulch off of pickups...pretty common. Also dump truck can't always get where you want with out tearing up people's lawns. Whoever posted, tell me you've never worked in landscaping w out telling me?
Apartment For Rent $19.98 Per Day
Air B&B 19.98 + 50.00 cleaning fee + 17.00 full service exterior wash. Owner's instructions - clean all dishes, fill up tank and check tire pressure.
This one is not so weird. A pickup can be used to haul a camper designed to go in the back of a pickup - cuz - DUH. It appears they even stuck some boards under the camper to avoid gouging the bed. Somebody probably bought a camper or moved and needed to get it to a new location.
I mean if they had the camper from their old truck which they sold and still wanna go camping, this seems like fair play.
Uhaul New Submarine
Actually I started to hear the Jaws song on first glance, then the submarine one. 😀
Prof. Knutsen continued to point out that ‘moral hazard’ can also affect driver behavior. “There are some studies that point to possible evidence that there is a higher incidence of road traffic accidents if there is no-fault insurance in place. This means that people do not have to sue other at-fault drivers in cases of accidents—they simply seek compensation from their own insurance company for injury or property damage.
“However, there is a flaw in that thinking when driving a car—the driver behind the wheel is at risk of getting hurt themselves. So because people are ‘risk averse’—meaning they behave to avoid risks to themselves and their property—most people would drive safely whether they are insured or not, because they do not want to get hurt.”
I Guess Uhaul Wouldn't Like This
i was behind a uhaul pickup truck that had a dresser all the way back by tailgate drawers facing me i saw the top dresser drawer working itself out it came out just as i moved in to next lane panties, bra and several rubber adult toys flying all over the freeway could not stop laughing
No one would like this....not the police behind them, not other drivers on side streets or God forbid highway and neither would complete idgits that did this ahit to begin with. I'm hoping had to b out building in front of n just stacked to get belongs off property in time or something, really hope didn't try n drive if so I hope they took their licence and anyone who helped load this sshhhtt.
Why was truck not pulled over by police? That is unsafe on so many levels
Thats A New Feature For When You Dont Return It On Time
The sticker on the dash plainly says NO SMOKING! There's gonna be a hefty cleaning fee on this puppy.
Redneck Ingenuity Right There
Waaay better than zip ties…that was tried in an earlier post…
Load More Replies...Better than those cars you see being towed by a single strap
I see a combination of some very strong and easy to untie knots. Well done!
According to Erik S. Knutsen, it’s not only the time spent on the road that can be dangerous. “Even loading and unloading a vehicle like a U-Haul can be risky,” he told Bored Panda. “People can stack all kinds of things in awkward ways in these vehicles. They can load them unevenly. They can get hurt opening and closing the large doors at the back, or using the loading ramps. All of this involves automobile liability insurance, which covers people for ‘use or operation’ of a motor vehicle like a U-Haul.
“Anything you hook up to a vehicle, like a trailer, is considered part of the vehicle in law and is covered by the driver’s automobile liability insurance, if there is an accident,” he explained.
You're Not Supposed To Park There
What with all the parking disasters? Surely you need a licence to drive one of them... And half a dozen brain cells.
These Prom Proposals Are Getting Clever
I don't think your downvoters understood your comment.
Load More Replies...Maybe Rent A Bigger Trailer?
Its a second gen dodge pickup, the break down was a matter of when, not if.
Load More Replies...While you're there, put the box springs UNDER the mattress. You can see out the back better.
Considering we don’t know if this was a local move, this actually isn’t that unreasonable. At least, not that unreasonable IF the truck can actually complete the trip.
The pictures on this list show that some people get real creative when it comes to loading U-Hauls. Whether it’s trying to close the gap in the back doors by using whatever it is they can lay their hands on or playing tetris with furniture to squeeze as many of them in as possible and save an additional trip, they might seem like good solutions at first, but can prove otherwise in a matter of minutes.
Saw This On The Way Out Of U-Haul
Do not smoke. Do not drive and then fall asleep
Load More Replies..."Honey, we did have that insurance right?! Why am I asking? Uh, no reason."
All Just Sounds Like A Big Misunderstanding
But let’s be honest, if it’s not addressed in the contract , uhaul likely wouldn’t stand a chance in hell. At least not in the USA. But I imagine they have since then updated their contracts.
Uhaul Landscaping Division?
When you have to move, but you love the tree in your old front yard.
Hey Must Still Be Inside Because There's No Way To Get Out
They mean get out of the truck because doors don't open. Climbed out back sliding window.
Load More Replies...Trying to protect their “baby” (the pickup truck) from the rain? I have known people like that.
Sure there is. There's probably a sliding window that goes from the cab to the bed.
Maybe. It was a popular prank when I was younger to use that window to tie the doors shut with rope.
Load More Replies...Sign Is Clearly On The Wrong Side
Don't these idiots think 'Now, wait, I'm not driving my car and I'm pretty sure this thing is taller than my car, so maybe I'd better check...'?
I think the problem is what part of the viaduct is 7'7"? The middle?
Load More Replies...Officers Be Squinting At This One
The extended-cab wheelbase is too long to fit on the trailer. I don't think I would have thought to check that first. I do appreciate the extra safety strap on the truck.
Opsie
I Saw This Today
Doesn't anybody check their height clearance BEFORE they get behind the wheel of these things????
If It Fits, It Ships
That Sign On The Front Of The Truck That Says "Weight Under 20k Lbs" Is Totally Lying
Well if they gave you the weight limit in bananas, there’d be no misunderstanding
Moo-Haul
I'm not sure this is a safe or secure way to transport livestock. I know these people probably don't give a s**t about the animal's welfare but just having them freestanding in the back of a van seems like an invitation for broken bones and injuries. Not to mention the distress those poor cows must be feeling.
Rough
It wasn't strapped down adequately, or the driver overshot when loading the pickup onto the dolly.
Load More Replies...More air in the trailer tires... less in the truck tires. That should work.
I'm afraid that's not how to load your vehicle onto a trailer. Just sayin'.
Honda Civic All Day Long
The stretch Honda Civic, for when you want to treat yo' self, but just a little bit.
Civic Loaded Up
Because these trailers have weight limits so they'll ask what kind of vehicle you're going to be hauling to ensure it's under the limit. This one is at least 1000 pounds over
Load More Replies...Not My Doing, But Surely A Sight. Allegedly A 06 Dodge Challenger On The Dolly
If there is enough weight forward to tip the dolly then it should be fine. Naturally, agricultural tires have a speed limit of 25mph, so respecting that should only add to the safety.
Love How The Suspension Lowers The Step So It's Easy To Get In
What A Gem
Used As A Hearse For A Funeral Procession. Just Put The Casket Straight In The Back. Thank Goodness For The Low Deck
I see that I was a couple of posts off with my previous hearse comment.
My wife worked at a cemetery in the office for years. And once they literally had to have a flatbed tow truck bring out the special made coffin. The gentleman weighed over 600 lbs. None of the funeral homes had a hearse big enough for it to fit. The family also had to purchase two plots to put the body into.
A friend’s relative died over the Christmas period. They didn’t want a big funeral and the cost and trying to get a funeral slot was difficult. His wife literally put the coffin the back of their car and drove it to the crematorium, handed it over to the staff there, then went home. Fortunately, they had an estate car!
The hearse comes with the funeral arrangements. Isn't the hearse in front? are they bringing the floral arrangements and extra chairs? Is the widow planning to move directly after the funeral? A lot of questions and no answers.
That's A Whole Lotta Confidence In Chrysler Brakes And A Lack Of Physics Knowledge
🎶 "He was born in the summer of his 27th year..." 🎵
Load More Replies...Uhaul Does Not Authorize Using Their Rental To Try And Pull A Train Car
It's a joke. (Not a good one though) They're saying the mobile house is the size of a train car.
Load More Replies...Oh Boy
I'm really starting to wonder if there are any regulations at all in the US about what is allowed on the road..
Lordy if I could show you all the shady stuff I've ridden in or driven or seen...... And yup we're all rednecks😁🤣
Load More Replies...Yes! 1-7/8" (light duty, up to 3500lbs), 2" (up to 12k lbs), 2-5/16" (up to 30k lbs), There is also 3" but that's for gooseneck trailers.
Load More Replies...Uhaul Brand Ladder System
BP has present much worse examples for sure!
Load More Replies...The Good News Is, If The Ramps Bend/Break They Will Act As Skis Briefly
Heyo You Cant Park There
I was thinking more pantomime style, “Oh yes, I can!”
Load More Replies...Tell me you don't understand the physics of how trailers move when the towing vehicle turns without telling me...
*slow Heavy Metal Music Playing*
Driver had to hear the scraping metal for a LONG time before this caught fire like that
Really? Please explain what caused this fire.
Load More Replies...Another Deadpool stunt. He'll come flying out of the flames any second now...
Thought He Had Enough Clearance To Backup And Turn.. He Didn’t
Well, They Said It Would Move A Two Bedroom Home
Uhaul Probably Wouldn't Like You Storing One Of Their Trucks In A Storage Locker
"And here we see the Red-Striped Moving Van in its natural habitat. Notice how it blends in with the storage totes..."
Cheap Weekend Getaway
"Can You Just Give Me A Tug From Behind?"
Used as a pick-up line, that caption will get you a restraining order.
Sir You Can't Park There
We have a U-haul place nearby that is close to a bridge with low clearance. U-haul has a sign saying don't turn right out of their lot...It often gets ignored and the bridge scores another hit...
As a American I feel this is just our natural way. We don't want to switch from imperial to metric because we're used to imperial, but when asked if the truck looks 10 feet high or whatever we just shrug and say how the hell should I know what 10 feet is... really you could switch and the only ones that notice are construction works. Or maybe when buying milk.
D’you think it’s an unauthorised vehicle and they’re just wedging it in there so it can’t be removed?
I Mean It Works Lol
The Civic Fit Great
Are thee trailers meant to only haul something small like a Civic?
It's Lit
If It Fits It Ships
It’s Not Supposed To Have A Sunroof
Got Behind This
Seen This Beautiful Civic Tonight
That back end looks pretty low. Hope they don't hit a big dip in the road.
Nice Tow Rig
Just Remember, Over And Above All That’s A Ford Flexing It’s Muscles
Probably wouldn't be too bad if the semi was over the tandems more(moved back a yard/meter)
Ain't no real driver tryna pull that tho..... He'd know better
Load More Replies...I Think The V-6 Should Pull It Just Fine
Fully Loaded
Hey I've Never Seen A Rule That Says You Cant Haul Landscape Material
Isn't this what it's meant for? I don't see the problem as long as you clean it.
Remember that the U-Haul slogan used to be "Adventure In Moving". Seems accurate when seeing all these!
Remember that the U-Haul slogan used to be "Adventure In Moving". Seems accurate when seeing all these!
