Bl***y Caravans!!

[Angus1]

Had to go down to Carmarthen last Saturday, had a good run until I caught up to a convoy of four caravans and a trailer tent.

Now the A483 is a smashing road but not the best in the world for overtaking, and life gets more difficult when the lead van is doing about 40mph, and all the others are so close behind it would be difficult to get a *** paper between them.

After following the procession for a good twenty minutes and seeing a progressively longer queue forming behind, I decided it was `take your brain out` time as I had to be back home the same weekend.( Nothing dangerous, just faster and more aggressive than should have been necessary)

Now I`ve been `vanning for over twenty years and I`m not in the hurry I once was, but TBH I can fully understand why we attract so much bad press when you get scenarios such as this. Are these people incapable of understanding that if they leave a gap big enough for a solo overtaking car to slip into, they aren`t going any slower and will get to their destination at the same time anyway? Obviously not.

I can`t decide if its caused by stupidity, ignorance or sheer bloody-mindedness, but whatever it infuriates other road users,and causes frustration, which may just cause someone to take chances they normally wouldn`t. In that case they may find themselves as part of an accident rather than merely just the cause of one.

Rant over.

Drive safely and thoughtfully out there!

 

[rob_jax]

Angus,

Don't be silly - if they'd left a gap they'd arrive five seconds later at their destination - assuming they couldn't make up that time gap driving up to the site entrance.

Robert

 

[Royston]

Angus,

Sounds like travellers to me.

Royston

 

[Angus1]

Definately NOT travellers, just families with kids.

Cars loaded up with carry cots, surfboards etc.

The sort of stuff that travellers don`t usually nick.

 

[JoannaLesley]

Trucks do it too

 

[ColinA]

It's usually lines of cars I get stuck behind when towing.

 

[trucker]

Jo please dont pick us poor truckers, like car drivers not all are bad. Today I lost count of the cars I overtook in me truck on the m5 with these mindless fools doing less than 50. Now you might think this is acceptabe, I think its abslouty dangerous

Kevin H

 

[JoannaLesley]

Sorry, Kevin, but I've lost count of the times that I've been forced to stay in the middle lane of the motorway longer than I would like, because I can't get in between the line of trucks on the inside lane!

That's solo, of course. Generally, when towing, truckers are really good about flashing and letting us in.

 

[DeliDave]

trucks have little choice being governed,if i have needed to get in near a junction for example a signal always results in a flash and a space and as you say very helpful with the van.

 

[GrahamPonty]

Hi Angus,

I to was driving in west wales a couple of weeks ago along the A40, towards Haverfordwest. There was a long line of traffic along with other caravans and lorrys behind me doing about 35mph. I was thinking at the time, I bet all the drivers behind me are calling me all sorts, the only problem is the car in "FRONT of ME" was an old morris 1000 being driven by a man who must have been at least 160 years old, unfortunatly the drivers in the cars 20 or so back could not see this. It's not always caravans that hold up traffic.

Graham (Ponty)

 

[Angus1]

I agree entirely Graham, and I`ve been in the same situation more times than I could list.

That doesn`t get away from my original post, which is about a mobile roadblock caused by a handful of selfish, stupid morons masquerading as caravanners. By the time I`d got to the front of that lot even I was ready to ban caravanners.

I know there are bad drivers of all sorts, but some road users are more in the media line of fire than others. Unfortunately.

 

[RobRoy]

Hi all,

When driving in the Australian Northern Territory I came up behind a caravan with a notice on the back which read:"Caravan 15 0f 15". My heart sank as I, too, have come across these close up and personal convoys of thoughtless caravanners in this country but there, in the outback, the caravans were spaced about 1Km apart. Bonser idea, Bluey!

Rob S.

 

[clivea]

Hi,

I think that the problem is not just caravans. Last Saturday we were travelling down the A470 from North Wales and were the third van in a line behind a Renault Megane for over 25 miles. He was just doing 35mph. The lead van eventually overtook him, but not having an Audi RS4 Avant us other two just had to baer it, but the fuel gauge benefitted no end.

 

[Anthony_374242616]

Maybe they didnt want to lose eachother in the traffic

 

[clivea]

Hi, out again with the van today and I was behind an HGV doing 40mph on a god A-road. The queue behind was at least 15 vehicles. I feel soorry for the HGV driver as he was only doing what the law required....pity that it is such an old law!

Other Clive

 

[Peter_374314513]

Hi,

I think that the problem is not just caravans. Last Saturday we were travelling down the A470 from North Wales and were the third van in a line behind a Renault Megane for over 25 miles. He was just doing 35mph. The lead van eventually overtook him, but not having an Audi RS4 Avant us other two just had to baer it, but the fuel gauge benefitted no end.

The A470 is a PITA Clive. We have to drive to Cardiff 7 or 8 times a year from Anglesey and very often have the '20 mile drag' as we try to get on.

 

[Peter_374314513]

Well whatever others experience may be I can only congratulate al of you that have visited Anglesey this year. The road manners of all 'Van drivers have been exemplary.

 

[GrahamPonty]

Hi Peter, We are coming to Anglesey on 8th September. We have decided to go from Pontypridd, via Hereford - Shrewsbury to avoid the narrow A470 roads.

Looking forward to it.

Graham (Ponty)

 

[Steve L]

Graham.

I live in Leominster which would be on your route from Hereford to Shrewsbury on the A49.

You may wish to pick up the A 4110 Hereford to Canon pyon road which is currently being used as a diversion route to avoid road works on the A49 just north of Leominster which has reduced the road to a one way south bound road and light traffic is being sent up the B4361 which is little better than a country lane.

By taking the A 4110 and going along the A4113 through Lientwardine you will come out at Bromfield and back onto the A49 a couple of miles north of Ludlow.

Steve L.

 

[GrahamPonty]

Cheers Steve, Thanks for the advice. Hopefully I can set that route into my satnav to avoid the road works.

Thanks

Graham (Ponty)

 

[Marc1]

Living about two miles from the A17 we are on main routes for both Skegness and Norfolk. All to often we have been held up by caravaners performing the classic wagon train formation. Whilst agreeing that we have also been held up by tractors and lorries also I dont have to take stick from all and asunder on a Monday morning because of the latter. If we want the rest of the road users to become more accepting of caravans then we have to find a way of educating the odd rogue among us.

Marc

 

[Gwilym_374316238]

Angus,

Sounds like travellers to me.

Royston

Travelers are better drivers than that bunch, every traveler I know can handle a caravan better than some small minded idiots.

 

[Daniel_374322765]

I've often wondered why people are willing to risk theirs and others lives just to get a space ahead in slow moving traffic. Your right though angus, it does give us bad press and i've had people overtake me when on a bend only to be stuck behind the car in front. If everyone stuck to the speed limit (where safe to do so) i think it would cut out this sort of life risking behaviour.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello

The 'Other Clive' has made a very valid point. Some different classes of vehicle have different speed limits, which really mean that when a particular class of vehicle is on the road in front, then we are all ever likely to be governed by its speed.

But like others it is very frustrating to be following a vehicle that can legally travel faster but for what ever reason chooses to be much slower. There is a 3 mile stretch of the A452 near where I live which is set at 50 mph, and in the mornings we often find our selves in a queue of traffic travelling at 30 to 35 following a car or light van with clear road ahead.

 

[Jazman]

Different speed limits for HGV and other vehicles are based on antiquated motoring ideas and myths.

Most new 50mph speed limits on A roads are unrealistic and are related to poor quality driving, not speed.

Few people even understand triangular speed warning sighns and drive far to slowly.

I overtake where I can, and it is not for other drivers to police how I drive or where I overtake.

The menace of dawdling drivers and convoy style tactics of some caravanners and others should be prosecuted.

Make good time and make the most of the legal limits rather than hinder others and we would all be alot happier on the roads.