Driving with winds on Saturday

[JohnandNic]

Hi All

Was I the only one travelling yesterday who had some issues with the wind? We travelled from Banbury north to Wirral via M40, M42. M6 toll, M6, M56 and M53. I drove at 50mph and still felt the wind however many other caravanners overtook us with no apparent problems.
The forecast had predicted winds of 20mph ish
Tyre pressures and noseweight were fine and van was loaded as usual which doesn't cause us any problems normally, altho SWMBO had put lots into the car to save time when dropping the van off at storage.

Was I just a useless driver who should give up towing?

Cheers

John

 

[Mel]

My OH was driving up the M1 and back again, to Sheffield yesterday. He wasn't towing but when he came home he said that he was really glad he wasn't as even solo he could feel the wind buffeting the car (a Hyundai Sante Fe).
mel

 

[Surfer]

Wind was bad driving solo. Remember that a 4 x 4 is high sided and acts like a sail and it is like driving a shed in high winds! LOL!

 

[Martin24]

Driving a shed?????? Some of us have excellent aerodynamics, My roofrack deflects a headwind beautifully!!!!

 

[RobKnapp2]

Hi John,

We came away for a week on Saturday (Swindon to Woolacombe). I must admit, being a (very) inexperienced tower, I was really quite nervous about the drive with regards to the wind, to the point that the father in law started making jokes about me borrowing the L200.

I too have a 'routine' when getting ready to go, including checking all the tyre pressures, nose weight etc, then I do another 'Due Dilligence' round of the same checks whilst listening to the little one in his car seat asking if we are there yet! Sometimes I think it would be easier just to leave the caravan in the yard, plug it into the mains and stay there listening to the horses!

I did get shoved about a fair amount until approximately 20 miles down the M5 where I presume I was either heading directly into the wind, or it had dropped. I chose to stick to approximately 52-53mph indicated on the speedo, as this felt comportable, and when the outfit did start to move, just needed me to tighten the grip on the steering wheel and back press off on the cruise control. After about 3-5 seconds I would resume my speed.

I must admit though, we were passed by a few vans, one of them seemed to shoot by me like I was stood still (although he did seem to move over to his offside as I moved over to the nearside - seems to limit the buffeting that way for me) as we rounded a corner, I remeber having one of those wind moments again, and I did see him get pushed about quite a bit - cant remeber what van it was, probably approx 17-18" body length being towed by a big MPV..

We did go away at the end of April to Brean and got battered by the gale force winds. Friends of ours were on the same site in a static, and ended up calling out the warden to tighten up the chains as the van was visibly moving! Even during this, I watched people pack up and drive off which struck me as a little crazy, but hey, as I said, im very inexpereinced!

Cheers

Rob

 

[Lutz]

Driving a shed?????? Some of us have excellent aerodynamics, My roofrack deflects a headwind beautifully!!!!

The roof rack won't help in crosswind, though, and that's when problems arise with stability, not when the airflow is coming directly from the front.

 

[Martin24]

Driving a shed?????? Some of us have excellent aerodynamics, My roofrack deflects a headwind beautifully!!!!

The roof rack won't help in crosswind, though, and that's when problems arise with stability, not when the airflow is coming directly from the front.

Ah well the wind just passes straight through the sides with the panel fit on a Defender!!