M6 north bound road surface

[Steve L]

We were travelling nonrth up to Blackpool this Friday on the M6 and experienced some of the worst motorway ever.

Just past junction 23 it started, the tram line effect of a worn out nearside lane. But that was not all. We were stuck in the usual rolling traffic jam and doing about 30-40 Mph in the nearside lane when I started to get the most horrific wheel wobble from our trusty 1998 Laguna estate. It got worse and worse and realy felt like either the ABS braking working in reverse or the power steering was playing up.

Now I.m a burley 6 foot guy and I was having real difficulty keeping the car under control.

After enduring this for about half an hour I was so concerned that there could be something wrong with the car's brakes, steering or even an alloy wheel coming loose, I pulled over to the hard shoulder to check it out. I could find nothing wrong with the car at all.

This problem re-occurred several times until were were north of Preston. Then disappeared never to be felt again, even on the homeward journey yesterday.

I truly believe that had a more slightly built person had the same problem, then there would of been an accident as the car deffinately wanted to make a severe left turn.

I don't believe the car wasfaulty as it had passed it's MOT only four days previous with not even a minor comment from the tester.

So a note to all please be carefull on the M6 the road is desperately in need of replacement and is bloody dangerous!!

By the way I'll be forwarding this "verbatum" to the highways agencey to see if they will do anything about it, but don't hold your breath.

 

[Maz_5041035]

Steve - sounds horrendous - were you towing at the time?

 

[Steve L]

Sure was. My twenty foot twin axle behind our 1998 Laguna estate at 100% tow limit for the car.

I believe the twin axle helped the situation, had I of been towing a single axle van I think we would of been all over the place.

I'm also an advanced driver which helped, again a slightly built novice could easily of lost control with the inevitable consequences.

Tahts why I've sent this to the highways agencey, but no replies as yet.

 

[Maz_5041035]

I asked 'cos I think I've had a similar problem with the 'tram line effect', this time on the M5 in August coming back (northbound) from Leominster (hey!) It was very windy which didn't help, the car was OK, but with the van (single axle) the normal 'pulling' sensation was magnified by about 100 times with the van trying to veer to the right. The outfit felt highly unstable - as if the van could end up on its side at any minute. I managed the situation by slowing down to 50 or just below & hanging onto the steering wheel, but even this felt dodgy, made worse by trucks overtaking, but I think we would have been toast if I'd increased speed.

Once I got onto the M42 things improved, it was still windy and I could feel the effects of this on the van but I didn't have that same heart-stopping sensation of extreme instability, which is why I think that tram lines were the likely culprit. Perhaps more experienced vanners might be able to advise on this further.

I'm off ot the Lakes next September, and not looking forward to the tow already!

 

[Steve L]

Hi Maz.

Hope you enjoyed your visit to my home town, plenty to see within 20 mins drive in the area.

I've been towing for nearly 30years and have HGV class 1 too. I've towed right to the max with 4x4's too.

I realy think your problem was down to the road surface too, I'd love to take a highways agencey chappy out to try it first hand. They'd soon have the roads re surfaced.

May be, just may be, if everyone who experienced tram lining on the roads bombarded the agencey with information either their system would crash or they would listen and do some repair work. After all I'm sure like me you're feeling ripped off by the great british tax system!!

 

[Maz_5041035]

Hi Steve

Yes - I enjoyed my visit to Leominster - my ex-partners family came from there and I know the area quite well and I still like to go back. We stayed at Arrow Bank, Eardisland, which was lovely and quiet but the facilities were badly in need of an upgrade. I used to go there years ago & stay in one of the static vans and I don't think the showers have changed since then! I had mixed feelings about the log cabins now on the site and the footpath through the site has been blocked off, and the new houses have yet to 'blend in' with the rest of the village...I remember when it was all fields...big sigh!

Anyway back to the tram lines, I'm going to monitor M/way towing through next year and log any particularly 'bad' sections then contact the Highways Agency with the evidence. It would be good if we all did this. We could start a pressure group?!

 

[PaulCopaul]

Hi Steve/Maz read your comments with intrest,i am also a class 1 driver but have you tried putting your caravan wheels in the offside tramline it is slightly better as you dont have the pull of the camber to contend with.

 

[BigRoy]

Hi Steve, I was on this section of motorway last night (solo)the problem is that due to the roadworks on the hard shoulder the lanes have been moved over by about 2 foot.

This has meant burning off the white lines and removing the cats eyes and then refilling the holes with tarmac (badly)

As a consequence to this the offside wheels are driving on what was once white lines and the roughly filled holes where the cats eyes where, giving a very bumpy ride.

However this is only between J23 and J24 after that the surface returns back to normal and to me seemed OK.

I cant comment about the rest of the carriageway as I left the motorway at J26.

Roy

 

[Tom_5073611]

I travel that part of the motorway on a daily basis and have never experienced any problems either solo or towing a 1500kg van. I think the important issue that is being missed here is simply that you are pulling at 100% and regardless of how experienced you may be or think you are that is not a good combination by anyones standards.

Your comments relating to a less experienced driver are patronising and hopefully will be disregarded by anyone who hasn't got your wealth of experience.

My advice to you is either buy a more capable towcar or a smaller caravan and I'm not surprised you haven't had a reply from the Highways Agency did you really expect one?

 

[Steve L]

I travel that part of the motorway on a daily basis and have never experienced any problems either solo or towing a 1500kg van. I think the important issue that is being missed here is simply that you are pulling at 100% and regardless of how experienced you may be or think you are that is not a good combination by anyones standards.

Your comments relating to a less experienced driver are patronising and hopefully will be disregarded by anyone who hasn't got your wealth of experience.

My advice to you is either buy a more capable towcar or a smaller caravan and I'm not surprised you haven't had a reply from the Highways Agency did you really expect one?

By the way Tom I'd forgotten to say I hold a ROSPA catagory A advanced driving cert not the normal IAM cert most people have with the little red badge to display on the car, and before you start, I don't hold them in any higher or lower regard.

I'm also a licensed proto-type tester and such is the passion for cars I could have petorl for blood.

While I agree towing to the max is not for the faint hearted, I believe towing to the maximum capacity for any given car is well within the capability of an experienced / trained motorist, certified or not.

The basic jist of my topic was the dreadfull state of the highway given the amount of revenue gained in the taxation of us the "motorist"

Perhaps one day you'd like to have a go at forrest towing in a 16ton "UNIMOG" which is road legal but the speedo is calibrated in metres per hour as in 16th gear it can only manage 47mph approx, but can go up gradients of 60deg towing on mud. Great fun.

You see that's another point. You only make towing as ownerous or enjoyable as you want. For me it's a strole in the park to others it's a right pain in the neck!!

 

[Tom_5073611]

By the way Tom I'd forgotten to say I hold a ROSPA catagory A advanced driving cert not the normal IAM cert most people have with the little red badge to display on the car, and before you start, I don't hold them in any higher or lower regard.

I'm also a licensed proto-type tester and such is the passion for cars I could have petorl for blood.

While I agree towing to the max is not for the faint hearted, I believe towing to the maximum capacity for any given car is well within the capability of an experienced / trained motorist, certified or not.

The basic jist of my topic was the dreadfull state of the highway given the amount of revenue gained in the taxation of us the "motorist"

Perhaps one day you'd like to have a go at forrest towing in a 16ton "UNIMOG" which is road legal but the speedo is calibrated in metres per hour as in 16th gear it can only manage 47mph approx, but can go up gradients of 60deg towing on mud. Great fun.

You see that's another point. You only make towing as ownerous or enjoyable as you want. For me it's a strole in the park to others it's a right pain in the neck!!

Leo,

My comments were directed at the opinions you and others have that if you are experienced this or experienced that then it is ok to drive and tow at 100%, I strongly disagree. You may hold every qualification under the sun but even better and more experienced drivers than yourself come to greif at some time or other ie: the police for example,(probably the highest trained drivers on the road)

And the thing that really rattles my cage is two fold, (1) That because you have qualifications does not entitle you to take chances with other peoples lives ie your passengers and other road users,thats what you are doing driving at 100% (no one is invinceable)

And (2) I am 5ft 9ins weigh just over 12 stone and comfortably run over 7 miles 4 times per week and can also lift in excess of 140kgs therefore my power to weight ratio is far greater than yours. I would welcome any challenge you would like to undertake together in relation to your comments about any other person being slightly built, please choose your words better and respect others.

Because you are over 6ft possibly overweight and over ego-ed don't be over opinionated