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Mrs Towing the Caravan.

M

machighlander

hi, as some of you know, we are novices at caravanning but are both so enthusiastic about the pleasures and good times we have in front of us. i spoke to mrs mac h recently about her having a go at the towing, first time would be on a quiet road or industrial estate. my reasons were for the unlikely event of anything preventing me to bring us home safely then she could confidently jump into the drivers seat. any of your wifeys do some tugging ?.
 
Hi i do all the towing as my hubby can't drive. i towed the van home from bury to chesterfield this was the 1st at towing. i was nervous for the 1/2 hour but then just got on with it.

1st trip away was to cornwall couldn't back on to pitch so we un-hooked van and pushed it in.

i'm hoping to go on a manouvering course this year.

so tell mrs mac h to have a go she'll be fine.

let us know how she gets on.

ann
 
I tow too - and my first trip was back from the Lakes down the A65, which is a winding and narrow road with a lot of traffic. Scary stuff. Now it doesn't bother me, but I'm still useless at manoeuvring the van on to a pitch, so we've got a mover instead!
 
Val we are hoping to buy a new van later this so we will be having a mover fitted.

Just been to Sandringham for a few days on thursday it snowed heavily so was a little unsure about towing in snow but we got up on friday to find snow all gone.

I think it's a good idea that all should be able to tow if someone taken ill while away.

So come girls get towing!!!!!!!!! lol
 
I have heard of a lot of couples going on a towing courses together, i think my wifes biggest worry is narrow roads, well that and getting a scratch on the van lol

Rab
 
Rab you're so lucky - My better half doesn't drive at all so it's always down to me.

She does however now stand at the back, with the handbag on the arm, directing me onto the pitch - but never stands where I can see her in the mirrors.

We're new to this too but I'm learning fast!
 
My other half passed her test after 1997 so was limited to 3500kgs train weight. She went on a 2 day course & passed her B&E test so she's better qualified than me!

However she's not keen to pull the caravan whilst i'm in the car with her!

Oddly she's really not keen to tow on motorways ,am i wrong or is it the easiest place to tow?

The worst part of it is she's a very good driver, the only thing holding her back is lack of confidence!

gareth
 
Good on you girls for having a go, I wish Mrs Chrisbee would try it. At the risk of getting my head bitten off I would say a mover is not a substitute for being able to reverse. What happens if for whatever reason you need to reverse during the journey to the site? It's not practical to unhitch and use the mover on a narrow road.

Go to your local supermarket car park and learn to master reversing or better still sign up for one of the club's courses.
 
Hi,

In the early 1970s, we were driving along the M4 towards London. My wife asked if she could have a go, so we puled into a service station, and swapped seats.

She seemed OK, but after a few miles, I could see her out of the corner of my eye ..... she kept glancing at me. I recognised that this was a sign that she felt it was time for me to take over again. But I knew she wasn't going to actually put that thought into words. If she can be stubborn, I can be stubborn.🙂

Get to the end of the M4, turn South, drive down through Fulham, across Clapham Common, Tooting, Balham, Mitcham, into Croydon, parked outside my parents house. This was a Saturday morning. Car was a Moskvitch van puling a Sprite 12ft. The matter was never discussed afterwards.

Since then, she has only towed once, mid-1990s, drove her SAAB, pulling a 10ft Freedom, from Pontardawe to a classic car show near Swansea Sea front. I followed in our classic.

Oh yes, she has towed me in various non-running cars, but I assume that doesn't count.

602
 
My wife tows all our trailers.

She is equally as capable of all the jobs I do with only one exception at present.

I'm teaching her to sail our boat.I want to get her through her "yacht master" exam this year. Then we could go chartering if the fancy took us.

It's great to have someone who can take over when your tired.

I did have to slap the L plates on for her to drive a 38 tonner though.

Best advice Mac, start her off on a goods trailer (ifor williams 14ft), that way it's not as menacing as seeing the pride and joy in the rear view mirror. Plus if you do clout anything the metal is thicker than the caravan panels. Teach her to reverse too.

Nothing more pleasing to the eye than a lass doing as good a job as us men.

The only thing my other half moans about is my spinner on the steering wheel. I have to have it to aid me at present due to a well knackered arthritic shoulder. The surgeon will be doing his bit soon then I can do the physio and then fill the rucksack with sand and do it all over again.

Good luck

Steve L.
 
Hi MacH

Mrs Dustydog went on a Caravan Club 2 day course some years ago. There were men and women so no one felt they "knew it all".

In fact she taught me a few things I hadn't known before. She also got a masive pack with detailed explanations. The course was hands on and everyone drove / towed.

Some of the techniques were brilliant. It cost less than
 
We take it in turns to drive and it works well for us.

I think its good if you can both tow even if you don't do it all the time because then at least you have the back up of another driver to get you home should the worst happen.

Sarah
 
My wife Linda tows ours ,she is not confident on tight roads but it gives me a break and as you say if I am ill she would at least get us home.
 
I wish I could get my wife to try - have put forward the "what if I was ill/unable" idea but her response is "well in that case I would do it if I had to".

I am towing overnight to Scotalnd in June and have told her that she will have to 'spell me' for an hour on the Motorway (we will see), my guess is that she will sleep all the way there.
 
Hi All

I've read with interest many of these posts and can say that yes I have towed in the past, but as we upgraded our van last year I'm am a little nervous about towing the new van as it is quite a bit bigger than the old one, but also agree us ladies should be able to tow especially should the "what if" scenario happens!! So I booked myself on a towing course in a couple of weeks, which is being held locally. I could go out with hubby but think might be a little fraught by the time we come home!! Lol. So hopefully not to far in the future I too will be able to say with confidence that I too tow regularly!!

Di
 
I did the CC one and a half day towing course, Husband declined as he says his Army towing experiences make him experienced enough so ner (or something along those lines)

We (yes he did it too) also had a private lesson with the instructor out on the road doing everything from hairpin bends to motorway, country lanes to busy town centres which was excellent.

Personally I believe I tow better than Husband I'm sure he'd say he's better than me 😱)
 
I work in the bus industry & to be honest I belive that women can be just as good drivers as men. I think the whole thing of women not driving big vehicles stems from the days when sheer pyslical strength was a major requirement to drive buses & lorries [even early cars were hard work!]

These days with power assisted everything, clever automatic transmissions etc. the playing feild is very level.

Ladies don't be scared just grab the keys!

Gareth

P.S. Driving buses in North Wales, i've seen plenty of men who can't tow a caravan safely!
 
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