Yes and in the link article that Dusty posted the lead picture showed a caravan with a shredded tyre. Far more the cause of accidents and breakdowns than "snakes".
Yes and in the link article that Dusty posted the lead picture showed a caravan with a shredded tyre. Far more the cause of accidents and breakdowns than "snakes".
All the accidents involved non HGV towing various types of trailers. As Buckman has highlighted the frequency of caravan accidents is less than one a day. Tyres seem to be the biggest offender.
The statistics show the number of accidents, but not who is to blame. A fair number of these will be some other drivers fault so the figures are misleading.
That’s correct Ray . Its just a head count of vehicle type. It doesn’t explain if it’s the fault of the car or trailer. That said the numbers are thank fully very low compared to the number of caravans and other trailers in use.
I honestly think the bigger threat of accident for the novice comes maneuvering at slow speeds rather than open road driving. I've done a year of towing now. Pretty big single axle van. Prior experience was a lot of 8x4 trailering and back when I was 17 having some goes with the little family caravan behind. Big modern vans are very different. They are easy to damage when going through entrances etc. That kind of stuff is I think what you need to worry about more than snaking or motorway overtaking. I tow at about 60 and can't abide sitting behind an hgv if I don't have to. No issues. But various fairly close calls with gateways. We managed to damage a corner of the van turning into a site. Keeping well out to avoid cutting in the tail swing out that we hadn't allowed for caused a scrape on a stone wall. So learn about stuff like that which creates low speed maneuvering risks I say. It's not always very intuitive, like the tail swinging out. The open road stuff is by contrast very intuitive and you should have no problems. I think driving at 60 and snaking risk is the least of your worries based on my own learning curve thus farWell, I see this as a downside, but as other wrote - an 85% ratio is just a guide. I wish I had a course, but nowadays youtube will give me almost a similar experience (please don't shout at me - I have lot of good experience with learning on YT). My first towing will be on good roads, probably Sunday, so I will have low traffic (I presume).
Right, and this is quite reassuring - all factors depend on me, and I know how strict I am regarding road safety. Thank you.
I got some reassurance from this thread - from experience people - that I am responsible for the safety, and, as I know myself, I will do my lesson.
So, in summary:
- weight on towbar close to caravan limit
- max 50 or 56 if following HGV (maybe not first few tows) - wont go below 50 on motorway as I don't want to be overtaken by every HGV
- exaggerate every maneuver + watch the wheels in external mirrors
- no pressure in case I need to take a lot of space - I will just block traffic and wait until I am safe to go
- well ballasted (heavy stuff under axle)
- no towing on crosswind > 18 knots
- watch watch watch your speed downhill
- foot off the accelerator when caravan starts to swing
- buy P sign
Did I missed something?
Steve
Steve....
I think that's good points you raise and I'd extend this to normal driving of car - not the rear end swinging out but the difference between driving in large towns and on motorways and then touring around country roads and lanes.
It is a constant source of irritation here in the Highlands, encountering what are obviously tourists either from the Uk or abroad, who cannot cope with being on rural roads. Inconsistent road speeds such as creeping around wide bends and then foot down on the straight bit, braking when encountering on coming traffic when there's plenty of room, wandering across the road and the ultimate is slamming on the brakes when a photo opportunity presents itself. Not to mention failure to understand 'Passing Places' - oh I did mention it!
Rant over
I think that's good points you raise and I'd extend this to normal driving of car - not the rear end swinging out but the difference between driving in large towns and on motorways and then touring around country roads and lanes.
It is a constant source of irritation here in the Highlands, encountering what are obviously tourists either from the Uk or abroad, who cannot cope with being on rural roads. Inconsistent road speeds such as creeping around wide bends and then foot down on the straight bit, braking when encountering on coming traffic when there's plenty of room, wandering across the road and the ultimate is slamming on the brakes when a photo opportunity presents itself. Not to mention failure to understand 'Passing Places' - oh I did mention it!
Rant over
Years ago we lived down in the west country and the A38 was the main road, everything else was lanes, but we were used to the roads there . Nowadays it's mostly motorways , dual carriageways etc. and folk are not used to the narrowness (is that a word ) of the old roads, especially the single track lanes that take you down to the sites, so if folk are being cautious that's better than tearing around the lanes like you're a local.
We like going down to the south coast, but the traffic is so fast that when you're trying to get out onto a main road or onto a roundabout it takes an absolute age with the caravan on the back .
BTW, we have been in a snake, some years ago now, it was very frightening, like my OH said, take your feet off the pedals and pray ! We had been caravanning for some years so weights, speed etc were all okay. We started to overtake a lorry and a white van came like a bat out of hell from nowhere and caused us to snake. We often wondered if the ATC worked on the van and thank goodness it did that day. I think that the speed of some of these white vans cause a lot more problems to caravans than all the lorries.
We like going down to the south coast, but the traffic is so fast that when you're trying to get out onto a main road or onto a roundabout it takes an absolute age with the caravan on the back .
BTW, we have been in a snake, some years ago now, it was very frightening, like my OH said, take your feet off the pedals and pray ! We had been caravanning for some years so weights, speed etc were all okay. We started to overtake a lorry and a white van came like a bat out of hell from nowhere and caused us to snake. We often wondered if the ATC worked on the van and thank goodness it did that day. I think that the speed of some of these white vans cause a lot more problems to caravans than all the lorries.
Country roads. Biggest irritation on those was losing a towing mirror. They don’t withstand much vegetation I found. Need to take care of them tooSteve....
I think that's good points you raise and I'd extend this to normal driving of car - not the rear end swinging out but the difference between driving in large towns and on motorways and then touring around country roads and lanes.
It is a constant source of irritation here in the Highlands, encountering what are obviously tourists either from the Uk or abroad, who cannot cope with being on rural roads. Inconsistent road speeds such as creeping around wide bends and then foot down on the straight bit, braking when encountering on coming traffic when there's plenty of room, wandering across the road and the ultimate is slamming on the brakes when a photo opportunity presents itself. Not to mention failure to understand 'Passing Places' - oh I did mention it!
Rant over
. Mostly I’ve found drivers pretty considerate so far when blocking a smaller site approach road with our van. Did a run across London to Crystal Palace with the van too, perhaps following direct SatNav wasn’t optimal. Yet nowhere did it get anywhere near the width of the van and in general again drivers are fairly helpful. I’m amazed there isn’t more friction out there with a caravan really.Steve
I done a couple of runs down to theVirgin Music festaval a few years ago with caravans for set up crews. And I had no real problems, I think the London center drivers were more scared of a convoy of 6 caravans than we were. Inner Paris needs a bit more caution.Country roads. Biggest irritation on those was losing a towing mirror. They don’t withstand much vegetation I found. Need to take care of them too
Steve
Great advice thanks. Done central Paris in a car in the past but next month we are taking the caravan to the site there by the Seine. Will stay sharp...
Steve
Steve
We found ourselves exiting a tunnel under Paris and towing the van. Quite a shock when the “ co pilot” said “ look there’s the Eiffel Tower just there! “ We hadn’t a clue where we had missed our planned exit and the satnav was still a designers dream in those days.
Hmm yes, memories of a Ford Capri there in Paris back in the day with some hand scrawled route notes. It was a tougher game. At least these days you know where you have gone wrong if you do. Nothing can beat a good copilot with Gmaps etc live on their phone, anticipating the turns and lanes, works as well as radar control on a good day. Took our caravan solo to get repairs, a little harder, have got used to the assistance
Steve
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