run away caravan

[botty]

hi we where on a 5 van site last week the site as a narrow entrance and a long narrow lane to go down on your way of that leads to a road with a tight turn to the main road and then on to the A 55

a couple hitched up there caravan and drove up the drive and there caravan became un hitched the caravan rolled back down the drive but luckliy the jockey wheel stuck in the ground and it came to rest on the back of a motor home with no damage

but the startling news is the couple did not know there caravan was missing untill they aproached thee A55 mile half away

all us who where on site where gobsmacked he did not know it was missing like i said in the first place narrow entrance he must never have look behind him he returned 20 mins later in a right mess wondering where is caravan was and what damage it had done

he had a lucky escape could have been worse could of happened on motorway he says he cant remember is green button on properly

 

[Parksy]

I'd have loved to have heard the conversation in the car when they finally realised that they were missing a caravan!

They and everyone else at the site were very fortunate indeed that no one was hurt and no damage was done.

This highlights the fact that some hitches can appear to be engaged when they are not and after reading another topic some time ago where a caravan became unhitched I always give the jockey wheel a few turns back down when I hitch.

The back of the car lifts which confirms that the hitch is fully engaged.

 

[Damian]

It amazes me that someone cannot immediately see that the huge white box which has just been attached to their car is suddenly not there!!!!

Presumably these folk never use mirrors, or feel the sudden increase in power their car has.

I do the same as Parksy, try lifting the van on the jockey wheel after hitching, and for the first half mile or so, almost as much time is spent checking mirrors to see if the van is behaving itself.

Makes one wonder if some drivers should actually be on the road at all.

 

[Happy-Lappy]

I have the AlKo 3004 Hitch and after engaging and locking the towball with the Black lever, I then try and lift the car and van with the Red lever. When I'm happy with the fact the hitch is located correctly, I then engage the stabilisers,

best regards, Martin

 

[Dustydog]

Martin

Are you happy the red lever is strong enough? I assume you mean the red lever that engages the stabiliser?

Personally I do as Parksy does. Takes seconds but proves beyond doubt a successful coupling has been achieved.

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Parksy]

My red lever isn't attached permanently to the AlKo stabiliser forks.

Because the spare wheel on my Pajero is mounted on the back door and I had to faff about opening and closing the door when hitching I removed the red lever and keep it under my seat.

After I've successfully hitched up and checked using the jockey wheel lift method Herself ceremoniously passes the red handle to me with a flourish, I slide it over the forks and engage the stabiliser and pass it back to go under my seat.

Apart from some vague arm waving which I usually ignore anyway the passing of the red handle is the main part of the proceedings for Herself.

I usually say to her 'Thanks - I could never have managed without you' lol

 

[Happy-Lappy]

Martin

Are you happy the red lever is strong enough? I assume you mean the red lever that engages the stabiliser?

Personally I do as Parksy does. Takes seconds but proves beyond doubt a successful coupling has been achieved.

Cheers

Dustydog

Dustydog, When I lift the Red Stabiliser Handle, I can visually see the rear of the car lift.

I would assume that if this lever had insufficient strenght, then it would break before the car lifted. I could do the same as you and Parksy, but I'm too lazy,

best regards, Martin

 

[Dave_374458187]

You seem surprised that someone didn't notice what they were towing was missing, i'm not.

As i drive for a living i see this daily. I was following a car through rush hour a few weeks ago. She drove for 5 miles at a slow pace with both the drivers and passengers door mirrors turned fully in towards the car. She went around many many parked vehicles and even though nearly taking out a motorcycle as it passed when she went round one vehicle she still carried on oblivious, we parted company when she headed towards a busy M4 and i continued into Newport, something i'm very happy with.

So you see not noticing something in your mirrors may not be as strange as you think. However i'd like to think i'd notice the tonne of metal and sofa that should be attached missing with the vehicle handlling.

 

[xtrailman]

Although i am always aware that i am towing, i have at times, missed a heart beat by using the review mirror, only to see the view blanked out by a tail gating caravan, mine that is.

 

[Glensmate]

Ray - that made me smile as I've done the same thing!!

Parksy / Damian - I must admit I've picked up plenty of good tips from this forum but using the jockey wheel to check I'm hitched is a great tip. On reflection it's so obvious! My pre-flight checks have previously involved me straining my back to physically lift the hitch!

Cheers

 

[Soozeeg]

My red lever isn't attached permanently to the AlKo stabiliser forks.

Because the spare wheel on my Pajero is mounted on the back door and I had to faff about opening and closing the door when hitching I removed the red lever and keep it under my seat.

After I've successfully hitched up and checked using the jockey wheel lift method Herself ceremoniously passes the red handle to me with a flourish, I slide it over the forks and engage the stabiliser and pass it back to go under my seat.

Apart from some vague arm waving which I usually ignore anyway the passing of the red handle is the main part of the proceedings for Herself.

I usually say to her 'Thanks - I could never have managed without you' lol

You norty boy Steve......God help you if she reads this over your shoulder, as I know she does sometimes......and if she doesn't, well, you know, female solidarity and all that!! ;o) LOL

 

[Parksy]

You norty boy Steve......God help you if she reads this over your shoulder, as I know she does sometimes......and if she doesn't, well, you know, female solidarity and all that!! ;o) LOL

She noticed your name Sue and asked to see what you'd put - Ouch!!

She says that she's going to slap my legs if I don't behave - so I'll play her up some more in case she forgets :0)

 

[Parksy]

You're welcome Glen's mate, I used to do the same thing at one time.

 

[J.Lo]

A few weeks ago going to a rally I missed a turning and decided to turn around on the car park 50 mtrs on only to be met by a low barrier, so it was a long reverse. A few minutes later another van missed the turn and thought the same as me but FORGOT he had a caravan on the back, oh dear. J.Lo

 

[J.Lo]

A few weeks ago going to a rally I missed a turning and decided to turn around on the car park 50 mtrs on only to be met by a low barrier, so it was a long reverse. A few minutes later another van missed the turn and thought the same as me but FORGOT he had a caravan on the back, oh dear. J.Lo

 

[J.Lo]

A few weeks ago going to a rally I missed a turning and decided to turn around on the car park 50 mtrs on only to be met by a low barrier, so it was a long reverse. A few minutes later another van missed the turn and thought the same as me but FORGOT he had a caravan on the back, oh dear. J.Lo

Why does it do that to me, enter twice I mean. J.LO

 

[Soozeeg]

She noticed your name Sue and asked to see what you'd put - Ouch!!

She says that she's going to slap my legs if I don't behave - so I'll play her up some more in case she forgets :0)

My Steve says he'll have to try that!!! (actually, he doesn't need an excuse, I'll slap his legs anyway ;o) hehehe)

 

[Garfield]

Hi

I bought a boat some years ago and allowed the seller to hitch it on for me, as I pulled out of their gate the car took off as the boat was ditched in the middle of the road with a bus bearing down on it, fortunately there was only a dent in the pride.

Another boat incident involved freinds who had their boat come away at higher speed, the passengers in the car saw the boat come away "Sh*t!! Stop! Stop! Stop! the boats come off!!" so the driver slammed on the brakes for the passengers to see the boat catching up!!! "Sh*t! Go! Go!" fortunately the damage was limited to a badly ground trailer frame.

 

[Lutz]

Several years ago, in the days when there was still a checkpoint at the border betwween France and Belgium, we saw a car that had been towing a yacht, but the driver had obviously forgotten that the axle of the trailer was considerably wider than the car. A wheel got caught on an isle in the middle, resulting in the car being in Belgium, the trailer in France and the yacht kind of wedged up against the kiosk halfway in between.

 

[602]

Hi,

About a hundred yards from home, there was this funny noise. Checked my mirrors. Nope, nothing there. Hang on, there ought to be a caravan ........ No excuses.

In Duncan Hamilton's auto biography, "Touch Wood" ( A good read) he recounts how he drove a Bugati hill-climb car with double rear wheels through a narrow gateway ..... tore the back axle off. They spent all night fixing it back on again. By the following morning, the car was ready to go, although they were knackered. So knackered in fact, that they drove the car through the same gateway, with the same result. :-(

So it happens to the best of us.

Its not unknown for hubby to drive off while wife is visiting the service station facilities.

602

 

[marlot]

⇨ a couple hitched up there caravan and drove up the drive and there caravan became un hitched the caravan rolled back down the drive but luckliy the jockey wheel stuck in the ground and it came to rest on the back of a motor home with no damage

Does that mean they also forgot to attach the breakaway cable?

 

[Douglas_374404558]

Sue bot

this has to be a windup or the guy that was driving must be blind and stupid as soon as the van unhitched the brakeaway cable should have worked (if he had one)also he must have felt the weight of the van on the back of his vehicle or he had a very large towing vehicle or a very light van for him not to feel it ???

cheers Duggie

 

[Lutz]

If he forgot to hitch up properly (perhaps he was interrupted by some other task), it's highly likely that he would have forgotten to attach the breakaway cable, too.

 

[602]

Hi,

I unhitched my caravan while parked on my 1:8 drive. Handbrake was on. Caravan ran backwards down the drive, with me pulling on the handbrake. The handbrake lever reached the end of its travel, and still the van was rolling. Luckily it was only a little Freedom, and I managed to slew it through 90* when it reached the road.

So, how do reverse enable brakes tell the difference between being pushed backwards by the tow car and being pulled backwards by gravity?

I read sometime later, that a man had been killed by a runaway caravan in similar circumstances. Can anyone re-assure me that these brakes are safe?

602

 

[Douglas_374404558]

If he forgot to hitch up properly (perhaps he was interrupted by some other task), it's highly likely that he would have forgotten to attach the breakaway cable, too.

HI! Lutz come on !! the guy must be mad not to check before moving off even if he was distracted. would you move off without checking don,t think so

Cheers Duggie