run away caravan

[Chris_374413356]

I don't know if any of you oldies will remember, but the brake manufacturers tried to engineer a braking system for caravans that you could automatically reverse without getting out of the car and putting a U shaped piece of steel behind the hitch to prevent it going into the A frame and operating the brakes.

Well.

This was fine but it meant that if you applied the handbrake facing down hill it held, but if the van was facing up hill with the brake correctly applied then it was easy to push the van backwards and sometimes it ran backwards by itself.

This was a big problem at the time and various caravan magazines carried horrendous stories of runaway vans... Including mine. I remember it very well and still have cold sweats thinking about it.

Thankfully we've moved on since then

 

[John_miller]

My experience took place in Italy last month and was caused (indirectly) by my new Motor Mover. Put the van into place on the mover due to very tight pitch, pulled on the handbrake, put the steadies down, then released Motor Mover. When we left, I wound up the steadies before engaging Motor Mover and as I started on the last one, the van started to gently roll backwards and came to rest against the car of my Dutch neighbour. Wouldn't have happened without the mover, as I would have realised that the handbrake wasn't fully on as soon as it was unhitched. The Dutch guy took it very well despite the marks on his paint. Unfortunately, I got a letter from his insurance company this morning, so it looks as though the paint work needed some attention. Another lesson learned!

John M

 

[Stephen_374341239]

What happened to the break away cable????????????????????????

 

[Di3]

Sue bot

Just read your's and subsequent thread, must admit I did have a giggle!!! I thinks we've all done something daft..... hopfully with no damage... Perhaps we could start a thread of Caravaners silliest things!!!

How about it Parsky???..... Or has it been done before?

Di

 

[izzeybear1]

This reminds me of a sticker that was seen on the rear of a car

"If you can read this where the ?@#$ is my caravan"

 

[Parksy]

Sue bot

Just read your's and subsequent thread, must admit I did have a giggle!!! I thinks we've all done something daft..... hopfully with no damage... Perhaps we could start a thread of Caravaners silliest things!!!

How about it Parsky???..... Or has it been done before?

Di

Hiya Di

I'm sure that a good many of us would have stories to add to that one.

All you have to do is start a new topic in the General section

 

[trevgib]

im amazed it was th jocky wheel that stopped it is that not the job of the brake away cable or I guess that was not attached as well !!!!! oh its a worry

Trev

 

[Gav]

as a newbie i am very cautious about towing, not particularly nervous, just meticulous. the only issue i have is driving an auto i rarely use the car's handbrake. after parking the car (another long story as reversing a caravan is for the moment a sacred skill) i put the car in 'N' and tested the handbrake with the weight of the van on the back.

the handbrake had no effect whatsover on a genle slope and the whole thing lurched forward!! although no accident occurred it might be a reminder to get handbrakes checked before towing. especially for us idle auto drivers!!

 

[hgv dave]

hi all

things like this make you wonder if a caravan driving test is needed?

the problem now is with the credit crunch some people are taking up caravaning because its a cheaper holiday at the moment but they havent a clue about towing.i wonder how many of the caravan accidents we here about on the radio are caused by people like this?

even we on here are not perfect but at least we had the brains to be on here and ask questions about our hobby

but even though we do the best we can.......we are all tarred with the same brush and to non vanners....we are all the same!

hgv dave

 

[Ruth_5123617]

as a newbie i am very cautious about towing, not particularly nervous, just meticulous. the only issue i have is driving an auto i rarely use the car's handbrake. after parking the car (another long story as reversing a caravan is for the moment a sacred skill) i put the car in 'N' and tested the handbrake with the weight of the van on the back.

the handbrake had no effect whatsover on a genle slope and the whole thing lurched forward!! although no accident occurred it might be a reminder to get handbrakes checked before towing. especially for us idle auto drivers!!

Hi Gav, as someone who tows with an auto we use the 'P' rather than 'N' when stopping with the handbrake as an extra when leaving the outfit. Ruth