Safety issues

[Surfer]

Although you are not obliged to do so, do you carry any of the following when out and about caravanning;

a) High visibility jacket

b) Warning triangle in the car?

c) Jump leads

d) Towing rope

e) Torch

Going one step further

1) Spare light bulbs

2) Spare fanbelt?

3) Proper Spare wheel (lot of modern cars only have a space saver or a can to inflate the tyre)

I don't have (b) and only (3) on the second lot? In the UK I don't see the need for carrying spare bulbs or fanbelt. Do you think any of the above items should be mandatory?

 

[Lutz]

Here, for what it's worth, is my answer from the other side of the Channel:

1. High visibility jacket. Yes, although I must admit it came with the car and I probably wouldn't have bought one, not because I don't think they are a good idea but through pure laziness.

2. Warning triangle. Yes, it's a legal requirement here.

3. Jump leads. Yes, although this is really a convenience and not a safety item.

4. Tow rope. No. I've got one but it's not in the car at present.

5. Torch. No.

6. Spare light bulbs. No, on many modern cars you often can't access the bulbs without having to remove other components with tools, so what's the point?

7. Spare fan belt. No. Chances of other components failing, especially electrical ones, is about as high as the fan belt snapping, so, to cover similar eventualities, if you carry a fan belt you'd have to carry a whole host of other spares as well.

8. Proper spare wheel. No. My car didn't even come with a spare wheel, not even a skinny one, just a puncture kit, but I can live with that. I've only had 3 punctures in over 40 years of driving so I don't see why I should carry all that dead weight around with me unnecessarily.

What else?

1. First aid kit, because it's a legal requirement here.

2. Cheap digital camera in case there is a need for evidence in the event of an accident.

3. Mobile phone. Also in case of an emergency.

4. Restraint net and lashing straps to prevent load in the luggage compartment from catapulting forward in case of an emergency brake or crash (obviously only valid for hatchbacks and estate cars).

 

[Oldfogey]

All of the above, except the fan belt - in forty years of driving I've only ever had one go.

I also carry;

Mobile phone, and car charger lead.

First Aid kit.

Umbrella

Glasses repair kit,

Spare glasses

Space blanket

Change for pay & display parking.

3 miles to the inch map book.

 

[Surfer]

Lots of interesting answers across 4 forums but the one requirement that was omitted but highlighted constantly was a first aid kit. We do carry one but just never thought of it.

As for a camera good diea but them many mobile phones have cameras anyway.

 

[rob_jax]

Hi,

Working either in the UK or Holland (well Europe) then my list is a bit different:

a.) Hi-Vis jacket - yes - in the under seat storage trays

b.) Warning triangle - yes - like most (all?) German cars this is a factory fit and is stored in a cut out in the boot lid liner (the triangles for the caravan travel in the caravan)

c.) Jump leads - no

d.) Tow rope - no

e.) Torch - yes - like some German cars this is a factory fit and is located in the glove box

plus:

f.) First aid kit - yes - like most (all?) German cars this is a factory fit and is stored in a tray under the passenger seat - and in several European countries, if you observe an accident you are required to stop and give assistance - and the contents of the first aid kit must be up-to-date

g.) Combined seat belt safety knife and window breaker - yes - in the tray under the drivers seat - requirement in Holland - quite a few cars end up in canals or road side water - and it's a useful tool if you give help at an accident - break the window to open the door and cut the belt to avoid leaning in.

h.) Fire extinguisher - yes - in the drivers seat tray - same requirement as f)

And your other stuff:

1) Spare bulb pack - yes - but very few of the lights in a MB are user-serviceable - bi-Xenon headlights and LED bulbs for many other circuits...

2) Spare fan belt - are you being serious?

3) Space saver wheel - yes - and perfectly happy - modern car tyres reportedly have a puncture every 100,000 miles

Sensible in the UK?

It would make sense to make the Hi-Vis jacket, warning triangle, first aid kit (and that know how to use it), and fire extinguisher a requirement or included with new cars.

The car owner would need to make sure that anything that time expires is kept current - like the first aid kit and fire extinguisher, otherwise there's no point carrying them.

Robert

 

[thehoods]

Hi all.

1, Hi vis vest. Yes, 4. One for me, one for the wife and one each for the kids.

2, Warning triangle. Yes, in the boot.

3, Jump leads. No.

4, Tow rope. No.

5, Torch. Yes.

6, Spare bulbs. No

7, Fanbelt. No.

8, Proper spare wheel. Yes.

Also carry first aid kit, blankets and umbrella.

Phil.

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi all

I can tell oldfogey came from the same school as me, yes I carry every thing O.F. does including the fan belt because although I am in the AA he may not have one, but if I have he can fit it,(cleaver ehh).

I also carry :-

pr of spare wipers.

small tool kit.

roll of duct tape.

fire extiguiser(belongs in the van but resides in the car).

circut tester.

fuses.

and one of those lightweight rain suits.

spare ign key.

I reckon the whole lot must weigh over 20kg but hey if you've got it you won't need it but go without something. "FATAL"

colin

 

[Oldfogey]

OK Colin, see your list and raise you!

Don't usually carry spare wipers, but everything else you have is a yes, though the tool kit is large, not small, with metric and imperial spanners, socket sets, torque wrench, spare wire and those clip together wire connectors, etc. etc.

Disposable overalls, hand cleaner, plastic car seat covers.

Spare oil, brake fluid, water, windscreen washer, wd40, auto transmission fluid.

Spare LPG connection adaptor.

Tyre pump and pressure guage.

Just checked the map book - 1 1/2 miles to inch, not 3.

 

[rob_jax]

Good grief guys - what do you both drive, the Ford model T?

Robert

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi robert

no not a model T but could probably do with a transit just to carry all the extra stuff O;.

I think it has more to do with all the years of motoring ever time something went wrong with car or van I would not have exactly the right gear to fix it, so I would make sure I had it the next time plus anything extra that may be useful so the list just got longer.

some of the obscure object would probably never get used but it does make sense to carry them just the same, suppose it is just the old boy scout in me "be prepared and all that"

colin

 

[Oldfogey]

Slightly younger than a model T. Until recently it was a 1989 Range Rover, but now I have replaced this with ..... a 1995 Range Rover!

Half the time I end up using my kit to repair somebody else's problem, but I never regret having it, and frankly the RR couldn't care less about the weight or size, so why not?

 

[Legsmaniac_374344731]

We carry nuffink. Not even a spare wheel of any sort.

The RAC and KwikFit will sort us out ;-)

 

[Oldfogey]

Sounds fine... except that;

1. Mobile phone coverage is not universal - particularly if you want to go somewhere interesting!

2. At busy time breakdown services can take hours to turn up. Changing a wheel takes 10 minutes.

3. Most breakdown services get unhappy if you call them out too often.

4. You trust KWIKFIT????? They are expensive, incompetent, and can't spell.

 

[Legsmaniac_374344731]

Have to disagree Oldfogey but then, we have different circumstances.

My wife is disabled and so we have a Motability car. The RAC is provided by RAC Motability and they have a duty of care to turn up as soon as possible. And KwikFit is also provided by Motability so we pay nothing.

 

[Oldfogey]

Fair enough, different circumstances. But do you never find yourself outside mobile phone coverage? Or travelling at busy summer times when even their best efforts could take a couple of hours to get to you?

The last puncture I had was way up in the north-west of Scotland (an hour and half's drive beyond Ullapool). No phone service, harly ever saw another car on the road (and certainly not in the time it took to change the wheel) And there might have been a garage in Ullapool that RAC could send - otherwise it would probably be from Inverness, and that's after I've managed to get a lift to a phone!

Thanks, but I think I will stick to carrying all the gear. Besides, as I said, I probably use it more to help other people than to fix my own problems!

 

[Legsmaniac_374344731]

Quote Oldfogey - But do you never find yourself outside mobile phone coverage? Or travelling at busy summer times when even their best efforts could take a couple of hours to get to you?

Can't say we have. We use O2 mobiles which has a pretty extensive coverage. Motorways have their own phones of course and there's always a telephone kiosk somewhere or a house nearby. Calls are Freephone.

When we have had cause to use RAC Motability or KwikFit, they've always been out to us pretty quick. It's very rare tho and besides, we have Flat Free in our tyres which enables us to continue our journey or to the next KwikFit.

 

[Oldfogey]

I also have O2, and my wife has Vodaphone, but even so we are often in places where there is no coverage on either network, even here in Pembrokeshire; elsewhere in Wales it is not at all uncommon, and even more so in Scotland.

We like, as far as possible, to be independent of outside help, even if it is available (and particularly if it might be difficult to get).

On various occasions I have also;

Changed wheels for other people.

Jump started their car.

Towed them out of mud.

Closed an electric window jammed open.

Rewired a 12N plug.

etc. etc.

Now if we were disabled and using Motability, we might have to rely on RAC etc., but I will always want to be as self sufficient as physically possible.

 

[Legsmaniac_374344731]

While you can be self sufficient, I applaude you. Just remember that not everyone can.

As for the number of people you have helped out of the mud etc., you must meet a lot of rather stupid people.

As for mobile coverage, we've never had many problems with O2 but then again, we don't frequesnt the highlands of Scotland too often.

As for the RAC, if you've paid for their services, why not use them?