They're just jealous!

[Mike_5041089]

All the silly reports of caravanners causing hold-ups, triggered by the CC's 100th Birthday yesterday are just not true (as we know). The simple fact is that there are just too many cars and not enough roads. Other families taking package holidays probably have a minimum 2 hour drive to their chosen airport, then if they're very lucky and the flight is leaving on time, they'll have to queue for at least two hours to get their boarding passes, and probably have to queue the other end for another 1-2 hours to get their baggage. Then, a hire-car/coach journey to their hotel for another 1-2 hours.

I reckon non 'vanners moan about us because they're jealous of our freedom.

Also, I'm sure we've all privately vented frustration on the truck/van/coach etc in front of us "crawling" along the open road at about 30-40mph, only to find that when we overtake there's a tractor or similar holding them up. I think that the perception of us causing traffic jams is because we cannot so easily overtake slower trffic in front, which following drivers behind us cannot see, due to the width and bulk of the average 'van.

Perhaps the CC could lay down the gauntlet, and challenge a solo driver to drive on mixed roads (M-ways and A roads) over a set distance, with the solo car leaving at the same time as the 'van. Both drivers would, of course be required to stick rigidly to all speed limits and road regulations, and should be scrutinised by say a Traffic Cop travelling with them to ensure that no laws were broken.

I'd bet that the results would surprise many, as over a 100+ mile journey, there would be very little difference in average speeds and journey times between the two.

Most modern, well matched outfits could easily and probably safely exceed the 60mph national limit where road conditions allow.

 

[mcghee]

Your right about the average speed Mike. My average speed when travelling with a 'van on the back is about 53/54 MPH. Mostly governed by traffic conditions, the same as when solo.

One thing which really rouses me is being held up by a solo car while towing my 'van. Its usually some clown who's desperate to get in front that holds you up.

 

[DeliDave]

I was held up by a corsa doing 40mph on the Southam to Daventry Road and a large q behind me I managed to get past on a straight and no-one else got by that I saw it was 5 miles before a car appeared in the mirror but I bet they all blamed me until they could see the corsa.

 

[Angus1]

We regularly travelled to West Wales with the van, and in the hundred-odd miles from the end of dual-carriageways south of Wrexham to our destination occasionally counted how many times we were overtaken by solo cars on single-carriageway roads. We usually overtook more cars (even with the van on the back) than overtook us. We weren`t trying to break records, merely making normal progress.

" There are none so blind as those that will not see"

 

[Rioja]

Actually, caravans do cause hold ups. They are usually driven by inconsiderate drivers who never pull over or help the traffic behind to overtake.

Another typical example is one van trying to overtake another on a dual carriageway but not having the speed or strength to achieve the objective in a reasonable time. The traffic backs up behind and as it does it creates ques further back down the line.A typical place to see this happen is on the A55 at Holywell, North Wales.

Of course it's not just caravanners that cause ques other vehicles do too.It's naive of anyone to blame or deny responsibility "en block".