towing over the weekend

[RichardJ]

Hi All

We towed our van from Wales to Torbay Friday, back today...., we were stunned to see vans going past us on Friday doing well over 65, sometimes over 80...

I had the sat nav on showing we were doing 60, some vans were passing as if we were standing still.

I often wonder if these idiots realise what they are doing, one passed withing inches of us, making our van sway.

Returning today a Merc 4 x 4 towing a TA passed us going north on the M5 well over 70.

 

[andrew1608]

Alot of people quiet obviously don't know there is a reduced speed limit for towing a caravan, it's does not help that cars are being made more powerfull therefore people don't relise the speed they are doing, somne car handbooks do state that 60mph is the legal limit whilst towing but then how many people read the handbook.

 

[joeby]

if every one done as they should do , there wouldnt be any need for police ,thats why we have speed humps on roads ,its probabley the same people who speed around the caravan site , and shopping car parks ,another thing that annoys me is people driving the wrong way around on site ,if they are not aware of there surroundings they shouldnt be driving

 

[Rodger Dodger]

I returned from Dartmouth on Saturday, happily doing the speed limit of 60, with the van sitting nicely, when I noticed on the other south bound carriageway, a car and caravan in the fast lane tanking along. Then luggage trailers being pulled by large cars in the fast lane on our side of the motorway.

Do people not realise that you are restricted to lanes 1 and 2 only?

 

[STEPHEN_374226156]

I find it best to not worry about other peoples speed just my own, if you are continually watching others then you are not watching your own performance

 

[Chrissylizzie]

Surely part of being a good driver is being aware of what else is happending around you.

 

[STEPHEN_374226156]

Agreed however the other side of a duel carriageway is hardly around you

 

[trucker]

I seen a dark merc 4x4 toing a twin on the A30 east bound pass me in my lorry as if I were standing this afternoon, I was doing a fraction under 60 (as I was going down hill), he must of been doing 70+, another 2 4x4s towing twins went by together doing well over 60 with tails wagging. Im not suprised these days you hear on the trafic report caravan after caravan blocking the roads crashed.

These idiots make me sick not only are they endangering their own lives but others as well.

Whats the hurry your on holiday.

 

[andrew1608]

People don't seam to think it's 60 max for a reason, if you were driving along and either started to snake or have a blow out it's far easier to bring the outfit to a stop in the safest way possible by either keeping to the limit or below the limit. There are genuine reasons for speed limits and not just for the police to make money from fines.

 

[Rodger Dodger]

I feel I must explain, that when I saw the caravan in lane 3 on the other carraigeway, I was in fact in a queue of stopped traffic at the time. I agree with Chrissylizzie that you need to be aware what is happening around you to avoid coaches and large lorries, which can cause a bow wave of air. We have all experienced the sway when caught unawares when not fully aware of what was coming up behind.

I could say, why do some poeple think they do not need extention mirrors, using the cars mirrors can leave a driver not kmowing what is going on behind.

Before the owners of 4x4's start I appreciate that their mirrors do tend to be larger, perhaps offering a better view.

 

[Gumbo]

Is 60 mph the safe speed for a Motorway or should it be 70 mph. Cars and Caravans have moved on a long way from the time 60 was set as the speed limit.

I know when I am limited to 50 mph on an A road I could easily be travelling at 60 mph and still be safe. When people pass you at 70 they feel safe and secure or they would not be doing it ?? They must have a stable outfit or they would be afraid of the caravan turning over. I don't know the stats for caravans turning over, but I do wonder if Speed is the cause or something like Weight or Tyres etc.

 

[Jimbob1]

Hi All,

Just a comment,these people who do 70mph plus should see what happens what atyre blowout does at that speed we saw an acident near Exeter services tyre blewout caravan sprawled all over the carriageway all the peoples belongs everywhere and worse still there were all sorts of vehicles schreeching to avoid the debri this could havebeen a major catastrophe.Bad loading and high speeding is the cause of most caravan accidents.Jimbob

 

[thomas_5106253]

Hampshire Police where having a major purge on the M3 between Fleet services and the turn off for the A303 last saturday morn i counted 5 being chased by un marked police motorcyclists for using the out side lane while towing ,i would dearly love to know what the officer was saying while he was wagging his finger at driver of a burgundy Range Rover he had chased and stopped .The Rnge Rover must have been doing at least 70 mph with the police in .WHAT A DORK.

 

[thomas_5106253]

Hampshire Police where having a major purge on the M3 between Fleet services and the turn off for the A303 last saturday morn i counted 5 being chased by un marked police motorcyclists for using the out side lane while towing ,i would dearly love to know what the officer was saying while he was wagging his finger at driver of a burgundy Range Rover he had chased and stopped .The Rnge Rover must have been doing at least 70 mph with the police in .WHAT A DORK.

missing word is tow

 

[alaintaylor]

Hi

Agreat series of comments and all very sensible. We hear of overturned caravans somewhere in the country far too regularly at this time of year. I wrote to the CC last year requesting they research the issue to inform us of the statistics, ie where/what/why, but nothing came of it, not even an acknowledgement of my letter.

I hope someone is listening out there - this is a serious safety issue. Do caravans fall over because of poor driving, poor maintenance, bad luck, why???? If say 30% because of tyres then launch a big campaign to alert people to changing tyres at the correct intervals and checking condition/pressures/etc, if speed then tell us and wake a few people up. The CC or Practical Caravan could do the caravan industry a big favour here ... and of course there is our reputation to worry about.

THINK SAFE, DRIVE SAFE and stop these horrific caravan accidents.

Sorry, my bandwagon!

Alan

 

[mistermac]

Hi

Totally agree with what's being said here and I too can add my experiences of being 'done' by a 4x4 leaving me standing...

Interestingly, the father-in-law states that he would never tow because he's seen too many caravans snaking around in front of him.

Crazy, ennit?

Poor loading, noseweight checking (my friend, new to caravanning says 'What's this about noseweight then?'...eek!) and speeding all give us safer caravanners a bad name.

(stepping down off soapbox to let someone else have a rant)

Mac

 

[Iain_5062081]

Hi.

I don't normally bother critising other drivers/carvanners, but having read this thread thought I'd recount an experience we had a couple of years ago.

We were trundling West down the A303 on a Saturday morning in August, so as you can imagine it was busy - very busy! We're doing a steady 50/55mph and holding no-one up.

Coming to the end of one of the stretches of dual carriageway I noticed that as usual both lanes we full of brake lights backing up, so I started to brake gently and slow down. A 4*4 with a TA goes flying past well over 70mph, suddenly notices the traffic ahead, slams on the anchors and swings in front of us, so close that I have to brake hard to avoid being side swiped by his van. I let him have a blast of the horn and was greeted by a laconic single digit response. As soon as the road opened up into dual carriageway again, he was off. Out into the outside lane, foot down, about 3 feet from the van in front of him. 'Pilchard' thinks I.

At the end of the next stretch of dual carriageway there is an almighty hold up, and eventually the blues and twos managed to fight throught the traffic. When we eventually got moving again the problem was the same numpty. He'd obviously done the same manouver but not been so lucky this time, clipped the vehicle behind and flipped his van and car.

Not one to stereotype but....

Bare to the waist, *** on, coke can in hand, four kids on the back seat and speeding.

Somehow, no-one was seriously hurt, although we did find out later that two of the children were kept in hospital overnight.

Now, I am not a perfect driver by any means, and I am not that experienced at towing. But I take what I beleive to be a common sense approach to towing, staying within my comfort zone and being aware that there are other drivers who will always want to get past a caravan, and where possible I will assist them to do so. It's safer for all of us that way.

Oh. Just to add - I don't wear white socks and brown leather sandalls yet and have never worn a flat cap in my life, but at the same time don't understand modern music and wouldn't ever consider getting any part of me pierced! That puts me between 40 - 50, I think.

An average bloke with an average family enjoying caravanning. 'Nuff said.

Iain