WORLD SPEED RECORD FOR CARAVAN ONTHE M1 TODAY IN LEICESTERSHIRE

[BOING]

today i witnessed a guy with a 06 plate range rover sport -[number plate noted] towing a sterling twin axle caravan at close on 80 mph.

is this a record.i was travelling at 60 mph in lane 1 and caught him up just to see what speed he was doing.

no wonder we hear all the time about caravans overturned on the motorway.

i think we need to name and shame the number plates

have you ever seen anything like this

 

[PC_5119929]

Well firstly you are as guilty as he, as you broke the limit out of curiosity. It would only be right to name and shame re your own plate as well !

Have seen twin axle towa van heavier than a caravan towed at over 90 mph on a UK motorway and the driver was going to the same place as me and admitted to "90 mph or so" . And know of a private coach that a police stopped when towing a 2.5 tonne trailer at over 90mph.Let off on a technicality as it was non UK registered and legal as it was a promotional vehicle that did not have to be restricted.

 

[ProfJohnL]

There is no way I condone anyone speeding.

If the driver of the Range Rover wishes to blatently exceed the speed limit that is not an excuse or reason for you to do the same.

Some outfits may remains stable at such elevated speeds, but do you know which they are. I wouldn't like to be behind one when it flips.

Why put your self at increased risk by following a speeding driver?, and to speed yourself? you had better add your own number plate to list.

 

[Lutz]

From memory, the World Speed Record for an unmodified production outfit is just over 140mph for a single axle and 123mph for a twin, so that guy's got someway to go yet.

 

[Icemaker]

i think michael hold of the explorer group broke some speed record with a caravan not so long ago. i must admit that i towed at 75 for the first time in france last week my outfit felt steady as a rock and gave no cause for concern (ace celebration 590 twin axle and seat alhambra tdi 130) but i would not go over the 60 limit here as i would not wish to break the law and it is quite simply too busy on our roads. I was also on the M1 today and although i did not see the range rover i did see a porche cayene which was also towing a sterling twin axle i wonder whether this was a magazine test of sport 4x4's bye any chance as it is very rare to see two such cars towing anyway esspecially on the same motorway with the same van.

 

[Ogre]

There is NO defence to this.

Had this MANIAC had a blowout, or any other loss of control of the unit, it could well have resulted in absolute carnage for a lot of other perfectly law abiding people travelling on the motorway.

Stupid, irresponsible, and totally arrogant driving.

PLEASE report the number to the police.

 

[Steve L]

Here we go again. Another idiot driving on the highway.

I bet he/she didn't give a sh*t either. I've seen first hand what a flipping van can do and the state it leaves the family in who are towing it.

When you are towing your van down the road, You as the driver, have both a moral duty and a loving resposability to look after your family while you are driving. SO WHY THE HELL DO WE HAVE TO SPEED OR DO STUPID MANOUVERS WHILE WE HAVE THE ENTIRE FAMILY IN THE CAR!!

It is beyond me and the comprehension of others why these pratts put the lives of the entire family at risk and also any other inocent people in the vacinity.

Twenty odd years ago on our first caravan trip we saw a Vauxhall senator blast past us at well over the speed limit with his missus and two kids in it. We know how many were in it because about an hour later we came across an accident involving the same senator now upside down and dragging a heap of twisted metal that was the caravan.

On the local news that night they featured the accident and he'd managed to kill the children and critically injure his wife. She had multiple spinal injuries. Miraculusly he only had a couple of broken legs. But he has got a life long memory to live with.

I for one don't want that to be the case for me, so for the family's sake, SLOW DOWN AND DRIVE SAFELY.

Steve L

 

[Bazz1]

Travelling down the East bound carriage way on the M62 the other day only to witness in front a caravner pass two HGV's using the outside lane. Unfortunately this is a regular accurance on this stretch, I assume there trying to make for Hull and the Ferry. Better to arrive than not at all. Bazz.

 

[NorfolkMike]

Five minuites late in this world is better than five minuites early in the next.

ttfn

 

[rayc]

You can legally tow at up to 130km/h on the French autoroutes and whilst cruising along at 60mph I am passed by numerous German / Dutch / Belgium and French caravans at speeds of 70mph plus. Are all these drivers being reckless or are they driving within limits they have set for their combinations and their abilities?

Why is it dangerous to tow above 60mph in the UK? The limit is arbitary.

 

[Lutz]

German drivers (I don't know about the others) will loose at least some of their insurance coverage in case of an accident, even if they are not to blame, if it can be proved that they were doing more than 100kph (60mph) - so, yes, they are acting recklessly.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Ray

 

[Lutz]

Actually, the overwhelming majority of countries in Europe only allow 80kph (50mph) when towing so it's wrong to suppose that everybody on the Continent can speed along with their caravans any faster than in the UK. In fact, the 60mph UK limit is higher than most.

France, Belgium, and for what it's worth, Lithuania are absolute exceptions.

 

[vi]

German drivers (I don't know about the others) will loose at least some of their insurance coverage in case of an accident, even if they are not to blame, if it can be proved that they were doing more than 100kph (60mph) - so, yes, they are acting recklessly.

Not just in Germany I think Lutz as the English handbook (and the French one) for our German caravan makes this point very clearly.

 

[Guest]

We notice many "run to the sun" drivers in France of various nationaities. There are more than a few German registered cars and quite a few french who must push the French limits.

I would rather they were past me than find out how fast they are going.

It's the polices job to impose the law and I misplaced my halo years ago and worry about others who appear so saintly.

 

[Ogre]

Nobody CARES what speeds are allowed on the continent.

The fact is, that this occurred on a road in THIS country, where the speed limit (whether you like it or not), is 60mph.

I, for one, don't want to see MY family spread all over the road, dying, because of some lunatic SHOWING OFF in his stupid Range Rover!

Read Steve in Leo's post..........and reflect!!!

 

[SteveW77]

A Range Rover is a car and cannot be stupid, only the driver can qualify for that distinction.

 

[Guest]

I take it Keith's comment was aimed at me, I was not making comaprison between UK and Continental limits!

Risks increase with speed , depending on vehicle and caravan the relative risks may not be greater than many other "lunatics" on the road.

We arrived by ferry last week and there were at least 3 rigs on the ferry that I would not have been driving on UK or continental roads at 30 mph, so forget the limits!

I was not supporting the speeding driver, but despair at the sanctimonious comments about showing off, and the "I never" comments.

I know I'm not a perfect driver and have made mistakes on the roads many times.

As we are retired live in France and tour a lot of the time we see and meet a lot of caravanners and exchange caravanning stories. We've met plenty of perfect nose weight well loaded caravan users with loads of experience and tales of keeping to the limits. Holiday slip ups re drink driving, over loading at Calais Auchan on return, speeding past us on the road on trips out are just a few things we've than noted.

Sorry but I've yet to meet the perfect driver who never bends rules or makes mistakes.

I've been fortunate enough to be able to afford nice cars and take your apparent anger as a dig as Range Rover was mentioned.

I've towed my van on the 60 UK limit and have seen others with lesser vehicles getting into trouble due to lack of power yet still try to maintain a speed near the limit.

I'm not the only one to comment re legal speed safety and common sense safety. You can have a hard job to differentiate between the worse danger of some being over the limit and some under or on it yet not being as saintly as they think!

I can tow legally at 80mph + in my home country, if my wife or I were ever to pass you at that speed in the UK it would be illegal, but it could be down to a slip of the memory but I can assure you showing off would never be a thought that crossed my mind.

 

[rayc]

Keith advises Dave to report the speeding vehicle to the Police. I would caution Dave to be very careful about doing this as he is the only person involved in the incident who has admitted breaking the law. I can see him receiving a caution with words of advise "that the only persons who have an exemption to exceed the speed limit when investigating a crime are Police Officers".

I am sure that Dave is trustworthy and honest but what if he isn't? Maybe he is vindictive and just hates caravans- why should the Police believe him?

 

[paulktnichols]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I understood that the 130kph limited for towing vehicles on the French Autoroute only applied to combinations with a Train weight (ie MAX vehicle weight plus MAX van weight{MTPLM}) of less than 3.5 tons. I also understand that this applied to plated weights and not actual weights.

 

[Lutz]

From reading the French 'Code de la Route', that is my understanding, too, but then my French isn't that good. Perhaps someone else will enlighten us with a more definitive answer, so here is the respective paragraph, or 'd

 

[Ogre]

Euro.........The comment was NOT aimed at you.

I too have owned (and still own) a "nice car".

 

[CliveV]

I regularly travel the M5, M3, M27 and occaisionaly bits of the M4 - I generally stick at an indicated 70 ish with cruise control.

I regularly get "caught up" sometimes tailgated and then overtaken by people in all sorts of vehicles towing caravans. I do stick to the inner lane and cannot abide CLOC's (Centre Lane Owners Club)

So why the surprize at this one event?

I was overtaken a month or so ago by an ALFA 156 towing a caravan when I was doing about 70 mph - he was in the outside lane and not able to see anything behind him as the caravan was not "see thru" and he had no mirror extensions.

It was bloody frightening because he just started to pull over when he thought he had past me. I had to brake to allow him in.

It is not the car it is the nut behind the wheeel

?

 

[CliveV]

Could I also mention how positively inteligent and upstanding the Alfa looked. A true credit to the people who made it.

A very smart looking vehicle.

LMAO!!!!

 

[Val & Frank]

Could I also mention how positively inteligent and upstanding the Alfa looked. A true credit to the people who made it.

A very smart looking vehicle.

LMAO!!!!

Clive

What does LMAO mean ??? can't help being a little thick

Frank