Travelling home from work yesterday over the Humber Bridge I am approaching the toll boths the four open ones are clearly marked with a green arrow above The others have a red cross and a red and white barrier with a no entry sign In front of me is a Caravan who suddenly decides he will switch to the booth to his right which is the one I am heading for doesnt cause me a problem. As he gets almost to the booth he decides to move accross to the last booth on the right clearly marked as closed As I pull alongside to the open booth the driver is leaning forward staring hard with his mouth open and his blonde lady friend waving her arms at him. He looked stunned that the booth didn't open for him bet his Sat Nav told him to do it He certainly didn't look like he had a brain to work it out himself. And last week a Bloody great Harley with a tiny little old bloke on it pulled up at one booth and I went to the next when I opened the window to pay there was an almighty bang and crash when I pulled forward I looked back to see the Harley on its side and no sign of the rider
Hiya Higgy748, Do you live on the east or west side of the river? I spend half my time staying on the west side, about 15 mins from the bridge. Anth
Just the same down here on the Tamar Bridge... Saw the first caravan of the year heading into Cornwall yesterday - time to start worrying about myopic, senile half-wits clogging up the roads again !
I hate caravaners with a passion i have a permanant limp due to one of those retatards cutting me up in 1981 , living in devon all the fucwits come down here or on the way to cornwall i would make them pass a test to show they can tow safely
A local rider was seriously injured a couple of weeks ago on the A166 Between Driffield and Wetwang, believed to have been caused by a caravan? it goes without saying guys and gals but we're coming up to the silly season...Easter, and they'll be like flies round sh*t. ride safe especially around these homes on wheels
Yep c##tyvan season is nearly upon us. They arrive in big numbers up here on the coast, causing no end of tailbacks, then pitch up on not only campsites but also on the local school playing field, where they sit in their deck chairs. Can't see the sea from there, so what's the point? Beats me.
I do not understand why people do not have to take a test to tow things, caravans, horse trailers etc. Do youngsters have to to take an extra test for towing yet?
They are a pain in the bum here as well . Wobbleboxes.. TopGear have the right idea mobile ones should be blown up!
While I appreciate the sentiments against poor driving/towing, the rant against caravans here doesn't sit right with me. I've towed my Caterham on a car trailer all over the place and it requires extra attention to not create issues for other road users. Anyone towing should get experience and practice safely before any major outing. The law says they are free to practice their hobby and I'm fine they enjoy it. An irrational hatred of their hobby and any attempts to suggest additional tests etc. are the sort of thing that could easily be directed at motorbikes. There will be just as many people focussed on losing the motorbike menace as the caravan from the roads if you give free reign to prejudice based on something not floating your own boat. I can't ever see me getting a caravan but if someone gets a buzz from sitting on a deck chair and watching the world go by then they can fill their boots in my world. If they break the rules of driving and cause an issue then it's the same rules for all road users, though I recognise the enforcement of the rules equally isn't usually the case. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
nobody said anything about breaking the the law , people who own caravans and take them on the roads should have to take an addtional test to show thier compitance in towing , i would not like to tow a big box or trailer with some sort of instuction like how to reverse with one also you should have some sort of MOT for a towed item as the only time you know if somthing is wrong is when the wheels fall off
Towing is not that hard, it's getting the setup wrong that causes most issues with not having a balanced combination of car and towed whatever. You can't realistically put in a towing test unless you want anyone looking to tow to pass some reversing exam which is probably the most challenging aspect. Thing is reversing is all low speed, mostly occurs at home or journey end and is highly unlikely to cause an accident. Not knowing vehicle length and poor road craft are bigger issues and anyone can be guilty of that. When towing long journeys, like the time I towed my Caterham all the way to Spa on my jack, I have actually found it pretty relaxing to be in the slower lane, buzzing along at an average pace and just chilling in the car. The key thing is to realise anyone overtaking is really overtaking two to three cars equivalent and leave plenty of space, sort your mirrors etc. MOTs for towed vehicles are a good idea as a 50 year old caravan, completely junked can be legally towed and could easily represent a hazard. Not sure you can enforce it equally though as a mini trailer would need the same rules in theory so it becomes unworkable. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
mabe some sort of licence that would be displayed on the back to show that the towed item has passed a yearly test and was road worthy
I agree that if caravanning is what people want to do then they are perfectly within their rights to do it, they are however a pain in the ar#e. this is made worse if you live in a holiday destination where they descend en mass and you witness all ends of the spectrum, from people who are clearly prepared and good at towing and people who shouldn't even be driving let alone towing. A lot of the caravans now seem to have a remote reverse system, where you unhitch and use a remote control to reverse and manoeuvre, which is actually quite cool. My comment re sitting in their chairs in a field, was merely that if you drive x number of miles to the coast, why then sit in your chair in a field with no view of he sea, but if that's what floats their boat, that's fine. Doesn't stop me disliking them whilst they are on the road.
Motorcyclists already have been hit with huge increases in testing for a licence. When you pass you get an endorsment on your licence. Why not for towing? Taking a day course which includes things like loading evenly, reversing, fitting mirrors, towing electrics, caravan auto-braking systems, even gas usage/storage could be valuable. Even if there is no actual test at the end, this knowledge endorsed on your licence has to be better than Mr Idiot going and buying an old dangerous caravan/bike trailer and doing 60mph with it. Caravan, horse box MOT absobloodylutly! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
On another note, I once was in the M27 when i saw a caravan pull onto the hard shoulder, but its offside wheel was still doing 60mph down the hill toward J12. I overtook it in my 4x4 an nudged it with the nearside wing into the hard shoulder. It rolled off the bank still rolling down the hard shoulder. I matched its speed and let it hit the back of the bumper to stop it. It hit the exhaust and stopped in the hard shoulder. Ironically I was going to kwikfit to replace the exhaust. I thought about putting in the back and going 4 miles out of my way to return it (it had travelled about a mile), then thought the guy might think about what twat he'd been walking to get it! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Caravanners do seem to have reversed evolution don't they. Interestingly, anyone who passed their car test post 01-01-97 has to take a test to tow a trailer of any kind. Bet it doesn't help.
