Today`s Rant

[u8myufo]

People towing Caravans The season is well upon us now and we have to endure the usual congestion that these Morons create For starters I think there should be a law which states they should only travel under the cover of darkness, I mean it aint as if they got no accomodation when they arrive at their destination in the morning :shrug: It seems the majority are old people as well which makes it even more frightning to see on the Motorway`s. Behind the wheel is usually Pop`s dressed in either his bright Yellow freshly ironed shirt or a stripey Woolly jumper that you see worn at the local Golf Club. Arms are stretched out rigid and eyes are firmly focused ahead as he guides his 4x4 onwards to their destination. I sometimes wonder if some of them have died at the wheel :shrug: FFS!! you are going on holiday, at least look bloody happy about it, the other half is sat in the passengers seat dressed in a Black Cardigan and looking just as miserable, do they go the whole journey without talking to each other I wonder Talking of their 3.5ltr 4x4`s, do they realise that the object they are towing is slapping the carp out of all the other vehicles whilst they are in the middle lane overtaking at speeds of 70mph and above As for them on the A or B roads I think that there should be check points set up and any of them caught to be creating a queue of traffic of more than a certain amount should be pulled in and given an on the spot fine :rules:

That`s better

 

[realspeed]

Worst are lorry drivers that hog the middle lane on a motorway mile after mile trying to overtake another lorry. There should be a law restricting lorries to the inside lane only.

Realspeed

 

[Tori]

Shed pullers....a shared pet hate!

 

[mercedes]

I'm no fan of caravans on tow, but I was once behind one that was going a real rate of knots . . . then it hit a bend . . . then it rolled over . . . I helped turn it right way up again and we opened the door to survey the interior damage. They'd had a catering size tin of beans inside and the lid had flicked off during the roll - Oh boy! anyone ever seen a tangoed dralon interior?

 

[Flossyrockstar]

Worst are lorry drivers that hog the middle lane on a motorway mile after mile trying to overtake another lorry. There should be a law restricting lorries to the inside lane only.

Realspeed

 

[big soft moose]

Shed pullers....a shared pet hate!

its worse down here in devon - i'm based in branscombe and it can sometimes take hours to get out on any of the main routes (tho there is a 'secret' way out that isnt signed so doesnt get grockled usually) principally due to shed pullers who can't reverse worth toffee

what makes it worse is I have no idea why they are going into branscombe anyway as there are no caravan sites in the valley and the beach carpark has a height barrier

 

[srichards]

The congestion behind caravans is often caused by people that sit right up each other's bums and will not over take! If you aren't going to overtake a slower vehicle then drop back so others can over take you as well. If people did this and shed puller showed some courtesy and pulled into laybys to let everyone by every now and then then it wouldn't anywhere near as bad.

Simple solution to the lorry problem is to remove the stupid restrictors. Then they can do 60 - 70 like everyone else. It's usually obvious when they're going to pull out so you move into the outside lane in plenty of time. I rarely get stuck behind them snailing past each other. If you want to ban them from the middle lane then a) don't expect to be able to join a motorway at all as the inner lane will be solid and b) expect to pay more for moving goods across the country and higher food costs, as more of it perishes, as you've slowed them down to whatever the slowest person is on the inside lane is doing.

 

[Splog]

What a waste of a thread...... Some people need to get out more.

 

[PetethePrimate]

For all the caravan haters

[YOUTUBE]tvkYCapb31w[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Catdaddy]

What a waste of a thread...... Some people need to get out more.

Would that be with or without their caravans?

 

[Mike Jackson]

When I used to go drag racing we used to tow a 30ft box trailer behind a long wheel base transit. If you think it;s bad being stuck behind a caravan just try being stuck behind that. Pulling over to let people past isn't normally an option because no one will let you out of the layby once you get into it.

We used to have numerous long vehicle signs and side lights all the way down the side but people still used to try and get past where there was insufficient room.

 

[swag72]

I do feel your pain - The OP clearly has been behind my grandparents - He's 84 she's 88, he points the Discovery in the right direction with the steering wheel, but she really does all the driving from the co-pilots seat! She's never had a driving license, but knows how to do it! They tow their van up the M1 and I hate to think of the destruction he leaves behind him!! We all keep telling him it's time to stop the driving, let alone still towing the van. Each year they say it will be their last year with the van, but they keep ending up in a caravan showroom and buying another model :bang:

You've got to hand it to them, but I do pity the poor sods stuck behind them!

 

[onomatopoeia]

For starters I think there should be a law which states they should only travel under the cover of darkness

As someone that regularly tows a trailer of similar size and weight to a caravan, I absolutely do not want this to happen.

Mine is a race car on four wheel car transporter but I'm subject to the same speed limits and other legislation that a caravan is. No way I want to be forced to arrive at an event at dawn (4.15am in June) and go home after dusk (10pm). Well not unless you want carnage on the motorway when I fall asleep going home.

Tell you what, how about making it a criminal offence to follow so closely that there is no room for someone to pull in after overtaking you. I see this so often when there is a slow moving vehicle creating a queue, three or four cars all so close together that the only way to pass one is to pass them all.

I'd like to ban people without children from owning four seater cars. Most almost never use the back seats so they could have smaller two seater cars instead and take up less space on the road and use less carbons (I may not be entirely serious here , but there is a point about why do people buy four/five seaters when they never take more than one passenger or carry large loads?)

 

[u8myufo]

What a waste of a thread...... Some people need to get out more.

As a matter of fact I do nearly every day on the Motorway hence the thread. And that reply gives me a feeling that you pull sheds in your spare time

 

[u8myufo]

Would that be with or without their caravans?

Or perhaps to do this :shrug: http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=272247

 

[2blue4u]

For all the caravan haters

Love it. One to bookmark

 

[u8myufo]

As someone that regularly tows a trailer of similar size and weight to a caravan, I absolutely do not want this to happen.

Mine is a race car on four wheel car transporter but I'm subject to the same speed limits and other legislation that a caravan is. No way I want to be forced to arrive at an event at dawn (4.15am in June) and go home after dusk (10pm). Well not unless you want carnage on the motorway when I fall asleep going home.

Tell you what, how about making it a criminal offence to follow so closely that there is no room for someone to pull in after overtaking you. I see this so often when there is a slow moving vehicle creating a queue, three or four cars all so close together that the only way to pass one is to pass them all.

I'd like to ban people without children from owning four seater cars. Most almost never use the back seats so they could have smaller two seater cars instead and take up less space on the road and use less carbons (I may not be entirely serious here , but there is a point about why do people buy four/five seaters when they never take more than one passenger or carry large loads?)

Racing drivers would be exempt under the condition you have pointed out
Let us take a situation where I am in the middle lane doing around 70mph about to overtake vehicles on the inside lane. They are traveling at a slower speed than myself. You then get some numpty up your arse looking like he/she really needs to get pass you, after tailgating you for about half a mile they make their move on the outside lane. Once they have gone by you and are now in front of you in the middle lane they then ease off the throttle and go slower than the traffic on the inside I have always found this happens more when they are driving a similar vehicle to the one that you are in at the time :shrug: Another of my pet hates is when travelling slowly in congested traffic and you can see someone who is waiting patiently and wanting to pull out of a side street, why the hell dont people just take their foot off of the throttle and flash them out if there is a gap in the oncoming direction. Not only does it or should put people in a good enough mood so that they do it to someone else on their travels, but it makes traffic flow more smoothly as opposed to just stopping dead in the road to let them out.

 

[Lynton]

I am more than happy for caravans to be on the road providing the following rules are adhered to.

1) A government office set up, and like the FAA "flight plans" have to be booked and authorised in advance (min of 48 hours) with no deviation from the route.

2) A tax on caravans of £1 per mile per axle when towing on a road between 6am and 10pm. Between 10pm and 6 am, 50p per mile per axle.

 

[big soft moose]

the ones that really annoy me are the ones who try to tow a dirty great caravan with a totally underpowered car

I saw one yesterday where they were towing a huge caravan behind what looked like a ford fiesta - I only got a look at it in the rear view mirror as i overtook but it was something of that ilk - I mean if you're going to spend thousands on a caravan for gawds sake spend a few k on getting something with the oomph to tow it at a reasonable speed

 

[gramps]

Love the 'old so must be incapable' analogy ... I was on a country lane in Devon a few weeks back in my Toyota HiAce, came across a young couple in a small Peugeot and there wasn't room for two!
He's giving it #@% and jesturing me to reverse all the way back down the lane, when there's a passing place 15 yards behind him ... no way Hosea.
After he got the message that I wasn't going anywhere he started to reverse ... oh dear ... left, right, left ... he obviously doesn't do backwards!!!

 

[AJQS]

I can't think of a more stressful way to go on holiday than to take a caravan - I HATE having to drive at stupidly low speeds, the extra manouvering required, not to mention the extra cost in fuel of lugging it round, then there's having to find somewhere to put it. Sod that.

 

[big soft moose]

Love the 'old so must be incapable' analogy ... I was on a country lane in Devon a few weeks back in my Toyota HiAce, came across a young couple in a small Peugeot and there wasn't room for two!
He's giving it #@% and jesturing me to reverse all the way back down the lane, when there's a passing place 15 yards behind him ... no way Hosea.
After he got the message that I wasn't going anywhere he started to reverse ... oh dear ... left, right, left ... he obviously doesn't do backwards!!!

If it was a young 'couple' in a blue peuot partner on their way into branscombe you've just encountered me and my colleague with a van load of railway sleepers - we wasnt going back up that hill in reverse for love nor money, and there was that much weight in the back that the steering was somewhat light and rearward vis not the best

(we did encounter some old bloke in a red Hi ace halfway down the hill , and there would have been room for two if he'd known how wide his vehicle was - no one needs 2ft between them and the nearside hedge bank )

 

[mj4456]

I'd like to ban people without children from owning four seater cars. Most almost never use the back seats so they could have smaller two seater cars instead and take up less space on the road and use less carbons .

My two seater isn't what I'd call small, and the emissions cost me £445 in VEL a year, saying that, it does have the go to nip past car/trailer combos in short gaps.
What do you race?

 

[nilagin]

You then get some numpty up your arse looking like he/she really needs to get pass you, after tailgating you for about half a mile they make their move on the outside lane. Once they have gone by you and are now in front of you in the middle lane they then ease off the throttle and go slower than the traffic on the inside I have always found this happens more when they are driving a similar vehicle to the one that you are in at the time :shrug:

I have this happen to me all the time, I had it several times today. Also the idiots who overtake and then decide to match your speed and drive beside you when you are closing on a car in front, causing you to brake and hope there is a gap on the outside lane to be able to overtake both cars.
I hate middle lane hoggers. I encountered loads all in a line of at least 10 cars all doing 50mph with cars overtaking and undertaking. Not only do the middle lane hoggers cause congestion, they all seem to be incapable of maintaining a constant speed.

 

[Lynton]

i just love people who claim "caravanning is a cheap holiday"

How much does the shed cost? Halve your mpg at £1.40 a litre and then spend time in discomfort.

 

[bindex]

I don't tow a caravan and I've no intention of doing so either... nevertheless the drivers towing them have a perfect right to do so. They're NOT breaking any laws. Back off a bit, chill out and pass them when you get a safe opportunity.

I know it's frustrating as Hell when you're stuck behind one, and yes... I feel the same way too sometimes. But it's a triviality in the great scheme of things, there's a lot more wrong with this world than being stuck behind a caravan.

 

[big soft moose]

I don't tow a caravan and I've no intention of doing so either... nevertheless the drivers towing them have a perfect right to do so. They're NOT breaking any laws. .

strictly speaking obstructing the traffic is an offence

plus i wonder how many of the young uns have checked that they have B+E entitlement on their licences - if you passed after '97 its not automatic

 

[realspeed]

I used to have a caravan as it was the only way we could afford a holiday with 2 young children irrespective of other posts. So I can see both sides of the arguement. Yes caravans do slow down traffic, there is no argueing about that, but those people who get frustrated being stuck behind them could have left home earlier and allowed more time for their journey.

Realspeed

 

[big soft moose]

I used to have a caravan as it was the only way we could afford a holiday with 2 young children irrespective of other posts.

thing is how much did the caravan cost ? - new they are well into five figures and even second hand they are several k, then factor in the increased cost of petrol , the site fees etc

then consider that renting a static caravan or a self catering uniti is between 200-400 a week - so that's at least ten years holidays for the price of the caravan - does a caravan last ten years ?

I dont buy the economics of a cheap break in a caravan - its only cheap if you ignore the capital cost

 

[bindex]

...
I dont buy the economics of a cheap break in a caravan - its only cheap if you ignore the capital cost

I agree totally. But the economics have little to do with the original rant

I'm not having a go honestly, I enjoy watching top gear playing skittles with caravans too!

 

[Di Stone]

I tow a caravan

Di

 

[big soft moose]

I tow a caravan

Di

well admitting you have a problem is the first step....

 

[cambsno]

I do wonder why people carry sheds around and do get wound up by them slowing up traffic, but lorry drivers are the worst. For some reason they think sitting 2 ft off your bumper despite them going on about how car drivers dont understand that lorries take longer to stop than cars????

Because they are so big they think its fine to just pull out causing you to break hard, and then take 3 miles overtaking their mate. They also seem to cause most serious accidents!

 

[mandie]

I too have sat behind caravans eager to get past,watched "Top Gear" setting fire,blowing up and generally smashing them to bits and enjoyed every minute
But have to say when camping in the rain trying to set up or take down tent in the wind,or sat in morning in damp chair trying to cook breakfast on small stove that keeps blowing out ect,i look across at the caravans in complete envy looking at there satellite dish, built in kitchen , cumfey seats , even built in shower and think wish i had one Oh how i change my tune

 

[Di Stone]

well admitting you have a problem is the first step....

Do understand frustrations though as some can pi@@ me off too by sitting in the middle lane with no extended mirrors attached going nowhere fast, but please try not to tar us all with the same brush :nono:

Di

 

[Garry Edwards]

strictly speaking obstructing the traffic is an offence

plus i wonder how many of the young uns have checked that they have B+E entitlement on their licences - if you passed after '97 its not automatic

My guess is that a lot of new drivers who tow caravans aren't qualified to tow. My youngest son (age 20) has just passed his trailer test with just 2 minor faults, which cost far more than it really needs to because it involves a complete re-take of the driving test with a trailer on the back, it isn't just a test of the bits that apply only to towing a trailer.

The weird thing is that as part of his job he tows large trailers behind large tractors. I think that a combine harvester goes on a 19m trailer - and that doesn't require any qualifications...

He paid for and took his trailer test just to make sure that he stays within the law when he isn't driving a tractor.

 

[Ian D J]

This reminded me of an cartoon I did a few years ago . . .

 

[joxby]

well admitting you have a problem is the first step....

There are a lot of peeps in this thread with..."problems"

...I think that a combine harvester goes on a 19m trailer - and that doesn't require any qualifications...

Speaking of agricultural vehicles, I know a young lad who at 18 having past his test found the cheapest insurance he could get for his 1000cc 206 was £1900.
So he sold that, bought a tractor, drives to college in it, pays £19 a year for insurance, no road tax and 40p a litre for diesel..:|

 

[realspeed]

thing is how much did the caravan cost ? - new they are well into five figures and even second hand they are several k, then factor in the increased cost of petrol , the site fees etc

then consider that renting a static caravan or a self catering uniti is between 200-400 a week - so that's at least ten years holidays for the price of the caravan - does a caravan last ten years ?

I dont buy the economics of a cheap break in a caravan - its only cheap if you ignore the capital cost

You have forgotten the resale cost which bring the initial price of a caravan down and is definately far cheaper than booking into a hotel and the restriction hotels have as to meal times etc. There was no way could I have afforded a holiday without a caravan at that time of my life.

Realspeed

 

[panther_87k]

Lorry drivers are most definately more dangerous than caravan towers. My mum was passing a 7 1/2 tonner a few years ago on the M4 (up near swansea where its only 2 lanes), she was clearly not in his blind spot but he decided to pull over into her lane causing her to spin 180 degrees and leaving her facing 70mph traffic coming towards her! thankfully those behind had seen what was happening and managed to stop in time, dread to think of the consequences had they been too close or not paying full attention. Unfortunately everyone was more concerned about my mum and getting her onto the hard shoulder that no one got the guys reg, and a plain lorry with no business name on it isnt much of a discription for the police so they never caught up with him.

As for caravanners, they should be required to pull over in any appropriate space when there a 5 or more vehicles stuck behind them, esp on single carriageways where over taking opportunities can be scarce.
Ive had one caravan holiday in my life and will never have one again, we hired the caravan off a family friend for a very small amount, they towed it to the site for us, but, the shower didnt work, the toilet could only be used for peeing, the hot water worked when it wanted to and the "lounge" end where i ended up sleeping leaked on my feet and i woke up freezing! Oh and the slightest breath of wind made it rattle and rock to the point i thought it was going to take off! I'll stick to holidaying in places with foundations from now on thanks