Clowns Towing Vans

[Foo]

What is it with people towing caravans and losing control? 

I passed another one yesterday near Harlin, a Landcrab and the van would have been, well before they lost it 18-20'. The number of these I see is just plain stupid and you always know where one has lost control, there is chit skatterd everywhere.

For crying out loud people, drive at a sensible speed on rough roads and pack the bloody things right and you won't have these problems.  

Foo

[Cruiser 105Tvan]

Why was he towing something that big with a Landcrab in the first place?

[knoath]

Read the title and thought the circus had come to town....

[Bird]

Read the title and thought the circus had come to town....

it is if you live in Birdsville..

[bazt]

I live up the road from a caravan park and sometime think there should be a boom gate and loading adviser to stop and check vans before they allow people to get out onto the highways. One went past yesterday with less than 4 inches between the road and the drawbar.

[dazzler]

it is if you live in Birdsville..

Pmsl!


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[Jeepers Creepers]

When you say "landcrab", you don't mean an Austin 1800 do you, cause i'm laughing just thinking about it.

[ozstickman]

I use to run lime out of Gladstone to Townsville and went up the back way via clermont and charters. At one stage in the nomad season a wobbly a week was smashed up on the side of the road between about the Mt Mac turn off and Charters. They fixed up a lot more of the road in the past years which helped a little. I had one loose control overtaking me along the Mazeppa Flats. He called me up and I told him to hold on for another few kms till we get up to the frankfield feedlot turnoff because the road is good there as along the flats is built on black soil and rough, undulating and skinny. Well he didn't want to wait for a few kms and had a crack and hit a good whoop in the road and bounced wobbled and shot off in front of me straight into the table drain.

The end result was a written of pajero, jayco and his wife trapped in the car for 2 hours!

If I didn't back right off and I ended having to lock up they would of smashed into the side of the prime mover or under the front trailer and killing them.

They were on holidays so why the rush?

Now that's just one story of encounters of caravans and motorhomes on out western roads I've had.

Anymore than a 750kg trailer you should have to get a license no if bits or maybes!!!


Sent from my Ring-a-ding-a-ling

[Mace]

When you say "landcrab", you don't mean an Austin 1800 do you, cause i'm laughing just thinking about it.

Yep, thought of that too, I'll never look at a cruiser the same way again!

Anymore than a 750kg trailer you should have to get a license no if bits or maybes!!!

I wouldn't go that far, but having previously had too jump over three barrels and have to put up with regular  medicals I've finally given up my HB licence that allowed me to drive an 8 tonne truck, I agree where ya coming from. I can still drive a far more dangerous combination of a motor vehicle and caravan up to legal GVM, so 6500kg thereabouts.

I reckon that over 2500kg should at least require some competency test to gain, with some form of regular appraisal, perhaps 5 yearly for seniors. 

[Cruiser 105Tvan]

When you say "landcrab", you don't mean an Austin 1800 do you, cause i'm laughing just thinking about it.

I'm not laughing, I'm wondering, "What's the point?".

Speak fa yaself Mace.
My Dad's Taxi weighs 3 Tonne just by itself.

[muzza01]

Come June, July and August and we have convoys of grey nomads coming to Cairns area. Their favourite tug is a Cruza, Patrol or Prado, mustn't drive over 80 km per hour in  the 100km zone ( unless in an overtaking lane) so they can conserve their fuel consumption.

[Foo]

I use to run lime out of Gladstone to Townsville and went up the back way via clermont and charters. At one stage in the nomad season a wobbly a week was smashed up on the side of the road between about the Mt Mac turn off and Charters. They fixed up a lot more of the road in the past years which helped a little. I had one loose control overtaking me along the Mazeppa Flats. He called me up and I told him to hold on for another few kms till we get up to the frankfield feedlot turnoff because the road is good there as along the flats is built on black soil and rough, undulating and skinny. Well he didn't want to wait for a few kms and had a crack and hit a good whoop in the road and bounced wobbled and shot off in front of me straight into the table drain.

The end result was a written of pajero, jayco and his wife trapped in the car for 2 hours!

If I didn't back right off and I ended having to lock up they would of smashed into the side of the prime mover or under the front trailer and killing them.

They were on holidays so why the rush?

Now that's just one story of encounters of caravans and motorhomes on out western roads I've had.

Anymore than a 750kg trailer you should have to get a license no if bits or maybes!!!


Sent from my Ring-a-ding-a-ling

You can always tell the difference between the locals and the bloody tourists! 

Foo

[ozstickman]

I only ever ran along the flats which is 13km from end to end at 80km Max other wise your entire bunk would end up on your dash. And I had a 50inch bunk too!


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[Foo]

Yep, thought of that too, I'll never look at a cruiser the same way again!

I wouldn't go that far, but having previously had too jump over three barrels and have to put up with regular  medicals I've finally given up my HB licence that allowed me to drive an 8 tonne truck, I agree where ya coming from. I can still drive a far more dangerous combination of a motor vehicle and caravan up to legal GVM, so 6500kg thereabouts.

I reckon that over 2500kg should at least require some competency test to gain, with some form of regular appraisal, perhaps 5 yearly for seniors. 

 Yeah well, I'm grossing from 65tn to 105tn and I don't need some dipchit loosing control in front of me. 

Foo

[discoteddy]

You can always tell the difference between the locals and the bloody tourists! 

Foo

Funny, by the nature of this forum I think we enjoy being tourists

Cheers,

Disco teddy

[Mace]

Yeah well, I'm grossing from 65tn to 105tn and I don't need some dipchit loosing control in front of me. 

Foo

I think you mean you agree with me.

I reckon that 6 tonne can be as much a handling problem as some as 65 plus.

 

[Hairs]

Their favorite tug is a Cruza, Patrol or Prado, mustn't drive over 80 km per hour in  the 100km zone ( unless in an overtaking lane) so they can conserve their fuel consumption.

See it everyday 
Especially on the Pathetic H/way Between Halfway Creek & Iluka.
Hey don't get me wrong, I reckon it's great that they have bought a new 'Big 4wd" to tow their big new van.
Get out their sunshine, see the country, you've worked hard to be able to afford this.
The fact that you have never driven anything bigger than a Yaris and never towed even an empty box trailer doesn't matter, you are on the trip of a life time, traveling to where ever you want.
I suggest that you travel the number one highway and take your time.
Those big shinny things that you bough so you could see the side of your van, here's a hint,
Use the bastards to see the line up of traffic that you have caused by being a mobile road block
 But hey, you enjoy your travels.

[Cruiser 105Tvan]

It really doesn't matter what tonnage your at.
If some AIRHEAD doesn't do the right, or correct thing.
It's all going South pretty quick.
I've seen it in a convoy I was part of, most were travelling too close.
They're vehicle's couldn't pull up in time, let alone with the added  mass of their Jayco or C'van.
That's why I like travelling at the back.  Gives them room to C*ck it up. 
And the occasion when they did, "Not my fault, didn't see the tree in the road."
I saw it from 2 cars behind this character, as the lead vehicle went around it.
Who also mentioned it on the UHF CB channel we were using.
The lead vehicle was approx. six cars in front of him.
Would have destroyed the trip for at least the two families involved.

And I can just sail on past if I  feel like  it.
And type of Licence doesn't come into it, Mine's a Vic. Heavy Combination, next thing under B-Double/Road train.
It's driving for the conditions.  If you cannot see, slow down till you can.
Driving faster doesn't help with the corries either, they're not evenly spaced all the time.
And it pounds the living daylights out of your vehicle.
Some people just don't have any idea, and you can't tell them either.

[Foo]

I think you mean you agree with me.

I reckon that 6 tonne can be as much a handling problem as some as 65 plus.

 

Yes but as you can appreciate a slightly larger scale. 

Foo

[Foo]

See it everyday 
Especially on the Pathetic H/way Between Halfway Creek & Iluka.
Hey don't get me wrong, I reckon it's great that they have bought a new 'Big 4wd" to tow their big new van.
Get out their sunshine, see the country, you've worked hard to be able to afford this.
The fact that you have never driven anything bigger than a Yaris and never towed even an empty box trailer doesn't matter, you are on the trip of a life time, traveling to where ever you want.
I suggest that you travel the number one highway and take your time.
Those big shinny things that you bough so you could see the side of your van, here's a hint,
Use the bastards to see the line up of traffic that you have caused by being a mobile road block

Yep, funny that, sorry I didn't see you! WTH 

Foo
 But hey, you enjoy your travels.

[Beatle]

So what's the consensus here?  Some are saying people are driving too fast with vans in tow, others are saying everyone should travel at the posted speed limit so as not to hold up traffic.   Make your minds up please

I also find it funny that no matter which forum I'm on, the forum users are always well above the average when it comes to driving skills   

[Cruiser 105Tvan]

So what's the consensus here?  Some are saying people are driving too fast with vans in tow, others are saying everyone should travel at the posted speed limit so as not to hold up traffic.   Make your minds up please

I also find it funny that no matter which forum I'm on, the forum users are always well above the average when it comes to driving skills   

Yep, depends on the perspective.
Put a Semi Driver on a Caravan Forum and see how long it takes for them to be at each others throats.

[ozstickman]

I'd be nearly 3 million kms travelled so far with no major incident. I've copped one over loading fine(heavy on the drive) and two low level speeding fines. Not bad considering some people I know who have listed their license god knows how any times.

Also helps when ya dodge the cone heads too wink wink nudge nudge.


Sent from my Ring-a-ding-a-ling

[Beatle]

I lived a while in the NT when there were no open road speed limits.   For some perspective in these oft-repeated arguments on speed, I'd ask what was considered to be 'fast enough' on a road with no limit .   On the other hand, if there is no posted limit, how slow is too slow?

If a guy in a HSV ute is cruisng at 160kph, and I come up behind him in my Landcruiser towing a Barra boat at 165kph, is he in the wrong for delaying my progress?

Is that scenario materially different to me cruising at 95 in a hundred zone towing a van?

As soon as I hear anyone state they are better-than-average at something, my warning radar starts making whirring noises.  By definition, half of any group must be below average.

[KingBilly]

The argument is not against those towing a van at 95, it is about not pulling over and letting those stuck behind overtake.  Simple manners which not too many grey nomads have.

KB