Hi all.
I got my first ever caravan in April and went on a towing course to get some experience before heading out by myself.
I have been doing so well, hitching up by myself and towing the van. I have even towed it up to Norfolk from Kent so had a few miles under my belt. That was until yesterday.
Something very scary happened that has put me off towing for good and now I want to sell the van and just go in my tent!
It was entirely my fault. I was coming home after yet another lovely weekend away and was on the inside lane of a three lane motorway. Up ahead, there was a caravan following a small campervan which was following a lorry. I signalled and moved out into the middle lane. The vehicles on the inside lane were travelling at 50mph, I was 55mph. I passed them with no problem whatsoever. I was approaching the lorry and saw him begin to break. I proceeded with caution up to the lorry. As I drew level, the lorry picked up speed. As I was aware of traffic behind and passing me in the third lane, I picked up speed to around 62mph. There wasn't sufficient room to move back into the nearside lane safely between the campervan and the lorry.
Well, I am sure you know what I am going to say. I made the wrong decision to up my speed slightly to get past. The outfit went into the most awful snake and, although I never felt completely out of control and tried not to panic, I thought it was the end of us. My husband was travelling behind on his bike and said it was the scariest thing he had ever seen and isn't sure how we got out of it. I didn't brake, I just lifted all feet away from the pedals and tried to stay calm.
I towed the rest of the way home which was approx. another 20 miles and was ok with it. It's only now that I am petrified of towing it to Devon this Friday and I want to sell up! I put my poor children at risk as well as the other road users by taking the decision to try and still get past when I should have slowed down and made the traffic behind wait. I know the error of my ways and where I went wrong and today I am in a right state!
Anybody looking for a nice caravan? Just one incident, which I know we were fortunate wasn't worse, has put me off all this towing lark now.
------------- Center Parcs April 2015
Chestnut Meadows Bexhill August 2015
Once in lifetime trip to Florida Oct 2015!!!
Such a shame the incident has led you to pack in,you were more then likely in the turbulence thrown up by the lorry,before you sell up,why not go and have a refresher towing course,explain your fears and, they will do all they can to restore your confidence,especially if you and your family were enjoying it.
Your husband shouldn't have said the things he did,he should have complimented you on your skill at handling the situation,which in my view,you managed to do so very well indeed.You did the right thing by not braking as the van would do that for you.
A lesson learned I think,as you do know what you may have done wrong.
Doesn't your husband tow?
Agreed. You made a mistake, but did the right thing to correct it and came out the other side unscathed. Very scary, but you shouldn't let it stop you from caravanning. If anything it has actually made you a better tower as you learnt a valuable lesson in what not to do.
How about going for a little drive with the van on the back around some local roads to get your confidence back?
Agreed again, you made a mistake, you did the right thing to correct it, you then managed the next 20 miles with no problems. Get back in the cr and set off on Friday, you are unlikely o ever have problems again.
Take extra care with the loading, keep the weight down as far as possible, keep your speed down and anticipate what is going on in front of you.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
Well done for not panicking and getting out of a nasty situation .
YOu now know what to do if you snake and you also have learnt what speeds not to do so really its just a learning curve
glad you are all ok and get back out there xx
I haven't towed for nigh on 10 years, and never a caravan, just a 16ft trailer on the back of LWB Van, for work. However, go back a further 8 years or so, and I did exactly the same as you..... word for word!
Difference is, I treated it, as others are saying, as a lesson learned, and in the ensuing 8 years, both my confidence and my towing skills grew with each trip. The reason I no longer tow is simply down to changing jobs, but even now, after the said 10 year gap, I would happily have the confidence to hitch up and set off tomorrow.
Snake a trailer/caravan, fall off a horse, or go flying over the handle bars on a bike..... the best advice is always the same..... get back out there, and rebuild your confidence.
You & I both know tents are far superior to caravans, madmum, but it would be wrong of me to suggest you are making the right decision!
Im not so sure speeding up a bit was the problem, its more likely incorrect loading, put heavy things over the axle or in the car, check tyre pressures on car and van and check weight on towball.
know how you feel i sold up after having a bad blowout on the M5 ,we then went down to a small trailer tent ,then up to a small folding camper ,then up to a large folding camper ,now back on a caravan .
take a chill pill you made a error ,it won't happen again and if your statement is 100% factual its the lorry drivers fault he would have most certainly been aware of the fact you were towing and decided to play cat and mouse with you ,seen it before and it does happen ,a very few of them have warped minds or foreign licences !!!! or both
Well done, you know why it happened, get back out there, as others have said have a go locally before going away again you stayed calm and will be a better tugger due to the experience
------------- Live life to the full you are a long time dead
I think you did very well.
My oh doesn't like towing now so I am doing most of it. He will tow from one section of motorway to another . But I do the rest.
It is difficult overtaking and I myself feel more confident passing others especially lorries going up hill. This may sound silly but I feel that it is more difficult to get into a snake also lorries don't increase speed when going up hill. They are usually a bit slower going up hill. of course you need to know your tow car and be able to feel it will cope. I don't take chances so drive at a steady speed trying not to let others make you feel incompetent . I am always more nervous driving down hill.
Give it another try take it steady then make up your mind .
Good luck what ever you do . Also Sunday driving is what I call caravan day it's a bit quieter.
I hope this may help a little.
I don't believe you !! Don't believe you want to sell up that is. You've proved you're capable of handling the outfit when things go a little wrong. It's all a learning curve, I've learnt so much I've forgot most of it cos my brain isn't big enough to retain it all. We also just had a week in Norfolk, wonder if I passed you somewhere, easily recognisable, blue Xtrail towing a baby Adria Action, probably hogging the centre lane and cruising at about 70. Don't tell anyone on here tho cos I'll get told off.
Let us know how the next trip goes, sure you'll be fine.
Guess you'll be doing M4/M5. When I go west always do M3/ A303, find it more relaxing with loadsa laybys.
Don't you dare even think about getting rid of that lovely van. Crack on west come the weekend, don't be a fairy..............Mick
No don't sell up, you're a caravaner who had a incident, but you sorted it and carried on to get home, if you can do that then you can continue to enjoy it. Things happen we learn from them, don't let a bad experience put you off many many good experiences that will come.
And anyway us lady caravan towers need to keep on towing.
Go to Devon, make more stops if you have too, but don't pack it up, you'll kick yourself if you do.
I'm sending you a big cyber hug xxx
------------- "I'm a fool for my dogs"
Adopt a rescue, rescue dogs make great pets, don't support puppy farms.
The road can be tough and rough,but what you put in you get back 10 x more.
Thanks for the replies and all the support - it's made me feel a bit better now!
My husband hasn't towed the van yet. He can legally tow but I am the tow person! The idea being that, after he has had a busy day at work in London, he can come by motorbike straight from work, arrive on a site to find the van all set up with a nice cold beer waiting for him (being the extra kind wifey that I am!).
I think I will now give it another go as it was just the one incident and as I know what I did wrong, it is a lesson learnt indeed. Even when the car was shaking violently and my son was asking why the car was wobbling, I just calmly said "Don't worry sweetheart, it'll be ok again soon"!!
Thanks again all. I was worried about posting this on here incase loads of people replied saying how irresponsible I am and that I shouldn't be on the road etc etc! How wrong I was!
------------- Center Parcs April 2015
Chestnut Meadows Bexhill August 2015
Once in lifetime trip to Florida Oct 2015!!!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Now too scared to tow ...
but it would be wrong of me to suggest you are making the right decision!
