Mrs Viggo and I were right in the middle of hitching up this evening, with a 200 mile trip home ahead of us - I was literally helping Mrs V to reverse the car up to the van - when our on-site neighbour wandered up ... and started chatting about whether I thought the Nissan X-Trail was a good tow car!
Now, I'm happy to give my opinion on most things at most times, as regular readers will know, but there's a time and a place - and right in the middle of "coupling" with the missus wasn't it! If you know what I mean...
Hitching and unhitching are some of the most important bits of a caravanner's routine, and being interrupted in mid-hitch could lead to a vital step being forgotten or missed. Mrs V and myself both had an odd feeling as we set off, and kept asking one another "did you lock the door?" and "did you pick up the levelling wedge?" and so on. We had checked everything, but the routine had been disturbed!
As it was, we almost set off with the van's handbrake still on, which was exactly the opposite problem to the one another chap on the site had. He'd pulled up with a brand new Bailey Olympus and reversed it neatly on to his pitch. Before he could unhitch, a neighbour had descended on him, and started to chat. I watched from a distance as the Olympian dropped his van off the tow hitch ... and then had to swiftly yank the handbrake on as his brand new pride and joy rolled backwards towards a tree!
So, please, if you see people hitching up or unhitching their vans, do not disturb unless what you've got to tell them is vitally important. Save your chatting for later.
------------- * You never know where you're going 'til you get there...
I'm glad it's not just me!! When I arrive on a site, I just want to get set up, then I'll chat to anyone. When I'm going home, I always do a mental checklist otherwise I forget something and having someone jabbering away at you is very distracting - I'm on my own so there's only me to remember everything.
I parked up by a cash machine in town once and withdrew some cash. A van driver asked me if I knew one of my rear bulbs had gone. I turned back round to see my money disappearing back into the machine.
Luckily I managed to get it credited back to my account.
I was at a site a few weeks ago and my wife said that shewould meet me at the site entrance after taking the kids to the toilet. It suddenly dawned on me that she may have taken the car keys with her. I had hitched up, but I left raising the jockey wheel and electric connections till I had checked the keys were there.
Of course people watching thought I was going to the drivers door to drive off and shouted that I had left the jockey wheel down. I didn't even bother trying to explain that I hadn't forgotten.
Quote: Originally posted by Max-and-Paddy on 31/7/2010
I'm glad it's not just me!! When I arrive on a site, I just want to get set up, then I'll chat to anyone. When I'm going home, I always do a mental checklist otherwise I forget something and having someone jabbering away at you is very distracting - I'm on my own so there's only me to remember everything.
Nora
I'm the same - I'll quite happily chat to anyone during my days spent on a site, but for setting up and packing away I just want to get on with it. I would never engage in conversation with someone hitching/unhitching a van - as Viggo says, vital things could be missed and the consequences could be disastrous and/or dangerous.
------------- Tigermouse
I have a very temperamental personality - 50% temper and 50% mental
Bl**dy silly, annoys the hell out of me. Usually manage to look fed-up enough to get them to go away though, if not I just close my ears but then my wife tells me I'm a bit too good at that anyway...
Quote: Originally posted by scarletsfan on 31/7/2010
What a friendly lot.
That whooshing noise was the point going over your head.
We're very friendly ! Also very willing to actually give practical help if anyone is looking like they need it - but there's times it's best to keep away & give people & bit of space.
Common sense tells most of us that hitching up is generally not the best time to pick for a chat.
Quote: Originally posted by Max-and-Paddy on 31/7/2010
I'm glad it's not just me!! When I arrive on a site, I just want to get set up, then I'll chat to anyone. When I'm going home, I always do a mental checklist otherwise I forget something and having someone jabbering away at you is very distracting - I'm on my own so there's only me to remember everything.
Nora
Me three! Last time me qand my friend were hitching up (two wee girlies) we had three blokes come across to give us the benefit of their advice while I was trying to hitch, with all three shouting, back.. back.. stop,,,back a bit more... as I was reversing back to the caravan with the car. I paid no attention to them as I was watching my mate giving the handsignals instead!
And then my Dad, who had come along in convoy started perstering to see if we were ready when it was obvious that we weren't. I just wanted to check everything without interruption. Sadly it wasn't to be that day, but I managed not to forget anything.
I'm also very friendly, but would prefer to get on with hitching/unhitching without interruptions!
We were hitching up last time out when a guy came up asking how far we had to go, wishing us a good journey and generally being a nice bloke. I hitched up the van and set off towards the exit but stopped to visit the toilet. When I came out I walked round the van and found I'd left the jockey wheel down. So I agree, please don't talk to anyone who's hitching up.
It's worse when someone actively takes over without being asked - there was some guy at our storage site last time who was there fixing a tractor. He saw me and the wife trying to hitch up and obviously decided we were going to slow and needed help - came over and started pushing and pulling the van around to get the hitch over the ball (I prefer to move the car rather than the caravan).
OK, I know he was trying to help but it was damn annoying...
------------- 'In later life, you will be more disappointed with the things you didn't do than with the things you did.' - Mark Twain
we had simaler when we came home hubby has to gte the van just in the right place on the drive so we can open the caravan door. and we still ahve the traler on there next doors bought it but still not moved it. so we have to go slow. a very nice car driver decied insted of just driving round the other why while hubby got the van up as we live on a horse shoe shaped street he would give hubby a hand so gave the van one allmighty push to help whitch pushed the van into the traler and broke the caravan indicatour arrrrrrrrrrrr. then he just drove off. how nice of him to help. we allso had to get the van back of the drive and start again so a 3 minet job took 15 and a new light cover
------------- Dyslexic not stuped
It's nice to be important but its more important to be nice
Quote: Originally posted by fallenangel on 31/7/2010well the one think i have noticed when you have a very old van is nobody bothers asking you anything lol
Used to find that until I had a plaque in the window of my caravan that said I was a committee member of my local caravan club centre then I was scared to open the door for fear of an ambush. It was amazing how many friends I suddenly had on the rally field whom I had never spoken to previously.
Quote: Originally posted by fallenangel on 31/7/2010
well the one think i have noticed when you have a very old van is nobody bothers asking you anything lol
We'd still ask you for advice. This is only our second season so we're still learning & tend to assume that everyone on a campsite knows more than we do so if we're not sure about something & they seem friendly we'll ask them.
Not while they're busy tho - whether hitching up, cooking dinner or anything else really.
We were distracted saying cheerio to people we'd met on a site a couple of months ago & after a few minutes of driving had to find a layby to pull into as we couldn't remember whether we'd attached the breakaway cable. It turned out we had done but didn't remember doing it!
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: Do Not Disturb! (
Topic Closed)
We're very friendly ! Also very willing to actually give practical help if anyone is looking like they need it - but there's times it's best to keep away & give people & bit of space. 
- there was some guy at our storage site last time who was there fixing a tractor. He saw me and the wife trying to hitch up and obviously decided we were going to slow and needed help - came over and started pushing and pulling the van around to get the hitch over the ball (I prefer to move the car rather than the caravan).
