He said because the guy didnt use a stabiliser he was probably a safer driver !
That I was pointing out WAS a stoopid thing to say ,there is no gaurantee ,that bloke could have still been an idiot!!
Hence me saying someone without insurance isnt going to be a safer driver just because they know they havent got insurance and so will drive more carefully ,which is basically what surfer was trying to say about the guy and the stabiliser ,he didnt use it so would automatically pack mroe carefuly!!!!
"If the caravan is correctly loaded there is no need to use a stabliser. In a way he may be a lot safer on the roads because he knows he has no stabliser and drives appropriately not like some who tear along at 70 - 80 mph with the caravan in tow and feel safe just because they have a stabiliser"
------------- Caz
If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going till you go round the bend.
"If the caravan is correctly loaded there is no need to use a stabliser. In a way he may be a lot safer on the roads because he knows he has no stabliser and drives appropriately not like some who tear along at 70 - 80 mph with the caravan in tow and feel safe just because they have a stabiliser"
Insurance is a totally different matter. It's a legal requirement so anyone without is is knowingly infringeing the Law, and is therefore the type of person who drives irresponsibly anyway.
Stabilisers are not a legal requirement and will not pevent a snake once the wobbles have gone beyond the point of no return.
------------- Caz
If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going till you go round the bend.
There is a well known effect of making cars safer - people drive faster because they feel safer. The same with some people and stabilisers - they feel the outfit is stable and may not be as careful with their loading or adhering to safe driving speeds.
has anyone considered that the driver might have just forgotten to put it down and was embarrased that someone was running after them and banging on his window?? he maybe stopped down the road and put it down
funnily enough toffeedog thats is what we thought afterwards, it was an automatic reaction of mine thinking he had genuinely forgot and thought maybe doing him a favour, if it was us i would have been grateful, however as you say somewhat embarrassed i have found the replies to this thread quite diverse and interesting in differing viewpoints !!
------------- wishing everyone,,,,what you would wish for yourselves x
Calling the guy stupid or a bampot is just plain daft.
It is his choice, and as was previously said......a stabilizer is no substitute for a correctly loaded van ,driven at a sensible speed with a good combo, and driver attitude.
What is it like to use one?
I just love it when a bam overtakes on the motorway with a van doing 70/80 mph.
He probably tells his wife......"it's ok babe this is a belter of a stabilizer
Quote: Originally posted by toffeedog on 03/9/2008
has anyone considered that the driver might have just forgotten to put it down
I know that is possible, because I have done it twice. On both occasions, I'd stopped at a motorway services and put on a hitchlock while I went into the services. When I returned, I removed the hitchlock, put it in the rear passenger footwell behind the driver's seat, got back in the car and drove off, without pressing the stabiliser handle down again.
On both occasions, I only discovered the error the next time I stopped - more than a hundred miles of motorway further on. There was no noticeable change in towing behaviour.
The only time I have noticed a difference with a stabilizer is on the motorway when being overtaken by speeding large vehicles.That said I still use one when towing my (supposed more stable ) twin axle with my ( excellent 85% match) Discovery with its "perfect" noseweight.Likewise the only time I have seen any benifit from wearing a seatbelt is when I have had to brake sharply.
The point of the post was to question the attitude of the driver not wanting to use a safety device incase it wears it out.
3 Pages back the thread started like this with the driver saying that he didn't use it etc etc
We have just returned form a weekend at Blackpool South caravan park, and as we had just set up and sat down for a drink the caravan opposite was just pulling away when we noticed he had his alko stabilser in the up position therefore not in use. i ran after him and knocked on the window to tell him and he replied that he didnt use it as it wore it out !!! how dangerous is this ?? we cannot comprehend not using something that is designed to assist with stability and safety are we wrong ????
i have been on sites ,where a tow vehicle comes around and tows the van to a compound , they dont distinguish between greased or ungreased hitches , so if that person with a contamintated hitch decides to move his van to another site , wether he puts his stabiliser down or up it wont make any differerence
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Topic: caravanner, not using his Alko Stabiliser
i have found the replies to this thread quite diverse and interesting in differing viewpoints !!
