If you have a flange type towbar a hitch lock is useless as it only takes 2 minutes to unbolt the towball
Why would you want to use the loo in the services when you have a perfectly good one in the van?
Like the majority we stay our van, use the toilet in van, either myself or the wife will make a drink while the other gives our 2 dogs a bit of a walk. Plus l don't believe in paying motorway service prices for something to eat and drink, when everything you want is in the van.
l have seen other caravanners pull into a motorway service station lock the car and put no security locks or wheel clamps on their van and head for refreshment and toilet. If their van is stolen l am almost certain insurance companies will not pay out, if it is stolen.
------------- You'll Never Walk Alone C'mon you Reds
Quote: Originally posted by LlaniDavis on 11/6/2014
Quote: Originally posted by moz1013 on 11/6/2014You can leave an Alko hitchlock on while travelling.
It doesn't affect the movement of the towhitch or towball, all it does is prevent the handle being lifted up which would allow the caravan to be uncoupled.
Possibly, but the Emergency Services request that you do not do so, since in the event of an incident they cannot uncouple the trailer/caravan.
And I find so many untrusting responses very disappointing. My research shows only 2 such thefts in the last 4 years!
It would have to be a very bad incident indeed that I would be so thoroughly incapacitated that I wasn't able to provide the hitchlock keys when asked!
------------- 2015 - our 1st year of caravanning with a new baby. Can't wait! :)
A hitchlock would be no use if the tow car was stolen as well which is probably the easiest way to steal a caravan.
We do not bother, the caravan door is locked, the car doors are locked, the car alarm is set and I trust people.
------------- We camped for years. In 2019 we bought an Elddis Avante 454. We like it as it is short (6.9m) and fits in our driveway and has a fixed bed.
We had 127 nights away in the caravan in 2023.
You cant steal a modern car without the keys but you can easily steal a modern caravan that is not locked to car or clamped. Nobody is going to be unbolting flange towballs or busting locks either, it takes too long & attracts too much attention. The caravan that does disappear will be unhitched, swung sideways, hitched to thieves car & gone in 30secs. If they can't do it that quick they won't do it at all.
We always take it it turns to visit the toilets, leaving someone with the van and car, even though we have an Alko lock fitted which stays in place while we are travelling.
We have stayed overnight on services off the motorway when on long journeys but wouldn't recommend it really, other than convenience. It's noisy (trucks etc) and I'm decidedly uneasy sleeping in the van as I have heard of people trying to take vans off the services while parked up....they wouldn't know we were all tucked up inside in our beds!!
There is a video somewhere on Youtube showing a van ben stolen off a service station in a matter of minutes...frightening really, as these people can be watching you and waiting for you to disappear. It doesn't take long for them to unhitch and drive away with your van.
Apart from you trip being ruined if you come out of the services and find your caravan stolen I would check the wording on your insurance. Our last policy demanded approved hitchlock and approved wheel clamp.
Actually happened to one of my ex managers his caravan was stolen off the back of his discovery at a service area,also we parked up at cafe I put the alko hitch lock on we went inside to eat a white van followed us in to the car park 2 males got out one was walking around our van whilst the other was looking at the hitch,I was watching from the cafe they both ran when I went out to the van.So yes it does happen.
Blimey I had not considered this issue. We have used motorway services twice & in both cases it's been busy with 'vans coming & going, & I didn't notice anyone fitting locks or clamps, however I will pay more attention in future.
We always take turns. I have known our curtain side truck have the sides cut and raided while the driver was away so I never give the criminals a chance. Would never use the caravan toilet and then travel - just in case. I think piece of mind on a holiday makes it more enjoyable.
I will be travelling solo (plus 2 dogs) this summer and although I won't be towing far enough to need to stop on my way there, I like to be able to stop on the way home if only to nip to the toilet.
Don't want to use van loo as would be going straight back into storage. I can easily put the hitchlock and wheelclamp on, I guess then I have to take the risk and just leave it for as little time as possible.
One of the dogs would bark a lot if someone he doesn't know came close to the back of the car so I guess that might be a bit a deterrent if someone tried anything but then again maybe not. Its also a 15 year old van so assume that would make it less interesting.
Was watching one of those police programmes last night, and yes there was an incident with a caravan being stolen in daylight from a motorway service area. The caravan had a hitch lock, and the car had a swan-neck towbar.
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Topic: Parking at services
