Being new to towing a caravan, my husband and I booked into a one-day towing course held at Gympie (a couple of hours north of Brisbane). It was the best money we've spent! We now both have the confidence to handle our large van in any sticky situation when travelling the roads.
We learnt all about better driving (not that any of us thought we needed it - but we did) and emergency stopping and evasive manoeuvres. As well as the things to look out for that can stop you from getting in trouble in the first place. We also went over the hitching, unhitching and backing.
Well done Dizzybird all new to towing people should do this type of course
I love your line
We learnt all about better driving (not that any of us thought we needed it - but we did)
If only there is a way to get this message to all newbies
I dips me lid to you
Triple333 said
07:33 PM May 31, 2015
Well done you!
I question if I would still be here after a highway incident in Melbourne last year. I believe years of driving farm machinery and trucks were the only thing that stopped a massive accident for me up when I had to stop in a 80kphzone in a very short length of space, cos a fender bender made people stop and get out on the middle lane of the freeway... If I hadn't known evasive driving skills, well.
I was doing 80. I was so shook up after, scared the living daylight out of me.
Dougwe said
07:41 PM May 31, 2015
Welcome to the gang Dizzybird, enjoy here and out in the playground.
I have done advanced driver training a couple of times and find it invaluable. I have used it twice. I drive the same way if in the tug on it's own or with 8mts sitting on the 2" ball out back. "Carefully" Fully aware of what is happening around me.
Keep Safe.
deverall11 said
10:30 AM Jun 1, 2015
Those sorts of courses should be a must for newbies.
Larry
rockylizard said
10:59 AM Jun 1, 2015
deverall11 wrote:
Those sorts of courses should be a must for newbies. Larry
Gday...
I have done a number of defensive driving courses over the years - driving vehicle alone and with vans attached.
I have always been of the firm belief that these courses are excellent value not just for "newbies" but for even "experienced" drivers. In fact I have been an advocate for having these so-called defensive driving courses as part of, or the final test for, passing to get a driving licence.
How to handle your vehicle in a variety of conditions is invaluable - and much better to have this 'practice' before a real situation is encountered on the road.
Doubly so if towing - to actually "feel" how the van/vehicle reacts is much better experienced in a 'controlled situation' than out on the road.
Cheers - and happy safe towing/motoring - John
Phil C said
05:52 PM Jun 1, 2015
deverall11 wrote:
Those sorts of courses should be a must for newbies. Larry
Hi deverall, we paid a deposit on a tow Ed course, I looked at the material we got with the deposit, compared it with the towing of aircraft training I got in the RAAF and decided I had not spent my money wisely.
Please understand I am not detracting from the value of these training courses, however a lot of times we sell ourselves short by not looking at the wealth of experience that backs us up! even towing and backing a small box trailer. I guess it's pretty much the same with a 30 foot wingspan aircraft as it is with a 20 foot caravan, be smart, go slow and try hard not to hit anything.
Im sure these comments will attract controversy, however we do sell ourselves short at times. Yes I will take this course one day, but I don't believe I will learn a lot of new stuff. If that sounds arrogant I apologise, I am not an arrogant person as my friends will testify, just have an opinion that we may be missing out on our own skills and experiences
Cheers
Woody n Sue said
07:57 PM Jun 1, 2015
Hi Phil C I have viewed a lot of your posts and consider you to be well informed and experienced operator and find no offence in your post and certainly don't consider your comments arrogant, you say you doubt that you would learn much from doing this course, but wouldn't it be great if you did as I feel that you would be the first to admit if you did learn something from doing it , and we could all learn from your report, I have no doubt that your driving skills are up there with the best and do not need to take this course, with the snipers of your working life I have read on this forum overe the time I have been on here.
I too feel like you about my skills as a driver having been a broad acre farmer all my life operating seeder bars 60 ft wide and boom sprayers 120 ft wide and harvester with 45 ft front, sure I am not 40 anymore I'm 58 but working as I do driving machinery year round as well as a semi on the road from time to time also have a b double licence don't drive one though, but believe it or not they are not much different to driving a single semi just need another meter or two to get around corners much less than I thought they would, the reason that I am a firm believer in these courses for newbi van drivers is that i am very much aware of the difference in driving skills needed once a van is hitched to a car, like many others I have witnessed many a caravan waging the car up front and the ignorance or aragance of some drivers to the safety and needs of other road users and have no desire to be first on the scene of an accident or worse involved because of a lack of knowledge and skills of a driver I front of me simply because they haven't the experience towing during there life leading up to this point of taking their dream trip on the road. Now I hope I don't sound like a know it all either.
Stay safe and drive to the condition of the road and your skill set and also consider other road users.
rockylizard said
08:31 PM Jun 1, 2015
Gday...
Likewise Phil - I certainly would not think of you as arrogant either ... from your posts and advice on this forum.
However, I still believe that we can always gain something from 'training' or 're-training'.
Not blowing my own trumpet (can't play one anyway ) but I was involved very much in motorsport from age 16 until late 30s. I have (well had - all gone now I am full-time on the road ) more trophies than I had hot dinners. I competed on circuits in sedans and Formula Vee and Ford and rallies upto and including State Championship and occasional National Championship. I also competed at club level as often as possible. As well as being a competitor, I regularly towed my vehicles behind a variety of vehicles on large tandem trailers - over much of Victoria and a fair bit interstate. So I had a fair bit of experience already.
During that time in motorsport I attended two defensive driving courses - was interesting how I always learned something that improved my car control.
We had a couple of coppers in the club and they organised for some of us to attend the Police Driving Range and sit through the driving part of their 'accreditation ' as pursuit drivers. I reckoned I would pass it with little worry. What is it they say ...... pride cometh before the fall
None of we 'motorsport hotshots' would have passed their test to drive a Highway Patrol vehicle We got close but not good enough.
The point of this is that no matter how good we think we are, time (and habits - and age ) erode our abilities/judgement. Obviously, having said that, I too should organise a 'refresher' course for driving AND towing.
I have been towing large vans on and off for the past 30 years - and full-time for the last 6. I did a defensive towing course in 1980s and again in late 1990s. But I doubt I am without a need to a 'refresh'.
It is said that the day we don't learn something new is the day we die
Cheers - and many miles of safe travel - John
Phil C said
11:00 AM Jun 2, 2015
Thank you for the positive comments, I'm pleased that I'm recognised as a reasonable person.
My stance on training new caravanners is in full agreement of a training course as it is a new ball game with a caravan at your rear. This is an interesting discussion and I'm tempted to take this training course just to see what I can learn, however at the moment we are a long way from the city. I will most certainly take a look when that changes.
I held a HR licence up until this year when I relinquished it for a car licence. I like the argument that would require a caravanner to hold a special condition or endorsement. I do fear that it will end up a govt money grab as usual.
Please understand, I firmly agree that you never stop learning. We made a decision in the very early days of researching our caravan purchase that the van and tug will have every available safety device and fitting. We spent a lot of money on things like ESC and WDH devices. I think that these bits of kit do help in travelling safer and allow for the gaps in skills and learning. Also the odd mistake on the road won't hurt so much.
At the end of the day it's the nut on the steering wheel that makes all the difference, I'm convinced that if we all drive safer and in a respectful and sensible manner there would be less caravan accidents.
Hi All
Being new to towing a caravan, my husband and I booked into a one-day towing course held at Gympie (a couple of hours north of Brisbane). It was the best money we've spent! We now both have the confidence to handle our large van in any sticky situation when travelling the roads.
We learnt all about better driving (not that any of us thought we needed it - but we did) and emergency stopping and evasive manoeuvres. As well as the things to look out for that can stop you from getting in trouble in the first place. We also went over the hitching, unhitching and backing.
All in all, a great day and highly recommended.
If you want to know more, here is the website...
http://www.roadcraft.org.au/#!caravan-trailer-towing-course/cbl4
Cheers
Dizzybird
I love your line
We learnt all about better driving (not that any of us thought we needed it - but we did)
If only there is a way to get this message to all newbies
I dips me lid to you
I question if I would still be here after a highway incident in Melbourne last year. I believe years of driving farm machinery and trucks were the only thing that stopped a massive accident for me up when I had to stop in a 80kphzone in a very short length of space, cos a fender bender made people stop and get out on the middle lane of the freeway... If I hadn't known evasive driving skills, well.
I was doing 80. I was so shook up after, scared the living daylight out of me.
I have done advanced driver training a couple of times and find it invaluable. I have used it twice. I drive the same way if in the tug on it's own or with 8mts sitting on the 2" ball out back. "Carefully" Fully aware of what is happening around me.
Keep Safe.
Larry
Gday...
I have done a number of defensive driving courses over the years - driving vehicle alone and with vans attached.
I have always been of the firm belief that these courses are excellent value not just for "newbies" but for even "experienced" drivers. In fact I have been an advocate for having these so-called defensive driving courses as part of, or the final test for, passing to get a driving licence.
How to handle your vehicle in a variety of conditions is invaluable - and much better to have this 'practice' before a real situation is encountered on the road.
Doubly so if towing - to actually "feel" how the van/vehicle reacts is much better experienced in a 'controlled situation' than out on the road.
Cheers - and happy safe towing/motoring - John
Hi deverall, we paid a deposit on a tow Ed course, I looked at the material we got with the deposit, compared it with the towing of aircraft training I got in the RAAF and decided I had not spent my money wisely.
Please understand I am not detracting from the value of these training courses, however a lot of times we sell ourselves short by not looking at the wealth of experience that backs us up! even towing and backing a small box trailer. I guess it's pretty much the same with a 30 foot wingspan aircraft as it is with a 20 foot caravan, be smart, go slow and try hard not to hit anything.
Im sure these comments will attract controversy, however we do sell ourselves short at times. Yes I will take this course one day, but I don't believe I will learn a lot of new stuff. If that sounds arrogant I apologise, I am not an arrogant person as my friends will testify, just have an opinion that we may be missing out on our own skills and experiences
Cheers
I too feel like you about my skills as a driver having been a broad acre farmer all my life operating seeder bars 60 ft wide and boom sprayers 120 ft wide and harvester with 45 ft front, sure I am not 40 anymore I'm 58 but working as I do driving machinery year round as well as a semi on the road from time to time also have a b double licence don't drive one though, but believe it or not they are not much different to driving a single semi just need another meter or two to get around corners much less than I thought they would, the reason that I am a firm believer in these courses for newbi van drivers is that i am very much aware of the difference in driving skills needed once a van is hitched to a car, like many others I have witnessed many a caravan waging the car up front and the ignorance or aragance of some drivers to the safety and needs of other road users and have no desire to be first on the scene of an accident or worse involved because of a lack of knowledge and skills of a driver I front of me simply because they haven't the experience towing during there life leading up to this point of taking their dream trip on the road. Now I hope I don't sound like a know it all either.
Stay safe and drive to the condition of the road and your skill set and also consider other road users.
Gday...
Likewise Phil - I certainly would not think of you as arrogant either ... from your posts and advice on this forum.
However, I still believe that we can always gain something from 'training' or 're-training'.
Not blowing my own trumpet (can't play one anyway
) but I was involved very much in motorsport from age 16 until late 30s. I have (well had - all gone now I am full-time on the road 
) more trophies than I had hot dinners. I competed on circuits in sedans and Formula Vee and Ford and rallies upto and including State Championship and occasional National Championship. I also competed at club level as often as possible. As well as being a competitor, I regularly towed my vehicles behind a variety of vehicles on large tandem trailers - over much of Victoria and a fair bit interstate. So I had a fair bit of experience already.
During that time in motorsport I attended two defensive driving courses - was interesting how I always learned something that improved my car control.
We had a couple of coppers in the club and they organised for some of us to attend the Police Driving Range and sit through the driving part of their 'accreditation ' as pursuit drivers. I reckoned I would pass it with little worry. What is it they say ...... pride cometh before the fall
None of we 'motorsport hotshots' would have passed their test to drive a Highway Patrol vehicle
We got close but not good enough.
The point of this is that no matter how good we think we are, time (and habits - and age
) erode our abilities/judgement. Obviously, having said that, I too should organise a 'refresher' course for driving AND towing. 
I have been towing large vans on and off for the past 30 years - and full-time for the last 6. I did a defensive towing course in 1980s and again in late 1990s. But I doubt I am without a need to a 'refresh'.
It is said that the day we don't learn something new is the day we die
Cheers - and many miles of safe travel - John
My stance on training new caravanners is in full agreement of a training course as it is a new ball game with a caravan at your rear. This is an interesting discussion and I'm tempted to take this training course just to see what I can learn, however at the moment we are a long way from the city. I will most certainly take a look when that changes.
I held a HR licence up until this year when I relinquished it for a car licence. I like the argument that would require a caravanner to hold a special condition or endorsement. I do fear that it will end up a govt money grab as usual.
Please understand, I firmly agree that you never stop learning. We made a decision in the very early days of researching our caravan purchase that the van and tug will have every available safety device and fitting. We spent a lot of money on things like ESC and WDH devices. I think that these bits of kit do help in travelling safer and allow for the gaps in skills and learning. Also the odd mistake on the road won't hurt so much.
At the end of the day it's the nut on the steering wheel that makes all the difference, I'm convinced that if we all drive safer and in a respectful and sensible manner there would be less caravan accidents.
Cheers