SHOULD ANYONE BE ABLE TO TOW A CARAVAN???

adreamer · Senior Member

SHOULD ANYONE BE ABLE TO TOW A CARAVAN???

Izabarack · Guru

adreamer wrote:
Because of so many accidents on the road involving caravans I think the drivers should be made to do a revision course........

Because of so many accidents on the road involving trucks, I think the drivers should be made to do a revision course every morning before driving out of their parking and onto public roads.

Iza

rockylizard · Guru

adreamer wrote:
Because of so many accidents on the road involving caravans I think the drivers should be made to do a revision course in towing over a certain limit!!

Gday...

Because so many accidents on the road involving motorcycles I think drivers should be made to do a revision course before riding a motorcycle.

I guess it could apply to the driver of every type of motor vehicle that is on the road cry

Unfortunately, despite having done a course, passed a licence test, and even attended a 'revision' course there are STILL far too many drivers involved in what appear to be 'unnecessary' incidents on the roads. cry

Cheers - John

adreamer · Senior Member

rockylizard wrote:
adreamer wrote:
Because of so many accidents on the road involving caravans I think the drivers should be made to do a revision course in towing over a certain limit!!
Gday...
Because so many accidents on the road involving motorcycles I think drivers should be made to do a revision course before riding a motorcycle.
I guess it could apply to the driver of every type of motor vehicle that is on the road
Unfortunately, despite having done a course, passed a licence test, and even attended a 'revision' course there are STILL far too many drivers involved in what appear to be 'unnecessary' incidents on the roads.
Cheers - John

READ THE QUESTION

I WAS ONLY ASKING RE: CARAVANS - NOT ABOUT EVERY VEHICLE ON THE ROAD!!!

jonathan · Member

Hi Helen ..

I don't think it's so much the need to do a revision course .. I think there should be a greater emphasis placed on everyone who actually is purchasing a caravan/motorhome in the first place . That hopefully would possibly alleviate and help to identify existing problems .. and yes .. I suppose there needs to be some ongoing concept that would possibly require proof of ones capability to keep enjoying their current life-styles.

Aged licencees require testing at certain ages for this purpose .. possibly something combining elements of both would suffice .. but do the powers-that-be have the capability to structure something that wouldn't cost us all beyond our enjoyment .. I think not ..

Just my opinion ..

rockylizard · Guru

adreamer wrote:
rockylizard wrote:
adreamer wrote:
Because of so many accidents on the road involving caravans I think the drivers should be made to do a revision course in towing over a certain limit!!
Gday...
Because so many accidents on the road involving motorcycles I think drivers should be made to do a revision course before riding a motorcycle.
I guess it could apply to the driver of every type of motor vehicle that is on the road
Unfortunately, despite having done a course, passed a licence test, and even attended a 'revision' course there are STILL far too many drivers involved in what appear to be 'unnecessary' incidents on the roads.
Cheers - John
READ THE QUESTION
I WAS ONLY ASKING RE: CARAVANS - NOT ABOUT EVERY VEHICLE ON THE ROAD!!!

Gday...

Sorry Helen, I did understand the question ... my reply Unfortunately, despite having done a course, passed a licence test, and even attended a 'revision' course there are STILL far too many drivers [of all types of vehicles] involved in what appear to be 'unnecessary' incidents on the roads. was just my attempt to highlight that it is not just 'caravan' towing that cause incidents/accidents on the roads.

I am quite certain that the majority of people [particularly on forums] would agree that there should be some sort of 'revision/tutorial' for people who intend towing a caravan.

Conversely, I would suggest the greater majority of people generally also consider they are not in need of such 'revision/tutorial' - for ANY aspect of their driving abilities.

Cheers - John

Ge · Senior Member

I say give it a rest this subject has been done to death.

It is not going to happen nor will national DL and rego.

These threads on this and ball weights get so boring.

I know I don't have to read them, time to take my pills.

-- Edited by Ge on Friday 25th of November 2016 08:55:58 PM

Swoffer · Senior Member

adreamer wrote:

READ THE QUESTION
I WAS ONLY ASKING RE: CARAVANS - NOT ABOUT EVERY VEHICLE ON THE ROAD!!!

No need to shout , sheesh , lower case will do.

Ge · Senior Member

I did not say anything about other vehicles and I did read and understand your question.

I just added about national drivers licence and national registration as a point they have all been done to death.

So to answer your question no "I don't think so."

If you think all three will happen you are a dreamer.

Izabarack · Guru

READ THE QUESTION
I WAS ONLY ASKING RE: CARAVANS - NOT ABOUT EVERY VEHICLE ON THE ROAD!!!

I read the question. The reason you put for having people towing vans to do refreshers applies to all the driver of all the vehicles on the road. Why single out people towing vans? Truck drivers, for example, have special licences to operate their vehicles yet the news is full of reports of truck involved crashes.

Iza

macka17 · Guru

Yea.
and a lot of the truck accidents (not all) are car related too.
It's the person. nOT the vehicle.

BUT. ALL people who have not towed more than a 6x4 b4.
IF taking up vanning.
SHOULD be made to take an instruction course and get a cert to show to dealer b4 dealer can sell.

There's a lot more to towing than throttle and brakes.
At least truck and bus drivers initially get instruction on angles, distances, gaps between etc
Even if some do get slack afterwards.

I'm an EX truckie. Handed most in when 60yrs just kept M Bike,
and HG(for a bit of cash crane work)

I go to an advanced truck driving instructor in my veh. every ten yrs or so.
Get an hrs opinion of MY bad habits developed.

WE ALL have some.
A neutral. EXPERIENCED mind beside you occasionally helps keep you in check.
Best $60 a man can spend in my opinion.

The Belmont Bear · Guru

Being new to towing a large dual axle van and having just completed a couple of shakedown trips what surprised me the most was how much more you need to concentrate when compared to driving a car. I found that the van and tow vehicle behaved very well when travelling between 90 and 100kph on the open road but I really needed to be thinking about what was ahead, who was beside me or approaching me from behind. I needed to ensure the van was staying inside the lane especially when large vehicles were overtaking, about being hit by sudden gusts of wind etc. On the narrower secondary roads or when in built up areas the level of concentration increased even more. I only travelled for an hour and a half but I felt mentally fatigued by the time that we had arrived at our destination. Maybe with experience these things somehow become second nature to you but then I think you would be in real danger of becoming too complacent.

Are you sure that these accidents involving caravans are the result of inexperienced drivers or is that just an assumption that people automatically make. Could some of the accidents have been related to speed or even a misjudgement because people believed that they had more skill in dealing with a situation than they really did - just a thought ? I believe you can have a disaster towing any size load, maybe all van, boat, car float, horse float, etc. etc. would benefit from doing a towing course but as John pointed out doing a course doesn't necessarily mean that attitudes are going to change.

I will be doing the Tow-Ed Training Course in the new year buts that's my own personal choice.

I didn't know if I should post here not being a solo traveller but it was an interesting topic.

-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Friday 2nd of December 2016 02:53:44 PM

Kaid · Guru

We will be doing a Tow Ed Course this Sunday.
Even though other half has towed our 16' 8" van for a few years now.
I have never been allowed to Tow. We have just upgraded to an 18'6" van.
I need to learn and hubby needs to unlearn some bad habbits

Delta18 · Guru

adreamer wrote:

Some people have never towed anything bigger than a trailer and then when they decide to hit the road go out and buy a 26ft van or even bigger and then think it's simple to pass other vehicles or they go over the middle white line or close to it.
I see these things most every day when I am travelling and they expect me to move over!!
I hope I havn't started world war 3!!
Helen

I shouldn't laugh but this so reminded me of the woman that rang her husband to say she'd heard a warning on the radio about a car driving the wrong way down the freeway. His reply...."One ??? There's hundreds of them!"

Cupie · Guru

adreamer wrote:
Because of so many accidents on the road involving caravans I think the drivers should be made to do a revision course in towing over a certain limit!!
Some people have never towed anything bigger than a trailer and then when they decide to hit the road go out and buy a 26ft van or even bigger and then think it's simple to pass other vehicles or they go over the middle white line or close to it.
I see these things most every day when I am travelling and they expect me to move over!!
I hope I havn't started world war 3!!
Helen

I have been watching this thread with interest .... waiting for someone to question the comment about "26ft van or bigger"

Not sure that I have ever seen a 26' van ... A motor home or 5th wheeler perhaps, but a van?

I think that it is a crazy idea ... I know that we are into regulating our society .. but just pause to think of the bureaucracy necessary to control it. I suppose that a new licence class & range of new laws/penalties would be necessary.

Even less likely than a ban of bull bars in built up areas.

ps.. loved the post about driving the wrong way on the freeway

edit ....

Oops .. Forgot to say that I think that it is a good idea for new vanners to attend an appropriate course.

-- Edited by Cupie on Sunday 4th of December 2016 12:33:30 AM

Mobi Condo · Guru

Macka17 writes "It's the person. nOT the vehicle."

Sooooooo true! Before retirement late 2013, I worked in a supposedly highly respected Aust Govt Research Institution where the SAME people could be seen no matter what mode of on foot, cycling, motor cycling, in a car with the attitude of "Get out of my way, I am here!". These were all highly educated, qualified folks.

Thankfully they were a minimal percentage of the folks there, BUT it was interesting to observe.

I even heard of incidents of "Lap Rage" in the lap swimming activities!

macka17 · Guru

""I think that it is a crazy idea ... I know that we are into regulating our society .. but just pause to think of the bureaucracy necessary to control it. I suppose that a new licence class & range of new laws/penalties would be necessary.""

---------------------------------------------------

Not really.
There are a lot of towing instruction classes about. Cost????.
plus a lot of TRUCK driving courses\Instructors. Cost ???

ANYTHING in the way of instruction on how to and when to do
Is a vast improvement on what we have nowadays.

Just a little signed\stamped cert from that persons book should be sufficient
That YOU have a basic idea if angles weights, distances etc.

A lot of us have \had heavy licences up to Multi and Heavy.
Most? of us handed most in around 60\65yrs ?(I did)
So we don't really NEED instruction. BUT.
As I do.
A reminder every ten yrs or so from an examiner\instructor.
Ain't such a bad thing..
We ALL get a bit slack. Specially when out of it for a few yrs.

Driving instructors.Caravan\Towing courses etc.
MUST? mave some certification of sorts to do the job they do.

That should be enuff bureaucracy. Just go through the certified ones of them.
Maybe have a new certificate drawn up ?

Fixed.

Looking at a lot on the road. quite a few could do with it.
Even just for driving a car.
This country would be one of the worst believe me.
I've driven in a few.

Possum3 · Guru

Cupie, I assure you that vans come in 30ft sizes fitted with triple bogies - next time you see a Circus troupe check out their vans and trucks.

Cupie · Guru

Possum3 wrote:
Cupie, I assure you that vans come in 30ft sizes fitted with triple bogies - next time you see a Circus troupe check out their vans and trucks.

Agree .. In fact I sat on the verandah of the pub at Camooweal and watched a caravan of circus people fly thru. There was at least one of those triple bogie vans bouncing over the dip in the road with a resounding 'crash'.

But how many have you seen in CPs driven by Grey Nomads and the like. Rare as hens teeth I suspect. Maybe a few mining rigs too.

I suppose as time goes by there may be more of them given the way vans have grown in the last 20 years or so.

macka17 · Guru

I've had a 28ft. But a flatbed truck transported from A to B.
50 odd yrs ago.On road. I wouldn't go past 6.5mtrs.

Anything above that is just more room for more crap.
Mine was 1\2 empty most of time.

These dealers/Mfg's have got the latest vanners really conned as to size required..

Unless full time. an 18ft int, is more than enuff for anybody,
Di's favourite was our Compass 17ft 6 Outside.

For 2... Perfect with a suitable layout.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Fatigue is a big issue . Plus you have learn you cannot zig and zag with van . It's a tail and it will flick around on you ., If gov gets involved in this ? It will just cost us more trust me ! Whose going to pay for this ??

macka17 · Guru

Everybody that has NO experience towing more than a small trailer.
It should be compulsory to have instruction of some sorts..
There are plenty of caravan towing classesgoing around now.
They must be under some sort of cantrol.

Any van over say 22ft should have a light truck or HG Licence.
They ARE large items to be dragging around with NO instruction.
ALl truck drivers have to have so many hrs. WITH instruction b4 being let loose on roads.

How are WE any different.

So too with 5th Wheelers. They ARE a semi rig.
And all converted buses/motorhomes.

They are or were Buses.

Yu have to have instruction and licences for them too.

What makes all these old farts just starting out.
Think THEY are any different to everybody else.

SORRY. But I think ALL should have some instruction to suit what you driving.
BEFORE you start driving\towing it.

My opinions on it.
Whether people like it or not.

MOST of the oldies nowadays (in this country)
Didn't even take any instruction. NOR a proper test b4 they drove.
Just a lap round block with local mate\copper.

Think back.

rockylizard · Guru

macka17 wrote:
SNIP~~~ All truck drivers have to have so many hrs. WITH instruction b4 being let loose on roads.~~~SNIP

Gday...

I do realise there are far more trucks on the road than caravans. However, despite all that instruction, and ongoing, almost intrusive, monitoring of truck drivers, there are 100s of truck crashes each year - definitely more than caravans.

Whilst I do consider getting some instruction (assessment?) on towing a caravan - of any size - is very sensible ... it is NOT the panacea.

Like everything to do with the road toll and driving abilities and road 'nouse' it requires a change of CULTURE of the individual.

Cheers - John

adreamer · Senior Member

rockylizard wrote:
macka17 wrote:
SNIP~~~ All truck drivers have to have so many hrs. WITH instruction b4 being let loose on roads.~~~SNIP
Gday...
I do realise there are far more trucks on the road than caravans. However, despite all that instruction, and ongoing, almost intrusive, monitoring of truck drivers, there are 100s of truck crashes each year - definitely more than caravans.
Whilst I do consider getting some instruction (assessment?) on towing a caravan - of any size - is very sensible ... it is NOT the panacea.
Like everything to do with the road toll and driving abilities and road 'nouse' it requires a change of CULTURE of the individual.
Cheers - John

Especially for you because you think you dug the 'Murray'!!!! Knows f***** all!!

rockylizard · Guru

adreamer wrote:
rockylizard wrote:
macka17 wrote:
SNIP~~~ All truck drivers have to have so many hrs. WITH instruction b4 being let loose on roads.~~~SNIP
Gday...
I do realise there are far more trucks on the road than caravans. However, despite all that instruction, and ongoing, almost intrusive, monitoring of truck drivers, there are 100s of truck crashes each year - definitely more than caravans.
Whilst I do consider getting some instruction (assessment?) on towing a caravan - of any size - is very sensible ... it is NOT the panacea.
Like everything to do with the road toll and driving abilities and road 'nouse' it requires a change of CULTURE of the individual.
Cheers - John
Especially for you because you think you dug the 'Murray'!!!! Knows f***** all!!

Gday..

Don't hold back Helen ... give us your opinion

Sorry for having an opinion ... I guess as it doesn't gell with yours I must be wrong.

Such is life. cry

Cheers - John

brickies · Guru

It's all about attitude , Some have good attitude and some have bad attitude , How do we deal with bad attitude that's the question .

rockylizard · Guru

brickies wrote:
It's all about attitude , Some have good attitude and some have bad attitude , How do we deal with bad attitude that's the question.
The same way we need to address so many problems with our society - it requires a change of CULTURE of the individual.

Gday...

Cheers - John

Webmaster · Guru

Thanks everyone for your input. I think I will closed this now. Just a quick reminder to please ensure that comments are focused on the topic, not at the person who posted their view. While we welcome debate and differences of opinion, we do not allow personal attacks.