Shadow Accident

[Keep it stiff]

This accident was reported in my local paper yesterday and also got a mention in the Telegraph this morning.

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/13341096.Vint...

Whilst I'm very sorry for anyone who suffers the loss of a classic in this case it seems the owner was the author of his misfortune. He was towing a Shadow which will have weighed in at around 2,000 kg, add a trailer of say 500 - 750 kg, and his towing vehicle was a RAV 4. The permitted towing weight for the RAV is between 1,500 and 1,800, he was massively over-weight and he was expecting to get to Spain like this!

[thegreenhell]

Rolls Royce would have been more able to tow the Rav4.

[Willhire89]

I would expect VOSA to take a very dim view of this .......

RAV4 with a Shadow + trailer is ridiculous

[iSore]

Road closed for three hours.

Yep, that sounds about right. Three fire engines, several coppers and wombles and at least two ambulances.

Anywhere else in the world: Four blokes flip the Roller over, onto a truck, sweep up, job done in 45 minutes.


Bloody shame though :-(

[guru_1071]

there are some pictures of the trailer on this link

http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/13330975.Snak...

what sort of idiot would try and tow a large trailer like this behind a RAV4?

I bet the trailer must be 500-750kg unladen

Edited by guru_1071 on Monday 22 June 17:14

[Willhire89]

guru_1071 said:

what sort of idiot would try and tow a large trailer like this behind a RAV4?

Mr Alan McTavish, (66) of L’Ametlla de Mar, Tarragona, in Spain?

[dudleybloke]

The Rolls rolls.

[eldar]

dudleybloke said:

The Rolls rolls.

Or the Royce rolls?

[gothatway]

"Alan McTavish" - the guy for whom the word "plonker" was coined.

[Rickyy]

RAV 4 of that age is only rated to 1500kg according to Parkers. I'm assuming the Rolls weighs a lot more than that without the trailer?

[Runty]

On way to Le Mans , followed,not for long! , a kangoo van towing a heavy Ivor Williams four wheelerat 70mph with a SHOGUN strapped to it......The driver looked about 66......didnt hang around to ask his name!

[patby]

Shadow 2100kg, trailer 700kg+,with a RAV4 all the way to Spain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think he is a very lucky man that he has not killed someone.

Surely VOSA would have got him at the ferry port.

[roscobbc]

Reminds me of many years ago towing an 1963 Olds 98 with minimal braking with a Mark 2 1300 Escort (using a chain) it was really slow up the hills - down hills the Olds was 'chasing' me at speeds up to 60 mph - exciting 35 mile journey. Escort was only a year or so old and never quite the same again!

[uk66fastback]

Some of the crazy things we all did, I guess we did when younger. A mate in his 2200 Princess towed me 10 miles along the A34 into Oxford, me in a 71 MGB roadster which was literally a shell, no lights, screen, seats etc. Mad. I wouldn't get a mile now without being nicked. This was over 30 years ago. Would I do it now? Not a chance!

This guy should have known better.

[Toaster Pilot]

Runty said:

On way to Le Mans , followed,not for long! , a kangoo van towing a heavy Ivor Williams four wheelerat 70mph with a SHOGUN strapped to it......The driver looked about 66......didnt hang around to ask his name!

I have an old Kangoo van - I don't think it's legal towing weight is very much at all!

As for the OP - that's some weapons grade stupidity right there. Reminds me of this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhBpdZoB5Oc

[samj2014]

Best bit:

"Alan McTavish said he could not believe his luck"

What's luck got to do with it?!
Perhaps he felt unlucky that he had been born a few eggs short of a dozen...

[mgtony]

Sadly, these things happen. All you can do is keep your Spirits up.

[fireturk]

don't think he has a Ghost of a chance getting any compensation!!

[Keep it stiff]

Sadly the car ended up a shadow of its former self.

[kdb5501]

What also bugs me about this story is that journalists always call old cars vintage, it is not vintage it is classic. Vintage are vehicles built before 1930 I know this is a little bit picky but it really winds me up.