RE: Caravan Club Splashes Out
Discussion
quote:
Horse, not draconian just conforming to every other EU country! See the Brussels EC website for proposed laws..... I'll try and post it..
regards JMGS4
NB, a diving club is a business or not? then the trailer is commercial........
Thanks, its point (c) that worries me, trailers are no problem on Motorways. Can you imagine the nightmare of all the caravans in the country trying to get to Cornwall using just B-roads? Aaaaah!
quote:
a) individual registration of all trailers (i.e. road tax and individual reg. number)
Overdue
quote:
b) all non commercial trailers to be double taxed (as will RVs)
My arse. Road tax should be revoked full stop, seeing how we pay so much on fuel. Caravanners pay an implicit additional tax by their increased fuel consumption.
quote:
c) all non-commercial trailers banned from motorways and main roads except between 22°° and 06°°
Unlikely in the extreme. And silly too.
Motorways are the best place for trailers, especially as people here don't seem to be able to overtake them
quote:
d) all trailerdrivers must pass a separate test equivalent to HGV
Already done. Doesn't quite need to be HGV, but basic manouvering and handling skills are tested.
quote:
e) all trailers must be MOT'd yearly
Overdue
quote:
f) a minimum power requirement for all towing vehicles
How do you enforce? Haven't the police got enough to do, following me around waiting to nick me for speeding
quote:
g) all trailers to be individually insured
Why? 3rd party cover is provided by your car insurance and most people with expensive 'vans (like me) have seperate insurance anyway.
quote:
c) all non-commercial trailers banned from motorways and main roads except between 22°° and 06°°
Unlikely in the extreme. And silly too.
Motorways are the best place for trailers, especially as people here don't seem to be able to overtake them
quote:
In most countries there are more motorways. Just because GB hasn't built enough due to lazy politicians greenies etc TOUGH!
quote:
f) a minimum power requirement for all towing vehicles
How do you enforce? Haven't the police got enough to do, following me around waiting to nick me for speeding
Simple micros and shoping baskets are not allowed to have towing hooks......quote:
g) all trailers to be individually insured
Individul registration thus individual MOT and Insurance
Why? 3rd party cover is provided by your car insurance and most people with expensive 'vans (like me) have seperate insurance anyway.
3rd party cover is only for GB and due to be eliminated soon! separate vehicle!
So if it's unfair to tax caravans, because they're only used a handful of times a year, what about the average (second car) sportscar? Rubbish, they take up as much room on the road as any other vehicle - tax 'em.
Caravans and caravan sites ruin the countryside. If you really want to get away from it all, pitch a tent somewhere up in the mountains - that's what I do - it's much more isolated than a caravan site. Tents are far less of a blot on the landscape than your avaerage 2 berth portaloo.
The last time I was in Scotland, we encountered five motorhomes\caravans in a row near Skye. The missus was driving - she's a bit more circumspect than me about overtaking in the TVR - and it was only due to the excellent (over 1/2 mile) visibility on that particular stretch of road, alllowing all five to be over taken at once, that we didn't spend the next hour travelling at 35mph.
Caravans and caravan sites ruin the countryside. If you really want to get away from it all, pitch a tent somewhere up in the mountains - that's what I do - it's much more isolated than a caravan site. Tents are far less of a blot on the landscape than your avaerage 2 berth portaloo.
The last time I was in Scotland, we encountered five motorhomes\caravans in a row near Skye. The missus was driving - she's a bit more circumspect than me about overtaking in the TVR - and it was only due to the excellent (over 1/2 mile) visibility on that particular stretch of road, alllowing all five to be over taken at once, that we didn't spend the next hour travelling at 35mph.
quote:
With the Land Rover it was rare to have a line of cars behind you, more often I was in one behind another caravan
Exactly our point. 1 bloody shedpuller stuck behind another. And did you leave a gap, I guess not. Did you pull over to let the 30 mile tail back through? I guess not.
My guess is that most cars are unsafe to pull caravans anyway. Sure the 4x4 landrover type is probably ok, but on the smaller cars do you *really* think the brake system and chassis is designed to accomodate a 2 ton turd attached to the back? No. This includes a 206 GTI.
I don't want to ban caravans, 'cos then we have to ban everything everybody doesn't like, just make them get the f**k out of the way and make sure they are safe. Some of the problem is that you are all so damn slow you make other drivers perform more dangerous overtaking manoevres to get past you.
For god's sake, if you want to travel round in your snail shell, then get a motorhome. It's specifically designed for the purpose with brakes, chassis, handling, performance all taken into account.
Where's the damn caravanning website.
quote:
quote:
With the Land Rover it was rare to have a line of cars behind you, more often I was in one behind another caravan
Exactly our point. 1 bloody shedpuller stuck behind another. And did you leave a gap, I guess not. Did you pull over to let the 30 mile tail back through? I guess not.
My guess is that most cars are unsafe to pull caravans anyway. Sure the 4x4 landrover type is probably ok, but on the smaller cars do you *really* think the brake system and chassis is designed to accomodate a 2 ton turd attached to the back? No. This includes a 206 GTI.
I don't want to ban caravans, 'cos then we have to ban everything everybody doesn't like, just make them get the f**k out of the way and make sure they are safe. Some of the problem is that you are all so damn slow you make other drivers perform more dangerous overtaking manoevres to get past you.
For god's sake, if you want to travel round in your snail shell, then get a motorhome. It's specifically designed for the purpose with brakes, chassis, handling, performance all taken into account.
Where's the damn caravanning website.
You were not there so how can you comment (ok shouting match on the way). Upshot is I would pull over but that was rare, unless I had line behind me. The horse box size "van" was for work, Yes I left a gap, stupid not to unless stupid git got behind you. I have a great dislike for caravan owners at the mo probably for the wrong reasons. After dragging a "van" around for work you might understand the problems.
30 mile tail back, be real. 29 more like
Late to this thread, been in Poland for a few days! All cars have a towing weight limit shown in the handbook, generally this should be somewhere around 65-75% of the car dry weight, therefore a caravan weighing 1 ton should only be towed by a car of 1.35 tonnes upwards. I have no idea how much an 'average' caravan weighs, but I think most caravans are towed by cars too light for the job! When towing trailers I have always used a Range Rover/Nissan Patrol/Toyota Hilux, these are all heavy and powerful enough for the job.
Daern, how much does your caravan weigh? and how much doea a 206GTi weigh? I think the car is 1013kg, therefore if your caravan when loaded is more than 750kg your car is not capable of towing it.
Daern, how much does your caravan weigh? and how much doea a 206GTi weigh? I think the car is 1013kg, therefore if your caravan when loaded is more than 750kg your car is not capable of towing it.
quote:
Treat your girlfiend to a decent hotel and sportscar. I'm sure she won't miss the gippo lifestyle.
Bloody good idea! for the money invested in a caravan, you could put a deposit on a decent motor, part EX the GTi, and go holidaying in style at some good class hotels or B&Bs. Thus giving the missus a thrill of a really classy vehicle, AND a proper bed........
C
Horse: try under
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/lif/reg/en_register_07204010.html
It was somewhere ther; i had to search for about 2 hours to find exactly which proposal it was....
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/lif/reg/en_register_07204010.html
It was somewhere ther; i had to search for about 2 hours to find exactly which proposal it was....
quote:
Late to this thread, been in Poland for a few days! All cars have a towing weight limit shown in the handbook, generally this should be somewhere around 65-75% of the car dry weight, therefore a caravan weighing 1 ton should only be towed by a car of 1.35 tonnes upwards. I have no idea how much an 'average' caravan weighs, but I think most caravans are towed by cars too light for the job! When towing trailers I have always used a Range Rover/Nissan Patrol/Toyota Hilux, these are all heavy and powerful enough for the job.
Daern, how much does your caravan weigh? and how much doea a 206GTi weigh? I think the car is 1013kg, therefore if your caravan when loaded is more than 750kg your car is not capable of towing it.
The Caravan Club recommend that you don't exceed 85%, but that's hardly the issue here. With enough power (my GTi has plenty of that), a damping hitch (got one of them too) and a stable loading configuration (always careful about this) you *can* tow up to 100% (mine's about 98%).
Besides which, you are more likely to be stuck behind a 2.0l Frontera and 'van (which is far less than 85%) than you are to be stuck behind me.
There is no such thing as a towing weight limit and I don't fancy going on holiday in a Nissan Patrol
quote:
Its not the power thats important its the momentum and the BRAKES that are important. A pug GTI has brakes designed for its own weight not for itself and the extra behind.
...but caravans have their own brakes. The brakes on the car are actually used less than usual, 'cos the van brakes take much of the load.
quote:
Do all caravans have braked hitches or is it an option?
All trailers over 500 kg laden must be fitted with overun brakes and over 3000kg they must be fitted with coupled brakes. (restrospective fitting included regardless of year of manufacture)
The problem is that these are normally drum brakes which fade when going downhill and are only designed to pull 0.6 g which means they are crap and reliant on car brakes to extend the performance. In short dont step off the kerb in front to a caravan because the buggers will be compelled to run you down.
Gassing Station | Motoring News | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff