Is towing really that scary
My wife and I decided to buy a caravan for my 3 month sabbatical due next year (2021). Bought it last December but for obvious reasons haven't yet towed it. Been on a towing course and all was well and I thought this will be great. However, when asked how long I've been towing people look with horror and take in all kinds of deep breaths when I say it'll be the first time! I'm losing my nerve - is it really that bad? Towing from Wallasey to Ludlow on A49.
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Why not take the van out locally and practice? Industrial estates on a Sunday afternoon can often be good places to try out your reversing skills but I guess you might be busy on a Sunday.......
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If you are below age 30 nothing should deter. As we get older we are more conservative. As somebody who has towed for nigh on 40 years it is easy for me to say 'no problem'. When you are aware of the wider swing when coupled up than when solo it is not a big deal though
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Proverbs 28:1
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No, it is not that scary. You are acquiring a new skill that just needs a little care and attention as you gain experience. You have done the course so now go out and practice on quiet roads. Just remember that you have this thing behind you: it will take a slightly tighter route around bends and slow your acceleration but you will soon get used to that. Reversing will be fun but again follow the advice you were given on your course. Take your time do not feel that you have to rush things and give yourself plenty of space on the road to break/stop. Use your mirrors a lot. Although, like Easy T, I have been towing for over 40 yrs we were all beginners once so you are not alone. I assume your car/caravan are a well matched outfit, so follow the advice on loading and nose weight (as near the max allowed by your outfit). You will find that driving a little slower than solo is quite relaxing.
It is recommended that for your first trip you go somewhere local for a few days to get used to caravanning and ensuring everything works; use everything, put the awning up, plug in the TV etc. We are a 'list' couple which hopefully means that we do not forget anything!
Don't hesitate to ask any questions.
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If you have not got a motor mover on your caravan I would certainly recommend that you at least consider doing so. It will take a lot of hassle out of putting your van onto a pitch where you might normally have to reverse on. Best of luck, take things easy and enjoy the experience.
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+1 there.
I certainly was far more worried about reversing with a caravan than towing it. Never really got the hang of it but fortunately Mrc C does it really well.
As been said Rev take things easy at first, and just take more care and 'space' when going round corners (not a pun btw)
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Anticipate what is in front of you , your car will feel and drive different with the caravan on the back ,allow extra braking distance and allow a greater distance with oncoming traffic when pulling out of road junctions, don’t over correct, drive as if you have a bowl of water on the bonnet! Drive at the pace you are happy with (keeping within the speed limits)
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As said take your time .
no it’s not scary . My husband doesn’t drive so I do all the towing . I’m not young and other motorist probably think I’m to old to be towing .
advice from experience for the first time out look for somewhere quite near 30 minutes away or an hour . also check the roads . Motor ways are best because others can pass you. Just avoid B roads .good luck .
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Jeff, to answer your question "Is towing really that scary?" the answer is no! I can honestly say I have never been scared in nigh on 30 years.
Our first trip? North Wales to Thurstaston and the site at Wirral CP. 28 miles. A weekend. Next trip, 2,500 miles to Eastern Austria, before Schengen and before Austria had joined the EU. An adventure? Yep and one to be remembered fondly. Scared? No but very excited. Stupid? Maybe, probably, well ok, definitely.
So if someone like me can drive that far on only my second ever tow then Ludlow shouldn't scare you. Be confident. Take your time and don't worry about others who may be impatient with you. Give corners a bit extra width.
Make a check list of things to do before setting off, such as attaching breakaway cable, taking handbrake off, checking lights etc. I'm sure this would have been covered in your course.
Good luck. Take it easy around Shrewsbury, there are quite a few roundabouts. Best wishes.
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For a first run thats a good route. Good roads, easy towing.
The A483 and A5 are my favorite route that way but the A41 is OK.
Plan it on google earth or maps, how the hell anybody planned in the past without it is beyond me.
Practice navigating with OH. Anybody in the car with us thinks were mad but having a good navigator reduces you input streams and helps you concentrate, however daft their voice commands get.
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I'd contest that motorways are best if you're a novice behind the wheel. Others maybe able to pass, but there's a lot of them!!! And if it did go belly up, the consequences at speed wouldn't be worth thinking about. A & B roads are a lot slower thereby giving you time to think.
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Motorways are certainly not easier than A roads for me when they are heavily trafficked. Give me a good A road anytime. For me motorways are generally a tedious necessity on occasion without the interest of other roads.
Living near Chester the M6 from below Warrington to below Birmingham I never use whether solo or towing. I might save 10 mins solo and drive 12 miles further but towing there is no saving.
Going North to the Lakes however the M6 becomes the necessary evil for me
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I'd agree with Phishing regarding the navigating.
I do all our towing by mutual agreement but we work as a team so I know I'll get good and precise instructions whilst I'm behind the wheel. Things like 'clear left' - 'you need to move out into offside lane for right turn at next junction' ... You get the idea I'm sure but, for an unfamiliar journey, I also tend to google a route as well to familiarise myself with type of roads.
I definitely wouldn't be without the motor mover either.
Stay safe but enjoy your trip.
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No, Rev Jeff, towing isn't or shouldn't be scary. Remember that every single one of us that tow or have towed, did it for the first time at the beginning of their towing career.
All the comments above are very valid but one that I would add is remember to use your mirrors very frequently to see what. if anything is behind you. I do it almost automatically now especially when going round a bend, no matter how slight. It gives a far better view of what is behind. If you are worried by a build-up of traffic behind, don't be concerned too much, you have every right to be driving on the road but perhaps consider pulling in to a lay-by or wide gateway etc to allow the traffic to pass. This is usually appreciated by other drivers.
Another thing that I do is have my car's mirrors tipped slightly down so that I can see the caravan wheels which is especially useful when going round a corner. Whilst the caravan will follow pretty well in line with the car it will cut the corner very slightly. Seeing the wheels allows corrections to be quickly made before the wheel clips the kerb, (or any other obstacle). Your extension mirrors should give you a clear view straight back, parallel to the road.
Enjoy towing and don't worry unnecessarily.
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As others have said take your time, don't be pressured by other drivers into driving too quickly or taking risks.
I find the most difficult manoeuvre is overtaking a long line of cyclists but I will wait for ever rather than risk a collision. Sod the impatient drivers behind me!
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Rev Jeff, my caravanning days are behind me but we motorhome from Upton on the Wirral (J3) down to Ludlow and beyond on at least an annual basis. It's a good route for you to gain experience. Don't worry. Fill the tank up with fuel the night or so before you go.
Get on the M53, then the A483 to Wrexham and pick up the A5 at Oswestry (be sure when you go that you can go into Wales). Then on down to Shrewsbury where you pick up the A49. These are all good 'trunk' roads. There will be roundabouts so make life easy for your yourself by getting in the right lane. Shrewsbury is the most difficult roundabout so be extra careful.
An alternative way is M53 and then A41 to Whitchurch and the A49. Still have to navigate the Shrewsbury ring road. We use this road more than the Oswestry route because we used to go to our dealer in Telford and now Stafford.
Either route will suit, both have lay-bys but these can be full of lorries.
The M53 is a great way to start a journey. Just make sure you get from your house to the motorway with nerves intact!
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I’m sure you will be fine, try not to worry about it. If it was that bad there wouldn’t be so many caravans around. You’ll have a relatively short journey on the M53 and then good A roads. It can be a little disconcerting at first when some large vehicles overtake you on the motorway, particularly coaches and flat fronted vans if they pass you too close. You will feel a slight sideways movement of your caravan as the other vehicle passes but its quite normal and you’ll soon get used to it. Don’t let your concerns spoil your holiday. Enjoy it.
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+1 norab👍🏻, Mways have lots of space-you want slower, there’s a lane for it, you want straight, most are for long periods. On lesser roads there are speed & space issues with folk freaked out by being behind a Cvan, they’ll pass fast & close & take chances. Yup, Mways are good(IMO)😊
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To help with navigating get a good sat nav with 'lane assist' which will tell you in plenty of time which lane you need to be in for your route, useful on some large multi lane roundabouts and junctions.
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another +1 David
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to anybody who reads this, did the first Tow, Wallasey to Ludlow, Ludlow to Corwen, Corwen to home. Loved it. Yes it was strange but I think that helped me concentrate all the more. But through out each of the journey the advice you gave was in my mind... don't get pushed by those behind, take everything slower, accept that you are going to drive slower and enjoy it.... I just want you to know your advice helped massively... looking forward to the next trip out and hoping the anticipation and joy of being 'out there' are there in equal measures. thanks
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I’d take a few minutes to pat yourself on the back too RJ👍🏻. Not many folk can take either help nor instruction, it takes a big person to ask for help, an even bigger person to then act on that help. You’ve approached it with an open mind. You are heading towards being a safe caravanner, part of the solution not the problem👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻. Happy days enjoy.
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Job 6:18 Always double check the hitch is connected!0
