Caravan overturned on M5 on Good Friday
Travelling down to Bath on Friday morning, 30 minute holdup whilst the remains of a caravan were scraped off the carriageway, just past J12 southbound.
Didn't look as though any other vehicles were involved, but damage to van was catastrophic. Roof and walls of the van in one piece, front end bashed in, floor and trailer parts, with kitchen units still attached, further on down the hard shoulder.
All this from my peripheral vision, couldn't tell you the make of van and tow car, more concerned with looking were I was going.
Someones Easter break spoiled, food for thought.
Comments
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Somebody's holiday has ended before it began unfortunately. Just hope nobody was injured. You always have to wonder what was the cause.
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That looks nasty; I hope no one was hurt.
Yesterday near me the M61 and M6 were too congested for any speed related accidents. Many poor holidaymakers were stuck for hours in tailbacks south of the M61 M6 intersection.
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That looks nasty; I hope no one was hurt.
Yesterday near me the M61 and M6 were too congested for any speed related accidents. Many poor holidaymakers were stuck for hours in tailbacks south of the M61 M6 intersection.
might not have been speed related Nevers, only a bland statement in local news
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Just checked on Google and it came up with this report.
One of the comments from another reader was;
“Basically the Caravan club consists of old gits going 5 miles from home on a weekend to sit in a field and compare awnings whilst Doris pops back home in the car coz shes forgotten the tea bags. Basically they should be taxed and people should have a test
to tow the thing and if they are found to be driving like a muppit they should be re tested at major cost . I saw one go over on the M42 few years back nothing left of it right mess to clear up.”Is that realy what some folk think of us?
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As if accidents were the prerogative of the caravanner. Perhaps one should remind those reporting such incidents that a hell of a lot more occur without a caravan at the back. It's just that caravan accidents tend to be more spectacular because they fall
apart like matchsticks when hit, but on the whole, few people actually get badly injured in such cases.0 -
I've no idea what caused the accident that I saw the aftermath of, but the fact that it happened just yards after J12 leads me to speculate that traffic joining the motorway might have had something to do with it.
Sudden lane changes, heavy braking etc.
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Yes junctions in heavy traffic can be problematical, too many vehicles all trying to join at the same time, rather than spacing themselves out. In these conditions I ease of slightly at the start of the slip road to open up a good gap to the car joining
in front, usually to be overtaken by some impatient person behind. It's a shame we can't have those formula 1 style lights, that control joining traffic at the East Mids Airport junction on every slip road.0 -
How many times do you see a car or a light van going past you at a fast pace then suddenly they break in front of you to turn off at a junction. And the same when they merge onto a motorway junction. Speed is the problem that causes the accidents, not saying that all caravaners tow to fast but a few due. As for the comments from the paper on the accident what a load of numpties.
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Just checked on Google and it came up with this report.
One of the comments from another reader was;
“Basically the Caravan club consists of old gits going 5 miles from home on a weekend to sit in a field and compare awnings whilst Doris pops back home in the car coz shes forgotten the tea bags. Basically they should be taxed and people should have a test
to tow the thing and if they are found to be driving like a muppit they should be re tested at major cost . I saw one go over on the M42 few years back nothing left of it right mess to clear up.”Is that realy what some folk think of us?
I believe that there is actually a lot of ill feeling towards caravanners although most of it is kept within the British stiff upper lip. A colleague of mine regards them as a menace. I have pointed out that they take up no more room than lorries but he
believes that caravans are often towed irresponsibly whilst lorries have trained and experienced drivers. Maybe he is correct.0 -
there was a caravan turned over on junction 28 on the m1 on thursday , it was flattened and their belongings were all over the motorway (my sister witnessed it) a little bit worrying when im just going on my first trip next week , i wish my van had 4wheels
or does it happen to those as well ?0 -
there was a caravan turned over on junction 28 on the m1 on thursday , it was flattened and their belongings were all over the motorway (my sister witnessed it) a little bit worrying when im just going on my first trip next week , i wish my van had 4wheels
or does it happen to those as well ?Please don’t worry BC, as long as you drive sensibly, check tyre condition and pressures and load the car/caravan correctly you will be fine.
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..... but he believes that caravans are often towed irresponsibly whilst lorries have trained and experienced drivers. Maybe he is correct.
I could have dragged the 'trained & experienced' HGV driver from his cab when he pulled into lane 2 where I was (towing) and stayed there whilst trying to overtake going up hill .... he failed to overtake for miles while I'd to sit there behind the barsteward.
He either looked behind him & thought I'd better get in front of the slow caravan, or more like **** the caravan I'm pulling out!
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..... but he believes that caravans are often towed irresponsibly whilst lorries have trained and experienced drivers. Maybe he is correct.
I could have dragged the 'trained & experienced' HGV driver from his cab when he pulled into lane 2 where I was (towing) and stayed there whilst trying to overtake going up hill .... he failed to overtake for miles while I'd to sit there behind the barsteward. He either looked behind him & thought I'd better get in front of the slow caravan, or more like **** the caravan I'm pulling out!
Yes MM, training and experience are one thing, consideration is another.
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Just checked on Google and it came up with this report.
One of the comments from another reader was;
“Basically the Caravan club consists of old gits going 5 miles from home on a weekend to sit in a field and compare awnings whilst Doris pops back home in the car coz shes forgotten the tea bags. Basically they should be taxed and people should have a test to tow the thing and if they are found to be driving like a muppit they should be re tested at major cost . I saw one go over on the M42 few years back nothing left of it right mess to clear up.”
Is that realy what some folk think of us?
I believe that there is actually a lot of ill feeling towards caravanners although most of it is kept within the British stiff upper lip. A colleague of mine regards them as a menace. I have pointed out that they take up no more room than lorries but he believes that caravans are often towed irresponsibly whilst lorries have trained and experienced drivers. Maybe he is correct.
The man is an idiot. There are good and bad lorry drivers and caravanners. Neither are perfect or all bad.
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I do hope there were no injuries in the caravan incidents. I know I look at what I have in the caravan now and always put laptop and other personal possessions with me in the car. It is no use expecting others to give us consideration if we don't give
it back. I find increasingly fewer lorries are signalling that its safe for me to pull back in - BUT once they know I understand the signal (by telling them its safe to pull in) I get more flashes
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At least 12 vans gone over or been in serious incedents this weekend according to the news reports
That doesn't surprise me with the amount of times i've been cut up by other caravanners on the M5 pulling in too soon "look at me and how fast I can tow" muppets
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Gale force sidewinds don't help.
I've been on autobahns in Germany where some distance from a slip road traffic in lane 1 is steered into lane 2 by arrows on the road followed by a hatched area which leaves lane 1 empty for vehicles joining from the slip road.
It did cause congestion though at the approach to the slip road because the autobahn was effectively reduced from 3 to 2 lanes for a half a mile or so.
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There are possibly a higher percentage of people who only tow at bank holiday times out as well. For some it will be a get there and back as fast as possible scenario to make most of time away. Weather won't have helped either.
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At least 12 vans gone over or been in serious incedents this weekend according to the news reports
That doesn't surprise me with the amount of times i've been cut up by other caravanners on the M5 pulling in too soon "look at me and how fast I can tow" muppets
Also doesn't surprise me with the number of what appear to be badly loaded vans. Since we left on Friday I've seen 2 that were nose up and one quite nose down all on what I'd consider to be large 4x4's
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Invariably we hear the speeding conclusion on here every time a van is involved in and accident but we never ever hear an official report about the cause of the accidents! but still the comments persist. In some European countries it is legal to tow some
vans at 70 or even 80 mph and to be honest I wouldn't do it but I don't see the roads littered with trashed vans.i just hope all those involved are ok and carry sufficient insurance.
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There were a couple of video clips posted on CT last year that I occasionally ponder on. One was a caravan smashed to bits trying to overtake a van on a single carriageway, which went badly wrong. The other was someone towing who had misjudged his get off
junction on the M5 or somewhere and decided to try and push a van or lorry across. He ended up with his tow car right under the front of the lorry, and a very irate lorry or van driver shouting at him. You never hear more though, just wonder if insurance pays
out. Luckily I don't think anyone was hurt in either incident thank goodness.0 -
Couldn't agree more oneputt, people seem to forget that the road markings on the slip road joining a motorway are a give way sign, and I'm sure some people don't have the tow aspect on their license. Seen loads doing 70 mph, even seen people in the outside lane of a motorway. Perhaps a national campaign to educate people would help?
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At least 12 vans gone over or been in serious incedents this weekend according to the news reports
That doesn't surprise me with the amount of times i've been cut up by other caravanners on the M5 pulling in too soon "look at me and how fast I can tow" muppets
Write your comments here...You must be looked on as a "target" as in all the year of towing thats one thing I have not had by c/vans or m/vans, "rep type" yes "white vanman" yes, hgv sometimes,most problems are caused by entry to m/ways by "drivers?" who cannot judge speeds or think that eveyone should move over for them
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