Dangerous and careless
Comments
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I have to say I am pedantic about tyre pressures because they make such a massive difference when towing. My Touareg varies between 33psi (part load) to 44psi (full load) on the back and this affects not only the ride but fuel consumption, Since we're
usually on site for at least a week, I always deflate them to the low load pressure once there, to avoid unnecessary wear whilst driving around visiting various places. I use the 12v pump that came with the car and it only takes 5 minutes to readjust the pressures
before setting off again.0 -
Another seagull poster. To quote a certain lady, sigh.
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There seems to be a lack of care going on here, you do all realise that tyre pressures alter due to ambient temperature? This results in over inflation during hot summer afternoons! I've often been amazed at the lack of care taken by fellow Caravaners carelessly ignoring their pressures and setting off on journeys willy nilly on warm afternoons. This surely must be stamped on by club officials?
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Whoa! Rein in there Guys! Its too easy to take the Micky and lose sight of the big picture. Actually I have most of those actions written down on a laminated pre flight checklist!
OK several of them are noteional ones, such as noseweight, but I do check it off in my mind, lets face it it is important! I would submit that a physical check might not be required, but it is important that you do remember any changes that your holiday
might have created, - heavy booze for example. How many vans have you seen en route with locker doors open, roof lights open, obviously out of balance fore & aft? So lets not take the micky, - that last check around to see that the break away cable is on,
the stabilisor lever is engaged, the nose wheel is up and locked are all important, and a check list is valuable in that respect!Well said OP!
TF
The idea is to enjoy this wonderful pastime of ours in relative safety! What I don't need is other people on site keeping statistics! If the OP had written their opening in a different way then perhaps the responses would have been more positive!
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Deleted User User - Walk to the bus stop
Walk yes.
Buses? Not been on one since the eighties ......
Have a good weekend.
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ok, no clipboards....just a question....
how many caravaners know what their van (and towcar) weighs, fully loaded?
....and i mean by visiting a weighbridge, not referring to a manufacturers (optimistic and largely inaccurate) brochure?
and, as this is the chat section, how many MHer know their overall weight and their axle weights....again from a weighbridge?
yes, we all have checklists (of sorts) either written out or in our heads, the check off the 'obvious' safety items...but i wonder how many have 'properly' checked off this most obvious safety (and legal) item?
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ok, no clipboards....just a question....
how many caravaners know what their van (and towcar) weighs, fully loaded?
....and i mean by visiting a weighbridge, not referring to a manufacturers (optimistic and largely inaccurate) brochure?
and, as this is the chat section, how many MHer know their overall weight and their axle weights....again from a weighbridge?
yes, we all have checklists (of sorts) either written out or in our heads, the check off the 'obvious' safety items...but i wonder how many have 'properly' checked off this most obvious safety (and legal) item?
I am far from convinced that a caravan being overloaded by 50kg or so is a great danger in itself if properly distributed load. Illegal of course
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Deleted User User's list is about right, but another reason why I now at the age of 71 prefer to have a proper "Pre Flight Checklist". Its very easy to overlook something. However like many others I do not adjust my tyre pressures downwards once my towing is
over, or my noseweight as often as I should. My 4x4 has a very high noseweight limit so it is not so critical in my case. I do however always make a visual check on my towing level to ensure I am not nose high.This year I have been amazed at the numbers of caravans and indeed some motorhomes, that I see under way with one or more rooflights still up. Some had clearly already suffered serious damage to the rooflights by exposure to the high winds during their
journey.TF
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ok, no clipboards....just a question....
how many caravaners know what their van (and towcar) weighs, fully loaded?
....and i mean by visiting a weighbridge, not referring to a manufacturers (optimistic and largely inaccurate) brochure?
and, as this is the chat section, how many MHer know their overall weight and their axle weights....again from a weighbridge?
yes, we all have checklists (of sorts) either written out or in our heads, the check off the 'obvious' safety items...but i wonder how many have 'properly' checked off this most obvious safety (and legal) item?
I am far from convinced that a caravan being overloaded by 50kg or so is a great danger in itself if properly distributed load. Illegal of course
...and im equally convinced that you wouldnt know by how much it was (or wasnt) overloaded unless you actually weighed it.
manufacturers figures are allowed to be +/- 5%, so even on a fairly lightweight 1500kg caravan, the MIRO could be upto 75kg out either way....hence my post.
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Letting tyres down on tow car while van is on site !
is this some sort of windup
v9
Certainly not in our case. If we are on a site for a week or more and going to use the car a fair bit, I always do. It only takes a few minutes and it handles so much better. As to someone knowing wether I had done some of the checks, they would have to be observing for a long time. Tyres are usually checked the evening before, as are wheel nuts, if required by distance. The only check that would be very obvious when leaving, is checking the lights and perhaps a final walk round.
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It will be a long time before I need to worry about all these checks because I'm on a seasonal pitch and don't need to move the caravan again until November! Our couple of nights away in a tent every 21 days doesn't require all of the op checks! Why make
life more complicated than is absolutely necessary?0 -
The user and all related content has been Deleted User0
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I think the main issue with the OP is the fact that he studied his fellow campers in such depth. We all differ in the amount of checks we do but to study others behaviour and then admit to it while delivering his lecture beggars belief! As One said, had
the tone been different we might well have viewed the post in a different light.Take care out there as you never know who's watching.
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It will be a long time before I need to worry about all these checks because I'm on a seasonal pitch and don't need to move the caravan again until November! Our couple of nights away in a tent every 21 days doesn't require all of the op checks! Why make
life more complicated than is absolutely necessary?....Malc, as you have your 'whole life' with you when your travel (even once every so often....), im sure you would need to be fully aware of your travelling weights....?
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I think the main issue with the OP is the fact that he studied his fellow campers in such depth.
Take care out there as you never know who's watching.
I thought it was just a tease
Who knows? There doesn't seem to be much humour there.
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I've enjoyed this thread for the lovely split between a touch of humour and the oh so serious never forget a thing don't move until every box is ticked tourers!
Wherever you fit in, (try) and enjoy your holiday!
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You seem to have a thing about weights of late BB.
...just something that i happen to think is fairly important within the caravan/MH world....
i also know how difficult it can be to run a reasonable sized MH at 3500kg...especially the rear axle weight...the discussion with Kjell in his search as highlighted how hard it can be...
similarly, caravans have (by comparison) small payloads, yet i dont recall very many (other than one or two MHers) actually reporting that they knew their actual weights....
overloading any van is regarded as a fairly serious issue, putting the users and others at risk...
trotting out a long list of checks is wonderful, but of little use if the van is seriously overweight....
i do know what my van weighs, even though i also knew that it had a very large payload. its very useful for establishing correct tyre pressures, too.
so, yes, ive highlighted weights twice recently in the context of other threads, but it doesnt supprise me to see the apparent lack of interest.....im sure folk see 'vans' as large boxes that can hold a huge amount of stuff....irrespective of what this stuff
weighs.0 -
Whilst the OP has a valid point his "research" is not valid as he does not know if the checks were done the day before departure as I tend to do apart from the lights.
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Caravan Club?
This ought to be known as 'The Belt and Braces Club'
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