Why do people insist on towing caravans?
Answer A) They enjoy holding up traffic
Answer B) They enjoy looking daft
Answer C) They enjoy driving slowly and a caravan helps their addiction
Ansers on a postcard please to:
Fellowship of Antiquated Road Transport Society (you work out the acronym)
Old Git Lane
Pratts Bottom
Kent
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To annoy me when I'm driving to Cornwall!! >:-(
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Snails take their homes everywhere with them. Caravan owners are just humans with a snail syndrome.
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Q Why do people insist on towing caravans?
Answer D - It's a lot easier than pushing them.
Obvious really.
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Caravans should be encouraged.
They bottle up the traffic nicely, so when I leapfrog past on the bike, I have a few miles of road all to myself before I catch the next one. ;-))
Actually, in the Volvo last night coming down the A41, I was sitting at a cruise controlled 70MPH (65MPH GPS) with a large caravan in front of me gradually pulling away. Admittedly it's a straight piece of road, and yes, we were both breaking the law, but it made a refreshing change. I caught it in Aylesbury, and for the record, the tow car was a Shogun V6 3200 loaded to the gunwales with camping and beach paraphenalia.
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I just don't see the point. Three of my neighbours own them, but only use them for the most 2 weeks per year. The rest of the time they just sit on the drive blocking the light and view from my house. When they do decide to go away on holiday it takes them nearly a week cleaning and packing them - then another week to clean and unpack on their return.
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Thankfully, my elderly parents have split up, and that shabby, horrible shower of a shack has gone from their drive.
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I see the live and let live ethos of this site is alive and well.
Anything or anybody who holds us up, gets in our way, or we generally dislike is castigated. Witness the answers to the recent "Which would you ban poll".
All road users have as much right as any of us to use the highways. It is about time this site realised this and got on with our lives.
--
Alyn Beattie
I\'m sane, it\'s the rest of the world that\'s mad.
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And what colour is your caravan Alyn?
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Why do people insist on towing caravans? Answer A) They enjoy holding up traffic
If I cared about holding up traffic, you would be able to see my mirrors.
Answer B) They enjoy looking daft
Subjective stuff here. If I cared about looking daft, I wouldn't have long dyed hair, beard, beer belly and wear sandals and holey socks.
Answer C) They enjoy driving slowly and a caravan helps their addiction
Don't really enjoy driving slowly but I do like a good long look at the scenery and any bits of roadkill that I drive past. Driving slowly also helps me enjoy the sound of less mundane cars as they roar past at full throttle, sometimes to the tasteful musical noise of air-horns.
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
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"It is about time this site realised this and got on with our lives"
Don?t you just love it when someone misses the point and throws his toys out of the pram? We?re only poking fun!
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Isnt that the point of the backroom, get things of your chest, have a bit of dialogue and enjoy the banter. I have no personal problem with caravans I just cant see the point, thats all!!
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Clearly, if you have never owned one then you are unlikely to see the point.
Caravans are not to cheap to buy or own. However, you have a large degree of independence when going off on holiday, and you meet a lot of very nice people. Modern caravans are totally self contained, and you take your own mod cons with you wherever you go.
You do get those who grouse about caravans, because they can't afford to buy one and own a suitable car with which to tow it.
Incidentally, the recent experiment on the M5 proved that caravans were not responsible for delays and hold ups.
I no longer own a caravan, but I often came across other drivers who obviously had an intense dislike of caravanners. In their Nissan Micras or Ford Fiestas they would deliberately impede the progress of well balanced outfits. The number of times I've overtaken one of these doing 45mph on the inside lane of a motorway, only to have them get past me when I have been doing the statutory 60mph and then drop back to 45mph.
Indeed, very few caravans actually hold up other motorists. You will often find that the cause of such traffic jams are slow drivers in front of a 'van. Alternatively, a couple immediately behind a 'van who resolutely refuse to overtaken on a single carriageway and thuse create mayhem behind them.
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Interesting points Robbie...I agree with you observations that you do get to meet some nice people at camp sites.
I have been known to pack the odd tent into the boot of the car however If I wanted to have my own toilet, shower , kitchen, oven, table and chairs etc etc then I would stay at home and camp in the garden as oposed to putting them all into a large box and driving down the motorway with them!
Now static mobile homes are great coz you can rent them out and they look like houses and you dont need to take them down the motorway!
\" Keep doing the same old thing, youll get the same old thing, try something different today!\"
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The what's the point question can be applied to many things.
What's the point in owning a car costing 50 grand and capable of 160 mph when we have a maximum speed limit of 70 mph?
What's the point of tens of thousands of people converging on a stadium on a Saturday afternoon to shout at some men kicking a ball about? I've never understood that one!! I'd imagine the sum total of congestion caused by people going to shout at men kicking a ball is more than that caused by caravans - just not so obvious.
Cheers, Sofa Spud
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"What's the point of tens of thousands of people converging on a stadium on a Saturday afternoon to shout at some men kicking a ball about? I've never understood that one!!"
You are not alone on that one old veg! Neither is The Grocer in his views on static 'vans - a different home in a can entirely.
Can't think why camper vans are not chosen my many caravanners - much better proposition in many ways.
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There are several advantages I can see in having a caravan over regular "tent in the boot" camping. Here are some of them:
1. A lot of the camping stuff stays in the caravan. You don't have to pack it each time.
2. Stand up to cook, food in cupboards, not in boot of car.
3. A fridge: ice for the cocktails and cold beer on the third day out.
4. Longer comfortable camping season, especially with small children.
5. No putting up a tent in the pouring rain.
6. Electricity.
I think the very large caravans do negate a lot of this by being simply too unwieldy on the road--can't take tight corners, can't go through narrow gaps--but a small caravan coupled to a powerful-enough car is a perfectly reasonable thing.
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You do get those who grouse about caravans, because they can't afford to buy one and own a suitable car with which to tow it.
I see some car/van combo's which can't have cost more than £1k (old Sierra towing moth-eaten 20-year-old van) - so let's not get into the false 'envy' argument so beloved of 4x4 and BMW drivers.
Personally I don't have much against caravans so long as they are properly driven (sometimes its obvious that the combo is a bit too much for the driver.....). What I don't like about caravans is the way that some owners feel its acceptable to park them in front of their house - it looks unsightly and often impacts on neighbours. Similarly, many residential areas are blighted with the 'works van', such that some cul-de-sacs look like small industrial estates. Thankfully I don't don't suffer any of this where I live, but I understand the annoyance of those that do. There is too much selfishness around these days.
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You do get those who grouse about caravans, because they can't afford to buy one and own a suitable car with which to tow it.
Sweet Jesus, please tell me that was a joke.
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...To have total control of your environment wherever you go - you can't run the show in a B&B or Hotel as they don't belong to you. You can't do the same in a Cottage for the same reasons.
A mobile castle I think.
And to take a cheap shot....To explain why you also have a 4x4 (towing weight)
-- Lee Having a Fabialous time.
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I don't have a caravan, nor have I ever been in one. But I can quite see the attraction.
I quite fancy the idea of mooching around Europe carrying everything I need with me. I thik I'd rather use a camper van than a caravan but I am quite seriously thinking of doing it either this year or next.
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Downside of camper van is when you wish to do a bit of sightseeing,museum visits et.et. Going in towing vehicle (even 4x4) much less aggro than taking camper van. Most are too high to get into Car Parks with any sort of height restriction. A trip to the chippie down the town in Camper Van entails picking up all the jacking points plus putting all the loose gear safe before moving off site.:-((
Happy tenting everytime for me Phil I
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Downside of camper van is when you wish to do a bit of sightseeing,museum visits et.et. Going in towing vehicle (even 4x4) much less aggro than taking camper van. Most are too high to get into Car Parks with any sort of height restriction. A trip to the chippie down the town in Camper Van entails picking up all the jacking points plus putting all the loose gear safe before moving off site.:-((
I quite agree. A motor caravan seems to be a nightmare - so much hassle! And then for the rest of the year its a pain to keep somewhere - hardly an ideal commuter vehicle either!
They are expensive to buy and run too.
For a holiday you can't beat jumping on a plane then picking up a hire car at the destination airport. Then just go where you want, booking hotels ahead through the tourist board, or whatever. That's what I do - very relaxing and no 2 day long drive at each end of the holiday to tire you out. I don't want to be worrying about looking after a load of expensive gear and messing with sewage couplings and God knows what! Going to be doing two weeks in Germany in June then three weeks touring round in Spain in July - all fly-drive-hotel.
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For a holiday you can't beat jumping on a plane then picking up a hire car at the destination airport. Then just go where you want, booking hotels ahead through the tourist board, or whatever. That's what I do - very relaxing and no 2 day long drive at each end of the holiday to tire you out. I don't want to be worrying about looking after a load of expensive gear and messing with sewage couplings and God knows what! Going to be doing two weeks in Germany in June then three weeks touring round in Spain in July - all fly-drive-hotel.
Been there, done that, and much preferred pottering around Europe with my caravan. There are no sewage couplings with a caravan, and putting down the legs and setting up can be done in about fifteen minutes.
No hassle getting to the airport and checking in. Not bad if you travel business class, but still a pain. Late take off due to weather conditions or technical difficulties, then baggage reclaim at the other end. Getting through customs making you feel like drug baron. Lugging your baggage around to your transport.
With a caravan you are self contained. Everything in the 'van. Arrive at the port and get on the boat. Off at the other side and no collecting baggage: roll on and roll off. Take your time getting to your ultimate destination. With a caravan the journey can be a holiday. It isn't a cheap holiday, but it's highly rewarding.
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Most are too high to get into Car Parks with any sort of height restriction
Picture the scene; Parents in their camper van at entrance to a multistory car park. Father points to height restriction bar, and says we can't park here, the van is to tall. Mother responds by pointing to exit road, which has no height restriction bar, and says nonsense, just drive round it!
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Grocer I agree wholeheartedly.
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I HAVE A CARAVAN
but it's on a site just north of Bordeaux and stays there all year. Whenever I visit it I bomb down empty french motorways at high speed and don't hold up anyone. The caravan is always waiting for me when I get there. It has its own fridge freezer, loo, shower and attractive patio with assorted pot plants. The french have a word for it - un mobilhome - aka un mobilum. When ever I have a free week I go there to sit in the sun, cut the grass and drink red wine. Works for me...
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Nothing wrong with that Brad. Can I cut your grass ? (so I can whizz down the motorways and drink red wine etc)
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"but it's on a site just north of Bordeaux"
La Palmyre?
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i have a caravan i dont use it for holidays i hate the thing but i do need it , it is used for accomodation when we attend BMX racing events usually in a field somewhere out of town.
the caravan for our use is the best solution we are away for a weekend we need somewhere to sleep, wash, get dry (it always rains), warm up, eat etc. sometimes when longer distances are involved we will try and use the nearest travel lodge or similar but these are not always convenient for our particular needs, caravans do serve a purpose however much we may dislike the things...cheers...keo.
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One day I shall do one of my dream holidays. A year off work, big Winebago with a Trail bike strapped on the back, and all of North America begging me to explore.
Year two Winebago and bike get shipped to Aus.
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Easy:
In most cases, the caravan is little used. Most of the time it's just sat in front of the house, wasting space, lowering property values, etc.
It also means the owner has to insure it, buy and run a bigger and more expensive car, etc etc. Not to mention that they cost a fortune to buy in themselves.
Add to these that most caravans seem to get taken to places where there are either B&Bs, hotels, static caravan parks, or all of them. So, what's the thing that stops the caravan owners using them?
Only one possible answer - incontinence.
Caravanners suffer from embarassing medical conditions which mean they can't sleep in hotel beds.
Nothing else makes sense.
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Last year I was seriously considering buying an oldish caravan plus something like a secondhand Land Rover Discovery or VW Sharan to tow it.
Then I thought, how about a trailer tent instead - much lighter and more compact than a caravan to tow but bigger when all set up with its awning? A bit more basic perhaps, but owners seem to like them.
Then I thought how about a separate tent plus a trailer to carry it and all the other camping gear, but also usable for other purposes too.
In the end I decided to stick to a normal tent plus a trailer top carry it and all the other camping clobber. More versatile, since we wouldn't do extended camping holidays, only odd days or two.
Cheers, Sofa Spud
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Bet this thread was aired last easter too!!
Clive.
Everybody have a good easter?
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No ones really touched on whats great about caravans and thats the ability to just go off at short notice as many times a year as you like to wherever you like. The more you use it, the cheaper it is. Self sufficienty and sleeping in your own bed and not having to put up with other peoples tat. No we're not late fifties grey haired couple with kids gone, more mid 40's kids 4 and 7 (they love it as they just run off and find friends to play with leaving us to relax and do nothing. You have your choice of cheap CL sites at a fiver a night or guarenteed tidy sites with clean facilities for £15 a night. Modern day caravans have showers, proper double beds, ovens, air con, you name it. Further whilst the likes of the doubters on here are driving off the car forecourts in their new and losing £1000's in depreciation, you can often sell a secondhand van for more than you paid for it whilst new models depreciate little due to the high demand from the increasing number of people taking it up.
Don't knock it without trying it. I wouldn't have been seen dead in a caravan 2 years ago. Now, I love it.
Think caravan, think sterotype.
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Mark (RLBS)
I thik I'd rather use a camper van than a caravan
Frostbite
Can't think why camper vans are not chosen my many caravanners
My main reason would be that with a caravan you don't have to pack away all your gear when you want to go out for the day, or belt down to the shops for a pint of milk. With a camper van, you're stuck with taking the accomodation wherever you go, even to work and back if it's your only transport.
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
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I?ve made a brief reference to this before, but here is the full version.
THE CARAVAN TEST: ARE YOU SUITABLE?
1/ Partition your kitchen into three separate rooms. Use thin plasterboard with no soundproofing qualities.
2/ Position a chemical toilet in one corner. This must be screened by a partition with sound amplification qualities. Test by dropping a pin and make sure it can be heard clearly all over the kitchen.
3/ In the opposite corner, install an electric shower. This must be a special caravan shower with two settings. Position one should shower the user with icicles. Position two should discharge water that is hot enough to vapourise tungsten.
4/ Buy a 12inch portable TV and an aerial. The aerial should cost no more than £1.99 and must be positioned upside down beneath the sink.
5/ A camping gas stove should be set in place of the cooker.
6/ Loosen the rear wheel nuts on your car. Load all your luggage, Wife, kids, teenage daughters best friend and Granny into the car. Drive two hundred and fifty miles with the handbrake firmly applied.
7/ When following drivers pass you and seem to be mouthing a reference to a Scottish town called Lunt, stare blankly back with your mouth slightly open. You must practise this till you can do it without blinking.
8/ On return, you must now live in the kitchen for two weeks. A sprinkler should be placed above the exit door and must be on for at least 60% of the fortnight.
9/ After 9 days, take teenage daughters best friend to casualty and sit in the waiting room for seven hours. Get her to simulate severe stomach pains. For explanation, refer back to point 2.
10/ At the end of the two weeks, repeat the driving exercise.
That is the end of your Caravanner Test. Enjoyed it? Great, you are a true Grockle Box pilot, membership of the Caravan Club awaits.
Hated it? Never mind, treat yourself to a nice week in a luxury hotel to recover.
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Tom,,,Thanks for making me laugh so much I am now on the floor!
\" Keep doing the same old thing, youll get the same old thing, try something different today!\"
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A lot of camper owners fit racks on the rear of the vehicle to carry a scooter or something. I've even seen small cars being towed behind campers. It's one way but I still reckon parking the caravan and having the car for daily use is the way I will go.
BTW ...If you overtake me on a motorway you probably will be speeding!!! I would not tow with a vehicle that was underpowered for what it has to do.
Clive.
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Caravans do seem a peculiarly British thing. They seem to be a throwback to the 1950's when people couldn't afford decent holidays.
Me, every time I travel light, use motels or B & B's, get hot water, proper toilets, clean linen, room service.
Too many memories of awful camp sites full of frightful people with their dogs and kids, Dad nearly going up in flames every time he finally got the Primus to work, having to stop every 30 minutes to let the engine cool down because of that lump on the back......
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Me, I laugh when I see people in big 4x4s towing caravans.
Do they realise they look like "travellers"?
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The Dutch seem keener Caravaners than even the British.
My father keeps having thoughts of buying a motorhome, and whenever I visit him there is a pile of motorhome magazines on the coffee table.
The cheapest new van is around £30k and the least expensive used van is £5000.
Even at the £5k price, that would pay for 100 nights in a Travelodge, and even more at a private b&b with all mods cons.
As kids we'd go on family holidays to static caravan parks, where you get all the 'fun' of a caravan holiday without the hassle.
I personally enjoy my week's camping each year at Le Mans, but that only costs me a tent for £50.
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I can clearly see the delights of owning a caravan and being able to travel where and when you want - it's the people who have static holiday caravans that puzzle me.
Why would you want to go to the same spot year in, year out when there are so many other places to visit in the world?
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Why would you want to go to the same spot year in, year out when there are so many other places to visit in the world?
Because you've found somewhere that suits you perfectly and you're not adventurous enough to imagine there might be others?
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A lot of camper owners fit racks on the rear of the vehicle to carry a scooter or something. I've even seen small cars being towed behind campers....
Last summer I saw a Suzuki Vitara being towed behind a large "winnie-baygo" type camper van!
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A friend of mine has a no nonsense approach to caravanning.
He bought a 4 birth van for £90, yes - £90! The gas stove etc was an accident waiting to happen so he gutted it completely and converted it to a 6 birth sleeper. When he goes on holiday all meals etc are bought or he uses a bbq or camping stove.
Toilet and shower, he uses site facilities.
H
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AND LETS FACE IT, THE SITE (sorry on cap lock) facilities are often better than at home!!!
Clive.
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"6 birth sleeper" - blimey, quads was bad enough... :-)
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