In HJ's Saturday Telegraph spot he advises one reader that a detachable tow bar should be fitted in order to be "socially responsible". I may be being terminally dense here but what's socially irresponsible about having a legal fixed tow bar? Are we worried that tactile parking may damage someone's number plate? A dog may bang its head on the way past? People who don't look where they are going might bark their shins? The extra weight and consequent fuel consumption might cause us to run out of oil sooner than we thought?
I use my trailer 2 or 3 days a week in summer in the course of my business so I fall into HJ's exception group, but what of others?
Hawkeye
-----------------------------
Stranger in a strange land
|
|
I am with you Hawkeye, my towbar is primarily for carrying the bike carrier, but secondly a safety feature - for me!
|
|
well im with hj, horrible nasty things, he has obviously been to lots of auctions like me where you walk between vehicles and crack your shin ,i think they should be made illegal unless you have a minimum of 5 acres
|
|
|
I am with you Hawkeye,
Me too! I needed my towbar to protect me from the socially irresponsible nit-wit who was trying to park behind me. When I asked him why he kept bumping into the ol' Mondeo's bar, he said it was because he had come out with his wrong glasses. Give me strength!!!
|
Towbars?
you are one small step from being a shed dragger
Its like drugs, it will lead you to the harder stuff.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
|
where do you throw your sword TVM ?with waino or with the old man?
|
|
I'll throw in with you om. The main victim of my towball has been me, and chuffin painful it is - no give in them at all. The next one will be detachable.
|
I think the shed insult seals it OM,
Anti bar
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
|
4 to 2 then tow bars should be banned unless you chew straw........;)
|
|
And yes.... I have been known to chew the occasional straw....this IS Suffolk!
|
|
And surely tow bars are only REALLY socially unacceptible if you drive everywhere in reverse? In that case, they are as damned as bull bars.
|
|
havent seen a bull bar in years are they still popular in your area then ;)
|
The Toledo came with one and I'll use it for a bike rack.
Had and have no intention of taking it off...
|
|
Another yea for tow bars, and to make it worse I tow a shed using a 4x4.
|
|
is that the wifes car then Hawkeye {P) ? you really should buy her someting more reliable..... ; )
|
|
ooooooooops should be carer :( soz Hawkeye {P} )
|
Two cars, two towbars. Both with rotting flesh attached ;-)
--
2 Dirty VW diesels and a Honda with an 18 inch blade
|
|
|
|
he advises one reader that a detachable tow bar should be fitted in order to be "socially responsible".
What nonsense.
I have a tow bar fitted. I very rarely use it. I'm probably ok though because its on a Landcruiser which I apparantly need for speed bumps.
|
|
|
As a confirmed dyed-in-the-wool shed dragger, I will add that we will not be dragging said shed for our main holiday this year but will be using the fixed towbar to mount my trusty Hollywood bike rack and take the family and bikes to Center Parks where current estimates show I will be relieved of enough cash to buy another caravan and a handful of bikes as well. Wish me luck!
Hawkeye
-----------------------------
Stranger in a strange land
|
Good for you Hawkeye my shed dragging activities have too been curtailed this summer due to the fact i may be changing jobs
Not to worry i'm sure we'll get away for a few days with said shed somewhere
|
|
We'll make up for it mrmender/Hawkeye. My parents will be tugging a shed from Yorkshire to Cambridge very soon. Actually, they have a 'socially responsible' tow bar. Not because they fear for the safety of ankles (those people should watch where they're walking ;-)) but not to clutter the back of the car (new shape Megane).
|
but not to clutter the back of the car (new shape Megane).
I am not sure that what Renault meant by the "shaking that a... advert
I am appaled by such beauty being shackled to a shed
Mind
A mini airstream might look ok.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
|
|
|
|
My Almera came with a tow-bar fitted. I didn't want one, but it would have cost more to have it removed, and its presence on an automatic car let me drive the price down.
It pretty much guarantees that any contact between the rear of my car and another car will cause extensive damage, rather than the minor scrape possible with just a bumper. I think that HJ is right: a detachable bar is a better and more socially resposnible arrangement.
|
|
One certainly protected my car from the front of a BMW;made a nice mess of his number plate and bumper tho'.
|
Fixed towbars are nasty things. I have injured myself a few times when walking between cars and not noticed a towbar (they are usually painted black - making them hard to notice).
I am not sure whether they are good thing in terms of 'protecting' the car. I once had a Merc with a towbar fitted and a van ran into the back of it (I wasn't driving the car at the time). The towbar was bolted to the two rear chassis rails and it put a very nasty kink in them - requiring a quite extensive repair. I suspect if the towbar hadn't been fitted then most of the impact energy would have been absorbed by the bumper and rear panel. Would have looked worse - but probably less real damage - the energy has to go somewhere.
As to 'bull bars' - well let's rename them 'pedestrian bars' - fewer bulls been hit by them than pedestrians, that's for sure.
|
My friends with 'interesting' backgrounds who always reverse in to parking places always have large tow bars fitted to the cars they buy.
They are very useful in certain situations apparently...
|
This thread has just reminded me to go outside and put a large dollop of grease on the balls of our towbars, no covers on obviously ;-0
--
2 Dirty VW diesels and a Honda with an 18 inch blade
|
|
|
|
|
