Unbelievable one this morning. I was coming down the A322 towards J3 of the M3. It's a 50 limited dual carriageway.
I saw a small white van with hazard lights on ahead of me, as he pulled out to pass a couple of cars I thought, he's a bit close to the van in front of him.
Sure enough when I passed them, still doing 45 ish there was a 15 foot tow rope between them.
What kind of mind thinks that is safe?
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As someone who used to tow a lot, you can tow very fast, it takes practise & knowing each other. Never had a problem apart from the complete muppets who didn't read the ON-TOW sign on the back. On multiple occassions they tried to overtake the rear car & pull in the gap!
PS You shouldn't use Hazard lights whilst doing it, that way you indicate as required.
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on an empty road maybe but with busy traffic I thought this particular one was an accident looking for a place to happen. 15 feet is too close at that speed IMHO
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I would say it's never safe to tow using a rope, only a bar, and then only slowly because the 'dead' car will have no assistance to the brakes or steering
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Reminds me of an incident many years ago. I was following a car and a van which looked to be glued together. I debated calling the Old Bill to report a suspected case of Road Rage, but when we reached a dual carriageway and passed them, we noticed they were towing via a short metal bar. No "On Tow" signs or anything. Mind you, their Scalextric style driving should have made me realise what was going on, but I'd never seen a bar used for towing before, only ropes. Saves your lights I suppose when the towing car brakes sharply!
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AFAIK [unless it's recently been revised] the speed limit when towing a "disabled mechanically-propelled vehicle" [as the Ministry used to call them] with either bar or rope; is 30 MPH - everywhere.
Ropes [15ft long min/max] are now only permitted if the towed vehicle has functioning brakes and servo; i.e. the engine is running. Everything else has to be on a bar.
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Maximum length of rope allowed measured between the vehicles used to be 17 foot 6 inches. I know because i have been to court for using a rope that was too long by 18 inches. Although the law has changed on towing I dont think the length of rope has been extended...Cheers...Keo.
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Veering off the subject a bit, but can towing with ropes damage a cars chassis. For example I towed someone home last year and when reaching the destination street prior to pulling up, the car that I was towing pulled his brakes on when I was doing 7-8 mph. Heard this almightly bang from my car (luckily it was only the metal clamp keeping the rope on breaking into a thousand pieces). The metal clamp then proceeded to swing back towards his car and smash on his windscreen.
I have forgot about it now, but at the time was worried that it might have damaged my chassis. Could that be possible?
Thanks
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Tim
Oh, yes. It didn't use to be that uncommon to find the windscreen popping out on things like Allegros and Viva's if the rope snatched. Modern lightweight shells must be even more vulnerable to asymmetric shock loads. Manufacturers call them "lashing eyes" for a reason....
Those KERR ropes loved by the off-road fraternity are lethal; I've seen some horrendous holes [12" sq] in the back of Land-Rovers etc. when they've ripped the hitch off the other vehicle.
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My A frame must be the best £200 ever spent -15 years ago, too!
www.aframes.co.uk - one man towing to see some examples!
VB
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worried that it might have damaged my chassis. Could that be possible?
Let alone clutch wear! I once did a lady a good turn and offered to tow start her car. The stupid ***
tried to start it on the way uphill instead of waiting until the car was on level ground. I can still smell that burning clutch.
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