The beginner's guide on how to tow
Ben Hackney-Williams, 1st June 2016, Caravan
Hold your horses! Before you do anything; before you even read this article, book yourself into a manoeuvring course. Here you can learn hands on, and gain vital knowledge and confidence. It could even lower your insurance premium.
Now we can get going with the advice. First up, don't rush anything when towing. Your holiday starts from the moment you leave the drive. There are a lot of points that sound scary when it comes to thinking about towing a caravan, but a little thought and patience goes a long way.
Get to know your outfit
Even with a club manoeuvring course, it's worth taking your own towcar and caravan on to a local site for a weekend and getting used to reversing, driving around and getting more confident. It will help no end.
Always be aware of your surroundings. While this is true of driving in general, with a caravan on the back you have to be more perceptive and plan for an increased number of potential situations further in advance. Overhanging trees, countryside walls with stones jutting out, narrowing roads and passing places! There's a lot to think about.
Use technology
Of course, take a map book with you (and learn how to use it if needs be) but there are a multitude of digital devices and tools to help with your trip. The first and most obvious one is a sat-nav, but not just any sat-nav. Many have the option to dial in the precise measurements of your outfit, to help you avoid routes where you have the danger of getting caught out.
Also, use Google Maps and Street View. Both will allow you to look at the entrance of the campsite and spot for terrific turning points along the way if needed. Just 10 minutes of research can easily prevent you from getting caught out.
Take corners wide
It's easy to forget that your trailer will travel as the crow flies when it comes to turnings. So, as you're hugging a bend, your caravan will just follow the back and come through the line. This isn't good when it comes to fences, posts, trees and walls. Always bear in mind the need to slightly overshoot a corner more than you normally would do in a car alone. There's rarely a need to cross the white line in the middle of the road, though. If that is the case, check, indicate, and move carefully. If there's a tight, blind corner, it's often worth giving a quick beep just to let other road users know you're coming through.
It's important to remember this point about corners when it comes to junctions, too. You'll be surprised at how likely it is that, driving solo, you cut the corner when heading off a main route and turning into side road. When towing, always continue forward until you (where you're sat in the car) are roughly level with the left hand lane of the junction you're heading into, then turn the wheel. If you cut the corner and there's a vehicle waiting to come out of the junction, your car may be fine but your caravan won't be (not to mention the other car).
Reaction time
Similarly to the corner advice above, give the caravan time to react to your movements of the steering wheel. There's no use in trying to get the most responsive steering action on any corner if your tourer is going to take a second to follow. This is especially true when manoeuvring on a pitch.
As you're reversing, you'll turn the wheel to move the caravan one side or another and then, as you turn it back expecting your pride and joy to react immediately, your jaw may drop as it continues to move in the same direction.
Movements from the car aren't translated through your outfit as fast as you might like. As you turn the wheel, keep in mind the effect this change will have a few metres behind you. Usually, similar to taking corners wide, you need to hold on to a half turn of the steering wheel just that little bit longer.
Caravan etiquette
Be considerate to other road users. Everyone knows the stereotype of a snaking line of traffic behind a crawling caravan. If you see a backlog in your mirrors, pull into a layby and let them pass. It'll take some of the pressure off you and it'll keep other road users from getting frustrated. Besides, it's just polite.
Above all, enjoy yourself. Towing is fun when all the planning's done. Have a great trip!
