What to do when you caravan starts snaking
Ben Hackney-Williams, 1st April 2018, Caravan
It’s a word that brings fear to the minds of many a would-be caravanner, but here’s how to research, respect and recover from any potential stability hazard on the road.
One of the things that put most would-be caravaners off when it comes to a potential purchase is the fear or, at best, the apprehension of towing. Scare stories of misdirection, high winds and impossible turning circles are rife when you ask anyone not in the know what it’s like as soon as you hitch up and head out.
In fact, the only time I’ve heard similar fearmongering from experience is in tales of giving birth! In both cases, many people who have lived to tell the tale often share the worst examples as a way of displaying their own pride of getting through it.
While bad things can happen in both cases, it’s the tabloid-worthy sensationalism of the recount omitting the fact that there’s a far greater percentage of time spent positively. On the road, there can be scary situations, but here’s how to prevent anything going wrong so that you can enjoy the ride and get to your destination in safety, both metaphorically speaking and literally.
Do the work to stay safe before you go on holiday
Prepare properly and take advice from professionals
Like any situation in any industry, anywhere, it makes sense to get to grips with how to reduce risk. First of all, both caravan clubs run manoeuvring courses to prepare you before you get behind the wheel for real. While these are based mostly around hitching up and reversing on pitch, there’s a healthy dose of on-the-road instruction and even more in the way of insight when it comes to issues such as what to do when your caravan starts snaking.
The main point here, and I can’t stress this enough, is that you’ll learn how to avoid getting into that situation in the first place.
Take instruction from the experts
Get qualified. In addition to the club courses, whether that be Camping and Caravanning Club or the Caravan and Motorhome Club, booking yourself into a B+E course will leave you nothing but confident on how to drive anywhere, towing anything safely within the weight limits.
Wait and research your caravan weight
Your manufacturer or dealer of choice will be able to advise you on what your tow car can safely pull and how you need to pack your van in order to keep everything in line on the road. The basics are to check that you’re not towing anything above the advised 85% of your car’s kerb weight, and to keep any heavy load items above the axle of the caravan. Keep light luggage for anywhere else.
What to do should the worst happen
Sometimes it’s unavoidable that you get a snake while towing. The aforementioned high winds can be an issue, or it could be to do with a lorry passing you at speed. However, most instances of snaking in anyone’s experience is usually down to driver error. For a start, don’t drive faster than the speed limits. If, for whatever reason, you do start to feel the caravan on the move in the wrong direction, any instability can be resolved by slowing down.
Don’t panic. Stay calm, don’t stamp on the anchors and instead of braking, take your foot off the accelerator and keep the steering wheel steady. Less is more when it comes to regaining control, so you’ll feel your outfit slowly start to come back into line as you reduce your speed and regain full control.
Learn from your own experience
As you tow more, you’ll discover what effects different environments have on your own car and caravan. You’ll know what’s going to happen when that lorry passes and what’s likely to happen when you reach a place of cross winds such as a bridge or travelling out from an enclosed surrounding.
We all make mistakes and we all get our of our comfort zone at times – it’s healthy and key to getting better. Prepare properly and take advice from professionals through giving them your undivided attention and you’ll be a confident caravanner in no time. You’ll be sharing tales of woe of your own before you know it with anyone and everyone on site!
