Terrifying trailer driving

TYSSANDI said:
Well ty but I will continue to tow my trailer and caravan at 55mph - 60mph .

Type of vehicle comes into it too as not all towing vehicles are 4 x 4 and this can reflect the towing speed and some of the cars as I said are classics and owners will not risk their car.




Speed limits

You must not drive faster than the speed limit for the type of road and your type of vehicle. The speed limit is the absolute maximum - it doesn’t mean it’s safe to drive at this speed in all conditions.
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You are indeed correct about conditions but a vehicle does not suddenly become dangerous when it crosses the arbitrary speed limit ,its the driver behind the wheel thats the limiting factor.They have sole responsibility for what their doing not somebody following who should be concentrating on what their doing rather than trying to guess at what speed somebody else is doing
 
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A 4x4 may feel different but having one makes no difference to towing speed unless you are towing on wet grass etc
 
I was driving along a rural B road one day when I came up behind a 4x4 towing a double trailer with a horse on board. Towing car was driving way too fast for the nature of the road anyway ( quite twisty, forestry on one side so a risk of low-flying deer), horse was loaded on the left instead of the right and the left hand trailer wheel was bouncing on and off the grass verge so the poor horse must have thought it was sitting on a road drill (quite apart from the risk of a tip-over).

Yes, it can be annoying being stuck behind a trailer or other slower moving vehicle, but it just tough luck. No-one bats an eyelid and calls names if its a tractor pulling a muck spreader. I'm a stickler for speed limits and never exceed them unless its an emergency, ie getting out of the way of an idiot who is about to drive into me because braking is often way more dangerous than accelerating hard, but the fact is 90% of the car driving population regularly exceeds the limit, and often by quite a margin - and that includes the police.
 
Perhaps I consider trailers travelling at 50 mph when the speed limit is 60 just as dangerous. I will horrify you but I have towed at in excess of 90 mph however not illegally.
I am sorry but two peoples perception of dangerous is always different what they did is not what I would do but then I probably do things you or they wouldnt. Coming from that area I can guess who it was and you may have been wrong in one important assumption of the situation,enough said.
Read more at http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/foru...ing-trailer-driving/page3#u3rY6ly9BwPCtUm2.99

Well I'd like to know what important assumption I was wrong in?
It's a dual carriageway. Travelling at 50-60 in the inside lane on that road is not dangerous - it's a major trunk road used by container traffic from Felixstowe and all the traffic is travelling at that speed, so I can't think it would have been holding any one up to be driving at a sensible and safe speed.
Assumption that it's not safe to drive at above 75 mph with a trailer? Yes, I think it's fairly ok to make that assumption.
Assumption that they were not in an emergency situation? Yes, if in an emergency read the guide from both the BHS, the Blue Cross, and any other organisation on having to move a horse in an emergency situation.
Assumption that they were idiots? Yup, I think that's fairly safe to make too.
Not going to argue any more because obviously you are prepared to defend the indefensible and I'm not prepared to waste time trying to persuade you otherwise.
 
popsdosh said:
You are indeed correct about conditions but a vehicle does not suddenly become dangerous when it crosses the arbitrary speed limit ,its the driver behind the wheel thats the limiting factor.They have sole responsibility for what their doing not somebody following who should be concentrating on what their doing rather than trying to guess at what speed somebody else is doing
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needless to say speeding kills especially when untoward things happen, things fall off vehicles - blow outs - horse panicking - driver falls asleep at the wheel. It is far easier to steer a horse trailer or caravan etc in an emergency if you have to swerve when you are at a lower speed.

I am sure if those speeding would like to spend a week or two going out with the police after a caravan, horse trailer or any sort of trailer accident and see the carnage and deaths/ claret they may be less inclined to speed with their special cargo in the back.

You speed if you want to Popdosh and run the risk of Mr plod catching you and banning you or having your horse spread across the carriage way. Me I will keep to the speed or below recommended to me at my skid control course for towing.

ATEOTD Ireland has a minimum speed on the motorway and I think the UK should enforce this too.
 
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Many LGVs have their speed limiters set nearer to 50 than 56 so towing a trailer at 50 is NOT going to cause an issue even on single carriageway roads where the LGV speed limit is now 50 except in Scotland where it is still 40
 
popsdosh said:
Perhaps I consider trailers travelling at 50 mph when the speed limit is 60 just as dangerous. I will horrify you but I have towed at in excess of 90 mph however not illegally.
I am sorry but two peoples perception of dangerous is always different what they did is not what I would do but then I probably do things you or they wouldnt. Coming from that area I can guess who it was and you may have been wrong in one important assumption of the situation,enough said.
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I cannot believe that you think it is ok to not only do 90mph, but to do it with a horse on the back? I am sorry but that is completely idiotic and unjustifiable. For starters, how about stopping distance? Who suffers when you have to jam on because someone has pulled infront of you and you are going too fast? The car in front and the horse who gets thrashed about. Its not just "oooh look I can go fast and I think I am safe". What about stopping distances when you have the guts of a tonne of extra weight sat on the back of your vehicle?

You cannot justify your complete disregard for your horses welfare and the safety of other road users. Drive like an idiot, don't invlove other road users or your animals in it.

ROG said:
When towing a horse trailer the driver should tow it within their ability as well as being SAFE, legal and progressive - in that order

If the drivers ability is lacking then my advice is to get some help
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From an expert!

ROG said:
Many LGVs have their speed limiters set nearer to 50 than 56 so towing a trailer at 50 is NOT going to cause an issue even on single carriageway roads where the LGV speed limit is now 50 except in Scotland where it is still 40
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This absolutely, the traffic can wait for the sake of 10mph.

And I will argue that trailers do become unsafe at certain speeds, it is called trying to stop at those speeds.
 
Watched someone driving out of a pleasure ride the other day at a rate of knots. Tremendous crashing and banging, horses all along the roadside spooked and started. As trailer flew past us saw horse in back was actually leaping in the air and lashing out with both barrels as they went. Driver must have been aware as leaned out of window shouting at horse to shut up at the top of his voice. I was gobsmacked. Not sure the horse was actually likely to calm down given that trailer virtually leaned over as they flew around corner!! And there was I feeling guilty for pulling away from a junction a little unsteady due to power steering issues on our little van! Wow... I can't believe people drive their horses like that!
 
It all goes to show some people are total idiots and a menace on the road and do not deserve to have a driving license or a horse.
 
Hubby was first on the scene of an accident last week.

Speeding car had spun and hit motorway bridge. The car behind was towing a large boat on a trailer but because he was driving sensibly he was able to stop safely and in straight line.

No way would I EVER go faster than 50 while towing. The consequences could be horrendous :(

Fiona
 
Damnation said:
I cannot believe that you think it is ok to not only do 90mph, but to do it with a horse on the back? I am sorry but that is completely idiotic and unjustifiable. For starters, how about stopping distance? Who suffers when you have to jam on because someone has pulled infront of you and you are going too fast? The car in front and the horse who gets thrashed about. Its not just "oooh look I can go fast and I think I am safe". What about stopping distances when you have the guts of a tonne of extra weight sat on the back of your vehicle?

You cannot justify your complete disregard for your horses welfare and the safety of other road users. Drive like an idiot, don't invlove other road users or your animals in it.



From an expert!



This absolutely, the traffic can wait for the sake of 10mph.

And I will argue that trailers do become unsafe at certain speeds, it is called trying to stop at those speeds.
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When does she say towing a horse at 90?
 
Fiona said:
Hubby was first on the scene of an accident last week.

Speeding car had spun and hit motorway bridge. The car behind was towing a large boat on a trailer but because he was driving sensibly he was able to stop safely and in straight line.

No way would I EVER go faster than 50 while towing. The consequences could be horrendous :(

Fiona
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Thank you for this perfect example why you should not speed while towing. Sensible boat owner and driver.
 
Damnation said:
I cannot believe that you think it is ok to not only do 90mph, but to do it with a horse on the back? I am sorry but that is completely idiotic and unjustifiable. For starters, how about stopping distance? Who suffers when you have to jam on because someone has pulled infront of you and you are going too fast? The car in front and the horse who gets thrashed about. Its not just "oooh look I can go fast and I think I am safe". What about stopping distances when you have the guts of a tonne of extra weight sat on the back of your vehicle?

You cannot justify your complete disregard for your horses welfare and the safety of other road users. Drive like an idiot, don't invlove other road users or your animals in it.



From an expert!



This absolutely, the traffic can wait for the sake of 10mph.

And I will argue that trailers do become unsafe at certain speeds, it is called trying to stop at those speeds.
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Where the hell did I say there was a live horse in there.
If you most know it was testing a trailer stability program on a range rover on an airfield weaving through cones with a weighted load in the trailer to simulate a horse, LOL read what you see as I did state legally yes and at 90 MPH shock horror! Funnily enough these things needs testing to their limits not just to the legal maximum as on occassions people go over these limits . We also tested an automatic trailer reversing system for the ones who cant reverse a trailer but still think its ok to drive one.

Please point out where I have said anything different to ROG ?
 
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Yes all that anticipation and it was a bloomin trailer stability program!

Those that have done their B+E test will know that keeping up with the flow of traffic is quite an important part of it :p.

And saying that no one gets annoyed at tractors amused me :D
 
ester said:
Yes all that anticipation and it was a bloomin trailer stability program!

Those that have done their B+E test will know that keeping up with the flow of traffic is quite an important part of it :p.

And saying that no one gets annoyed at tractors amused me :D
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Hey I drive those as well!!! Every time we go out on the road in one we actually break the national speed limit without getting prosecuted otherwise everybody behind gets P****d off and do stupid things trying to get in front even people towing trailers. I could write books about those experiences.
 
The people passing tractors compilations that I end up seeing as a mate is a contractor are truely mind boggling! But then equally a lot of people seem to think they can see round corners.
 
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