Valuable lesson learnt - thought I'd share.

[PaddyMonty]

One of the things I dread happened today.
M1 at night driving 7.5 ton lorry at 55mph and had full blow out on front tyre.

In future I will make sure I have....

Tyre sizes written down in the cab as trying to read them on the hard shoulder of the M1 in the dark by the light from a mobile phone with lorries blasting past 2 feet from me is NO FUN.

A fully working torch on board at all times.

Warning triangles I can put out well back from the horsebox.

A tube of sedalin. Horses can get very stressed during the 2.5 hourse it took to sort the problem out.

Big thanks to the traffic cops ....they were great.

 

[lucylemon]

sounds like a very sensible list.

 

[seza]

When it happened to us on the M55 the police came and put some flashing bollards before the lorry so that traffic could see us. It is a frightening experience that always seems to happen in winter and when it is raining!

 

[lisan]

What a nightmare, thank goodness you got home ok. Did they change the tyre with the horses in?

That sounds like an excellent list, I have the sedalin and the torch, but not triangles which I think I will now invest in just in case. Its frightening enough breaking down in a car on the motorway, never mind in the lorry with horses in the back!

 

[GTs]

That sounds nasty. I am not a fan of my horses travelling by trailer at night (unless it is unavoidable) - Clarita once got unloaded on the side of the side of the freeway while a tire on the trailer was changed. A policeman actually changed the tire, having horses on the side of the freeway is not a good idea. The groom was holding 8 all by himself - none of the horses were bothered by it, probably thought it was quite exciting.

 

[Skhosu]

what a nightmare! Where the horses/people all ok?

 

[GTs]

On our burst tire - yes everyone was fine. Having 1 person holding 8 horses on the side of the freeway is not a good idea though!

 

[Skhosu]

no. I would have thought not! However, I'm betting they were properly behaved horses

 

[GTs]

Of course, when the second policeman came he thought the vet had been there and sedated them. The guy with them was very good with horses, he know all of them, and the knew him. It was one of those things they would not dare be silly around him, yet I am sure they would get comfort from him being there.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I learned a valuable lesson some time ago regarding torches. They always seem to be flat when you need them so I now keep one of the wind up type torches in my car & trailer that way you've always got a torch that will work....& they're really cheap now. I've always got a triangle & Hi Viz Bib also. It's all cheap stuff to keep handy but hope you'll never need.

 

[monica123]

great list!