Calling all caravanners….your input is essential!

Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 10:33
ThreadID: 19051 Views:2782 Replies:6 FollowUps:11
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Hi,

I'm a product design student and currently I’m working on a project to develop a product to monitor the stability of towed caravans.

The product will monitor and assess a number of crucial factors relating to caravan instability, while in motion, and then inform the user when the caravan is unstable. The aim of the product is to reduce risk, accidents and driver uncertainty.

I'm conducting a survey to find out some opinions, ideas and whether there is a demand for such a product and so would greatly appreciate if you could spend a few minutes filling in a short questionnaire.

To view the questionnaire, please go to http://www.advancedsurvey.com When you arrive at the Advanced Survey homepage, type in survey number 19088 in the "Take A Survey" box on the right hand side.

Any experience whatsoever you have had driving a tow-car for a caravan be invaluable to this project, and your comments and ideas will be gratefully received!

Cheers,

Kirsten (email: kirsten.hamilton@strath.ac.uk)

P.S. Only 24 Questions, where you just select the answer, v. quick - I promise!!!
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Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 11:10

Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 11:10
The word 'caravan' should be changed to Mobile Road Block.
LMAO
AnswerID: 91247

Follow Up By: Peter - Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 18:48

Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 18:48
TRUCKSTER you are being a pig again go to your room without dinner please keep in mind that caravanning is a way of life for many contented and happy people, the fact that you consider vans a road block is not shared by all and sundry.
u could also consider thjat the vans were around long before 4wd's were as popular as they are now. u should also consider that there are variations to lifestyles,yours and others.u also need to consider that 4wds are frowned upon by some.harold scrubby is one, stop being a pig in relation to the recreation of others be a good boy in the futre and i wont have to castigate you again you naughty boy Signed grandma
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 22:54

Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 22:54
LMAO.. is this really Harold in disguise??? ;)~

try following one up browns mountain!
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Follow Up By: pjchris - Thursday, Jan 06, 2005 at 20:49

Thursday, Jan 06, 2005 at 20:49
Sigh...

The caravan owner has as much right to be there as you Truckster...

BUT...

WE Caravann people need to be aware at all times of the queue of cars behind us and be prepared to pull over and let them past whenecer it is safe to do so..

Peter

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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Jan 07, 2005 at 16:56

Friday, Jan 07, 2005 at 16:56
>> The caravan owner has as much right to be there as you Truckster...
Not my choice..

>> WE Caravann people need to be aware at all times of the queue of cars behind us and be prepared to pull over and let them past whenecer it is safe to do so..
Either I seem to find the ones that take great pleasure in creating guiness book of record line ups behind them, or none have rear view mirrors.
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Follow Up By: pjchris - Friday, Jan 07, 2005 at 17:09

Friday, Jan 07, 2005 at 17:09
>> The caravan owner has as much right to be there as you Truckster...
> Not my choice..
And thats fine....It's not for everyone.... just as well or we'd never get anywhere ;-)

>> WE Caravann people need to be aware at all times of the queue of cars behind us and be prepared to pull over and let them past whenecer it is safe to do so..
> Either I seem to find the ones that take great pleasure in creating
> guiness book of record line ups behind them, or none have rear view
> mirrors.

When I was a young lad..(Sounds of groaning coming from the kids) I drove whjat could loosely be described as a rocketship on wheels...I was in a tearing hurry to get everywhere and I cursed everyone...4WDs, Buses, Caravans, HDT and HSV cars...You get the idea. of course overtaking really wasn't a problem most of the time.

But when it was...I cursed, yelled, got red in the face and was generally extremely unpleasant to be in the car with....

Respect the other driver (Being aware of course that he is a total smeg head) he has every right to be there. There are NO laws requiring mobile road blocks to pull over, nor even to travel at the speed limit.
They are generally doing the best they can. Even if they should be more considerate. Except for the Smeg heads of course.

I couldn't beat them...
So, of course I joined them...Now you'll find me driving a Diesel 4WD towing a 2 tonne van laughing outrageously at every one trying to overtake..;-)

Peter

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Reply By: ianmc - Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 12:14

Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 12:14
Bit off topic Kirsten but did U read the Stella awards in the US resulting from Stella someone who spilt hot coffee on her lap & sued Maccas & got heaps, well the winner last year was this guy who bought a new Winnebago motorhome & headed off in it & set the cruise control at 75mph then went down the back to make a cup of coffee.
U can guess the rest, cleaned up real big & jury awarded him heaps & a new Winnebago. Methinks he should have been charged & had his licence taken away!

How about a sensor to warn of low tyre pressures or broken spring/suspension in your invention?
AnswerID: 91259

Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (WA) - Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 15:10

Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 15:10
This ones been around for a while and is an urban legend (www.snopes.com)
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Reply By: greghud - Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 13:36

Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 13:36
i am trin to complete the survay and there seems to be a problem as i cant get past the age screen? or am i not old enough to own a caravan haha.
AnswerID: 91272

Reply By: Rick Blaine - Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 19:56

Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 19:56
Me thinks Kirsten has a biased survey...Maybe in the UK they have different rules to us...saw a clip of a tandem van being pulled by a mini minor... not as a stunt but an average family touring the Welsh Dales....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH well the culminating pleasure we all treasure beyond measure is the gratifying feeling that our duty has been done!!!
AnswerID: 91316

Reply By: David Au - Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 22:04

Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 22:04
There is no need for such a device.
As the large majority of caravans are fitted with proper load sharing hitches/towing equipment and electric braking systems stability with a correctly matched rig is not an issue. More caravans are fitted with independent suspension and shock absorbers. Accident rates with caravans are exceeding low.
You firstly need to realise UK caravans are at best 25% of the quality of construction of Australian built caravans.

A meter to disallow all the 4WD pigs that leave rubbish around camp sites and throwing wheelies etc in the High Country that stops them driving their vehicles would be a far better device.

Why are so many 4WD drivers ignorant pigs and leave camp sites with rubbish and dirt. No wonder so many tracks are being closed to 4WD when you see the damage done by them.
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Follow Up By: pjchris - Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 00:09

Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 00:09
I must respectfully disagree...

The vast majority of caravans I see being towed have very poor weight distribution setups or none at all. Also personal experience is that caravan sellers tend to sell you the van, tell you you need a brake controller and that's it.

As a side point, i would have to say that the majority of vans without WDH are being towed by large 4WDs. I guess they think that since their 4WD weighs as much as the van and can take huge down force on the ball that they don't need them.

As a large 4WD owner witha large van I would have to say that this is exceedingly dangerous.

I see vans regularly being driven along highways swaying constantly from side to side with the drivers blissfully unaware that anything is wrong!

Peter

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Follow Up By: muzzimbidgie - Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 15:01

Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 15:01
I must protest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I see much more rubbish at the bus stop outside my house and at the shopping centre down the street than I do when 4WDriving.

Just becuase we drive 4X4's does not mean we are all pigs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I regularly pick up rubbish when on the beach or at a campsite, because I realise that it is Australians in general who are inconsiderate.

Littering, swearing, abusive, discourtious, selfish... all in a day's work for a lot of aussies, and I'm ashamed whenever I see this. I must admit, I'm an aussie born & bred. Must be the way I was raised, I dunno.

As for this contraption thingy for towing caravans, it needs to be more like a liscencing requirment. Just like driving a truck or operating machinery, training should be mandatory and regulated.

OOPS... i think I just started an argument !!

Cheers,

Muzz
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Follow Up By: Mad Dog (Victoria) - Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 15:07

Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 15:07
>Why are so many 4WD drivers ignorant pigs and leave camp sites with >rubbish and dirt. No wonder so many tracks are being closed to 4WD >when you see the damage done by them.

I never have that problem. Perhaps you are confusing camp sites with Hungry Jacks carparks. Use the 4x4 lever to exit the carpark.
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Follow Up By: Member -Dodger - Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 15:11

Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 15:11
David,
If you were a vanner and visited a caravan park you would notice that 99% of vans do have the correct hitches and are stable on the road but like all including us 4wd people there are some that are not educated or just don't care.
The same goes for those leaving rubbish about.
My pet hate is used disposable nappies.
I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Cheers Dodg.

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Reply By: Willem - Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 08:41

Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 08:41
Hi Kirsten

I have completed your survey though where you ask for monetary considerations it was only a guess, not knowing what the prices are like on caravanning products in the UK or Europe.

Having towed caravans for hundreds of thousands of kilometres in Australia and Africa any new device which will be able to help the caravanner is a bonus. The caravan industry in Australia is very large and in a population of only 20million it is estimated that at any given time there are 1million people 'on the road'. Our distances are immense and our roads are unfortunately substandard, in my opinion. Caravanners and others towing Camper Trailers and the like, have to share our roads with trucks which could be up to 60 metres in length. A dangerous pastime it can be. If you are well prepared and do not overload your caravan or drive beyond the safe stopping parameters of your vehicle(speed or stopping power) then caravanning can a real pleasure.

I wish you well with your project.

AnswerID: 91385

Follow Up By: scotstudent - Thursday, Jan 06, 2005 at 20:15

Thursday, Jan 06, 2005 at 20:15
Thanks Willem, i appreciate you thoughts!
Kirsten
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