Just another warning to drive to the conditions.

That shouldn't be necessary. Any person who sits behind the wheel of a vehicle (with or without a trailer), MUST MUST be aware of the controls available and capable of using/finding them.

The fact that he/she can't "find" the manual operation of the trailer braking system would indicate to me that he/she hasn't taken the responsibility of controlling the vehicle combination very seriously.

Imagine what would happen if a semi-trailer driver didn't know how to use his brakes!!!

It's VERY VERY basic stuff.

Far too many people (usually grey nomads, but by no means limited to that demographic), buy a whopping great van and hitch it behind their tow-vehicle of choice and then head off into the wild blue yonder; with nary a thought about the vastly-altered dynamics of the behemoth they are supposed to be in control of.

I hate the idea of MORE rules/laws, but I would seriously support the need for a separate test and associated licence to be able to tow a trailer heavier than (say) 750kg. To gain such a licence, the person would need to be able to demonstrate their ability to reverse the trailer around a 90 degree corner and that they can control it under a hard braking situation etc. Truckies have to have a special licence, but any old car driver can hook-up a 3500kg van and drive merrily on their way.

I agree with Roach ee. It is just too easy to tow huge weights with no, nil, nix training or proven ability.

Great idea Berniec.

There are incompetent drivers out there who need all the help they can get.

It's wrong that they can lumber around with 6 tonne GVM vehicles.

We have 2 ways of stopping these morons killing us, either help them control their vehicles or have a stricter licensing system.

I don't think we can call the "morons". Just untrained, uneducated drivers who don't understand the situation in which they are putting themselves.
A bit of training might make them realise their own inability to tackle the job. Just look at the number of drivers who can't even reverse park their can, let alone reverse a caravan around a corner!

You're being very polite Ian, I just drove back from Cairns and some of them definitely fit into the moron class.

I did laugh at times, however it can get dangerous if other motorists can't get out of their way.

That's why I think that anything that can be done to help drivers is good. I don't want them hitting me.

Regards
Geoff

hi bernie c
hi you seem to have a limited knowledge of using trailer bakes
the thought of some like you towing a rig really is a bit of a concern to all those who have better knowledge

when you have said there needs to be an emergency switch for the driver as roachie stated if the driver doesnt know where or what the brake controller is i or how to use it then imho they should'nt be in the drivers seat in the first place
what do you think a caravan brake controller does?????????

it can be used in a very controlled manner and if the driver was to lock it on hard instead of carefully applying it in a controlled way you would finish up in a much worst situation than before you applyed it

having had to bring a caravan rig out of one of these swaying situations once
i would like to tell you it has to be done in a very controlled manner and definetly
not by locking the brakes on suddenly and holding them in that position or by flicking on an emergency switch as you called it
cheers

Funny this .... and I don't want to tar a demographic with the same brush.

On a recent trip one of our travel vehicles had to spend a couple of days in Halls Creek getting rear wheel bearings repaired .... which isn't the story, however while we were there we were discussing a couple of caravan or 5th wheeler wrecks in the holding yard there.

The local mechanic said something like 90% of the wrecks were Grey Nomads (probably no surprise there) and the driver almost invariably blamed either assorted wildlife jumping out or mechanical failure as the cause of the accident (if they survived).

However, when they went out to collect the wreck, they found almost invariably...

a) the accident occurred around 2-3 pm in the afternoon
b) the accident happened on a dead straight piece of road
c) there was no evidence of any road kill or skid marks showing attempts to avoid road-kill
d) when the got the vehicle / caravan back they couldn't find any evidence of mechanical failure
e) most cases the wife driving

He said they finally figured out what was happening (their theory) - that said couple would set out early in the morning and drive till lunchtime and then stop for a long lunch. Driver would change shift (usually the hubby handing over to the wife) and hubby would thenhave an arvo nap. Wife would drive on into the setting sun with a full belly of food and at least 5-6 hours on the road already then..... Granny nap / micro-sleep and bingo !!!

A couple of years ago i saw this Peugeot sedan towing a 16 to 20 foot boat on a trailer with a big keel on the boat, guy was pulling a 100 kph fishtailing up road, with his trailer lights dragging on the ground, i pulled up beside the stupid tosser, beeped my horn and pointed to back of his car, the tosser looked at me like i was an alien, and disrupting his free passage up the road. Last i saw of this person, he had pulled over. It makes you wonder.

I have had fish tailing before and find it a wierd and uncomfortable driving experience, so i slowed own to below sixty, and was fine.

Another thing i have seen was this hq tonner can into the panel shop i was working at, that was towed by an 80 series, guy was pulling 100kph up the m2 in sydney, started to fishtail, 80 series ended up on left side car trailer hitch snapped, one tonner moved to the left about six inches.

80 series was in workshop for a while. never did hear whether 80 series owners managed to sue the trailer hire mob, especially when they were obviously speeding!!!