RV FEATURE
I have tried all sorts of ways to avoid conflict on the road when towing the van but I have found that it doesn ’ t matter at what speed you drive , or how much you try to keep out of the way of other drivers – everyone wants to get in front of you and they will do everything they can to do so .
My advice is to drive in a manner that makes you less of an encumbrance to other drivers and expect that they will do everything , including some dangerous manoeuvres , to get in front of you . If you maintain a speed of around 90-95km / h on the open road , that gives other motorists the opportunity to pass you safely . If you come to an overtaking lane , back off about 5km / h to give as many vehicles as possible the opportunity to overtake you .
When merging back into a single lane , indicate your intention to merge early but wait until just before the merge starts and move over slowly . Anticipate that there will be some vehicles who will try to pass you at the last minute .
Always use your UHF radio to communicate with trucks to let them know that you are aware of them and are prepared for them to pass you .
If other drivers see that you are at least trying to do the right thing , you may find them being a little more accommodating towards you .
THE IMPORTANCE OF CHECKLISTS
I remember the first trip we did in our brand new caravan . We were driving through central New South Wales during an almost biblical downpour . We stopped at a rest area to have a break . Kylie went into the caravan to get something to eat and saw that the inside of the van was drenched in water . We had left one of the vents on the four seasons hatch open and we had been driving through the rain all morning . I think Kylie invented a few new expletives that day . We learnt our lesson the hard way .
Good quality , brand name tyres may cost a little more but they will last in conditions that will destroy inferior brands . These BF Goodrich All Terrain tyres have withstood the worst conditions without as much as a single puncture
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