THE WOBBLES
It seems not a day goes past when there isn ’ t a social media report of a caravan getting the wobbles and flipping over , with pics of the aftermath showing the tow vehicle on its side and the contents of the rig spread over a wide area . It is a terribly frightening thing and , if it happens to you , it will bring your holiday to an abrupt end , if you ’ re lucky enough to survive it .
Getting the wobbles can happen to even the most experienced driver with the best set-up rig . A sudden strong gust of wind hitting the side of the van can be enough to unsettle an otherwise completely stable combination .
If you have never experienced the wobbles while towing your caravan , I can tell you from experience it is frightening . It happens almost without warning and can be all over in a matter of seconds . You need to be able to react immediately to the situation if you ’ re to have hope of recovering .
These bins opposite a caravan park site are an easy target for the front of your tow vehicle .
Fortunately , regaining control of a swaying caravan is actually very simple . If you do start to feel the caravan swaying , follow these steps :
1 . Remain calm . Do not panic .
2 . Gradually release the accelerator and reduce speed .
3 . If the trailer is fitted with electronic brakes , activate them manually using the override function .
4 . Do not touch the tow vehicle ’ s brakes and do not try to control the sway by steering input .
5 . Do not accelerate . This will only make the situation worse .
6 . Keep the steering wheel pointed straight ahead as much as possible .
7 . Once the vehicle has regained stability , turn your hazard lights on , maintain a constant speed at which the rig is stable , and pull off the road at the first safe opportunity .
8 . Check the rig for anything that may have caused the van to sway .
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