It ’ s important to compensate for this by taking corners in a wider fashion . How wide will depend on the length of your towing combination , the position of the axle set on the van , etc ., so your best judgement and common sense are required . Have you ever seen a sign warning against towing a caravan along a particular road ? It ’ s quite possible that the road being referred to is too narrow , with sharp corners that will make you come unstuck .
In short , a lack of adequate turning space coupled with an inexperienced driver is a recipe for disaster . Left turns are particularly problematic , since we drive on the left and the towing combo is already much closer to the side and corner before the turn . If in doubt , don ’ t risk it . Continue forward and rethink your route .
It ’ s also worth noting that the rearmost outer edge of the van will sweep more widely around corners than you might realise . As you negotiate a corner , and you ’ re thinking of the van ’ s ‘ cut-in ’ angle , you ’ ll also need to consider your van ’ s outside tail sweep , particularly if it is quite a long van .
BRAKING
Your tow vehicle ’ s braking system was designed to stop the vehicle , not the vehicle and a 3000kg caravan . The inertia of your heavy , rolling caravan can be mitigated by the tow vehicle ’ s brakes , but it ’ ll take much longer to pull up and you ’ ll quickly chew through the brake pads if you do so for an extended period . In any case , relying on the stopping power of the tow vehicle alone is unsafe and illegal , unless the actual weight being towed is 750kg or less .
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