Other Be careful what yer tow

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What would you do if you were driving int video below and it started to snake?

  • Accellerate and hope for a miracle then crash (Clarkson: more powerrrrrr)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Ease oft the accellerator and slowly reduce speed like an intelligent person would

    Votes: 9 45.0%

  • Stop when safe and check yer trailer/load is safe

    Votes: 6 30.0%

  • Consider the weight is too heavy and the speed is too high, then take corrective action

    Votes: 6 30.0%

  • Slam ont brakes to stop as soon as possible

    Votes: 1 5.0%

  • Chuck the anchor out the window to help reduce stopping distance

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Carry on driving as yer a super hero and brag about it down the pub later that day

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Take Land Rover to court as the VCU was at fault

    Votes: 2 10.0%

  • Sh*t yerself

    Votes: 10 50.0%

  • Bob's a nob

    Votes: 2 10.0%
  • Total voters
    20
In the eighties I towed livestock with a Land Rover on a daily basis, often overloaded probably. It takes a bit of time but you learn to notice a snake early and ease off. Cattle of course can move around a bit and the danger situation was when they want to the back of the trailer on a downhill and I had the occasional scare. The heavier the load, the more chance of a snake. Fast forward to a couple of years ago, I towed a load for my brother, surprised me that I had to learn my limits again.
In that video the driver failed to notice the sway in time.
 
This happened to me about 20yrs ago. I was driving a Vauxhall Astra estate 1.7Td and I was towing a very large trailer which carried a two pole, all canvas marquee. The trailer was almost certainly overloaded and the lot was too heavy for the car. A mate of mine was in with me. The snake started on a long straight stretch, on the A1, on the way to Berwick on Tweed. I think we caught a side wind. Within seconds of the snake starting I could start to see the trailer appearing either side in my peripheral vision. All I thought at the time was if I put the brakes on this thing is going to push me around in a jack knife and we're gonners. I took my foot off the accelerator and fought the urge to brake, I'm pretty sure I feathered the accelerator occasionally as I was frightened we slowed down too fast and jack knifed. I've never watched a snaking trailer video before, so I reckon I was a second or two from disaster. I was very lucky.
 
As my above post has got a few likes, I feel I should clarify the situation, just in case anyone is thinking I applied my learned driving skills and understanding. Not at all. My survival was down to gut instinct and an enormous amount of luck. :eek: Hopefully, nobody was thinking that, but just in case.
 
The only snaking experience I have had was when I used to tow a Caravan. If the weight wasn't distributed correctly the Caravan would start to snake, I always found the best way to stop it was to ease off on the accelerator and let the speed decrease without hitting the brakes. Then maintain a slow speed until I could stop and redistribute the weight. I understand when people say they would accelerate, what they mean I think is to apply a little power to take up the slack on the drive train but you still have to slow down very gingerly and avoid applying too much brake. Putting more weight in the towing ( Front vehicle) helps. It is quiet a frightening experience when it happens. Especially when you see the vehicle your towing overtake you.
 
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