After spending 20 years in the Royal Australian Navy, Pat Gillian was thrilled when he was able to swap life on the ocean waves for life on the open road.
And, apart from seeing some fellow grey nomads travelling way too fast for conditions, he says the transition has pretty much been plain sailing.
Pat and wife Natalie, along with pet dog, Nutmeg, have been travelling on and off around Australia for the past eight years in their 19’6 Network RV Terrain Tuff Caravan towed with a 2016 MQ Triton Ute.
“After spending the vast majority of my time at sea, it is now time to get out and see my own back yard,” said Pat. “I have had a dream of doing this for the past 30 years and we are so happy we are doing it now.”
Pat feels right at home on the road with his colourful annexe reminding him of life at sea.
The couple usually travels for between eight and 10 months of the year as they like to be back home near Rockingham in WA to spend time with their grandchildren at Christmas.
Pat and Natalie have seen some amazing places and met some amazing people on their adventures, but one of the few downsides to their travels has been witnessing some pretty poor behaviour on the roads.
Natalie and Pat are making the most of their travels.
“When I’m towing, I usually sit on 90-95km/h as I find this the best speed for towing as well as good fuel economy,” said Pat. “I very rarely, if ever, go over 100km/h, and generally only if I am overtaking a slower moving vehicle.”
However, he says he has often been overtaken by faster moving vehicles towing caravans who do not use their radios for communication.
“Once they are past me, I often see the caravan swaying and they just seem to be ignorant of the fact their van is swaying, and this – in my opinion – is why we have so many rollovers,” said Pat. “A vast majority of the roads in outback Australia are in atrocious condition but this does not affect some people who believe it is necessary to do the speed limit instead of driving to the conditions.”
Pat believes grey nomads need to be educated on the perils of towing a caravan or any type of trailer on the roads, and on the condition of these roads. And he believes national speed limit of 100km/h for towing needs to be implemented ‘sooner rather than later’.
“If we have a nationwide speed limit for caravans and trailers this will help reduce the fatalities,” he said. “I’m not saying this is the perfect solution but it will help reduce the road toll and, hopefully, allow everyone to enjoy what Australia has to offer.”
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Absolutely! This might ( and I say MIGHT ) slow down some of the morons on the road, and also stop other drivers getting aggravated when coming up behind a vehicle towing.
130 towing anything is way too fast for towing in my opinion.
Yes
The speed limit for anything towed in Western Australia is already 100km/h.
Yes. Most of the vehicles towing vans are driven by people on school holidays or a short break, that try and cover as much of the country side in the shortest time.
In the 14 years of retirement travel covering 170,000kms that we’ve done, I’d say most of the people towing caravans are retirees.
Yes totally agree 90/95 kph is fast enough. Just because the towing limit is 100kph that doesn’t mean you have to do it.
I’m agree with that
The greatest hazard towing are the testosterone morons with US style Ute’s. I travel at 100 as it suits my vehicle for fuel economy and ride. Discovery 4 v6 twin turbo kW and torque good for towing. At a 100 I have been passed by these morons with them towing 25′ or larger answers. I have seen them pass road trains and speaking from experience as a truck driver this is frightening. Often their comments are they don’t care about fuel economy but it’s more the carnage they cause when they come unstuck.
It’s the van driver’s doing 70 to 80 on flat roads that are the problem
They are not “US style utes”, they are actual imported US pickups. Labelling owners “testosterone morons”, says more about you than them. Is every vehicle that passes you driven by a testosterone moron?
I drive a US ute and have been passed by people towing vans towed by the likes of Rangers, Hilux, Mazda BT 50 and plenty of trucks and I have not been dawdling.
You can’t stop those that do stupid things but you can stop labelling all US ute drivers as morons.
Finally, what carnage do they cause? What’s the statistics for caravan accidents and deaths and how does that measure up with other road users?
90 to 95kms: hr is definitely fast enough paricularly if u have 2.5 to 3.5 tonne behind u. With 3.5,tonne + the maximum speed should be 80 kms/ hr
Yes, I agree that 90-95 is fast enough to get there with lower risk of a rollover so a limit of 100 is more than adequate. Some drivers forget that the posted speed is a limit, not a challenge.
Agree, however he states we should “use our (CB) radios when over taking.” They are not a legal requirement and some feel it’s another distraction.
Two problems I have observed is , 1 they should have kept the old 80klm/hr limit towing caravans, and 2. Drivers see the posted speed limit and take that as the speed they have to drive at instead of it being the Max speed allowed and driving to the road conditions .
Yes, for the safety of others
For most vehicles and vans 100 is a safe limit
But for those with average vans and big American trucks they don’t even know the van is on the back
We have a landcruiser and stick to the 100 under normal conditions
But it is nice to be able to go to 110 to pass other vans and and slow moving traffic
Set up and compliance is everything
The 10 difference is helpful
I would also like to add if you are towing your van slowly on the highway don’t speed up to 100 on the dual passing lanes
Totally agree. What’s the rush anyway. We’re supposed to be relaxing. With a GVM approaching up to the 6 tonne mark which the normal weight for most towing vehicles on the road you need to be able to keep control when things go pare shaped in front of you.
No, as most people can’t even do 100, and worse they’ll blindly ignore the half a K worth of traffic their holding up. This is exactly why you see “morons” – they get so aggravated by YOU holding them up they will “fly past you” at the slightest available opportunity.
What needs to be done is regular mirror checking, if your holding up 50 people dordling well below the speed limit – MOVE THE F OVER AND LET THEM PASS
So true.
“Move the F over” is not always possible.
I agree, from time to time, you encounter someone who is going too slow and/or seems to never look in the mirror.
Having said that, I have been in situations towing my van, where the road conditions, elevated or twisting, winding roads, required me to travel slower than a vehicle not towing anything. Moreover, there are frequently few or no overtaking lanes or pullovers to get out of the way. We get frustrated by these situations as well, as we know we are slowing others down.
Some of the non towing fraternity seem to be oblivious to these situations.
I thought there already was a 100km limit for towing anything, caravan, boat or trailer.
The national speed limit is already 100km/h, except where signposted otherwise, such as freeways. No need to add anything about towing. If you’re going to break the law, a signpost won’t stop you.
100% on the 100km/h limit. I’m traveling through Qld towing my little van and prefer to stick in the slow lane (where possible) with all the trucks. I believe the holiday starts when leaving home not when arriving at the destination.
Also an advanced towing/driving course should be made compulsory and displayed on licences. Like most statements of attainment they need to be renewed every 5 years.
Aside from espousing an opinion, what evidence do you have that a problem actually exists when calling for a compulsory advanced towing/driving course?
Propenents of a regulatory crackdown on those towing caravans are venting their opinions, nothing more.
Perhaps government should be more active in awareness campaigns about van and vehicle weights and loading and providing more facilities like free public weighbridges. Outsourcing the ability to find out what your van and vehicle weigh to private providers comes at significant cost and therefore less likely to be conducted.
Governments to date are showing little interest in regulating those towing caravans as they know they have little to no evidence of a widespread problem. Moreover, they know it is a logistical and administrative nightmare.
Your argument could be used for scrapping licensing altogether. If you can drive a vehicle why do you need a licence? Is that what you are advocating.
When l got my license over 30 years ago the towing speed limit was 100 kms/ph… when was it changed or raised??
I have been driving tour coaches for in excess of forty years and have been constantly amazed at the desire to be in front of a bus which is already speed limited to 100 kph. After passing they frequent cut me off because they are not aware of the length of their vehicle Education would be great to help manage the additional weight, steering and loading
“If we have a nationwide speed limit for caravans and trailers this will help reduce the fatalities,” he said”
Pat, perhaps you can tell me about the fatalities you refer to involving caravans and trailers, and what the actual death statistics are?
As for attitudes on the road, well, all users could use a tune up in that area, not just caravanners.
Governments could and should do more with respect to community information on loading and towing a caravan and tow vehicle limitations. They could also make it easier for caravanners to weigh their vehicles by providing/ reinstating free public weigh bridges so people can easily check their weights.
Outsourcing this to fee for service operators makes checking less likely, and travel more expensive. How serious are they?
This is one cure all for those that feel they’re invincible. The other is a specific licence due to mass weight when towing
Totally. Most of the offenders are city drivers who didn’t get on the open road until they started towing and have no idea of driving our roads at speed or of towing
Absolutely, 100% on a blanket 100kph speed limit towing any caravan, horse float, boat/yacht! As a former Navy driver, where we were taught all the facets of the driving code, for 6 weeks, from Holden station wagons through to buses, aircraft refuelers & articulated semi’s, we also used the NSW Police driving grounds when they were at St Ives. Good training for the future.
John.
I thought it already was 100km/h when towing a caravan, here in W.A
In my opinion and this is just my opinion if everyone did 100 km an hour there would be no need for anyone to over take . And no wobbles and hopefully no rollovers
The bruce Hiway is already 100 km per hour ket me know how that has help with towing anything. There has been a few big accidents in recent times
If someone is doing less than the posted speed limit, I’ll pass them as soon as the road and conditions permit. That said I’ve taken a great deal of care to ensure my equipment is up to the task as well.
It’s usually the drivers towing caravans at 10-15ks below the speed limit for the sake of fuel efficiency that cause many of the dangerous situations on the roads.
Learn to load your van safely, learn how to tow it at speed and finally learn how to tow that van of yours in a manner that allows for the safe driving and overtaking for all other road users.
Problem solved!
I’ve towed camper trailers, covered box trailers with Harleys on board, or 2 Triumph’s all over Australia, the amount of idiots in V8 Lancruisers & Yank tanks towing 7 metre + caravans that sit on 120+ kph astounds me. Their reason, ” I’ve got to get to the next camp for the best spot”. I asked one bloke how much fuel he was using, 2.5 ks per litre was his answer. A fool with too much money.
I could be wrong, but all vehicle combinations 12.5 metres long(towing), are already restricted to 100kph. It is at least the case in NSW,and I believe the towing combination speed limit in WA is 90kph. I could be wrong
As a former road train driver . Knowing how to set the load up properly I often sit on 110kmh with absolutely no problem at all. So you now want to impede the ones who know what they are doing to the level of the ones that have no clue. I’m all in favour of having a better licence system with better training to raise the standard of driver. Not limit the ones that know what they are doing.
We always pull out van at 100km and have been over taken by many a van some trucks, including road trains and at one point a truck with a car and caravan on the back. I always back off the throttle and let the person go.
It’s those who sit at 80km and say what’s the rush only too speed up when some one is over taking that are a problem in my opinion. 20kms under the speed limit over a 4-6hr journey is significant. If you want to travel slower great but don’t let your ego get the best of you. Let people pass.
I think 90 would be better. The trucks all go at 100 and we need to get out of their way as they are driving for a living. I often pull over if I see a truck in the mirrors. There should be a minimum distance between a tow vehicle and other vehicles unless overtaking.
I’m in agreement with that. I thought any towed vehicle was limited to 100km. Any one with good sense would not go faster than that.
Speed is not the issue, the issue lies in poor driver training, failure to know the capabilities of the vehicle and trailer/van, inappropriate driving for the condition of the road, weather and vehicle and the frustration caused to other road users as drivers dawdle along at 10-20 or even 30 klm below the limit then not pulling over to allow other drivers to pass you when conditions allow.
Having towed for over 12 months now, we see it all, slow fast unbalanced tailgating speeding up whilst overtaking etc. All i know my job is to get us home safely. So we have the car setup right, with extended mirrors, safetydave etc. the van is balanced and weighed right.
This has allowed us to sit on 100kph comfortably whilst flowing with traffic to plotting along backroads whilst on our own.
To the ones that plot go ahead but dont forget the people behind you and help them get past instead of eating your chips whilst listening to neil diamond
To the ones that dont believe in uhfs. No issue each to their own, when you in trouble or need help with no phone reception around, dont expect the world out of others cause you not prepared