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notty
Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Posts: 913
Location: WALES
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 Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 0:56 Post subject: are my mirrors good enough for towing a caravan ? |
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For insurance purposes, are my mirrors good enough ?
I have been told by many different people that I need towing mirrors and then others have said the ones fitted are fine.
Will I be insured if me and the Deli and the Caravan have an accident ?#
notty |
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| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 0:56 Post subject: Google Ads keep this community free to join! |
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jennysteve
Joined: 31 Jan 2007
Posts: 346
Location: WIRRAL
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| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 6:28 Post subject: |
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Notty, your mirrors are probably like mine, if you look on the back of them they are stamped with the E2 logo, which say's they are legal, but i personally put extenders on just to be on the safe side as you know the insurance company's will look for any way out of paying out if an accident occurs, so i just play safe. hth. 
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MUSTAVIT ! AND JEN |
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grasshole (RIP)
Joined: 16 Dec 2006
Posts: 1230
Location: Neston
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| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 8:24 Post subject: |
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Don't worry Notty lad, never used them on mine, have you ever caused an accident? and if someone crashes into you then they should'nt be driving as they must be blind 
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notty
Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Posts: 913
Location: WALES
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| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:33 Post subject: |
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I've heard that insurance companies' are getting into a nasty habit of not paying out on car and caravan claims if the mirrors aren't suitable.
They'll find anything these days to make the claim void.
Am I right to say that if towing a caravan, you must be able to see at least 4 metres down the side of the van?
I have a rear window on my caravan so use it for seeing what's behind me when towing....
any advice?
Notty |
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grasshole (RIP)
Joined: 16 Dec 2006
Posts: 1230
Location: Neston
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| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:37 Post subject: |
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Ring your insurance
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It doesn't matter where you put it, cos someone gonna come along and move it, and it's always been the same, it's just a complicated game..... |
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Bob Ellison
Lifetime member
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Posts: 388
Location: North Yorkshire
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| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:41 Post subject: |
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| notty wrote: |
I have a rear window on my caravan so use it for seeing what's behind me when towing....
any advice?
Notty |
That's not good enough. You have to be able to see along the sides the 'van.
It's not just insurers that can be difficult. A stroppy copper can cause you problems if you don't have the correct mirrors.
If it was me, I'd get some extensions on.
:D
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Ange
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
Posts: 1302
Location: Swadlincote
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| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:59 Post subject: |
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It's like driving with an artic trailer on.....you just plain can't see well enough without.
If you have a big trailer or whatever on the back then you have to equip the motor to cope with it.....cos the mirrors in certain situations are your lifeline.
Ang x
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notty
Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Posts: 913
Location: WALES
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| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 10:12 Post subject: |
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okay thanls. will get some extra mirrors now then
thanks all
notty |
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jennysteve
Joined: 31 Jan 2007
Posts: 346
Location: WIRRAL
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| Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 15:21 Post subject: |
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Notty just make sure you get the mirrors stamped with the E2 logo on them, apparently they are law now. 
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MUSTAVIT ! AND JEN |
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seti-yeti
Joined: 29 Aug 2004
Posts: 115
Location: Soggy Ceredigion
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| Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:57 Post subject: |
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I ummed and arhed about this too as I had a Pajero with those huge truck mirrors which patently didn't need any extension. On balance, I though I'd play it safe and get some. I opted for the new "Suck it and see" brand - expensive but a doddle to fix and remove, stay on at motorway speeds, don't wobble and the mirrow quality is good.
What's the harm? 8-)
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chrisfoster1971
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Joined: 31 Aug 2007
Posts: 1536
Location: Sutton In Ashfield, J28 M1
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| Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 13:13 Post subject: |
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Milenco do some fairly reasonble units ..take a look at towsure they are dotted around the country and do good prices.
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johnboy6
Joined: 27 Jun 2009
Posts: 50
Location: Boroughbridge, N.Yorkshire. UK.
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| Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 21:16 Post subject: |
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One other thing to remember is the actual width of the c/van, as they do vary. What may be okay with an english c/van is possibly not okay with say a german one. My reason for saying this is that I have a Tabbert 5 berth, and it is quite a bit wider than my old english van.
The American Dodge Dayvan I use is okay with its own mirrors due to it's wide body, but the Deli is not as wide, so needs ext. mirrors fitted. |
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steve b
Joined: 09 Jul 2007
Posts: 475
Location: WIRRAL
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:27 Post subject: |
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mate, just stick one of those extra mirrors in the passanger foot well ............ and tell the plod ...... "it keeps falling off" at very least you have appeared to have made the effort and "apparently" thats good enough hth  |
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Ange
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
Posts: 1302
Location: Swadlincote
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 10:41 Post subject: |
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| steve b wrote: |
| mate, just stick one of those extra mirrors in the passanger foot well ............ and tell the plod ...... "it keeps falling off" at very least you have appeared to have made the effort and "apparently" thats good enough hth |
Might not be good enough for the little lad that cycles up the left of the caravan just as our Deli and caravan is going to turn left eh....
And how many pushbikes have you seen going up the left of an artic.....cos I've seen hundreds in my mirrors... 
It doesn't matter to these kids /people that you have a winker on, they just have to squeeze past you, and the last thing they expect is for you to actually start to turn as the lights change, trap them against the kerb or whatever is there, and knock them off their little bikes to make them crack their heads on the pavement, fracture their skull, and give them permenant brain damage......or that the rear whelels should actually run over one of their little legs as they lie on the floor having been knocked off and their leg gets smashed by the wheels...
It is drilled in to HGV drivers....mirrors, mirrors, mirrors. They are one of the most important things ....the one thing that we rely on.
Not being funny at all with anyone....but it continues to amaze me that folks would still be prepered to take the risk with towing . Since I passed my class 1, roads have changed, kids attitude on the roads have changed, and adults attitudes have changed too. There is the "I've got to go first" thing with a lot of folks....and that means squeezing by anything that is stationary.
And the times I have pulled into services behind caravans that are being towed purly to tell the driver that he isn't leaving enough of a gap before he pulls back in, cos he nearly took the front of my cab off, only to find that he's got no towing mirrors on and can't see properly...
The speed that motorbikes fly around, and these stupid young lads on their scooters.....you need to see where they all are.....
For the sake of a few quid, for goodness sake, anyone towing get some mirrors and fix them on. It won't be the end of the world to spend a few quid.
But it might be the end of the world if you maim or kill a kiddie...
Ang x
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Dave C
Joined: 12 Mar 2004
Posts: 731
Location: Northants
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| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 20:44 Post subject: |
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We use some with rubber straps that hold them well then drop the car mirrors to see that the caravan wheel clears the kerb etc,can never see too much our van is 7'6" wide which is as wide as you can legally tow behind a 'normal'car.
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steve b
Joined: 09 Jul 2007
Posts: 475
Location: WIRRAL
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| Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:54 Post subject: |
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| Ange, iwas not being flippant, i have a class 1 licence, my job means i have to drive all kinds of trucks, from little 7.5 tonners to car transporters to fuel tankers. At the moment the transport industry is going through a new legislation regarding mirrors, exactly for the reasons you state. This means, using a special gauge, and floor markings to see if the visibility is within parameters stated by VOSA, if not new mirrors are retro fitted. All HGV's must by law have a rear viewing sde mirror, a wide angle mirror and a kerb mirror, and now in addition, a forward facing wide angle mirror......... All that said i find my L400 mirrors more than adequate for towing my 22ft caravan, also marked up with the correct European Conformity code, the " stick a mirror in the passenger footwell" remark was intended to deal with any stroppy copper.......... and by the way, my sister is a copper |
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Ange
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
Posts: 1302
Location: Swadlincote
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| Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:54 Post subject: |
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Sorry Steve.....but I do get annoyed by folks who don't take it seriously...
Some are known to start towing, never knowing what is behind them or indeed at the sides of them, and off they go without a care in the world....
Ang x
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Dave C
Joined: 12 Mar 2004
Posts: 731
Location: Northants
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| Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 20:49 Post subject: |
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just ordered reversing camera kit for van,am hoping to use it on Deli when not towing,listened to Jeremy vine about reversing over children,scared the s##t out of me as my back window is blacked out and curtained,about £140 altogether
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jennysteve
Joined: 31 Jan 2007
Posts: 346
Location: WIRRAL
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| Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:36 Post subject: |
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i always use an extended mirror on the drivers side when towing, i like steve b am an artic driver and would say experienced to tow. but i still use the offside mirror extender for extra viewing behind me.
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L400 GREEN OVER GREY 2.8 TD CRYSTALITE ROOF.BORN TO LIVE..BORN TO DRIVE..
MUSTAVIT ! AND JEN |
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Ange
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
Posts: 1302
Location: Swadlincote
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| Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 12:00 Post subject: |
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| Dave C wrote: |
| just ordered reversing camera kit for van,am hoping to use it on Deli when not towing,listened to Jeremy vine about reversing over children,scared the s##t out of me as my back window is blacked out and curtained,about £140 altogether |
That's the thing you see, it's so easy to buy a caravan or whatever, and not realise the dangers isn't it....
Ang x
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