Another epic heavy towing failure (with twist and pike) | Auto Expert John Cadogan

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[@AutoExpertJC]

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[@jim8395]

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[@gordonmichaellee]

I’m a truck driver and see this all the time. The torque available from modern turbo diesels makes them feel like they’re not towing. The torque may have improved since the 70’s but all the other rules of physics still apply. I tow in a 90’s troopy non turbo. I take the back roads and allow about double the time between cities as I would in a car. It’s actually quite enjoyable to not have brown pants moments.

[@kensmith5694]

Yes, and people seem to be in such a mad rush to go somewhere to enjoy themselves that they make the trip there torture.

[@darylephillips6778]

How many trucks tip ass up heaps i see it all the time

[@tomsteginga2506]

@@darylephillips6778 Yes and your point is. As a heavy vehicle operator wobbly boxes scare me

[@jasoncee666]

Diesel is garbage for power like your average dual cabs are 10+ seconds 0-100kmh 😂

[@davidmurphy4459]

Ripper commentary from a great Aussie perspective, laughed myself sober.👍

[@niceviewoverthere4463]

As a motorcyclist, I commend those two riders for their fortitude in not stopping to break every remaining window in that ute (to assist any inhabitants to escape of course).

[@stevelloyd5785]

Yeah they perfectly executed the "Not my problem" protocol and fucked off. There were plenty of truckies with tools and first aid kits on board to help and CB/RT to call for help. Bikers typically would have fuck all in that regard.

[@000gjb]

@@stevelloyd5785 As a motorcyclist and a victim of 3 major accidents caused by idiot car drivers, this would not cloud my judgement and I would try to help anybody in that situation. I am only grateful that everybody survived, there are no winners when somebody dies.

[@jonathanrabbitt]

@@stevelloyd5785 A deftly wielded tyre lever would help enormously with the education of the driver of the Ranger.

[@gsd4me00]

@@11235but. Yes they were, it was plainly obvious.

[@michaelchaplin6489]

@@11235but They were locking up!

[@kymbatten6738]

Hi John. I was following immediately behind that caravan and witnessed the entire incident. I had dash cam footage which I chose not to post. I called the police and ambulance as there was an elderly Gentlemen in the car who was in shock and very unwell. There were three people in the car. The semi was following a Quad which is limited to 90Km/hr. Speeds had been varying between 60 and 90 KM/Hr but at the time of the incident we were doing 90 KM/Hr. I tow a van (but not this time) and I certainly would not try to overtake a semi doing 90. The driver of the car said he was doing 100 when the motor cyclists came into view. I have no doubt that this was true as he was taking forever to get past the truck. The driver clearly made a bad choice and thankfully we did not have to render first aid having just completed a first aid course. I do wonder about the comments people post on line, when they don't have all the facts. It appears they are perfect, never done anything wrong, never made a stupid mistake. The road train driver braked approximately 2 seconds before the caravan indicated and cut back in, clipping the front bullbar of the truck, The lady involved in the incident said the van was worth $80,000.(not sure you got the right van in your video) The ford ranger wild track could be a write off as the chasis looked as if it could be bent. The driver will probably be charged and the incident was on Good Friday, where double demerits were in play, so he will probably lose his license and his wife was very angry. I can send you my footage but I won't post it online. regards Kym

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

Thanks for your contribution to the rest of us. I would imagine that was a day that you'd rather forget about.

[@davidvanderklauw]

So the truck was holding speed for an extended period and only braked towards the end of the long overtake? And didn't have much of a gap in front of it.

[@oldbloke100]

@@davidvanderklauw he wasn't the one overtaking, he was probably looking ahead of him, not behind him. Are you serious.

[@graemegaerth14]

Hi Kym. that is great input and first hand account and greatly appreciated. Personally I am a caravanner of 40 years and now retired doing a lot more. We have a modest 6mtr unit behind a BT50 3 litre. I am happy to poke along (90-95) and will do whatever I can to allow any traffic big or small to overtake me safely. The one question I have for you is if there was any conversation between the truck and car driver prior to overtaking. This to me is a most important part of travelling keeping everyone aware it makes the journey more enjoyable. Rule no. 1 be patient. Interesting you said the Ranger was a Wild Track, am I correct they are 2.2 litre engine?

[@stevenhastings1480]

Is there any insurance in these circumstances always wondered or is it voided

[@longdongjohn6588]

Those two motorcyclists are very lucky to not end up under the Caravan.

[@MichaelKingsfordGray]

You are lucky to have such benevolent parents to bestow that first name upon you.

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

If licensed in the last thirty years or so, those two motorcyclists attended two practical courses before obtaining their full license. At both of those courses, spatial relationship skills and behaviour prediction were discussed at length. Training saved them, nothing else. The fellow in the Ranger, was nowhere near the same skill set.

[@johnniethepom7545]

On the contrary, judging by the look of them and their riding stance , I'd suggest the Ranger driver was extremely lucky not to have harmed a hair in their heads ! 😮

[@MichaelKingsfordGray]

@@johnniethepom7545 Fake name, smilies... This post belongs in the bin.

[@johnniethepom7545]

@Kingsford Gray You're entitled to your opinion m8 , even though it's worth SFA . Nevermind , have another drink and continue your crusade of mindless criticism .

[@Fullnoise]

G’day John. Just a few things here. The truck was a Kenworth T659 “double” road train that would be around 36.5 metres long and weigh around 90 tonnes fully loaded depending on the dolly and if it complies with the higher mass limits. The truck he was gaining on was a “quad” road train which is 53.5 metres long and weigh around 135 tonnes. All of this can be verified by the shadows in the video. My guess is that the “quad” would have been holding the “double” road train up and he would have been waiting for a safe space to overtake when Captain Ranger decided that Dingo Piss Creek couldn’t wait. As for cars that attract dickheads, the gold medal winner is the Volkswagen Amarok. Every time I’ve ever seen one on the road, it’s being driven by an absolute flog. Cheers, Dan

[@skillsrev]

Nice explanation, did you want to take the bet that when Captain Ranger first started overtaking he didn't realise the truck that was slowing him down was held up by another?

[@muzzthegreat]

yeah, But, Technically an Amarok is a Ranger [and Vice-versa], at least until 2023, so there's that.

[@Paul-45-70]

I have actually seen more morons in those Rangers especially the ones with the obligatory max trax mounted on the roll bar.

[@Low760]

@@muzzthegreat there's almost no ranger amoroks available

[@Low760]

@@Paul-45-70 raptor owners are worse

[@sebastianmessina31]

John, I saw the result of that incident and it was a shocker. We have just done 10,000 km towing our caravan to WA & back to the Sunny Coast. I have a few rules that to stay safe 1. I generally sit on 95 kph. 2. If a truck or semi comes up behind me I call on the UHF and ask if he/she wants to pass and if so I help the pass to happen safely. 3. If I want to pass someone I call on the UHF. A UHF is a necessary tool if you tow a caravan. On the incident I reckon that the caravan fortunately had a rotating drawbar fitting, I don’t have one but I will after the next caravan service. Anyone towing a 3.5 ton van with a usual double cab ute is taking their life in their hands.

[@macbuff81]

As a trady, I have towed a trailer a couple of times. However, I know of the dangers of towing anything, so I try to reduce the risks as much as possible which includes understanding basic physics. Your various educational segments regarding this issue have helped a great deal here. So thanks :) A buddy of mine tried that exact stunt with the same exact Ford Ranger and an 8m long trailer in Italy on his way home from a vacation trip. It was on lengthy uphill climb and he got impatient when the truck ahead of him reduced speed to about 50kph. He very nearly lost control after the truck essentially "sucked" the very light trailer towards it. He had his wife and two small children in the Ranger. He himself admitted that he was lucky. He was also fortunate that the driver of the big rig saw it coming and acted appropriately by giving my buddy and his truck/trailer combo more room. I love how the manufacturer of the trailer brags about the high-strength construction of their product. In fact, trailers by their very nature and requirements are built to weigh as little as possible. They are essentially light-weight fiberglass tubs stuck on a steel ladder subframe. This is material science. The driver of the Ranger was very very lucky that his truck didn't decide to go dancing with the trailer and flip

[@retrozmachine1189]

The truck driver did a brilliant job at keeping his rig in line after effectively having someone do a reverse pit manoeuvre on his front end. From the clip it looks like he only strayed a foot over the centre line but that was it. Came to a controlled stop, all in a line. Hats off to him or her.

[@kevinduffy6712]

Abs braking has done wonders for truck safety.

[@brucehewson5773]

looked like it was a double as well.

[@tba3900]

The best safety system ever fitted to trucks was ABS. In the old days we would have laid black lines all the way down the road. Then again we used to enjoy ripping the amphometer off the road by pulling the trailer brake hand piece.

[@kevinduffy6712]

@@brucehewson5773 I will bet you London to a brick? that the truck driver , didn't have a turban on with a camel in the sleeper! and a 457 visa in his wallet

[@retrozmachine1189]

@@tba3900 No clouds of smoke is a giveaway too.

[@AyJayR28]

Thank you John for labelling the “Before” and “After…” photos, that made it much easier to follow! lol Keep up the great work.

[@RobertWilliams-ej1uj]

The one thing that is common in all these overtaking incidents is impatience. The Ranger driver MUST get past the truck at all cost to save a few minutes. In my experience you would find the successful overtaker pulled up at the next toilet/roadhouse or whatever anyway.

[@phillipevans9414]

@Robert Williams. Totally agree. The only thing missing from this footage is the "Overtaking Lane 300m" sign in the background (that would have summed up the kind of stupid I have seen these types exhibit out on the roads) - some idiots will literally risk breaking their necks to save what amounts to seconds, total insanity. Cheers!

[@DanielSan-ch7dr]

Always.. I've had people pass me 30km over speed limit only to have me pass twice more cause they pulled over 10min later and then again in town to get fuel lol.

[@robpinter5431]

I am with John with this one....I got my MR licence at 21 as I needed to test drive the government busses I worked on as a mechanic....quick trip up the road to get moving tea for the testing officer, and reverse park the truck...and that was it....fast forward to my Army service, three week course to get the same class of licence, that I already had, best road training I ever had, in offensive driving and 30 years on I still use the learned skills today. I do tow a van and don't overtake trucks due to the wind turbulence affect on the van, I just radio the truck driver and let them know I am just happy to plod along behind them.

[@dougstubbs9637]

Scotts Car Camera has an actual segment called ‘Ranger Danger’ highlighting the activities of Ford Ranger owners and operators.

[@user-vk4vd7vr5t]

Most dualcab Utes are driven with complete disregard for other motorists.

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

@@user-vk4vd7vr5t I've driven utes for two+ decades and I couldn't agree with you more.

[@TheWombat2012]

I drive coal trains alongside the Capricorn Highway and also drive work vehicles daily on that highway. It is literally infested with HUGE vans lumbering along behind shiny fourbies. The other day we looked at amazement at a fairly new Audi SUV with a van very like that one on the video, with no weight distribution bars, sagging in the middle, nose pointed to the sky in a way that would have the headlights…as my late father liked to say…hunting possums. This is not an uncommon sight out there.

[@kevinduffy6712]

I have a heavy ridged truck license. this allows me to drive a heavy vehicle with more than 2 axels, it is also unrestricted as far as type of gear box. And a trailer with a draw bar under 3 meters . There is something wrong if someone can go out and buy a 6.5ton articulated vehicle. With 5 axels and no idea how to judge distances and use the gear box to slow down. And rip down mount Ousley etc. at the normal speed, When in reality they are a heavy vehicle

[@theshed8802]

50 plus years ago, as a kid in Western Australia, we often used to go Shark Bay for holidays. We used to count the wrecked caravans on the side of the road along the way. Sometimes there was a wrecked truck to go with the caravan. 50 plus years, and NOTHING HAS CHANGED. Why are we talking about speed kills? Because it's an easy slogan to justify raising revenue? Why aren't we talking about ' doing dumb shit kills people'? No revenue stream in that!!!

[@andoletube]

The only thing I would question here is the assumption that there was no malice. I think there was most likely a form of malice involved. The driver was likely getting angry and frustrated at having to follow the road train for a period of time. It was probably messing up his distance-traveled ambitions for the day. Eventually he got fed up and decided to act on his anger. I've seen people have "accidents" in this way, and after the fact, I've heard them say to the person they tried to overtake, "none of this would have happened if you weren't driving so bloody slow - I was stuck behind you doing 80 for half an hour!" So whilst it's not an intention to cause an accident, the acceleration is done in anger at the driver in front, and leads them to saying, "fuck it, I don't care about safety anymore, I'm going to teach this guy a lesson". They probably wouldn't have attempted the same manoeuvre 10 minutes earlier, but once they were good and angry, all bets are off. They typically won't admit to having caused the accident themselves, so they blame the driver who drove them to such an extreme manoeuvre. I see it as somewhat malicious in intent.

[@petesmitt]

yep; once the pink mist descends, common sense goes out the window; you see the same thing with road rage stupidity, where someone's ego is far more important than driving safely..

[@scroungasworkshop4663]

The stupid thing is, there was another road train in front of the one he hit. I can also tell you from experience that out there those road trains are not doing 80 km/h, more likely 100 - 110. Personally, I’m quite happy to just cruise along behind these guys as they make good time and they hit anything that jumps out on the road or some Wally overtaking.

[@chriswillmott462]

This comes back to driver education. Which is NOT happening at learner level.

[@davidbarnsley8486]

@@chriswillmott462 the truck driver could have backed off a bit He is partly to blame for this Not excusing the caravan driver for doing something that was never on

[@raykuipers3146]

@@chriswillmott462 You can educate people but you can't fix stupidity lol

[@MotoBreno]

They may have started in the broken white line section but the goal is to finish in it. Does anybody (now) even know that the different types of lines down the middle of a road are an indication of what may be (or not be) visible ahead and are NOT a right to overtake. Driven by impatience, that person misjudged speed, distance, capability, weight, acceleration and the size of many things (not just one or two things), and they committed. Miraculously there were no bad casualties, but it was still a shit day for all involved. - It looks to me like they panicked and jammed it in, when the oncoming traffic (bikes) "popped up" out of the dip, that 'ranger dude' could not see into, which was just what the solid white line was clearly indicating.

[@jimamizzi1]

So right Bren’o

[@thisnthat3530]

Yeah, it's nuts they started the overtake. If the truck was going 90 and was 36m long, then unless they exceeded 100 during the overtake they would take 20 seconds to complete the overtake travelling over 500m in the process. Unless the road was completely clear and visible (no dips, no solid lines, etc) for at least 1.5km (oncoming covers 500m also + safety margin) they should not have pulled out from behind the truck. Also, relying on the gap to be large enough to pull in between the two trucks... they should have assumed they'd need to get by both which more than doubles the fully sighted clear distance required.

[@MotoBreno]

@@thisnthat3530 Yep. And a cheap 1 or 2 Watt handheld UHF to call the truck up on is about about $80.00 1/2000th the cost of the wrecked ranger and van

[@DanielSan-ch7dr]

@@MotoBreno they were old people and the wife was very angry I'm sure she knew it was a stupid idea but he was running late for his cuppa tea. If you don't know how to read the road and see the road disappear indicating a dip or crest you shouldn't be driving I'd say.

[@rogerpearson9081]

Doesn't seem to matter to a lot of drivers nowadays. They just go for it regardless of road markings.

[@dougobrien2840]

I live in Roma on the Warrego hwy opposite a servo. Everyday at least 4 caravans pull up with the tires screaming or smoking from having brake controllers up too high .And have at least one caravan rollover a week within 100km from here. Soon at the ambos, fire and police go past i know its another caravan rollover . Also entertaining to watch them get out and figure how to get to the browser.The worse thing is when they come the other way and try to turn into the servo across double white lines and stop blocking the road with road trains smoking to a stop behind them .I am always waiting for one of those caravans to end up being pushed into the front yard.

[@chriswillmott462]

I know exactly the servo you're talking about. Yep, I just did 3 months out in Roma. So much fun rounding them up bobtail heading out towards Mitchell

[@dougobrien2840]

@@chriswillmott462 I have seen so many overtaking truck maneuvers with caravans aborted and pull up on the wrong side of the road or hard braking like this crash that unsettled the van.Not including overloading with generators and motorbikes on the rear bar and towing a small trailer behind the van which i don,t believe is legal ,Thought they would have been booked.I see stuff you cant believe.Caravans arriving with no tire lol.

[@chriswillmott462]

@@dougobrien2840 I'd believe it, I drove road trains for a lot of years, QLD, NT, SA. Still can't understand why a 4.5t or more GCM combination doesn't require a licence upgrade

[@johnsadler6441]

John, I've spent nearly 50 years tilting at windmills, especially this specific windmill and I now pass the baton on to you, as I choose to live my windmill tilting life vicariously through your rants. Keep up the good work. 🤣🥳

[@DanWallis86]

John, I’d hate to risk losing our long term online relationship but, I feel it’s about time I admitted to owning both a Hilux dual cab and I have a camper trailer 1480kg fully loaded (according to my local weigh-bridge). I do know that my Hilux doesn’t have the get up and go of a performance car so I’m quite happy not overtaking fucking road trains that are already pushing every bit of 100kph. Love your reports as always John.

[@kevinduffy6712]

Good on you for your honesty! It's not camper trailers that are the problem. The problem is the shittahs that are heavier than the towing vehicle that are the problem. I have to have a hr. license. to drive a truck with 3 axles and to drive a road ranger an unrestricted one. (any type of gearbox).

[@brentonl2631]

​@@kevinduffy6712 Agree mostly as just spent a month touring Tassie some frightening sights with LC's towing mobile motels. I've a 2022 Pajero Sport Exceed towing Jayco Starcraft 13 ft which has tare 1138kg we added 220kg to it and just drove slow we never had any time where I put my wife or my life in any danger.

[@davidpalmer9780]

... but John continues to 'tar & feather' the lot of us who tow.

[@DanWallis86]

I do also currently hold an MC license and have a reasonable amount of experience towing.

[@TheKnobCalledTone.]

@@DanWallis86 I can't see the problem. The tow vehicle weighs more than the trailer, and you obviously know your stuff. I'm also assuming that - as a camper trailer owner - you're not bougie enough to carry your faeces around with you in a $100k+ aluminium temple.

[@anthonybrazzale7251]

No only Ranger drivers. Recently drove back from Robe to Adelaide. One idiot slipstreaming me until we came to a blind corner which was when he decided to overtake. I was traveling at the speed limit. Lucky the car coming the other way didn’t leave home 5 seconds earlier.

[@michaelzerk]

Amazing how often that sort of thing happens. I see people ignore good opportunities to pass on a clear, straight road but then overtake ahead of a corner or blind spot. Not sure how some people think.

[@ianritchie1666]

I hadn’t thought about the half m v squared of a washing machine taking me out on the highway. The effluent cassette did occur to me, but not the omo-matic.

[@daviddaw999]

John, thanks for your thoughts on this crash. I write from the UK without knowledge of Australian driver training, but I suspect that it isn't much different to what happens here. In the UK drivers are not taught how to overtake in their initial training. They are taught the minimum amount to let them scrape through a very basic examination of their skills. Their instructors most probably are clueless about safe overtaking, but would never admit to same. We have a separate trailer test, but that is not too exacting. I was a Fatal Collision Investigator for a large Police Force in a former existence, as well as being an instructor at a Police driving school where high speed safety was paramount. I also earned my living driving articulated trucks in the UK. I have no issue with any of your comments on this crash. I'd place the blame squarely on inadequate driver training, with or without a portahovel in tow. You hit numerous nails on the head in your piece.

[@rosiehawtrey]

I was taught to overtake in the UK, but then my tutor just happened to be an police fast driving instructor (probably about the job you're referring to) and could do things to a Metro GTa that shouldn't be possible.. I still remember screaming up the A12 at 85mph being told I was going too slow 😳 on my second lesson, but it stood me in good stead... He taught me to look ahead and be prepared for the idiots and so many times I've seen lack of attention. The highlight was the girl who in the middle of the road forgot she's crossing road. Because phone.

[@peterb5179]

driving instructors in Australia now only teach enough to enable a person to pass the driving test at a bare minimum

[@aifangwei8440]

The problem in Australia is Asian immigrants or students who don't want to go through our pretty strict driving licencing protocol, just pay a fee in Hong Kong and get a international licence and then just hop in a car and drive. Is it any wonder they are often seen driving up one way streets or doing ridiculous things because they are learning as they drive?

[@lorenzozanini496]

I’m a Ranger Owner and it is clearly evident when at speed in the thing, just how big and heavy it is without towing a load let alone when towing one, so it has become somewhat second nature to remain aware of this on the road, especially at speed. I sense the incidents involving many Duel Cab owners today come from trading out of what was the typical Australian family sedan or wagon and jumping into a new Duel Cab Ute and driving it the same as their old sedan and expecting the same outcomes on the road. In reality there is a is a big learning curve needed in the changeover with just the Ute, let alone incorporating heavy towing as well.

[@JT_771]

Pretty bad in the US too; larger 'utes' longer trailers. The longest bumper pull units here are about 40 feet (12.5 meters), with 5th wheel ... which at least have the good grace of putting weight over the rear axle ... nearly 50 feet (15 meters). With those heavy units having a dry weight pushing 11 metric tons. Ready for anyone to hitch up 'n drive it around.

[@noelaird3273]

I have seen this type of thing first hand many times over my MC driving career and been expressing my opinion for just as many that you shouldn't be allowed to tow anything that requires breaks unless you hold a HC licence minimum or do an appropriate training course. I'm so glad to see you agree and hope that maybe the people that matter will start to listen 🤞🤞🤠

[@gregbailey45]

Towing anything requires regular breaks. Amongst other things!

[@maqimusic]

The finishing touch is just brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@superwag634]

I hope the washing machine survived "otherwise the underwear is never going to be the same again" 🤣😂 Gold

[@Danger_mouse]

26:56 Great video, and timely. One thing that always gets me, when I see these deathtraps being towed, is the latest trend of very high riding chassis usually in combination with independent suspension! The van in the video has its floor height in line with the top of wheel rim, many are even higher. So what you end up with is long box on a trailer, with wheels near the centerline, all of the weight mounted way up above the axle centre AND then the added lateral instability of the left and right suspension not linked to each other in any way. We see around one combination a week upside down on the Bruce highway near the Sunny coast. Steeply cambered road surfaces for heavy rainfall, higher speed limit of 110k and these completely unsuitable vehicle combinations driven by people with no idea. It's time for regulation of the whole lot!!!

[@TC-V8]

We've had trailer towing testing here in the UK since 1998 just before i passed my test. They have since removed this requirement due to lack of testing capacity!

[@marcsacco2538]

Anybody notice the lines on the road also? Complete stupidity from the vehicle towing. Lucky no one was hurt.

[@macgibbon]

Those guys on the bikes must have been absolutely packing themselves even before idiot crashed...

[@richardharker2775]

It looked to me they saw it coming. Brown pants moment for them too.

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

They saw it coming. Spatial relationship skills and behaviour prediction are taught in "bike school", when you're going for your license.

[@greatpar]

Seriously JC, you will never run out of material.

[@andrewrobinson2869]

All 3 of your points that you made , I agree. He was never going to make it, it would of been a stretch without a caravan seeing the oncoming traffic considering your planning on taking over a road train, some people should not be on the road,

[@dishevellednomad]

Quatro, nice new addition. You should be brutal, say what you think, needs it. Quick risk analysis of that situation, incident likely, results catastrophic. Have a look at the Zone RV's, easy to shell out $220K plus there, bloke I know is running around with a Sahara turned into a ute, whatever that conversion costs, and a $247K Zone RV, sold everything he owns to live in a box for the rest of his days. 3 x duos, very good, so far. Disclaimer, I own one, and a Ranger, first stop always weighbridge, this Ranger a little heavier than the last, last trip across the bridge was 5700kgs, GCM is 6400, never want to get close. The thing I found interesting with this Ranger is the front axle loading, could never load it up, figures are somewhere here. I suggested to wife she put on 50 or 60 kilos to throw some weight forwards, silent trip that one, and wait until you look at some of the big lithium battery systems going in, under the bed, could be costing up to $40K and all that weight shipped forwards. What a twitter account, there are alot like that, Elon Musk's left nut, Melon Husk, lots.

[@surferrosa1104]

That is a real shame if I'm not mistaken the turn off to Dingo Piss Creek is just up the road from there. Perhaps Ranger driver got a bit of a sniff of ammonia into his nostrils and got a rush of blood. So close. Very lucky indeed everyone was able to walk away from that.

[@martinburns342]

Hi John. Great video. As a motorcyclist I was puckering when I saw this clip on Dashcams Australia. It seems ridiculous that , at least in NSW, you need a Light Rigid licence for a GVM over 4.5 t. Yet you can hook a caravan on and be around 6t GCM with no additional licencing requirements. Has a study ever been done to see if accidents such as this have increased since the towing regulations were changed? Years ago in NSW you weren't allowed to tow anything with a greater mass than the tow vehicle.

[@jaimusicxx]

You crack me up John; 12:40 To 13.10 is bordering on comic genius (in the context of this video) Gold

[@nickmaguire4914]

Yay! Reason's Model! Thanks JC I use this all the time at work in Health and Safety.

[@lukey6534]

A TV commercial with a bit of caravan carnage might solve the problem. 200 grands worth of pine and aluminium makes a spectacular sight.

[@davidkennedy4845]

I recall being told by Harold, my driving instructor of some 45 years ago: Anticipate that very other driver on the road is an idiot. This advice has held me in good stead all these years.

[@grahamf72]

My driving instructor told me the same thing.

[@nndorconnetnz]

Yeap My only experience with caravans was when Dad had one, Back in the 70's. God knows how heavy it was but it was classed as a 25 footer. Housed all 6 of us with shower, toilet, kitchen, master bed was double bed yada yada. Towed with a Valiant Regal with a Hemi 256 under the hood. Adjustable air shocks in the back for when towing. Even that had anti sway bars and dad never went above 70KpH with it. 80KpH was the limit back then. It was a handfull even then. Yes. pulling such weight means patients, take your time. stuck behind a road train is the least of the problems.

[@chriswillmott462]

As a Road train driver, previously, on the Stuart Highway, yes Adelaide to Darwin, this was a common event in the dry season. As we used to say, if it's got Victorian or Tasmanian rego plates, it's just gonna happen somewhere. The fact is Victoraians and Tasmanians have never seen a Triple road train,or any road train for that matter, simply because there are NONE in those states. Yet they retire, win lotto, sell a shit tonne of illegal substances, or whatever means, they somehow find themselves with a windfall of disposable money, they decide to purchase 200k worth of mobile road block, 4WD & attached shitter. Of course they MUST have the UHF radio to communicate with and annoy the piss out of people earning a living driving the same road every week. By the way, going be the shadows in that video, it was only a double or type 1 road train. Agreed doesn't alter the facts of said genius Ranger steering wheel attendant. My personal and most memorable experience of said mobile road blocks occurred on the Stuart Highway, about 10km north of Newcastle Waters station turn off. Not 1 but 2 genius Tasmanians, both in 70's era Jeep 4wds, both towing caravans of different size, decided 80kmh was a good velocity to travel at. Both had the obligatory decals on the back of the vans with names and UHF channel, should I be inclined to communicate with them. After following them across the causeway and around the next bend, I'd had enough, I have 3 refigerated trailers of milk and associated products that MUST be in Darwin, ready for delivery at a set time. I drive this road EVERY WEEK. I know the road, been doing the same run for 2 years, so I know there is a 4km, flat straight coming up around the bend, so I prepare, think ahead, get on the UHF and call for anyone southbound, no answer, I'm good to go. The combination is about 118 tonnes, I have 550hp and 2200ftlb of torque, I know the truck. Yes, it's going to take a minute or 2 to get acceleration happening, thank you Mr. Newton. BUT once I'm accelerating it will keep happening. So halfway through the bend, I've given the overtaking flash, got out and boot down.Next thing is genius 1 calls me on the UHF saying he'll give me a call when it's safe to overtake. My response was " Obviously your mirrors don't work dickhead". Then both of them get on the radio abusing me for being dangerous. My response is not suitable for broadcast. Did anyone crash or die? NO. Simply because 1 out of 3 people knew what the fuck he was doing.

[@dirtmcgirt168]

Given you run into such incompetent drivers on a regular basis could the truck driver here not anticipated what type of driver he was dealing with and noticed the gap was too small and the oncoming traffic and backed off to let the caravan in? In hindsight that would have saved him some time and been much safer even though the situation was not his fault. He would be speed restricted likely he wouldn’t have sped up to close the gap either. Some harsher enforcement of regulations will come in eventually only a matter of time for caravans hopefully.

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

Bev & Mick UHF 18, by any chance?

[@tadstertrolley7770]

I commend you on reporting this and pushing the dangers of towing heavy loads, there is hardly any other journalists doing this, and caravan incidents happen daily on our roads and unfortunately government needs to step in and regulate, because common sense or understanding just isn't prevailing. Maybe its time for operators towing heavy caravans to require heavy articulated licences and meet the same regulations and checks.

[@beverlymccollum8861]

Very informative and extremely entertaining. You have a very sharp mind. Is a great treat listening to you.

[@MotoBreno]

Hey JC, perhaps you'd consider making a PSA on what road markings actually mean with tips such as: which way the road goes ahead of you at night, when all you can see (through rain, fog or snow) are red or white reflectors? I swear, very little basic life saving information is passed on, or skills retained in the populus behind the wheel today.

[@simonr23]

no need. we're all taught that dotted lines mean you can overtake if safe. they dont mean stay on the wrong side of the road forever.

[@MotoBreno]

@@simonr23 Hello Simon, thats quite a statement and I applaud your faith in every driver, ever. I guess you've done the survey, but 'ranger dude' called in sick that day?

[@jon8xty1]

I agree with what you say. Just to add to your comparison to what you could do with the $100,000 this does not include wear and tear on the vehicle together with the greater fuel cost of towing and the cost of your parking spot. My second point is why do these caravans not have wheels near each corner like some trailers that lorries tow? Would this reduce the load on the back of the towing vehicle and make it more stable? I would appreciate your advice and keep up the good work. Best wishes John

[@stusue9733]

Why not a wheel on each corner? That would be fine if you only even wanted to travel in straight lines. Its the instability in yaw that lets you turn the trailer. (Assuming you are talking about a simple wheel on each corner and not a proper dog trailer.) If you have a wheel on each corner the van is now are stable in pitch so would need a drawbar that have a pivot in it. So yes it would be more stable(to stable) and the towball down load would be close to zero. Been wrong before though lol

[@ivanolsen8596]

If they had wheels on each corner the dickheads that tow them would never be able to back them. God knows, most of the dicks that tow pigs cannot back them.

[@rikwilliams388]

Acoustically transparent effluent carriage lol I f'kn love it John!

[@brentonl2631]

It pains to say but have to say I agree with everything you advise about a tow licence or at least a tow traing certificate. I did do a lot of towing in my youth on farms with tandem trailers but now after many years I'm towing a small van, amazing how much you lose after all those years. I suggest just drive slower and get there 15 minutes later I say.

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

I suggest driving slower as well as understanding the forces that are applied in a variety of situations when towing. Like you, I learned to tow at a young age. I was taught by not one, but two HA license holders. Without the education that they provided me, I would have never had any idea. Unfortunately, it would appear to me that so many of those that choose to tow caravans don't seem to have received the same education.

[@olboymotoaustralia4294]

I had a passenger with me whilst towing my camper trailer when they asked “ does it follow us behind “? 🤔

[@billmccarthy5920]

To avoid this situation, pull over at a roadside stop for a smoke and a cuppa and wait for the traffic to gain some distance from your good self.

[@stuarthancock571]

As a truck driver I see this type of overtaking mistake often, that is they don't realise I'm already behind a slow vehicle and assume that I'm the one holding them up, so they overtake and then get surprised that there's another vehicle in front of the truck. And impatient drivers towing caravans didn't exist when they were just being towed by Valiants and Kingswoods.

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

Of course they weren't impatient back in those days. With the kids fast asleep in the luggage compartment of the wagon, your favourite AM radio station playing, your missus passing you cold beers out of the esky and lighting your Winnies for you.. What was the rush?

[@bradleysaward1250]

Really like your commentary with regards to the ute weight I recently found out that the ute trays are not included in the tear weight of the vehicle which almost no one is told. so with your estimates he probable was over weight.

[@gregbailey45]

"Tear weight" lol.

[@lukeclemo3659]

For an “incorporated” tray like a Ranger Wildtrack, it is in the manufacturer’s tare weight. It’s only on the base models that can run around without a tray, that you might be thinking of where the tray isn’t necessarily included automatically.

[@francodalpozzo7533]

Great work. Sadly in Straya we make no effort to improve individual driving skills during a driver's lifetime. There should be insurance & registration incentives to improve driving competence.

[@davidvanderklauw]

Speak for yourself. Sadly in Australia SOME people make no effort to improve themselves over their lives in driving and in other endeavours. Even more sadly these people vote and we all have to live with the result.

[@steveb3097]

John, Some people have no idea about the time and distance needed to overtake a semi trailer or road train. 20 years ago, we were on the Bruce Hwy south of Bowen. One lane each way section of the highway when an idiot heading north decided to overtake 2 semitrailers. Luckily for my wife and I there was a flat grassed area on the passenger side and we ended up off the road. Still here to tell the story but always cautious on the road

[@KegRaider]

That road section has not changed. Still a death-trap.

[@m3logistics]

I totally agree with you John. I am from South Africa - excluding the wreckless driving of the taxis in our country, the next famous group of wreckless drivers are the Ranger smart guys - I have been on our national roads for the past 3 weeks (as well as a few times during 2023) and I can't describe to you how the majority of those smart guys drove - in "specialist fashion", overtaking where they are not suppose to overtake, approaching other vehicles with such enormous speeds, as if they are chasing some invisible star. It is just unbelievable. I would love to take these "speed stars" to our "vehicle graveyards" and they would be astonished to see the type of cars lying there with their electronic buttons and all. Only when these "speed stars" are in an accident, only then.......but too late! So sad indeed!

[@mini_steve]

When being overtaken, maintain speed and course. It is the responsibility of the vehicle doing the overtaking to do it safely.

[@jimlofts5433]

well done not - I back off 10km when the overtaking vehicle(truck / car / van) draws level to allow them to overtake quicker - this gives me a larger safety margin rather than saying its the other blokes problem

[@DavidGreen_au]

I assume that "doing something stupid" also encompassed the fact that the line marking changed to "no overtaking" partway into the manoeuvre. 🤦‍♂

[@kristofergobbe4838]

Just got home driving the boring hwy from Queensland. Not so much coming South but. Seen alot of navaras and prados towing 20 plus ft, twin axle chitwars.going north. Glad i was on the other side of the freeway.

[@TC-yx2ss]

I often travel the Western highway out of Melbourne.The only times I get overtaken it's either a euro speedster or a convoy of wobble boxes blasting well over the limit.

[@chrisnewman7281]

Mum, I want to be effluent. Kim, we are effluent!

[@raffs_adv]

Hello John, please lookup the difference between greywater and blackwater (Effluent) , I don’t know of any caravan that carries more than 20-30Ltrs of blackwater. I believe caravan s are safe to tow, but when driving at 90kph on the Nullarbor, you will be overtaken by road train’s which will cut you off using their “Spatial awareness” this happened to my partner and I on no less than 4 occasions during a resent trip west, it’s normal to flash your headlights to let track’s know when they can move across, but these clowns just don’t care.

[@C509NorthernTerritory]

Did you think to back off a bit when you were being overtaken?

[@clintonbutton712]

An excellent presentation, only problem us the one's who cause these issues are going to keep on doing so because " it's their right, they pay 2 regos". You've got everything you need with you, and are happy to do 70kmh everywhere except when someone stuck behind you wants to pass. P.S as I am typing a Ford Ranger pulled up with an effluent carrier across from me😂 but with a smaller load than the offender.

[@DJ.LakeSea]

I'm a professional transport operator, have been for almost 3 decades. I've watched this vid, with many scroll-backs. In my opinion, every single point you made, every word you spoke is 100% accurate. You also made me laugh many times. Especially when describing Ranger owners.... but I also find that the majority of people who drive 4WD utes are dickhead drivers, not all, but most. I definitely agree with you about how stupid our laws are, letting people who have only a car licence, being allowed to drive a combination without training. Most of them can't even reverse a trailer into a 5 metre wide parking bay at a caravan park lol. But hey, our government loves all the cash they rake in from rego fees. Money comes first, safety is a distant second.

[@rogerpearson9081]

Dont forget the double apha number plates! That adds 50% probability they are.

[@tim18118]

DCOA and John are THE best road safety education tools this country has ever had, with the exception of being a first responder.

[@jamienorton1123]

Realistically what was he going to achieve there was another truck up ahead , People just need to learn sit back and enjoy the ride .

[@coweatsman]

The Peter Principle hits the highway. The competent suburban driver carrying nothing heavier than the groceries ditches it on the open road with a really heavy load.

[@chrisbarnes2823]

I live in Canada but have many miles under my belt driving RV’s in Australia and New Zealand. The amount of lunatics towing trailers and RV’s I’ve seen here is amazing. I have a 12,000lb fifth wheel which I pull with a full size pickup powered by a 6.6 litre diesel which is more than sufficient. I have a license to operate tractor trailers and buses so I have the experience. I really think a license to be able to tow trailers over a certain weight or size should be mandatory.

[@leightoncompton]

Mate near the end of the video from the 27th minute, commentary was gold! 👌🚽😂

[@benreid7567]

Dear Mr. Codogan, After viewing several videos of caravan accidents it appears to me they all seem to have a similar formula. Person towing van overtakes big rig, big rig does his bit by maintaining speed and position on highway, car with van pulls in, realises van is about to contact big rig as they have forgotten about van on back overecorrects, and violent swaying starts looses control and ends up greasy side up in tabledrain. Seems like a lot of them forget the van is on and panic when they remember causing huge accident.

[@kristofergobbe4838]

I used to have a little vitara. Towing a 400-450kg cub camper loaded. It totally changes the way you drive. Well it should. But you do see 6000kg rolling down the road forgetting that they are 6000kg. Loaded . overtaking and driving as normal as if they have no trailer at all. My cub is a late 90s kamparoo. I had a sqiz at a later model 2017 on the side of the road and had. To look. Probably had ducks guts inside but the vin plate read 950kg and not much more in size going down the road than my 370ish kg model. Empty.

[@toddavis8151]

I believe that caravans and camper trailers can be a great way to explore the country. However there needs to be better regulation on both the drivers and manufacturers.

[@darylcheshire1618]

I can imagine the Ranger driver won’t feel responsible and consider it someone else’s fault for the incident.

[@chrisweir1097]

Absolutely love your disscription of caravans. So so true hahaha.

[@TechnikMeister2]

We see these incidents with regularity up here on the NSW Mid Coast. My RFS colleagues and I watched this and can only say that in 90% of such incidents we attend, the towing vehicle almost always rolls. If you look at the footage you will see that the Ranger was not past the road train by the time the "do not overtake" stripe appears on the road. So I am sure that the driver would have copped a neg driving charge at the very least, and that gives the insurance company grounds to deny the claim. A very expensive 30 seconds of bad decision indeed. By the look of the wreckage, a front end loader would have been needed to recover what was left, or did they just abandon it? I wonder if the sewage tank was ruptured as well?

[@jamesfahey4508]

I visited the New Age website, too. The 19' Big Red is 900 mm shorter than the 22' version, and I'm sure he would still have clipped the truck.

[@JohnH1]

I have a background in OHS&E, in the course of my work I've put quite a few kilometres behind me and I've seen and nearly been part of some pretty bad situations. One thing I have gotten into the habit of doing after nearly 50 years of driving is I take my foot off the accelerator when someone goes to overtake me. Just to give them that little bit extra in risk mitigation. May I give you my two Bobs worth on risk while driving? Risk while driving across our great brown land isn't always a simple thing to work out there are a lot of factors to take into account. Because we don't know the level of skill or experience or level of awareness (are they half asleep) of other drivers or the condition of the other vehicle. I tend these days to give that little bit extra room I don't force my right of way on round-a-bouts I look left and right before I move off from traffic lights. To quote my now deceased elder brother "When you get your licence you don't just drive for yourself you have to drive for every other bastard" I think getting a licence is a little too easy in general, I understand that cars are a lot better than the EJ I started with (what a pig) but still we know around 80% of incidents are human failure. It basically comes back to poor training and supervision and to a lesser degree the inability to follow basic instructions. The higher level of qualification to tow is a good idea it's something I have believed in for some time but using the risk scale in a different way it looks far less likely to happen than it did 30 or 40 years ago.

[@ddsgardening7437]

Well said I totally agree with you Cheers mate

[@kappa7]

Indeed. If the truckie had eased off the accelerator a smidgin once the (at fault, stupid) Ranger driver was committed to overtaking the truckie would have reached his destination much faster, reduced damage to his tyres/load/panels, etc. It would have only taken a meter or two difference in position to avoid the 'van hitting them and ruining someones holiday and potentially worse.

[@50yobeast]

i continue to be entertained and impressed, thanks John...

[@Best_travelsoz]

Typical Ranger driver. Should receive a life ban for such a dangerous act.

[@johnwebster8020]

Really is crazy out there with both Caravan and Semi trailer drivers, the speed limit for these vehicles is 100kmh in NSW even if the road is signage is more (110kph). I have been travelling from Syd to Melb via Hume hwy, posted at 110kmh for most of it anyway, I am sitting on the speed limit on cruise control and during the 10hrs of mind numbing driving I have had 6 caravans, and about 10 camper trailers overtake me, do they know that the speed limit for a trailer is 100kmh MAX.

[@ianrichardson3228]

“Dickheads all around” indeed. Best left parked in the driveway to admire over beer and bangers on the barbie!

[@stuuhunter8157]

How many tip loads in the Ranger’s teeny tray will that mess need? I’m sure he’ll be careful not to exceed his GVM though since there’s nothing left a couple to it :) As you say JC, this reverted to its original flat-pack quite nicely.

[@Fwdking]

JC , I tow as it's my home now, so i have experience. I agree there should be mandatory training and testing in each state. I've seen people unable to turn their caravan effectively without touching trees , street signs etc. Now some ppl might find this BS, however I bet the same people can agree they have watched new arrivals at camp grounds unable to reverse their vans. So bring it on . Let's get into testing. It just goes with being a responsible road user.

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

Reversing is the easy bit. It's understanding the forces that apply to various regions of the combination under differing circumstances when you're going 80+kmh in high gear that so many drivers seem to struggle with. An honorary mention goes to vehicle selection and weights and balance. I live in a popular caravan destination and honestly, I reckon a good third of those towing caravans should eve have a car license, let alone be allowed to tow.

[@Fwdking]

I agree , however, if you can't do the basics, you have no right to be on the road. Hence, need for national licensing to tow a van , just as a truckie has there's.

[@kenchorney2724]

Acoustically transparent effluent carriage......LOL!

[@andyguy0610]

Hi John. It has always amazed me that you do not need any further training in order to "tow". The dynamics of how your car handles when you attatch a caravan / trailer to your car can be massive, both from the extra mass and aerodynamics. Was that driver prosecuted? over here in a rather damp UK there is an offence of "driving without due care and attention" which is a bit of a catch all offence when something more specific cannot be used. That idiot could have killed not just himself and anyone else in his vehicle but the two bikers as well! What an idiot!

[@RobertSmith-di5ll]

so funny the burger chef on the bog - sharing the effluent - that's love and so seductive

[@davidvanderklauw]

If I was driving a ute with such a heavy trailer behind it I would generally limit speed to 80kph and would be quite nervous taking it up to 90kph. I would never overtake anything at high speed. Why not follow the road train at a safe distance and enjoy a relaxing drive?

[@johnmcme7780]

Ranger Danger ⚠️ My dear old dad use to say to myself and 3 younger brothers, “If you want to live to be 100, don’t look for it on the speedo (back in mph days). Alas, youth often seemed to draw us into that magical zone and upon reflection, it was probably only a single layer of Swiss cheese, that was non aligned, that finally got us to this ripe old age of sensibility.

[@michaelsprinzeles4022]

I must take severe exception here! Being that I'm larger than my wife I should be allowed 60 liters to her 50 of effluent full capacity! I also suggest that legislation to protect citizens is positively un-Murican. I have driven professionally (in the U.S), everything from cabs to box trucks, and always thought that licensing requirements were too light. I have also towed a boat & towing is a completely different learning process from driving a one piece vehicle (especially reversing!!!). You're 100% right about the truck maintaining his driving throughout this accident. While driving for a big brown company I was trained to change as little as possible (while seeking the safest avoidance) in these emergency situations. Slamming on his brakes would have closed off any retreat, as you suggested, and possibly caused him to "jack knife". This was all on the RV/caravan driver & fortunately no one else was injured. (I wonder if this would have turned out as well on our roads in the U.S.)

[@theimax1]

I can’t wait until every van has to pull into the weighing stations every time they are open the same as trucks

[@coke41a1]

Yes i agree plus use a log book as trucks must do with rest periods.

[@chriswillmott462]

What's the sign on every weighbridge? ALL vehicles over 4.5 Tonnes must enter.

[@TheKnobCalledTone.]

That'll never happen. Most of the people that own $200k worth of mobile road block are cashed-up boomers, and both sides of politics want to keep them sweet.

[@jimlofts5433]

I can't wait for every professional truck driver gets booked for tail gating or being in the outside lane

[@AaronJohnson1]

The fact that all other parties involved here (truck drivers & motorcyclists) have to demonstrate they have the extra skill sets required to hold licenses to operate those vehicles, yet anyone on a standard Class C can yeet near 6 tons of ute and wobble box down the highway at 100k's is not right. Thanks John for the honorable mention of our regulators currently doing sweet FA to fix this.

[@craigclarke1628]

Agree with you JC that there should be a license class for towing. Too many people died and many people come to Australia with little training on driving. We also have some people who claim to be licensed from overseas produce a little bit of paper as evidence that they are driving legally in Australia. Not good enough for me and my fine wife.

[@batmanlives6456]

I would like to add that overtaking a Road Train is dodgy at best … Add a caravan and it’s just begging for disaster…

[@1arritechno]

Nobody has mentioned a basic flaw with the towing Vehicles & most Caravans today. The height of the tow ball , draw bar & chassis of both Ute & Van has become too high ( for fast highway speed ). You could take just about any Vehicle & lower its ride height to the minimum & it will Corner/Brake better & be more stable at speed.! Safe handling for most Off Road Vehicles is severely compromised on sealed roads , due to the high Centre of Gravity needed for "Cross Country" use. Some people , just don't allow for this difference in ride height.!

[@soundman6645]

" wobble box" ......... sounds like an inappropriate childrens toy ........ yeh that fits.

[@petermissen2315]

Interestingly the ranger was on the wrong side of double lines before it came to grief. Even if you've been conservative on the load limits, you need to drive with total awareness of the additional length, weight, and handling impacts that result from hitching up.

[@tedburnard841]

Hooray Hooray Finally someone with the cajones to call car crashes for what they are. NOT ACCIDENTS. I have been saying crashes are not accidents for years and some people, even a cop, have taken me to task. Even when confronted with what businesses that fix cars after crashes, ie Crash Repairers or Smash Repairers or Panel repairs etc. I have never seen one called itself Accident Repairs. Good one John.

[@anvilsvs]

If that were actually the case then there would be at least 50% fewer cars on the road tomorrow. I'm constantly amazed at how few wrecks there are in some areas such as Atlanta. Obviously most drivers there must be better than they often appear to be.

[@awolffromamongus875]

By Thor!!!!! Your disparaging analysis of the apologists calling this an accident, are absolutely spot on. This is only - Driving without due care and/or consideration.

[@jmpersonal2402]

John, some of these plonkers are "living the dream" on their lap... I now avoid places like Exmouth, Broome and some on the Great Ocean Road. These people need a T-shirt that reads "doofus, re-test required" ... While many roads in WA are spectacular, other states are not so lucky. Some of the potholes on the Hume and Bruce Highways are equally memorable... Great advise always, thank you