Getting started with the caravan. Volume. 3 – driving on the highway

Over the past twenty years, the number of highways in our country has increased, thanks to which we have become closer to Western Europe in terms of travel comfort. For caravan tourists, this is also an added benefit as travel time is reduced and the journey becomes smoother at many important sections. The only problem is that if the trend does not change, then in the next 20 years the roads will be filled with trucks, so let's learn how to use these products safely.

Sign D-18 with plate T-23e in parking lots, not only on highways, indicates a parking place for our kit.

Speed ​​and smoothness

When driving on the motorway with a van, you must be aware of the rules in your country and obey the speed limits. Whether we like it or not, in Poland it is a maximum of 80 km/h. This could be the end of this paragraph, but there is one more issue worth mentioning. When you first take to the highway and drive properly, you will quickly realize that being overtaken almost constantly is not easy. A significant number of caravan drivers drive a little faster to "equalize" the speed of trucks, whose drivers are subject to the same rules but drive faster.

I categorically do not encourage or warn novice caravan drivers about this, because if you want to participate in this “convoy”, you will have to add about 15% to the speed. The regulations are clear and transparent, and the driver is held accountable for speeding. It's something of a paradox: breaking the rules makes driving smoother, which can lead to improved safety. Maybe we will live to see the moment when our legislators will be familiar with the pace of 100, known from Germany? However, this is a topic for a separate publication.

It's not easy to overtake

During this maneuver, you should keep your eyes open, think and anticipate both yourself and who is ahead. When a truck or bus overtakes us, we easily feel the phenomenon when our car is pulled towards the overtaking vehicle. You should then try to stay as close to the right edge of the lane as possible to minimize this. It may happen that you lose a few km/h in your driving speed.

A common occurrence on Polish roads is when an overtaking truck driver, with all his might, returns to the right lane, almost in front of you. This gap should be fixed as soon as possible to ensure its security. If you are forced to overtake your own vehicle, do so effectively without causing similar surprises to other road users.

For those taking their first steps into caravanning, I recommend a calm and smooth ride. When a person is in a hurry, the devil is happy. If you are going to rest, do it slowly.

Parking in such places is most convenient, although it is not allowed everywhere, it is quiet and safe. 

Important signal

With a trailer, we travel much slower than other motorway users, so when merging into traffic, changing lanes or any other maneuvers, remember to signal your intention much earlier and for a longer period of time using the turn signal. 

Be careful always and everywhere

Remember that the braking distance of a car with a trailer is longer than when driving alone. When driving on the highway, maintain an appropriate distance from the vehicle in front and do not make nervous movements with the steering wheel. It is also worth installing additional mirrors so that you can control the trailer as much as possible and react in time, for example, when you notice a drop in tire pressure.

The wind is not favorable

Gusts of wind when driving a car with a trailer are not a driver's friend. If we move upwind for a long time, we are likely to feel the effects while refueling. You can’t fool physics; a car with a trailer, overcoming greater air resistance, will consume a little more fuel. You should pay more attention and weight when riding when the wind is blowing from the side. His impulses, in particular, can be dangerous. The caravan is a large wall that acts almost like a sail. When driving in windy weather, you should monitor its behavior to avoid destabilization of the movement trajectory. You also need to be prepared for wind blows when finishing the wall of soundproof barriers or when overtaking.

In these weather conditions, extreme caution should be used when crossing bridges and viaducts. If you lose track stability, don't panic. In such moments, it is often useful to take your foot off the gas pedal or apply the brakes gently. Any sudden maneuvers, including speeding up the set, can only worsen the situation.

There are very few places marked in this way. They are often poorly organized, overcrowded, or used inappropriately.

Rest is the most important thing

Driving with a trailer, especially on the highway, will sooner or later get tiresome. Use common sense and when your body shows the first signs of fatigue, stop the car at the nearest suitable place to recover. Sometimes a few minutes in the fresh air, coffee, food is enough and you can move on. Don't forget that you are on the hook for your own home!

If necessary, you can even sleep, but in order to be able to take a nap or sleep at night, you should find a suitable place for this, and above all, a safe one. Popular mops have such capabilities, but you should pay attention to the signs. Rigid division and marking of places intended for each mode of transport is becoming increasingly noticeable. Most often we will sleep in an alley between trucks, but here it is worth considering whether there is, for example, a refrigerator nearby, the roaring unit of which will not allow us to rest comfortably. You will have to wait for intelligently planned parking spaces on highways marked with a T-23e sign. Theoretically, they exist, but their modest number, often random location and size leave much to be desired.

We have been waiting for many years for the expansion of the highway and expressway network in our country. Now we have it, so let's use this goodness in a way that is convenient for everyone and, most importantly, safe.