Awnings Blowing Down on Caravans etc, What Would You Do?

[bigwood]

When I was doing recovery work I was called out to a camper that couldn’t be driven. We couldn’t get the full story from the owner but it turned out the awning had gone over the top and couldn’t be wound in.
My boss wouldn’t let me cut the awning off and the site wouldn’t let the owner dump the remains on site.
The owner had to call out a mobile repairer to remove the awning and dispose of the bits.
It was not a situation I wanted to get involved in. It could have been prevented by a bit more care by the owner.
I don’t often use the awning on our motorhome. Twice I wound it out in the morning to then wind it back in at tea time because of high winds. It was fitted when we bought it.

 

[125BEER]

Yes!...the strength of it sounds, really bad..I'm sat in the house..can't image e if out in the van ..how it would feel?

Rockin....

 

[pappajohn]

Your all heart pappajohn, the fact is the awnings are up maybe not for much longer and any owner who heard you tried to save the van from damage if not the awning would be grateful. Those owners who have left their awnings up may learn a lesson.

Did you read the posts above yours?
Go back and read post #16 and get it from an ex campsite owner.

 

[Snoopy]

Having had many different awnings, free-standing, attached and drive-away, over the years, both for our own use and to sell, we know full well that you can never have enough straps!

We have also sold a fair few tents over the years and it's amazing just how many people haven't got a clue about pitching them ... we once went to a MH show at Newark and a couple turned up with a large tent to stop in for the weekend, they didn't know how to put it up so we did it for them however as it was cold (snow on the ground already) they decided to stay in a B&B instead ... with the weather forecast for more snow why they brought a tent in the first place I don't know!

we do lack experience and as we found out common sense in Devon, it's knowing exactly where to look and more importantly what to ask exactly for? Yes extra straps, but which are the better ones, also the ones definitely not to get..was going to hAve enough maybe at the stonleigh show, if we can get time to get there

 

[TheBig1]

Just had a phone call from my sister, the conservatory roof just blew off at her house. Nothing I can do tonight but will pop over and isolate the electrics tomorrow

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Snoopy]

Just had a phone call from my sister, the conservatory roof just blew off at her house. Nothing I can do tonight but will pop over and isolate the electrics tomorrow

How awful..so wind here, Warwickshire way..think the front gate will be blown off it sides, hubby going out now to secure it and lay down the tall lamps, hope all ok

 

[uzsnowdrop]

Just been out in the stormy back garden cable tying our cassette awning on the house where the end bit ( rolled in) was making a noise like a jet engine with pebbles in it because of the wind, poor neighbours must have wondered wtf!!

 

[autorouter]

Some people are very strange about their Van's
a few years back we were on a site and an a class pulled up and wound out a big 5 metre awning, they had a few drinks and nibbles then went for a wander
A breeze picked up and the awning was airborne with the winder handle battering a window
I looked at the guy camped next to me and we both instinctively ran over and wrestled with the awning and managed to wind it in with no damage
The owners returned and had a loud conversation as to who touched their awning, me and the other guy strolled over to explain and were told to 'do one'

So, you did a good deed, and the beneficiary was a really annoying person who you managed to get really annoyed by doing a good deed. I fail to see the downside

 

[Otter Spotter]

Did you read the posts above yours?
Go back and read post #16 and get it from an ex campsite owner.

Read it and I would say that there will always be ungrateful arses but not all caravan owners will be. It does not cost a lot to be a ‘Good Samaritan‘

 

[M-J]

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[125BEER]

Ooops!

 

[dipsie]

We were in Camping Caboplno on the Costa del Sol a few years ago ( 1999 I Think ) there for two months so had the full Safari room set up on our Auto Trail Chieftain ( tag 8 mtrs ) had a raised floor made out of pallets, a real comfy set up.
When, a knocking on the door, one o’ clock in the night, someone alerting us that the strong breeze is turning into a full blown gale. The awning had already double tie downs but the sides of the Safari room the pegs were ripping out one by one.
Panic stations, the tables and chairs were put inside the camper and in our night gear scrambled to get the Safari room down, as quick as it was possible the remaining pegs were pulled and as the sides and front were stuffed under the camper all the while my wife was holding down the centre of the roll out, luckily our neighbour only had a small awning so was ahead of us and came to help my wife as I released the tie downs, bug—r ! Where is the awning winder ? Ah, I think it’s ? After a couple of minutes the winder was located and the delicate holding down and winding beganthe hardest bit was the last 2 - 3 feet that they could not hang onto, we had to wait and judge between the gusts when to do a rapid wind in.

Lesson learnt, check the weather forecasts in the future.

BernieT

 

[Minxy]

We were in Camping Caboplno on the Costa del Sol a few years ago ( 1999 I Think ) there for two months so had the full Safari room set up on our Auto Trail Chieftain ( tag 8 mtrs ) had a raised floor made out of pallets, a real comfy set up.
When, a knocking on the door, one o’ clock in the night, someone alerting us that the strong breeze is turning into a full blown gale. The awning had already double tie downs but the sides of the Safari room the pegs were ripping out one by one.
Panic stations, the tables and chairs were put inside the camper and in our night gear scrambled to get the Safari room down, as quick as it was possible the remaining pegs were pulled and as the sides and front were stuffed under the camper all the while my wife was holding down the centre of the roll out, luckily our neighbour only had a small awning so was ahead of us and came to help my wife as I released the tie downs, bug—r ! Where is the awning winder ? Ah, I think it’s ? After a couple of minutes the winder was located and the delicate holding down and winding beganthe hardest bit was the last 2 - 3 feet that they could not hang onto, we had to wait and judge between the gusts when to do a rapid wind in.

Lesson learnt, check the weather forecasts in the future.

BernieT

... and a folding step!

 

[A S R]

As harsh as it sounds I wouldn’t touch anybody else’s stuff. If they’re stupid enough to leave an awning up unattended over winter then tuff tits.

 

[Don Quixote]

Not sure it's real! but looks real.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Trevor Wbm]

I'm ex plod and own a bar, so have seen the best and worst in people for some years. My test before helping anyone in any circumstance is to ask myself what the the most unexpected perverse and unreasonable reaction might be if I do. On the rare occasions nothing too weird occurs to me, I step in. On the other 99% of occasions, I don't.

 

[Neilfg]

We were almost caught out at a meet, put awning out, pegged down with storm straps and a clear blue sky, we off went to lunch, as we sat down could see the sky change and the wind start to pick up, by the time we had ordered the wind was gusting. So decided to go back and take awning in, ran back with gusts picking up, past groups of people under awnings holding them down. Came upon our van with a solitary figure holding onto the rail, bouncing up and down, shouted thanks, unpegged and wound it in, that solitary figure was Jimbohorlicks , to whom I will be forever grateful, as the awning would definitely have gone over the van.

We still use our awning, but generally wind in for overnight or if we are leaving the site. Always use the plates for the awning feet and storm straps as they are quick to attach/detach when required, if pitching up for a few days often use lillypads as they help with the wind but also again quick to take down if required.

At a meet or in a group would always intervene if see something going wrong, we wouldn't take anything down without the owner but would re peg or pack away furniture or hold down if they are in danger.

 

[Minxy]

View attachment 492822
Not sure it's real! but looks real.

I believe it is real, I've seen mention of this sort of thing before when a mini-twister has hit an outdoor event - the people whose tents fly away are the ones who don't generally peg them down at all (or badly) as they are the pop up type so they don't think there's a need.

 

[TheBig1]

View attachment 492822
Not sure it's real! but looks real.

very real, I saw similar rotating winds gust from nowhere and tip a static caravan over. The big patio doors on the side were wide open as it started and no way to save it once moving. The owner of that site now says his insurers insist the statics are now chained down both sides. I put a groundwork crew on the site doing 2 vans. By the time they packed up and left site, they had done 31 vans for various owners

 

[Griff097]

Years ago when I was racing, I lost an expensive aluminum pop up gazebo, my own fault, we always strapped things down soundly, but this one day was still as a daisy, so we got on with all the other things that needed doing, then the wind picked up and flipped it over, nearby racers rushed to help out of sympathy and the real risk of damage for others, my bike was 16k's worth at the time, it was the last time I raced, it felt like a sign.
Has this Hymer 2 years now and have never even wound the awning out since we bought it, most narrow awnings are of limited value for protection and wind normally goes with rain so we never bother.
Lost another awning previously to that when a branch wiped it out driving down lanes in the dark!
I would always jump to help someone else in trouble though as that's what I would appreciate done if the situation was reversed, if they turned out to be ungrateful I would simply ask them to pick a window Lol

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[philann]

Saw a mini-whirlwind cross the beach at Widemouth once. It only hit one family’s gear. When they got back from the sea they couldn’t believe that it sent someone playing a trick on them!