Travel trailer

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A travel trailer or caravan is a small trailer in which people can live and travel simultaneously. Caravans in general as well as other types of camping accommodations have had a long and varied history (see below).

In the U.S., it is generally illegal for passengers to ride in a travel trailer, while in motion, [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] unlike horse-drawn trailers and coaches. Triple towing is not allowed in some states, such as California,[1] Alabama,[4] Florida,[5] or New York;[3] however, triple towing is permitted in Texas if the combined length does not exceed 65 feet (21 m).[2]

Contents

[edit] Caravan (Europe)

Caravan
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Caravan

In Europe, the origins of caravans and caravanning can be traced back to travelling gypsies and showmen who spent most of their lives in horse drawn caravans. The world's first leisure caravan was built by the Bristol Carriage Company in 1880 for Dr. W. Gordon-Stables. It was an 18 ft design, based upon their Bible Wagons, which the Doctor named "Wanderer".

Modern European caravans come in a range of sizes, from tiny two-berth caravans with no toilet and only basic kitchen facilities, to large, twin-axle, six-berth caravans.

In the UK, 2003 saw a huge increase in the popularity of caravans and caravanning. This was due to several factors, including excellent summer weather, fear of travelling abroad due to worries over terrorism and large increases in house prices, which provided people with the ability to raise capital by re-mortgaging their homes.

The National Caravan Council now estimate that the Caravanning industry which includes Motorhomes, Touring (caravans designed to be hitched to a car and towed to a site) and Static Caravans and Mobile Homes (caravans designed to be transported to a permanent site, where they are anchored to the ground) is now worth over £1bn (€1.5bn/US$1.7bn) to the UK economy alone. The growth in popularity of caravanning has also been enhanced by the improvements in quality and facilities making caravan holidays possible at any time of the year not just summer months.

In the UK, The Association of Chief Police Officers estimates that some 4,000 touring caravans are stolen each year, nearly a quarter of all new caravans sold annually. As a result many insurers request additional security features to be purchased, as a general rule at least one wheel lock and one hitch lock. The cost of insurance from specialist caravan insurers remains relatively low especially compared with other vehicle insurance premiums. The CRIS registration service has also helped track theft, the majority of which crime is of older caravans which have not been issued with CRIS numbers at manufacture. The system operates much the same as the Vehicle Registration Service by the DVLA, but is currently voluntary and subject to a fee.

Caravans are used by people in all walks of life, although common traits are the love of outdoor life and a willingness to help other caravanners. Some make use of their caravans only during their annual holidays (vacations), whilst others take regular breaks at the thousands of caravan and camping sites around the world.

Jeremy Clarkson, host of popular BBC motoring programme Top Gear, has publicly expressed deep loathing for caravans and has destroyed over a dozen of them on the show, culminating in the team going on a 'caravaning holiday' with a Kia Cerato in 2006, during which they crashed and then set fire to their van, apparently accidentally. A caravan is also blown up (by various means) in most episodes of Brainiac: Science Abuse (this is usually supported by Host/Presenter Richard Hammond, also a co-host of Top Gear). This dislike generally arises because touring caravans travel slower than and so hold up other traffic; a common sight on UK holiday routes is a single caravan followed by a long queue of cars. Caravans are particularly resented, more than other slow vehicles, because unlike tractors or lorries -- with which they share legal limitations on speed compared to cars -- they are perceived as lacking any necessary economic purpose. This attitude in car drivers can lead to potentially dangerous attempts to overtake a caravan in an unsuitable part of the road, or in the face of oncoming traffic.

[edit] Travel trailers (North America)

A teardrop trailer is so named for its resemblance to a teardrop.
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A teardrop trailer is so named for its resemblance to a teardrop.

In the United States and Canada, caravans are called "travel trailers". Their history can be traced back to the early days in the 1920s, in which the people of the time called it Tin Can Tourists. As time progressed, trailers became more livable and earned a new name in the 1930s and 1940s which was the House Trailer. In the 1950s and 1960s, the industry seemed to split, creating the two distinctly different entities that we see today, that of the recreational vehicle (RV) industry and mobile home industry. Today travel trailers are classified as a type of RV along with motorhomes, fifth wheel trailers, pop-up trailers, and truck campers.

Smaller travel trailers and pop-ups are still made with touring in mind. These generally are less than 18 ft (5.5 m) long and contain simple amenities. By design, they are lightweight and quick to set up or prepare for travel. Most weigh less than 3,000 lb (1,350 kg). and can be towed with a large car or small truck.

Mid-range travel trailers are 18 – 25 ft (5.5 – 7.6 m) long can weigh 5,000 lb (2,250 kg) or more, and are generally towed with compact V-8 powered pickup trucks and SUVs. They have most of the amenities of the larger travel trailers, but sleep fewer people.

Airstream travel trailer
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Airstream travel trailer

Larger travel trailers are made with the seasonal or full-time user in mind. These generally range from 25 – 40 ft (7.5 m – 12 m) long and contain all the comforts of a luxury condominium. Because they require a purpose built tow vehicle, highway tractor or large truck or SUV, these amenity-laden homes can reach 12,000 lb (5,500 kg) or more. While trailers may weigh in even above that, most long-box pickups have a maximum tow-weight of 15,500 lbs, and towing over 10,000 lbs. requires a 'class A' driver's license. Multiple televisions and air conditioners are common in units of this size. Slide-out rooms and screen porches add to livability. By law, travel trailers are limited to 400 ft2 (37 m²) of living area, and many models offer exactly that.

With all of the disincentives inherent in municipal zoning bylaws and building codes to affordable, ecological (off-grid) and compact housing solutions, travel-trailers offer a legitimate and unique possibility for those considering an ecological full-time home or seasonal cottage. Travel-trailers are often acceptable (flood-plains, areas outside of urban growth limits, etc.) - where regular buildings may not tread. One of the great virtues of a trailer park, is its very light infrastructure, low ecological footprint, minimal land disturbance, abundant permeable surfaces (for stormwater drainage) and relative ease of site-restoration.

Some specialized brands of trailer, such as the Hi-lo trailer, have an upper half (slightly larger than the lower half) that can be folled down over the lower half to a total height of about five feet for reduced wind resistance during travel; these otherwise contain everything other travel trailers have (except for a full-height closet).

A recent innovation in the Travel Trailer typology is the "toy box" or "toy hauler." Half living area and half garage, these trailers allow 'toys' to be brought to the countryside. A folding rear ramp give access for motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft, even racecars. A built-in generator provides power for A/C, TV, and microwave.

Another innovation is the hybrid travel trailer, combining the features of a pop-up trailer and a hard-sided trailer. In its camping configuration, one or more bunks fold down from the side with canvas tent covers. When in travel, the bunks fold up into the side of the trailer leaving four hard sides. Larger models allow the hybrid travel trailer to be used while "turtled", that is with the sides up. The primary advantage of a hybrid travel trailer is that it offers a greater space-to-weight ratio. A disadvantage is that the tent ends are not insulated and subject to heat loss and condensation build-up.

[edit] Amenities

A typical mid-range, modern caravan will contain the following features:

Caravans (especially American travel trailers) may also contain the following:

  • Air conditioning
  • External barbecue points
  • Tow hitch stabilizers
  • Separate wastewater tanks for "gray water" (wash water) and "black water" (sewage)
  • CD players
  • Awning or screen room
  • Clothes washer and dryer
  • Microwave
  • Slide-out rooms (such as a 4 x 7 ft dinette or bedroom extension)

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b "California: RV Road Laws" (and for travel trailers and campers), Liz Curtis, RV Advice, 2005, RVadvice.com webpage: RVadvice-CA-RoadLaws.
  2. ^ a b "Texas: RV Road Laws" (and for travel trailers and campers), Liz Curtis, RV Advice, 2005, RVadvice.com webpage: RVadvice-TX-RoadLaws: passengers allowed only in camper (not travel trailer).
  3. ^ a b "New York: RV Road Laws" (and for travel trailers and campers), Liz Curtis, RV Advice, 2005, RVadvice.com webpage: RVadvice-NY-RoadLaws: passengers allowed only in camper (not travel trailer).
  4. ^ a b "Alabama: RV Road Laws" (and for travel trailers and campers), Liz Curtis, RV Advice, 2005, RVadvice.com webpage: RVadvice-AL-RoadLaws: passengers allowed only in camper (not travel trailer).
  5. ^ a b "Florida: RV Road Laws" (and for travel trailers and campers), Liz Curtis, RV Advice, 2005, RVadvice.com webpage: RVadvice-FL-RoadLaws: passengers allowed only in camper (not travel trailer).

[edit] External links

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