Towed car snaking with a frame

[BGD]

Derek Uzzell - 2013-07-01 3:37 PM

 

Motorhome A-frame towing began to become popular in the UK in the mid-1960s. Since then there have been occasional reports of the towed car behaving peculiarly during cornering, though I don't recall if the reports related just to Smarts.

 

I'm tempted to suggest that, if one looks at the methodology involved, it's not difficult to envisage a cornering scenario where the combination of a motorhome with a long rear overhang A-frame towing a car with a short wheelbase may result in the car failing to follow the motorhome correctly.

 

 

Indeed.

 

Or even simply because the car was designed and engineered to be driven (ie "pushed"), not pulled; and to steer with the fulcrum point of the steering geometry centrally between the front wheels.

 

But when it is being dragged around by an A-frame, that steering fulcrum point is instead at the motorhome's towball, thus maybe 5 or 6 feet in front of the towed cars front wheels.

 

Every single corner that it is dragged around is thus putting non-designed, significant, sideways "sheer" stresses on the towed cars front wheels, wheel bearings, suspension, steering and chassis.

 

To a lesser extent, the attempted resistance of the towed car to these unnatural sheer forces also results in similar, but lesser sideways sheer forces being applied to the rear wheels, wheel bearings, and suspension of the towing vehicle as it drags the car "sideways" through every single corner whilst towing it.

 

 

 

To my mind it's utterly nuts from an engineering viewpoint, let alone the still-unresolved legality/illegality of it as a practice in the UK....one of the only European countries where it is still not specifically banned.

 

 

[Guest JudgeMental]

But if regs a due to change 2014 and with us half way through 2013 why would someone adopt this A frame towing strategy now, and who said it was legal in the UK..nothing of the kind!lol just has not been tested in a british court thats all.... *-)

[Derek Uzzell]

JudgeMental - 2013-07-01 4:08 PM

 

But if regs a due to change 2014 and with us half way through 2013 why would someone adopt this A frame towing strategy now, and who said it was legal in the UK..nothing of the kind!lol just has not been tested in a british court thats all.... *-)

 

2014 changes to towing regulations should have no impact on A-frame towing as a practice. The significant change involves restricting an 'inertia' braking system (as fitted to the vast majority of the A-frames used by UK motorcaravanners) to centre-axle trailers.

 

http://www.ukmotorhomes.net/a-frames.shtml

 

Although towing a car on an A-frame won't have been allowed for by the car's manufacturer, most motorcaravanners don't seem to have any problems doing it and (provided that the motorhome/A-frame/car combination has been correctly set up) there doesn't appear to be any significant damaging effect on the towed vehicle.

 

A-framing relies on the self-centring castering effect built into a car's steering geometry to keep the car tracking accurately behind the motorhome. There are bound to be stresses placed on an A-frame-towed car that don't occur when the car is being driven, but those stresses don't appear, in practice, to be harmful.

 

To the best of my knowledge, no motorcaravanner has been prosecuted for A-framing in the UK and I don't see the practice as being dangerous. On a Scale of Danger, I'd rate the average car+caravan combination as much more dangerous in principle than a motorhome towing a small car. At least in the latter case the towed vehicle will be narrower than the towing vehicle, whereas the width of a caravan usually significantly exceeds the width of the towing vehicle. In this respect alone a car+caravan combination would appear to be an accident just waiting to happen but, just as with A-frame towing, most caravanners seem perfectly able to cope with the difference in width.

 

I don't want to tow a caravan, nor do I want to tow a car with my motorhome. If I had to choose, I'd much rather tow a car on an A-frame than tow a caravan. That doesn't mean, though, that I've any inclination to 'delegalise' caravan towing in any way, or 'legalise' motorhome A-frame towing throughout Europe. Although neither practice has any appeal to me, I can fully appreciate this won't be true for other people and I don't have any difficulty understanding the attraction of each practice.

 

I can understand why A-framing might be criticised by non-A-framers for technical/engineering reasons, but not why there should be any wish to ban the practice because it's felt to be some sort of dreadful crime against humanity. I can also understand why the national motoring regulations of some countries might conflict with the A-frame practice and, consequently, if people get prosecuted for A-framing in those countries, it doesn't concern me one bit. Ignorance of the law (UK law or any other country's law) is no excuse and, after years of discussion, if the UK A-framing community is still incapable of satisfactorily addressing the 'foreign illegality' issue, the UK A-framing community must surely have only itself to blame.

 

(In my previous posting I should have said "...began to become popular in the UK in the mid-1990s" not "...in the mid-1960s".)

[Rayjsj]

JudgeMental - 2013-07-01 4:08 PM

 

But if regs a due to change 2014 and with us half way through 2013 why would someone adopt this A frame towing strategy now, and who said it was legal in the UK..nothing of the kind!lol just has not been tested in a british court thats all.... *-)

 

Me, That's who. The new regs relate to the braking efficiency of the towed vehicle, evidently the brake vacuum cylinder MUST still provide braking assistance whether the car is under it's own power, or being towed. This is now being taken care of by 'some' systems. Nothing about one vehicle being towed by another. And I re-iterate as no-one seems to read past postings any more. In the USA (with whom we have more in 'common' , than 'multi-language, multi-culture' Europe). A-frame towing has been 'the norm'. for decades, Without masses of accidents caused by such a practice, occurring. It IS safe, SO why ban it ?? and just because the EU wants it banned, is NOT a reason.

Check out ANY UK campsite and see just how many Motorhome users are towing with A-frames, at least a third, thats an awful lot of people. Who cannot ALL be wrong. Ray

 

the 'third' is a conservative estimate, i did say 'half', but that included a few trailers.

 

and Mrs T (i thought she died ?) we call people who tow 'tuggers' on here, to save confusion with large tall structures.

[Guest JudgeMental]

Derek Uzzell - 2013-07-02 8:30 AM

 

JudgeMental - 2013-07-01 4:08 PM

 

But if regs a due to change 2014 and with us half way through 2013 why would someone adopt this A frame towing strategy now, and who said it was legal in the UK..nothing of the kind!lol just has not been tested in a british court thats all.... *-)

 

2014 changes to towing regulations should have no impact on A-frame towing as a practice. The significant change involves restricting an 'inertia' braking system (as fitted to the vast majority of the A-frames used by UK motorcaravanners) to centre-axle trailers.

 

http://www.ukmotorhomes.net/a-frames.shtml

 

Although towing a car on an A-frame won't have been allowed for by the car's manufacturer, most motorcaravanners don't seem to have any problems doing it and (provided that the motorhome/A-frame/car combination has been correctly set up) there doesn't appear to be any significant damaging effect on the towed vehicle.

 

A-framing relies on the self-centring castering effect built into a car's steering geometry to keep the car tracking accurately behind the motorhome. There are bound to be stresses placed on an A-frame-towed car that don't occur when the car is being driven, but those stresses don't appear, in practice, to be harmful.

 

To the best of my knowledge, no motorcaravanner has been prosecuted for A-framing in the UK and I don't see the practice as being dangerous. On a Scale of Danger, I'd rate the average car+caravan combination as much more dangerous in principle than a motorhome towing a small car. At least in the latter case the towed vehicle will be narrower than the towing vehicle, whereas the width of a caravan usually significantly exceeds the width of the towing vehicle. In this respect alone a car+caravan combination would appear to be an accident just waiting to happen but, just as with A-frame towing, most caravanners seem perfectly able to cope with the difference in width.

 

I don't want to tow a caravan, nor do I want to tow a car with my motorhome. If I had to choose, I'd much rather tow a car on an A-frame than tow a caravan. That doesn't mean, though, that I've any inclination to 'delegalise' caravan towing in any way, or 'legalise' motorhome A-frame towing throughout Europe. Although neither practice has any appeal to me, I can fully appreciate this won't be true for other people and I don't have any difficulty understanding the attraction of each practice.

 

I can understand why A-framing might be criticised by non-A-framers for technical/engineering reasons, but not why there should be any wish to ban the practice because it's felt to be some sort of dreadful crime against humanity. I can also understand why the national motoring regulations of some countries might conflict with the A-frame practice and, consequently, if people get prosecuted for A-framing in those countries, it doesn't concern me one bit. Ignorance of the law (UK law or any other country's law) is no excuse and, after years of discussion, if the UK A-framing community is still incapable of satisfactorily addressing the 'foreign illegality' issue, the UK A-framing community must surely have only itself to blame.

 

(In my previous posting I should have said "...began to become popular in the UK in the mid-1990s" not "...in the mid-1960s".)

 

 

I couldn't care less either.....My only concern has always been that adding a mechanical mass with eyelets (that are incidentally not designed for this purpose?) to the front crumple zone of a car. Taking a pedestrian or child out below the knees would make for an interesting court case particularly when discovered the vehicles type approval had been breached and probably your insurance as well...if you put someone in a wheelchair it could be expensive....

[Derek Uzzell]

JudgeMental - 2013-07-02 9:22 AM

 

I couldn't care less either.....My only concern has always been that adding a mechanical mass with eyelets (that are incidentally not designed for this purpose?) to the front crumple zone of a car. Taking a pedestrian or child out below the knees would make for an interesting court case particularly when discovered the vehicles type approval had been breached and probably your insurance as well...if you put someone in a wheelchair it could be expensive....

 

Most cars that have been adapted to be towed behind a motorhome on an A-frame do not exploit the towing-points included in the car's original design, using a very substantial supplementary structure instead. There's no doubt that this structure must have an effect on the 'crumple-zone' that modern cars now incorporate and that will have tested for effectiveness during the Type Approval process.

 

But it's unrealistic to suggest that reducing pedestrian crash-safety by reducing a modern car's crumple-zone effectiveness should be a hanging offence. Older cars have no crumple zones and, if a motorcaravanner is to be castigated for allowing his/her car to be adapted so that it may become less pedestrian-friendly in an accident, then all vehicles without modern crumple-zones and/or pedestrian safety incorporated into their design should logically be automatically banned from the roads.

 

As has been said many times before, there would seem to be a potential conflict between Type Approval and the modifications made to allow a car to be A-frame towed, and that's something that the UK A-frame community and the A-frame system manufacturers (and possibly the motoring insurance providers) should address if they had any sense.

[Guest JudgeMental]

It seems a bit odd to me that the camper tow bar needs to be type approved. And if you want to fit bull bars, a winch or bonnet scoops to a car, they all have to be type approved also....but a frame towing equipment does not? Makes no sense....

 

Old cars don't have TA modern cars do and ae insured accordingly.....Can't just fit what you want, those days well and truly over.

 

I remember hitch hiking in Ireland with a friend in my early teens, and a young and drunk priest gave us a lift ..the car had no steering wheel he just had a spanner instead...but we're now in a far more controlled and litegous society

[Derek Uzzell]

Rayjsj - 2013-07-02 8:47 AM

 

JudgeMental - 2013-07-01 4:08 PM

 

But if regs a due to change 2014 and with us half way through 2013 why would someone adopt this A frame towing strategy now, and who said it was legal in the UK..nothing of the kind!lol just has not been tested in a british court thats all.... *-)

 

Me, That's who. The new regs relate to the braking efficiency of the towed vehicle, evidently the brake vacuum cylinder MUST still provide braking assistance whether the car is under it's own power, or being towed. This is now being taken care of by 'some' systems. Nothing about one vehicle being towed by another. And I re-iterate as no-one seems to read past postings any more. In the USA (with whom we have more in 'common' , than 'multi-language, multi-culture' Europe). A-frame towing has been 'the norm'. for decades, Without masses of accidents caused by such a practice, occurring. It IS safe, SO why ban it ?? and just because the EU wants it banned, is NOT a reason.

Check out ANY UK campsite and see just how many Motorhome users are towing with A-frames, at least a third, thats an awful lot of people. Who cannot ALL be wrong. Ray

 

the 'third' is a conservative estimate, i did say 'half', but that included a few trailers.

 

and Mrs T (i thought she died ?) we call people who tow 'tuggers' on here, to save confusion with large tall structures.

 

Ray

 

You continue to bat on about safety, but I don't believe anyone has ever put forward a plausible case that a properly set up A-frame system is unsafe.

 

I'm doubtful (as was the DVLA) that the majority of A-frame systems (with inertia brakes) used by UK motorcaravanners comply with UK trailer regulations, but, as this view has never been tested in a UK court, the use of such systems within the UK cannot be considered illegal.

 

I think that the idea that an A-frame-towed car can simultaneously be a car and a trailer is more than a mite weird and, if I were a policeman in a country with national regulations that ban one vehicle towing another, I'd be unconvinced by such an argument.

 

The EU does not want to ban A-frame towing, but I can see no reason why EU countries with national laws that ban the practice should be compelled to change those laws just because the UK has different laws.

 

The USA is multi-cultural and multi-lingual and its laws are its own. Cherry-picking USA towing regulations relating to RV A-frame towing and suggesting they should be applied outside the USA is irrational. I'm feeling a bit paranoid today and owning an assault rifle would make me feel a lot safer. Pehaps I should lobby for USA gun law to apply to the UK so that I could legally buy one from Amazon?

[Mel B]

tonyishuk - 2013-06-26 6:27 PM

 

Just adding to my ignorance that a steering wheel might need a bungee cord to center the steering is ;

 

What effect if any does not having the power steering working have on the tyres, joints etc ? My thoughts would be that the steering would be not locked as such but difficult to be made to move.

 

It is difficult to steer a dead car by pushing it around, is towing it any different ?

 

Rgds

 

Just to clarify, MOST Smart cars DO NOT have power steering, it is an option but most don't bother with it as the general consensus of those who have it say it makes the steering TOO light and dangerous! *-) This means that a Smart car has heavier steering than most other cars on the market which are of a suitable size to be towed on an a-frame and maybe this has some effect on the 'snaking' issue as the heavier steering may make the automatic centring to be a tad slower?

 

As for towing cars on an a-frame I must admit that I subscribe to the idea that it may be causing some damage to the towed vehicle's steering/joints etc - we used to tow as Bond Mk G minicar (3 wheel car, forerunner of Reliants) on a purpose made bar which attached directly to the single front wheel mounting point and, whilst the wheel itself never scuffed etc, we did find that it was causing wear to the 'worm and sector' steering mechanism so changed over to a purpose made trailer.

[donna miller]

Whether a car has power steering or not is irrelevant as power steering only operates when the engine is running.

[donna miller]

Whether a car has power steering or not is irrelevant as power steering only operates when the engine is running.

[Dave Newell]

donna miller - 2013-07-02 7:05 PM

 

Whether a car has power steering or not is irrelevant as power steering only operates when the engine is running.

 

Power steering is far from irrelevant in this issue. There are two types of power steering for a start off: hydraulic power steering powered from an engine driven pump and electric power steering powered by an electric motor attached to the steering column. Both systems can apply significant resitance to turning when not active, ask any new BMW Mini driver who has experienced power steering failure at speed!

 

The additional resistance of power steering can have two possible effects in a car when towed with its front wheels on the ground: it can add damping which can prevent rapid oscillation of the steering on uneven surfaces (this is a good thing, especially at higher speeds) or it can add so much resistance that the front wheels of the towed car are too slow to react to turning forces (this is a bad thing, especially at low speeds) and are then forced to scrub, this can occur both in the initial turn in and the subsequent turn out. I think this could easily account for a sideways juddering effect on the towed car's front wheels which could easily be felt as a sideways wobble in the cab of a motorhome several metres forwards.

 

I have no axe to grind either way where A frames are concerened other than they simply do not meet current construction and use regs for trailers and are therefore not legal even in the UK (in my opinion). The irony for me is that a four wheeld trailer with its wheels at the corners is a far more stable trailer than one with all four wheels close to the centre line.

 

Having said that I've never towed a car on an A frame and neither am I likey to but I have towed many trailers, both single and twin axled. I do regularly tow a 1200 KG twin axle five metre box trailer behind our motorhome, on other occasions I tow a seven metre flatbed trailer with my race car on (about 1350KGS), motorhome is a seven metre Iveco Turbo Daily with a MTPLM of 4200KGS and a two metre rear overhang. Neither of these trailers are a problem to tow or reverse, I can reverse either outfit the brst part of 70 metres and through two 90 degree turns without problem and ususally in one go, can any A frame tower, sorry tugger say the same? If you think you can I'd like to see it done!

 

D.

[BGD]

donna miller - 2013-07-02 8:05 PM

 

Whether a car has power steering or not is irrelevant as power steering only operates when the engine is running.

 

 

Sorry, but nope. Disagree.

It will make a significant difference.

Depending on the system used, it'll add further resistance to the turning of the steering when not "operational".

Thus it will act to actually ADD to shear/scrubbing forces upon tyres, wheel bearings,suspension, track rods, drive shafts etc if being unnaturally dragged round corners by a tow bar 5 feet in front of where it was designed to be steered from...............

[lennyhb]

Dave Newell - 2013-07-02 9:07 PM

 

I can reverse either outfit the best part of 70 metres and through two 90 degree turns without problem and usually in one go, can any A frame tower, sorry tugger say the same? If you think you can I'd like to see it done!

 

D.

 

Interesting challenge Dave, waiting to see how many take you up on it. :D

[Dave Newell]

No takers yet then?

 

D.

[BGD]

Dave Newell - 2013-07-03 4:11 PM

 

No takers yet then?

 

D.

 

 

Dave - sounds like this needs a proper home-video recording of the attempt, then an upload to Youtube, as a challenge to others!

[donna miller]

BGD - 2013-07-02 10:46 PM

 

donna miller - 2013-07-02 8:05 PM

 

Whether a car has power steering or not is irrelevant as power steering only operates when the engine is running.

 

 

Sorry, but nope. Disagree.

It will make a significant difference.

Depending on the system used, it'll add further resistance to the turning of the steering when not "operational".

Thus it will act to actually ADD to shear/scrubbing forces upon tyres, wheel bearings,suspension, track rods, drive shafts etc if being unnaturally dragged round corners by a tow bar 5 feet in front of where it was designed to be steered from...............

 

To a pair of human arms maybe, however The OP says it has happened with his Smart car, and as Mel B has pointed out, most owners don't specify power steering as the Smart car's steering tends to be far too light with it and that was what I based my statement on. A 100+bhp van will very easily overcome any additional resistance offered by a small power steering pump on a small car. If the steering wasn't self centering, then the problem obviously lies elsewhere.

[Dave Newell]

BGD - 2013-07-03 3:40 PM

 

Dave Newell - 2013-07-03 4:11 PM

 

No takers yet then?

 

D.

 

 

Dave - sounds like this needs a proper home-video recording of the attempt, then an upload to Youtube, as a challenge to others!

 

Do you mean me showing how it should be done or an A framer showing how its not possible?

 

D.

[Dave Newell]

I truly find it amazing that after more than 24 hours since the last posting that not one single A frame tugger has come forward to say their outfit is useable in reverse and will take up the challenge! Apparentyly this is how to quell any A frame threads in future. :D

 

D.

[neilmac]

Dave Newell - 2013-07-02 9:07 PM

 

Power steering is far from irrelevant in this issue. There are two types of power steering for a start off: hydraulic power steering powered from an engine driven pump and electric power steering powered by an electric motor attached to the steering column. Both systems can apply significant resitance to turning when not active, ask any new BMW Mini driver who has experienced power steering failure at speed!

 

The additional resistance of power steering can have two possible effects in a car when towed with its front wheels on the ground: it can add damping which can prevent rapid oscillation of the steering on uneven surfaces (this is a good thing, especially at higher speeds) or it can add so much resistance that the front wheels of the towed car are too slow to react to turning forces (this is a bad thing, especially at low speeds) and are then forced to scrub, this can occur both in the initial turn in and the subsequent turn out. I think this could easily account for a sideways juddering effect on the towed car's front wheels which could easily be felt as a sideways wobble in the cab of a motorhome several metres forwards.

 

I am surprised at this.

 

I thought that power steering was just an aid to make the steering lighter at the steering wheel, to help with the gearing of the steering mechanism, the larger wheels and grippier tyres of modern larger vehicles that would otherwise make the steering heavier at slow speeds.

 

So are you saying that there is substantial added resistance at the wheels end? As in when the front of the vehicle is jacked up clear of the ground. Is it harder to manually move the wheels (not using the steering wheel) from one side to the other when checking joints as in a service or MOT?

[Dave Newell]

neilmac - 2013-07-04 7:43 PM

 

Dave Newell - 2013-07-02 9:07 PM

 

Power steering is far from irrelevant in this issue. There are two types of power steering for a start off: hydraulic power steering powered from an engine driven pump and electric power steering powered by an electric motor attached to the steering column. Both systems can apply significant resitance to turning when not active, ask any new BMW Mini driver who has experienced power steering failure at speed!

 

The additional resistance of power steering can have two possible effects in a car when towed with its front wheels on the ground: it can add damping which can prevent rapid oscillation of the steering on uneven surfaces (this is a good thing, especially at higher speeds) or it can add so much resistance that the front wheels of the towed car are too slow to react to turning forces (this is a bad thing, especially at low speeds) and are then forced to scrub, this can occur both in the initial turn in and the subsequent turn out. I think this could easily account for a sideways juddering effect on the towed car's front wheels which could easily be felt as a sideways wobble in the cab of a motorhome several metres forwards.

 

I am surprised at this.

 

I thought that power steering was just an aid to make the steering lighter at the steering wheel, to help with the gearing of the steering mechanism, the larger wheels and grippier tyres of modern larger vehicles that would otherwise make the steering heavier at slow speeds.

 

So are you saying that there is substantial added resistance at the wheels end? As in when the front of the vehicle is jacked up clear of the ground. Is it harder to manually move the wheels (not using the steering wheel) from one side to the other when checking joints as in a service or MOT?

 

Yes if the engine is not running (hydraulic assistance) or ignition switched on (electric motr assistance). Try turning the steering wheel when stationary without engine running, you will feel the extra resistance, trust me you will.

 

D.

[neilmac]

Dave Newell - 2013-07-04 8:33 PM

 

neilmac - 2013-07-04 7:43 PM

 

Dave Newell - 2013-07-02 9:07 PM

 

Power steering is far from irrelevant in this issue. There are two types of power steering for a start off: hydraulic power steering powered from an engine driven pump and electric power steering powered by an electric motor attached to the steering column. Both systems can apply significant resitance to turning when not active, ask any new BMW Mini driver who has experienced power steering failure at speed!

 

The additional resistance of power steering can have two possible effects in a car when towed with its front wheels on the ground: it can add damping which can prevent rapid oscillation of the steering on uneven surfaces (this is a good thing, especially at higher speeds) or it can add so much resistance that the front wheels of the towed car are too slow to react to turning forces (this is a bad thing, especially at low speeds) and are then forced to scrub, this can occur both in the initial turn in and the subsequent turn out. I think this could easily account for a sideways juddering effect on the towed car's front wheels which could easily be felt as a sideways wobble in the cab of a motorhome several metres forwards.

 

I am surprised at this.

 

I thought that power steering was just an aid to make the steering lighter at the steering wheel, to help with the gearing of the steering mechanism, the larger wheels and grippier tyres of modern larger vehicles that would otherwise make the steering heavier at slow speeds.

 

So are you saying that there is substantial added resistance at the wheels end? As in when the front of the vehicle is jacked up clear of the ground. Is it harder to manually move the wheels (not using the steering wheel) from one side to the other when checking joints as in a service or MOT?

 

Yes if the engine is not running (hydraulic assistance) or ignition switched on (electric motr assistance). Try turning the steering wheel when stationary without engine running, you will feel the extra resistance, trust me you will.

 

D.

 

Yes I realise that Dave, I was asking about the resistance at the other end - as per my post explanation.

 

Are you saying that a mechanic, for instance, will encounter this extra resistance when manually turning the wheels from side to side when they are off the ground? ie by grasping a road wheel and making the steering work from that end - sorry, maybe I'm not explaining this very well *-)

[DJP]

Look here

Not all A Frame suppliers are the same quality, neither are the vehicle manufacturers.

[thebishbus]

Regarding reversing, I think most people would find it difficult to reverse a small 4 wheel trailer with steerable front wheels, particularly if the driver cannot see the trailer behind his large vehicle. Why would you want to reverse far with an A frame anyway, surely you just disconnect the A frame and drive the car, something you could not do with normal trailer.

Brian B.

 

[Mel B]

thebishbus - 2013-07-04 9:21 PM

 

Regarding reversing, I think most people would find it difficult to reverse a small 4 wheel trailer with steerable front wheels, particularly if the driver cannot see the trailer behind his large vehicle. Why would you want to reverse far with an A frame anyway, surely you just disconnect the A frame and drive the car, something you could not do with normal trailer.

Brian B.

We've been in the situation a few times now where we've been on a narrow country road with someone coming the other way and we've had to reverse back quite a distance (usually because it is impractical for them to do so, or don't know how to! 8-) ). If we were travelling with a car on a trailer it would be fairly easy, but with a car on an A-frame it would be nigh-on impossible, so uncoupling the car would be the only option with a second driver to reverse it, assuming there is one.

 

So uncoupling in those circumstances would be a perfectly fine solution ... IF there is someone else who is able to drive the towed car, but I've met quite a few motorhoming couples where only one of them was able to do drive so what would they do???? *-) ... probably have to reverse the towed car, then walk back and reverse the motorhome ... not very practical at all. :-S