RDG Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 I have always tried to be careful about stowing things in case they fly in a crash. Recently I had my van written off while minding my own business driving down a road, a car decided to launch itself across a grass central reservation into my drivers door. I was amazed by how lucky I was not to have been struck by flying knives. Everything else stayed put but somehow the cutlery draw not only shot out of the furniture unit, it then flew forward with all its contents and landed just behind the drivers and passenger seat. As I was pushed sideways into the armco barrier and was doing less than 30mph having just pulled onto that road I can't work out where the forward momentum came from. I suspect part of the cause was that the cutlery draw gets more use than most so the catch weakens quicker which accounts for it coming out but not flying forward. Please take note and make sure your stuff is secure particularly when you consider that some vans have things like tables just lying around waiting to go into orbit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 A very wise warning. I am often amazed to see customers 'vans with a glass fruit bowl full of fruit sitting on the table on a piece of non slip matting. That's secure then 8-) 8-) ! D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Glad you were not hurt Richard. Momentum is a funny beast Richard and even at just 20 mph you would have very considerable energy and kinetic force stored in the van but it only become apparent just how much after such an event as yours. However you make a valid point and I will check my van for potential missile threats. I have long mourned to demise of the good old 'push - push' positive locking and unlocking drawer and cupboard catches that seem to have been replaced by 'over centre' type hinges closing mechanisms in modern vans. Maybe it does look neater and stylish but maybe it also saves cost as there are also positive locking mechanisms out there that are also stylish and modern? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J9withdogs Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 A salutory tale, indeed. Everyone of my over-head cupboards has a manufacturer's sticker saying : 'Store only lightweight objects in here - ie paper towels, matches etc' There is a limit to how many paper towels I need to store, and where am I supposed to put everything else? Obviously designed by a man *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 J9withdogs - 2007-10-10 6:33 PM Obviously designed by a man *-) Undoubtedly and a man dedicated to cutting quality and costs no doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjv Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Thanks for drawing attention to an obvious hazard, but no doubt overlooked by many. Our caravan has push/push type latches on all cupboards and nobody travels in it! As we are intending to swap to a motorhome, and are looking at various models at the moment, this is an area we will now investigate closely, I have already noticed that the Elddis doesnt have anything on the overhead lockers, not even a magnet. Inertia and momentum - both dangerous things when they are working where they are not wanted! Reminds me of a "top tip" in Practical Motorist years ago, you could test your brake efficiency by using a house brick. The idea being that, depending which way the brick was set with the "frog" facing forward or backwards, the brick toppled over when you slammed on the brakes and you could roughly tell if your brakes were up to scratch. I tried it in my Reliant van with the house brick resting on the raised floor behind me, slammed on the brakes expecting the brick to topple over. It didnt, instead it flew in the air, over my shoulder, and smashed into the dashboard! Good brakes on those Reliants, but expensive dashboards! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixters other half Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Richard Sorry to hear of your misfortune but glad to know you have survived unhurt. Out of curiosity what is/was your layout? It seems to me that to get the cutlery draw to travel the length of the van, you have a rear kitchen. If this is the case, it is one more reason for me not to opt for that type of layout and possibly worth pointing out to other potential purchasers of that type of layout. Rgds VoH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick H. Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 RDG - 2007-10-10 6:06 PM I have always tried to be careful about stowing things in case they fly in a crash. Recently I had my van written off while minding my own business driving down a road, a car decided to launch itself across a grass central reservation into my drivers door. I was amazed by how lucky I was not to have been struck by flying knives. Everything else stayed put but somehow the cutlery draw not only shot out of the furniture unit, it then flew forward with all its contents and landed just behind the drivers and passenger seat. As I was pushed sideways into the armco barrier and was doing less than 30mph having just pulled onto that road I can't work out where the forward momentum came from. I suspect part of the cause was that the cutlery draw gets more use than most so the catch weakens quicker which accounts for it coming out but not flying forward. Please take note and make sure your stuff is secure particularly when you consider that some vans have things like tables just lying around waiting to go into orbit. Hi RDG,reading your story reminded me of a thread that was on here a whilke ago. The gentleman had customized his van by making cut glass patterns and sticking them to different things, I wondered at the time what would happen if he was in a crash. Perhaps somebody told him. Mick H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fetch Carry Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Our kitchen is on the side so I can't see that happening to us, but what does worry me is the rear table, there are a couple of clips to secure it to the back locker but one bump and it comes loose, need to sort out some sort of strap as the weight of the Hymer table coming forward could do some serious damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjv Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Just been thinking a bit more on this issue. The mirror fitted to the wardrobe door of most motorhomes - held by two screws. Imagine what damage one of those (or a piece of one) could do in a crash situation. It would seem more sensible if they were fitted to the inside of the door at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Who has at one time very carefully while sat in a slow moving queue put the kettle on to make a cuppa then? M25 for example ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Parke Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 Clive - 2007-10-11 11:50 PM Who has at one time very carefully while sat in a slow moving queue put the kettle on to make a cuppa then? M25 for example ?? Clive!! Never, but only because we have not thought about it!! I'll suggest it to Cherry next time we are held up in traffic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordThornber Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 Clive, we witnessed " a brewer upper" last month whilst waiting to board the ferry at Dover, it was hilarious viewing when we got an early call to board :D :D Martyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs p hancox Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 reminds me of when we got our eldis. hubby so proud took it for spin round town, when about a month old, he had packed shopping away, in his method, went over speed bump, back cupboard burst open, jar of pasta sauce flew forward, rickasahyed off wardrobe, smashed, contents continued forward, splashed him, seats, etc, he said he got home without any problem as he could see through sillottee of himself of windowscreen, looked like something of simpsons sketch. It was great to say I told you so, you see my parents have always caravanned and I had been brought up with never ever pack glass/liquids/ in lockers as they will always move, and the rows we had had regarding this, so although we had alot of cleaning to do, he now adheres to this rule. We have also had fitted a couple of child locks to floor level cupboards suprisingly at hubbys request! And have perment reminder that wife is always right at slight stain ion carpet, really quite lucky it hit windowscren and back of hubby as otherwise could have damaged van! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo3090 Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 I once went to a crash when a cream cake van hit a telegraph pole. The van was a small escort type vehicle. There was no load restraint system behind the driver. When he hit the pole the lot came forward. When we got him out he had a badly cut head and there was an outline of him in cream cakes on the windscreen! It was like a scene from Tom & Jerry. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonaldson Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 To have had a video camera recording in the interior at the time of impact could have been interesting watching or even worth £250. But I suppose someone more adventive would have had the knives imbedding themselves in the cupboards and walls... Interesting, But you weren't hurt thank god, Gordonaldson.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDG Posted October 12, 2007 Author Share Posted October 12, 2007 Vixters other half - 2007-10-11 12:11 PM Richard Sorry to hear of your misfortune but glad to know you have survived unhurt. Out of curiosity what is/was your layout? It seems to me that to get the cutlery draw to travel the length of the van, you have a rear kitchen. If this is the case, it is one more reason for me not to opt for that type of layout and possibly worth pointing out to other potential purchasers of that type of layout. Rgds VoH I hope I've used this quote bit right or else this may sound a bit strange. My van was a Benimar Aereo 6000CD-L on a Fiat Ducato 2.8JTD it had a side kitchen half way down in front of the side washroom. The cutlery draw is under the sink and had one of those push button locks. The car came across from my offside hitting my side just behind the cab door pushing me so that the kitchen side hit into an armco barrier. I was only going slowly (less than 30mph) as I had just pulled out of a side turning and was going up a slight hill knowing that I was soon going to have to slow down for a roundabout. The draw must have shot forward from the side towards the middle of the van and then shot forward in the air towards the front. I think the real answer is that cutlery draw contents are fairly heavy, the draw is used a lot and the clips are not strong enough to withstand regular use. Below my draw was a cupboard with the same fastening containing two sliding baskets full of tins and yet they didn't move and the door stayed shut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hensoa Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 We were recently involved in an accident where a vehicle turned right across our path. We have an end kitchen.( Bessacarr E600) All the drawers which have the push/push latches stayed shut but the oven grill flap flew open and the grill pan flew the length of the van clipping my wife on the shoulder as it went. We will be investigating ways to hold this shut when we eventually get the van back or stow the grill pan else where. Fiat have taken 8 weeks to supply one part for the chassis although all other parts were delivered in less than a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 Clive - 2007-10-11 11:50 PM Who has at one time very carefully while sat in a slow moving queue put the kettle on to make a cuppa then? M25 for example ?? Me me me! Using the loo on the move is fun too - specially if it is difficult to reach the steering wheel one handed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 There has been a similar thread to this not so long ago, but concentrating less on knife drawers and more on pets. RDG expresses surprise at the amount of momentum, but how many know that a small dog (poodle, etc) takes on the weight of a baby elephant in a crash at just 30 mph? A small dog in a loose cage would be even more dangerous. We gave up dogs when our last one died, but what do those of you who have them and travel with them do to ensure your and their safety in a crash. And it's the head on crash that is generally most dangerous, as most rear-end ones tend to be slower (unless it's a truck running into you on the hard shoulder). Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 Good point Mel - guilty as charged - our Rosie always travels on the n/s bed up against the passenger seat back but in a full head on I guess her 15kg could easily cause additional injury? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted October 13, 2007 Share Posted October 13, 2007 It depends on the details of the crash. Trees are worst (which is why I hate those tree-lined avenues in France) because they have no give, so any deceleration depends purely on the crumple zones in your motorhome - and thus how new it is. Hit a tree at 30 mph and you'll easily reach -20G deceleration, which increases your dog's weight to that of 4 average adults or 300Kgs. Want that/them flying loose towards you? Even a sudden shunt into the vehicle in front in a motorway multiple pile-up will give you 10G to 15G (possibly more) - especially if the vehicle in front has a tow-bar frame or a strenthened rear bar as many light lorries and vans do, negating their rear crumple zone. Even worse is a head on with both vehicles at the urban legal limit of 30 mph/50kph. Even if your dog avoided both of you, it would certainly go through both windscreens and could well decapitate one of the front seat passengers in the other vehicle. It has happened! Sorry to be so gloomy, but as the post at the top of this thread showed so well, the last item on your pre-start checklist should be 'Are we ready for a crash?' Mel E ==== A head-on with you and the other vehicle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myshell Posted October 15, 2007 Share Posted October 15, 2007 Thats another thought, beter make sure you empty the loo before travelling, even a little shunt at 20 MPH could end up leaving you in the s,h, one, t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 When we travel our dog is secured with a proper chest harness to an anchorage point in the floor. Yes it is plenty strong enough, I've checked and re-inforced it. His harness and seatbelt strap give him plenty of room to move about and he can either travel on the nearside settee behind the passenger or on the floor just behind the cab seats. In a head on accident he couldn't go more than about 8" forward of the cab seat backs. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 But Dave, wouldn't that mean he would end up on your shoulders or worse??? Or have I mis-understood. 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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