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No you are right. I was slow there massively

Ok. I was not going more than 25 kph to 30kph and it was sunny conditions. The verge looked solid so I moved a tyre width over for the oncoming car. Please enlighten me what it is that you mean?

I am told his next song should be far far away!!

I am on the next edit now for the same weekend

@@brianna56ism it is a lovely quaint tavern. Certainly high on the places we have stayed list. I think I will stay clear in the middle of the rainy season but otherwise it is excellent

@@FlaggonCreek next time I guess. We miss plenty of great places often and sometimes they are not obvious but this place is wonderful.

Thanks Nic. I guess we will differ on the road maintenance however I do not think the road can be widened and that was never my point. If you watch the video again and look at the frames just prior to the car passing us going the other way you will notice the verge to the side looks solid. We have never driven to this place before so at the time this seemed the case and I moved slightly more left. That was the fatal error of judgement here by me to allow the car coming toward us room to pass. I should have just stopped. Maintenance for this section of the road and others on the same road is as simple as a weed wacker to remove this growth to make the drop obvious. Some of those white edge markers would not go astray either. On this post I have been told that I am of the lower 50% of people driving so that means, if true (nearing 50 years on the road without major incident until this), there are more like me that may make this mistake. The fire rescue guys actually say this is common. Seeing something would stop a good percentage of these occurrences i think. You could easily drive a B train on this road as long as the opposing traffic is withheld to achieve it. Some of this road is luck as far as something coming the other way and where we tipped was one of the narrowest parts. Your top tip is noted but there was a reason why the wheels were turned in and this was discussed with the rescue coordinator on the front tractor prior to doing this. The caravan chassis left hand frame was near to the tip of the Y section at the front and pivoting at that point. This section is a vertical drop for about 2 metres maybe slightly less. None of the van wheels were touching the ground and the centre of gravity was to the left supported by the trees. The log skidder at the back was pinning the rear of the van so any side movement to the front to the right would slide the left chassis over to a wider section quickly and move the centre over allowing it to roll in the other direction. This is physics and again something I have done for many years. That does not mean it would work but we discussed it, tried it and regardless it succeeded. This was not done without consultation. Incidentally Gentle Annie is a lovely site and now I am aware of this edge it will not be a problem but it will be to some other person who has not been to this site if the edge is not obvious. Thankyou for obtaining those numbers for us it was the best part of that day. Safe travels.

Thanks Mike. Shadey needed that food more than we did I think so I hope Doc would not stop a kiwi tradition that is years in the making but given their lineage its possible. They still do good work however and apart from the support of dubious ideas without any scientific base I still support their efforts.

👍

Thanks Andrew. There are definitely more people moving around at this time of year and all of us have to be vigilant. Safe travels to you and everyone else. Move from A to B as safe as possible.

@@parsup how so? I do not disagree I just need educating.

Coasters are wonderful people

Thanks Robert and Nicola. We follow your channel a bit and enjoy the combi restoration project and the Lilliput caravan rebuild. We stumbled on your channel a year ago and subscribed. I would love to meet up with you guys. Maybe it will happen one day.

You my darling Niece

Thanks for the sentiment. The South Island definitely has more challenging roads that the North Island but there are some shockers there as well. My mistake was moving over slightly and not understanding there was a drop off. This road edge is deceptive and all of this has happened before. This video was to highlight this problem and hopefully help others that may never have been to Gentle Annie's and are thinking of going. They should certainly go to this site but also be aware of this edge. Some places it looks like a berm but it is really just grown over.

Yes it's a bit of a down trout moment. Keep the videos coming. It's great to see our homeland 😊​@@Pelian_Crusaders

@@jorobson1 Thanks for the positive feedback and yes I am behind on videos so many more coming 👍

And many of us have that same problem. One day i aspire to be at your standard but time is running out.

@Pelian_Crusaders yes I used to be a logging contractor so see it a bit, usually on corners though, not on the straights, you need to use your side mirrors, maybe ask someone traveling the same to warn or stop oncoming traffic

@@mikefenton2530 I pulled slightly left as this was about the narrowest part of the road and the oncoming vehicle was not slowing down. He was not rocketing along but in my opinion would not have passed. The cruiser was still on the gravel but the van was one wheel width on what I thought was a grass verge. We travel alone generally and would, and should have just stopped. at the point the van tipped we had become stationary. when it tipped it pulled the cruiser over sightly. without the trees we would have been in the river for sure. This happens a few times a year here.

The end panel hangs over the roof but with the tyre and end box not the total van. We recharge in summer usually before lunch and heat our water and cook off solar at that time of the year. In winter we have days where we struggle to stay above 50% charge and have dropped to 30% occasionally. This van is valued at $210,000.00 nz. We invested our life into this unit. Thanks for the input.

@@BrianORourke-r6x thanks and you are correct. We were taken back by the quantity of reverse traffic and the numbers of traffic moving opposite to us. Should we not go to Gentle Annie due to our inexperience????

Yes I should definitely have just stopped for sure

@@waronwoke ok. It took 35000 km to realise that so thanks. I am not sure how your life is but it is certainly pretentious.

Thanks for the comment however.

@@Pelian_Crusaders Trolls like him unfortunately abound in YT. He hasn't moved out of his mother's basement so we will, of course, forgive him...

Interesting take, shame spatial awareness doesn’t extend to comment sections. Perhaps focus on the content rather than critiquing someone else’s vehicle choice?

@@JohnSmith-pl2bk 100% agree

I should definitely have just stopped. There were camper vans, caravans and cars behind us for as far as we could see. The biggest issue was this was the time everyone is trying to check into the campsite so a lot of traffic all at once. The traffic going in the opposite direction was minimal but quite an issue when they would not stop. Some did stop and move to wider sections but some would not.

Oh well,it's peak bloody Xmas and it's busy and it's a big van ,the Landcruiser held it and lucky some locals with a log skidder and tractor were handy,and remarkable there was virtually no damages!

@@Wilt8v92 The Fire Rescue guys told me it happens a fair bit on both side of the road. That is how they have developed the method to rescue that they used. West Coast practical thinkers.

They were great but maybe the wrong vid

@@UrbanKiwiana Thanks and a happy new year to you as well. Met the guy who headed the rescue team today at the beach. He pulled another vehicle out yesterday in the same area.

@Pelian_Crusaders +My pleasure and thank you. Geez they definitely need to sort out something like actual pull over areas or widening it a little. Don't worry about all the Keyboard warriors mate, comes with internet lol. Have a blessed rest of your week

Those guys were fantastic and a credit to the fire rescue service of the West Coast of NZ.

And you.........

Do you know google translate translated that to parking difference, go figure....

Thanks John. I would rather have an honest channel of our exploits good or bad. Thanks for the sentiment. Its greatly appreciated.

I definitely recommend a DO style coupling. It was a life saver in this case.

Thats a great idea actually I think.

Towing is great. It is a wide van so care needed in places. Maybe we can catch up sometime. This video shows how strong these vans are. No damage inside. The fridge even stayed shut.

No structural damage at all!? Good work to the manufacturer!✔️✔️✔️ ​@@Pelian_Crusaders

@@robertwilson1827 It seems pretty tough this van and it looks after us well. Some marine polish is all that is required followed by another coat of wax but the 3000 0dd km already clocked up in the South means it needs a clan again anyway 😜

In hindsight yes, but what about the car coming at me at pace?

You just stop right where you are, then it becomes their problem for however long it takes. I've taken my caravan down that road many times and know it well. The incident should never have happened. Do you have at least a Class 2 licence.​@Pelian_Crusaders

@@CliveWallace-bx7rg Just stopping is of course the answer I agree. The foliage disguised the edge and there we even lamp posts that made the verge look solid. We were on the grass edge one wheel width, thats all so to me at the time it should have been fine, obviously it was not. As for the classes of licence, I do not remember any training that the class 2 licence gives you that would tell you not to avoid an accident. we did not pull over by more than a wheel width and that drop was not visible at all.

@@CliveWallace-bx7rg ive driven class 4 trucks on roads like this meany times over the years. As i said never trust the grass on side of the road... always stop, get out and look first. its quicker than towing your car/truck out of the ditch.

A good advertisement for DO hitches definitely

I have exactly the same caravan and had no problem taking it in there just year. It is narrow in places but I wouldn't move over for anybody.

​@eagle9800 that's the key.

We are not the only van pulled out this Christmas and the fire rescue also said this is a regular occurrence. I can take responsibility for pulling too far left but how does that stop this happening to others? The reality is it looks like a solid edge so clear the bush along the edge so people can see it is a drop. Secondly at busy times of the year, as it is now, this problem becomes more likely. Your premise is it is my stupidity, that dos not phase me much as I am in the company of many other intellectually challenged people who would definitely fall into the category of having the potential to end up in a similar position. The increase of traffic over the holidays makes this more likely and it is already a proven issue with a history. This issue has less to do with lack of responsibility and is more about preventing the occurance in the first place.

I totally agree.

Yes it was. Thanks.

Coasters are wonderful!!!!

You cannot control the oncoming vehicle so as far as I am concerned you are on the money. Sadly if you dont move the oncoming vehicle at pace probably will hit you anyway.

@@Pelian_Crusaders I have had to do such a thing as a maneuver in a heavy truck a few times not on such an acute drop off but deacceleration from 80kms & keeping it under control is not an easy thing. Both times I could of ended up on my side or even possibly upside down or rolled. With a prime mover & a trailer I kind of see it as more stable than a caravan. The danger is in the significantly greater mass. Of course many factors come into it, what you are carrying & how & where its loaded. Mass aside I feel more confident in controlling 40 to 80+ tones of death & destruction than I do a caravan. In stability I see no comparison. In both situations often the best you can do is keep it as smooth & straight as you can, maybe drop a gear or 2 if you can. You did well to only come out of it with a few scratches & a busted tap fitting. It looked like a pretty challenging angle it stopped on. The 2 tractor operators looked like they had done it a few times before. Not everyone that shows up to help knows what they are doing. Sometimes that kind of help can make things worse. So it can be difficult to keep a cool head In knowing when to say yes & when to say no & how to say it. The last thing you want to do is offend, especially when someone has shown up to help. It is an uncomfortable situation I do not like to find myself in Happy New Year

@@leonkane8240 I think a truck driver would probably encounter bad drivers more than most of us and I thank yu for your words of advise. As you would know people don't like being behind trucks, buses, tractors or any other slow moving vehicle including caravans. We pull over where safe in those situations but when the threat is in front of you at some pace and fairly oblivious to the ability you have to manoeuvre out of their way you need to make a decision quickly. Often, as in this case, a quick decision is a bad decision. The DO35 hitch we had was a contributor to a good outcome as if it was a normal tow ball the van would have tried to roll the car. The left hand chassis rail was on the edge of the drop with the right rail in the air. Hence I steered to the right to expose a longer section of the left rail onto the edge an move the centre of gravity to flip the van right wheels back down. There is a compressor box that sits lower than the chassis rail I expected to damage but somehow the edge got the wheel first and lifted out. If we kept straight we would still be in that drop.

@@Pelian_Crusaders Well I am mindful that most people think they are "good drivers" so I try to be measured in my judgement & criticism, knowing that I have made mistakes & I am far from perfect. I reside in Melbourne AU & more in recent times when I get behind the wheel of any vehicle, I am in a constant state of "fight or flee. It seems the only time I get to enjoy driving is when I get far away from major centers. It seem to me since covid more people have become more aggressive & impatient with each other, hard accelerating & late braking, cutting in & out with no margin & no respect for safe braking distance. I drive a 1981 Hilux 4x4 & it is rather lowly geared & the "high quality humans" get behind me & go out of their mind because I don't have the instant acceleration that their newer vehicles have. I am acutely aware of people's dislike of being behind large & slow moving vehicles. I think it is largely born out of disrespect & impatience. You being totally conscious in turning to the side, is to you credit & I totally agree, it is what I do rather sooner than later. It is better to do that because you don't always know the type of driver coming the other way. But I find people take advantage of that, more now @ least here in AU. With my comment about trying to keep the vehicle straight, you made some interesting points. I was more relating to controlled deacceleration of a road in most cases. You seemed to be @ low speed so I probably should of noted the difference. I have never been in such a situation where the drop off was so steep & my caravan experience is somewhat limited. I agree that you often need to make a quick decision & that can often be a bad decision. I think it is important to be decisive & confident in decision making in such situations. I have the old ball type hitch I am going to look in to the newer types, so thanks for that.

Thanks Leon

ah yes, it was definitively the drivers fault. not the council or the road. or the campground owners.

We took our 12 metre bus in there without any issues with room for other vehicles to pass. Good that you weren't hurt though.

I think the road is dangerous as the verge is not a verge and at this time of year there is a lot of traffic. Today we came back to this site at 4:00pm and had to move for a small bus, so it is possible, in that same section of road as our accident, the bits to the side where you can pull over were non existent. our van is 2500mm wide and the car in the video was at speed and 400mm from the drain which is deeper than he could handle. You are correct but what about those that don't move or slow down? Really I should not have moved.

Yep maybe you are right. So what do you do when the ground looks like a verge? I agree I should have stayed put and stopped but not moved over. Towed this van 15000km so far.

Also should this be allowed to continue with drivers like me who try to oblige such a narrow pathway?

As the whole lot would have already gone fairly instantly it could not roll more at that point without some assistance or time. But you are correct I should have got her out sooner. The footage was taken mostly by my wife as the initial footage is dashcam.

They were excellent and we were very lucky to have them

ok

A good workman raises safety issues with the relevant authority .... only in this case the authority is deaf and blind... Read other comments from those that live nearby...and have tried to get action form the Council... Maybe a little YT publicity if picked up by mainstream news will have an effect in time for Easter...or Labour Weekend...or next Christmas?

A good workman raises safety issues with the relevant authority .... only in this case the authority is deaf and blind... Read other comments from those that live nearby...and have tried to get action form the Council... Maybe a little YT publicity if picked up by mainstream news will have an effect in time for Easter...or Labour Weekend...or next Christmas?

It is

We 100% agree. A one way road with the amount of traffic we witnessed should not be uncontrolled. There are signs saying 35km per hour and slow down or stop when passing. The reality is it is not capable of two vehicles in opposing directions safely. Also if both of those are large then a problem occurs as it is possible neither can reverse easily on most of that road.

​@Pelian_Crusaders the problem is not the road. The problem is people who are inexperienced in driving on roads such as this. When we were in there in our 12 metre bus we met a milk tanker coming out no problem.