Rooflights open when driving?? (1 Viewer)

[namwaldog]

I have always thought this was a No-No and would try and alert anyone doing so if possible.

Today, coming up the M6/ M74 I saw five MH's travelling south with rooflights open to varying degrees.

Have I had it wrong all these years??

PS It was warm enough for us to have Aircon on!

 

[royandsharont]

That’s my understanding too

 

[Phill D]

I would not do it especially on a motorway.

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[DuxDeluxe]

I have always thought this was a No-No and would try and alert anyone doing so if possible.

Today, coming up the M6/ M74 I saw five MH's travelling south with rooflights open to varying degrees.

Have I had it wrong all these years??

PS It was warm enough for us to have Aircon on!

I never locked down the roof light when returning on Sunday. Heavy rain resulted in a soaking inside. Schoolboy error……

 

[Larrynwin]

I have two small 30cm square roof lights one above kitchen the other in the toilet which I leave on the ventilation catch but I always travel with the main roof light closed.

 

[Simon Meadwell]

On the topic of rooflights i have remis wind up rooflights i wanted to leave them cracked open in winter but they dont seem safe ie would blow open is there a catch i havent seen?

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[deleted79651]

I have always thought this was a No-No and would try and alert anyone doing so if possible.

Today, coming up the M6/ M74 I saw five MH's travelling south with rooflights open to varying degrees.

Have I had it wrong all these years??

PS It was warm enough for us to have Aircon on!

On our exit from Camping Alegria, Benicarlos, towing Gobby the Gobur Folding Caravan, I became distracted by a fellow camper wanting to wish us safe journey etc, and didn't notice that I hadn't quite closed the living area roof vent [about 45cm square] fully. About 45 mins into our journey towards Blanes, a crosswind that the o/head gantries were warning about, lifted the caravan and it felt as though the nearside rear wheel lifted as well and I felt the back end of Gobby begin to twitch [as did my own rear end], expecting the car and caravan to flip ...

Fortunately, Tig's ESP and Towing stability wizadry was able to regain control and I continued to drive, sniffing to see if I need to stop for a change of underwear. None needed and drove to Blanes, jumped out to look at the pitch and saw Gobby's roof and it took me about 5 seconds to realise that something was wrong ... Yep, we'd lost the rooflight, and I believe that as that went into orbit, the crosswind created a vortex/eddy in the cavity [which was almost over the towhitch bottom of the 'A' legs and that was what lifted Gobby off the road ...

Now paranoid about roof vents and check for closure at least 3 times before setting off. I also lost a towing mirror during the incident, so quite an eventful journey ...

Steve

 

[Lenny HB]

We always make sure they are fully closed before driving.

 

[Grummyb]

I used to think they had to be shut when travelling and always though "look at the ifiot he has got his roof light open" but if its hinged at the front surely ot's no different to sunroofs everybody had fitted to their cortina and crapies in the 1980,s

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[CazPaul]

Fully shut, you can get swirling winds and then it could take the whole lot off.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

We always make sure they are fully closed before driving.

So do I - I looked and it was down but there are two turns of the handle to lock it

 

[dunnah01]

Often travel with one open - but never on purpose

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[deleted79651]

I used to think they had to be shut when travelling and always though "look at the ifiot he has got his roof light open" but if its hinged at the front surely ot's no different to sunroofs everybody had fitted to their cortina and crapies in the 1980,s

Except the sunroofs were about 3 times the thickness of the m/home roof vent, much heavier, and usually at a lower tilt, or on a flat plane, to slide pen, but not upwards I had a [drum roll ...] Ford Escort Ghia 1.3 with the manual multi position sun roof ... cool, or what? And the answer is '... or what' ...

Steve

 

[Clarky]

Always make sure all of ours are down and locked.
I've heard too many tales of the whole roof light being ripped off by the suction of passing trucks.

 

[haganap]

its the law for French motorhomers.

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[DaveandJen]

We never travel with the roof vents open - and when pointed out to others settling off with them open they are always very grateful to know and quickly close them so expect its normally a forgotten thing.

 

[Lenny HB]

I used to think they had to be shut when travelling and always though "look at the ifiot he has got his roof light open" but if its hinged at the front surely ot's no different to sunroofs everybody had fitted to their cortina and crapies in the 1980,s

They are not heavy glass like car sunroofs & they also had a retaining catch at the rear.
A strong crosswind will easily rip off Motorhome roof light when travelling.

 

[MisterB]

i have seen lots of caravans being towed by white vans, with their roof vents open. i suppose its easier for some people to replace their caravan rather then the roof light .....

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[Landy Andy]

Often leave my bathroom one open in the Locke position to get air through from the front windows as we travel.

 

[Folkranger]

It's a no no, no ifs or buts

 

[Tombola]

Usually leave mine locked on pos 1 if standard roads. Motorways Ill lock em down. Hinged front of course

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[Otter Spotter]

Maxxfan can be left open whilst travelling but I close it along with the other skylight. If we were to lose one it woukd be our bad luck for it to start raining

 

[Ridgeway]

the small one above our shower is always left slightly open, it’s the type that opens and closes by turning a screw so it’s pretty secure. Occasionally we’ll also open a small one above the kitchen that has a lock position on it, this can be useful on those warm days when traveling

 

[Parrot Face]

On the topic of rooflights i have remis wind up rooflights i wanted to leave them cracked open in winter but they dont seem safe ie would blow open is there a catch i havent seen?

Is that a Welsh Terrier in your avatar.

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[Reusables]

Too risky ,we always close them..but have seen so many over the water driving with the big main skylight wide open..near on standing straight up.
At a cost of over £500 plus fitting how can they relax ..

Have fitted wind deflectors to front windows and this helps.

 

[Manic]

We always shut them down, saw a Motorhome going the other way on the A1 and it’s mini heki was flapping up and down, would be long till was gone.

 

[cyberyacht]

Fresh air is much over-rated.

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[lynnian]

Travelling back from Cornwall last week there were lots of remains of the small skylights at the side of the road and the odd Heki rooflight. So no we dont. Well not on purpose.

 

[Jasz]

We have forgotten to close one of ours on 2 occasions. Both times we got away with it but closed them as soon as we realised they were open.

 

[frogijock]

i have seen lots of caravans being towed by white vans, with their roof vents open. i suppose its easier for some people to replace their caravan rather then the roof light .....

Borrow one from a caravan storage site

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