Post by Mike Harding on May 15, 2023 14:56:08 GMT 10
I was trying to get organised early for a shopping trip into Kerang this morning and all was going well until... I tried to open the caravan door to step outside.
With my mind on 27 other matters instead of unlocking the door from the inside then opening it I operated the latch which holds the two halves of the door together ie. outer door and screen door. Silly me I thought, but no problem I'll just open the door now and rejoin the two halves... except I couldn't open the door, the handle would only operate through about 10mm of travel, nowhere near enough to operate the door latch. Damn! I'm locked in the caravan.
Not a major issue as the windows on this van are large and open outwards so I could get out via a window but, to be honest, I'm past the age where climbing through windows and dropping 5' to the ground excites me.
Upon closer examination of the door I discovered what had happened; by a 1000:1 (but, nevertheless inevitable) chance the outer door had swung to the exact position where it blocked operation of the door handle - 10mm further or 10mm less and all would have been well but no! the bloody door had to stop in that exact position.
I could have just pushed a screwdriver through the mozzie netting of the inner door and pushed the outer further but not wanting to damage the netting I managed to find a long sewing needle and a pair of pliers to hold it and use that to push the door enough such that the handle would now operate without damaging the netting.
Someone up there hates me
With my mind on 27 other matters instead of unlocking the door from the inside then opening it I operated the latch which holds the two halves of the door together ie. outer door and screen door. Silly me I thought, but no problem I'll just open the door now and rejoin the two halves... except I couldn't open the door, the handle would only operate through about 10mm of travel, nowhere near enough to operate the door latch. Damn! I'm locked in the caravan.
Not a major issue as the windows on this van are large and open outwards so I could get out via a window but, to be honest, I'm past the age where climbing through windows and dropping 5' to the ground excites me.
Upon closer examination of the door I discovered what had happened; by a 1000:1 (but, nevertheless inevitable) chance the outer door had swung to the exact position where it blocked operation of the door handle - 10mm further or 10mm less and all would have been well but no! the bloody door had to stop in that exact position.
I could have just pushed a screwdriver through the mozzie netting of the inner door and pushed the outer further but not wanting to damage the netting I managed to find a long sewing needle and a pair of pliers to hold it and use that to push the door enough such that the handle would now operate without damaging the netting.
Someone up there hates me
