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 I think there is a problem with these 400mm roof lights I have been travelling along behind several caravans in convoy (solo) and you can see these closed rooflights shiver and wriggle in the wind turbulance over the caravan. Several times I have flagged down caravans where the rooflight has come open, some pull over others make rude signs and as a consequence lose their expensive roof light, doubly tough if it is raining!

We lost a small skylight once (from the washroom) and I know we didn't leave it open - one of the retaining arms had come loose, it broke and the small skylight in effect opened itself and the wind did the rest!   This has been years ago, but now, not only do we check to make sure everthing is shut, but everytime I open a window or skylight, I check for anything that might appear loose or worn.

Years ago we also lost one of those 'flying saucer' type of status arials when we were going along.  That all started when we caught the top of it on the roof of a toilet block in the alps - one of those low overhanging roofs they insist on having for when they get snow.  All seemed well until about 10 months later when we were travelling on a duel-carriageway coming back from Pembrokeshire, near Ross-on-Wye.  Pulled up at some trafffic lights and a van driver pulled up by the side of us, wound down his window and said, 'You've lost your arial about a mile back'.  We turned around, went back and searched but never found the arial.  Now, everytime we go down that same stretch of road, even 20 years later, we always have a look for the arial!! 

....Oh, and on the same van we also lost one of those little air vent funnel things that they used to have on vans - our present van doesn't have one (nor our last van) so perhaps they don't fit them any more.  The plastic had just given out. 

Edit: In fact the more I think about it, towards the end, lots of bits started to fall off that van.!!

Mind you, the worst must have been on a different occasion when we went to Pembrokeshire.  Almost certain this was in our first van.  We wanted to arrive at the site fairly early, so we must have started from home at about 4am.  Got to Builth Wells at about 8am and decided to pull over and stop at the Little Chef for some breakfast.  Just about to get back into the car and I spotted that the spring arm stabiliser that we had in those days was no longer present.  I had visions of it have dropped off the car/caravan somewhere between Builth and Polesworth, and was really concerned that such a object in the middle of the road might have caused an accident.  We retraced our journey from Builth back home looking carefully to see if we could spot our stabiliser.  The closer I got to home, the more I was beginning to wonder if I'd put the thing on in the first place, fully expecting to find it on the drive at home.  We never found the stabiliser, and I'm now almost convinced that some toe-rag had probably nicked it off the car at the Little Chef in Builth.  So much for getting to the campsite early. 

Edit: The more I think about it, I've got lots of disaster/funny stories like this - perhaps I feel a new thread coming on!!  Sorry, I'm going off topic now - must stop it.

this happened to me two years ago in my old van going up the a1 to northumberland,i know that it was not open because i never open the roof vent (always just use the windows) it was the outer cover that blew off and the handles inside were still in the locked position. 

Quote: Originally posted by Eccles girl on 05/7/2011

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This happened to us a few months ago, and yes we did check the rooflights were shut before we left site. In fact when we got home the handles were still locked firmly in place, it was the actual lid part that we had lost. If anybody knows of a prevention for this please let me know, I would hate to cause an accident with a rooflight coming flying towards another car.

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All the rooflights I have come across are simply plastic welded onto studs or tubes that then fasten to the lower part.

I drilled through the top rooflight and into all 4 tube parts of mine.

I then inserted a roofing bolt with a large "penny washer" through the top part, through the tube, through the bottom part and through another penny washer. Finally a nut on the bottom to hold it all in place.

This spreads the load on the plastic top bit and even if the plastic welding becomes brittle, as it does in time, the bolt will hold everything firmly together.

It is not just roof lights you find on the side of roads ther is also gas locker lids littering the roads.

Goes to prove you can never check enough times.