New luggage - Two wheels or four?

Go for it rubylady
It's sad that you're struggling still, breathlessness is so scary and limiting.

DH and I had to smile when we recently visited Grasmere; in the car park four cars drew up, out got the people, popped respective dogs in to their dog prams and off they walked to the coffee shop. An hour later we passed them walking along the path back to the car park.
Neither of us had seen one before.

I recently swapped my old knackered 2 wheel case for a wheeled jobbie - brilliant around the airport. Only downside was that at Gatwick we have to go up a moving slope (not stairs) and last time I had to hang on to my case to stop it rolling back down the slope. But when standing in the long check in queue 4 wheels were so much easier to gently push along. And modern cases are so much lighter than older ones, so more capacity for all those books I want to read whilst away. I also made sure that my new one had an optional extension zip in case I bring back more than I take.

carolmary
They certainly shouldn't be putting heavy luggage up on the rack. Find out the manager's name - go to the top if you don't get any satisfaction.
Health and Safety Executive might be interested too.

Nothing to do with wheels but I had a near lethal experience on a courtesy bus from a Manchester Airport car park a few years ago. A suitcase fell off a luggage rack when the bus went round a corner, glancing off my shoulder and landing with quite a crash. The company ignored my letters pointing out that their lugghage racks weren't secure. In the end I gave up. Hope no-one else ever had a similar experience. A small child child
could have been very badly injured.

When faced with heart conditions and can't breathe well, then for some minute amount of time it is nice to feel like a normal human being and be able to go out and maybe see the sea once or twice a year and if a dog pram can get me there, then so be it.

I stood at my kitchen sink the other day, grabbing onto the sink, breathing deeply and harshly, crying. It's not often that I let it get to me but I had had enough at that moment. To keep surviving on my own, with hardly any help does get to me and I need to escape from time to time to get my head in order and breath in some sea air, and to dispell the guilty feelings that I cannot always get my dog out for walks on a regular basis when she is the only one who is loving and caring to me.

Dog prams are prams for dogs. I am not being pretentious, just practical. I could lean on the pram for support, put my dog in the pram and not be carried onto the train which causes me breathlessness and put my luggage under the pram so helping also. I wouldn't let her be in it when she could walk, obviously but for safety reasons it could solve problems for me and still enable me to get away for a few days with her, which we both enjoy.

As the majority of people in airports are wheeling luggage I think they are aware of everyone else's cases as well as their own.

I'm still looking forward to tips on cutting down on clothes for my next trip!

The only person I have seen with no hand luggage on a long haul flight was DS - he wore cargo pants with pockets filled with everything he needed! This was before the stringent security checks where you have to pile everything into a tray and get it poked around.
However, he did have an enormous backpack in the hold.

Death by lethal luggage…!! Well, that’s a new one - never heard of it before @suelowe.

Why on earth would any sane person struggle to pack the bare minimum for any trip? If I want to pack as much as I can and wheel my 20kg suitcase behind me, then that’s what I will be doing, especially since I’m paying for it. I certainly do not appreciate being told how little I should be taking on my trip, thank you very much!

Surely dog prams MUST be a joke!!??

As none of my luggage, either 2, 4 or no wheels has yet caused the death of anyone to my knowledge, I don't consider them lethal.
However, I would really appreciate some advice on how to manage with 4 kgs of luggage, including the case, when going away for 12 weeks, including a cruise.

suelowe do tell why two wheeled cases are lethal? what dangers do they present? Why carry a case when you can wheel it? even if it only weighs 4kgs. I don't understand!!

Two wheels are lethal to other passengers : many users appear oblivious to the dangers they present .why not NO wheels and only pack essentials . Our bags weigh 4 kgs each when packed !!!

My husband has a 4 wheel one and swears by it, but I am quite happy with my 2 wheel and will stick with it. Reason being that it is fine unless we go on a train or metro where we have to keep our cases near. Mine will stand nice and still by me, but his tends to go scuttling across the carriage, banging into people on the way, so he has to keep a grip on it at all times!

The real problem is that on most luggage wheels are too small to be efficient. Big pushchair sized wheels would be better but not much use as on planes they weigh more.
There is also a problem getting cases up an isle on a train. The trolley cases are more stable when the wheels on the widest part of the case but then it doesn't go up the isle between the seats.
What ever happened to luggage porters?

I just Googled Dog Pram, and saw some pictures. Then there was a link to Mumsnet, where a tale of someone got on a bus with a Dog Pram. When a wheelchair user wanted to board, there was not room. Surely people take preference over a dog? Or am I being silly? Again!

We took two Eminent large cases all round the world on our 'Trip of a Lifetime", (apologies if this sounds like bragging, but the kids told us to spend some of their inheritance!) 22 flights in all and could not have managed with two wheelers with the cabin luggage as well (also four wheels)

Only damage was on a later holiday when Alaska Airlines dropped a ton weight onto one of them and badly cracked it, but the wheels were still on!

What is a " dog pram" please???

Thanks for all that. I have just bought a new two wheeled case to go away this weekend to make it easier. If this fails, then I am going to get a dog pram. Anyone got one of those?

hildajenniJ the whole point of 4 wheels is its the best of both Worlds, you can use it as a 2 wheel when necessary or a 4 wheel when on the flat.

DH and I bought four-wheel cases last week and went to Bruges on Eurostar. They were excellent and so easy to propel along the platforms and on the trains, even the escalators and travellators were no problem. Wouldn't go back to the two-week variety!

They've been to the Antipodes and back three times and round the South Pacific and are still attached to the cases so far (four wheels that is).

Husband refuses to buy four wheels because they're more likely to come off he says.

GreatauntieLinda if you are towing your caravan yourself all kudos to you. It is not a piece of cake and I admire you, both for doing it and going alone. I hope you have a very good and relaxing holiday.

I am ruining my two wheeled luggage, dragging it up and down all the kerbs en-route to my DD's house. Poor thing follows behind me on two trains and a ferry, then I usually walk the mile or so to her house. The bus doesn't connect with the ferry. The footpaths are bumpy and the driveways of the houses interrupt them. A four wheeled suitcase would be no use whatever. If I were just having to roll it around the airport, railway station or city I would go for four wheels every time!

Many thanks for responding everyone. I live near to a Shopping Outlet Village so shall have a look over to the Antler Shop to see if they have any end of season bargains.

Will let you know how I get on. In the meanwhile I am off on my travels to my little touring caravan in north Northumberland. Three nights before the winter sets in.