New to motor homes - here’s some helpful advice
Driving Licence
Holders of a UK Category B driving licences obtained prior to 1 January 1997 may drive a motor home up to 7500 kgs gross mass, Category B licences obtained after that date restrict holders to motor homes less than 3500 kgs unless a LGV licence has been obtained.
Easy to drive
All our Motorhomes have power steering, the gear lever is a stubby stick conveniently positioned on the dash. The first thing you notice though is the high driving position which gives you every opportunity to be able to anticipate road conditions ahead; to judge bends and braking more easily. There is plenty of height and recline adjustment to the seat and you generally adopt a more upright and relaxed driving position.
You are bigger than a car and need to move out a little to the middle of the road to avoid overhanging trees on the nearside and move over a bit more to avoid the odd cyclist and car when overtaking. Take a bigger swing when manoeuvring but you will be surprised at the turning circle which beats some 4x4’s.
Reversing is always best done with a passenger on the ground or for you to get out and make your own check before starting.
Keep your speed steady until you gain confidence and remember relax you are on holiday. Car transporters create dirty air when they overtake on the motorway and they are the worst but just Your mirrors become your best friend they are big and you should check they are correctly positioned to allow you to scan them easily to spot fast approaching traffic. Motor homes have limited through-vision and some none at all so you soon start to rely on the mirrors.
Motor homes are easy to drive but different to a car, Take things at a steadier pace and try to anticipate braking and cornering to make the journey more comfortable and reduce the number of complaints from the navigators.
Traffic Rules
Make sure that you understand parking restrictions, and what 'double yellow lines' and 'single yellow lines' mean. The speed limits for our motor homes are not the same as cars. Motor homes over 3500 kgs have some minor restrictions.
70 mph is the maximum on motorways but on dual carriageways the maximum is restricted to 60 mph and to 50 mph on single carriageways, unless there signs which display specific speed restrictions. Beware there has been an increase in the number of speed camera used on major roads and motorways.
Roads
There is no 'toll charge' to pay on British motorways, except the M4 Severn Bridge into Wales, the Humber Bridge near Hull, the M25 Dartford Tunnel and the M6 near Birmingham.
All motorways have emergency telephones every kilometre. There are markers every tenth of a Km. which also point to the nearest phone. The phone operator will obtain help or use you mobile. Park as close to the edge of the 'hard shoulder' as possible. It is safer to wait outside the motor home, on the grass banks as far away from the traffic lanes as possible.
You must not stop on a motorway, except in an emergency.
Small coastal and country roads get congested during the holiday periods and you have to be more aware of narrow bridges and roadside hedges as the motor home is wider than a normal car. Also beware low bridges or anything where access is restricted to 10 feet high or 6 feet 6 inches wide. You are too big.
Motor home fuel for your journey
The motor homes have diesel engines - please be careful as most garages have multi-fuel pumps. The diesel pipe is usually black and it is an expensive repair if the wrong fuel is pumped into the tank.
A good place to fill up your motor home with fuel is at supermarkets, which have good access as they are often on the outskirts of a town and provide easy parking. Diesel is often cheapest at supermarkets.. Please note that in Britain, motorway service stations are occasionally some distance apart, usually they are approximately every 25 miles but occasionally as far as 50 miles apart.
Parking a Motor home
Motor home parking in the centre of most big towns is difficult and best avoided. Motor homes cannot be parked in multi-storey car parks. Parking in central London is very difficult if not impossible as you have to find available street parking. We suggest that you do not even attempt to travel round London but park on the outskirts and use public transport.
The most convenient place to park are large supermarkets and railway stations as they are well signposted, generally they have easy access and are within walking distance of town centres. Some car park areas have height restrictions and you cannot get into anything less than 10 feet.
Choosing overnight pitches
It is generally recommended to use hard standing when available. The motor homes are generally front wheel drive and easily loose grip on wet grass and if the ground is soft you might find you will sink in a little.
Motorhome Safety
All our motor homes are fitted with seat belts for passengers and the driver. It is illegal to exceed the gross mass of the vehicle - which is the sum of the mass of the vehicle, the mass of the passengers and the payload. The maximum payload including passengers is shown in the description of the models.
You must turn off the gas at the bottle before traveling and are advised to bring your own first aid kit.
Planning
You will need a scale of 3 miles to 1 inch/2 kilometers to 1 cm. It is worth booking the first night camp site in advance.
“Wild camping” is not strictly legal as technically you should always seek the landowner’s permission to stay overnight but as long as you are not blocking a gateway or causing a nuisance we have stayed at some great rest areas, viewpoints or beach areas without problem.
Overnight halts are allowed in Motorway service areas in the heavy goods vehicle but it can be noisy at all hours. Fire regulations do not permit use of gas appliances. A cost quoted for Moto service areas, ranges from £5-£10 per night and sometimes includes breakfast vouchers. Welcome Break and Road Chef do not publish their charges.
Water
Our Luxury motor homes have an on-board fresh water tank, approximately 120 litres will last between two and four days before refilling. Gauges on board will indicate when you are running low and you can fill up at sites or garages. A water waste tank is also on-board and needs to be emptied when you fill up with fresh water. Both motor home water tanks have a similar capacity.
The toilet has a separate cartridge tank which must be emptied into an appropriate chemical disposal point or WC. A formaldehyde based fluid or “green” fluid must be added to the cassette when it has been emptied. The fluid is a de-odoriser and does not adversely affect sewage systems.
Fridge
The fridge operates on gas, or 12 / 240 volt electricity. The 12 volt motor home fridge feed is only available when the engine is running and current is supplied directly from the alternator. Once on site if you are hooked up to mains switch to 240 volt supply if you are on a site with no mains hook up or parked during your journey switch to gas.
If you are planning a long trip on a ferry you will not be able to power the fridge but for a one or two hour crossing the high level of insulation of the fridge will keep your refrigerated contents cool.
Destinations
There are many places in the UK and Europe to explore on bikes, be it little towns and villages or for the more adventurous, mountain biking in the Highlands of Scotland.
Staying in hotels close to amusement parks can be extremely expensive, especially if you are taking the whole family along. It’s also useful to be able to take ‘time out’ during the day to let the children have a sleep. Why not try one of our motor homes instead?
Suggestions:
Alton Towers, Staffordshire
Britain’s most popular theme park with over 100 rides including ‘Oblivion’, the world’s first vertical drop rollercoaster.
Disneyland Paris
A short trip across the channel, either by ferry or Eurotunnel, and then a scenic drive across France to the capital, Paris. Disneyland Paris has all the magic you would expect from Disney, with lots of rides and attractions to amaze the whole family.
Why not take a motor home and visit the ski fields of Europe. All motor homes are fully winterised and designed to be completely self sufficient. Hot water, central heating and running water, all without the need for dedicated amenities. The vans have ample storage space for ski gear, and a good sized seating area for meals and a beer.
If you are planning to visit the UK or Europe, traveling via motor home is an excellent way to see the sites. All motor homes comply with all European regulations. The motor homes offer a base for your belongings and your itinerary can be as flexible as you want it to be. You won’t need to eat in restaurants all the time, because you can stock up the fridge and eat what and when you want.
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