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HelenB · Moderator

A few tips for you from my learning process
1 Don't panic, take your time when driving and stop if you are not happy about a gap for instance on a narrow road and there is an oncoming vehicle, and size the situation up before edging slowly forwards etc

2 Don't be hurried out of your comfort zone by other drivers queing up behind you, stick to the speed you feel happy with and as soon as you can find a place to pull in and let them by

3 Said it before I know but try to find a large safe area, eg car park that's empty, disused airfield, friendly farmers field and go play with your van, reverse it, 3 point turn it, stick some tyres or something non harmful and drive bewteen them.

4 For your first camp go to a site where there is a few people around and if in any doubt about anything go and ask someone, 99% of MH's are only too willing to help someone, or if you are not too happy about approaching people go and find the warden ( on a CC or CCC site) they are usually very keen to offer help.

5 Agree the Haynes manual is very helpful and as said before ask us, we really are nice people Laughing

mauramac

Actually that does make a whole lot of sense Helen - thanks a lot. I must be losing my power of rational thought because I have given very similar advice in the past to younger members of the family who were struggling with their manouvering when learning to drive. I have even taken my daughter-in-law (a very nervous driver) out to empty supermarket carparks and got her reversing into spaces and parallel parking within no time at all DOH! why didn't I apply same rules to myself?

If anyone should find my common sense could they please return it to me in a plain brown envelope marked private & confidential - a small reward will be given. Embarassed

Thanks again Helen, for being so polite - much appreciated.

SidT

Maura. If there is a HGV training school near you, see if you can have a word with one of the instructers, I know some who do private tuition on their day off/evenings which would probably be at reasonable hourly rates.
personally, reading between the lines a think it is just a lack of confidence, once you have been out on the road you will be fine.

Malc

3

If Pusser parks nearby with his friend who only goes to the loo every 3 months, dont light a match, turn off all naked flames including pilot lights.
Malc

mauramac

Thanks, but if Pusser parks nearby with his stagnated friend I will be off and out of it pretty sharpish

Anonymous

Both the Caravan Club & the Camping & Caravanning Club run courses on towing for the benefit of tuggers but they don't really cover driving a large rigid vehicle.
I think it's just a question of gaining confidence & getting used to the extra width & length of the vehicle - a bit like when you passed your driving test in your driving instructors mini & then went on to buy a 3 litre Jag, or something.
As a long time member of the C & C C I recommend membership of that Club for many reasons & they have a separate section for Motorcaravanners - join a few of their rallies & you will have answers to all your questions.

autostratus · Moderator

Come on now Caz, no advertising the C&CC rallies. Smile

What about the motorhomeFacts rallies hello1

, the answers are there to.

Anonymous

I hope they will be Gillian 'cos I've a few problems I hope someone can help me with at Beverley this weekend!
Confession time - since I changed from a caravan I've only actually been on one C & C C Rally. Been too busy with other things, But we have been on hundreds over the years.

autostratus · Moderator

[quote:75113d01f6="Caz"]
Been too busy with other things, But we have been on hundreds over the years.[/quote:75113d01f6]

Similarly here when we had a caravan.
We rallied with the Lunar owners club for a few years and also rallied with every CC Centre across the Midlands.

We were never interested in getting 'milestone' plaques by rallying with just our registered Centre, Derbyshire (although we live in Leicestershire). We went to rallies where the location took us to pastures new and saw a lot of lovely places off the beaten track.

Ooh! I'm getting all nostalgic. Smile