Narrow roads

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  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,064 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2018 #32

    We decided to take our MH up onto Dartmoor, a place we know well. We got up onto Moor no problem via Tavistock, although it's tight in places there close to town. We had a lovely day motoring around, doing this and that. Our normal route off would be via Widecombe and past Haytor into Bovey Tracey, but we knew Widecombe was impassable in MH, so looked at map and came off close to Ashburton. We had to breathe in at certain points, seriously tight even in our little outfit, but we did it. There are roads on there tight for a normal car. With a big MH you definitely wouldn't go far from either A30 or A38! 

    So far, Cornwall has been the only place we have had to rethink our routes to some of our favourite places, but another tip is to look for caravan sites on OS maps. If a site is on there, it means there is a route through! Porthleven, past the little town hall with its tower is a killer route CY, well done on getting through there! surprised

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2018 #33

    the short answer is 'it doesnt'

    the only width parameters known to a satnav are the specific 'narrow road' classification where a with restriction of (say) 6' 6" might be in force.

    then there is the definition of waht I'd too narrow for typical 2.35m wide MH? is it 3m (for single track navigation), 6m+ (to allow easy passage of two such vehicles?.....or anything in between or either side?

    the reason most DHL type vans don't have issues when travelling 'narrow' country lanes is that the driver doesn't give a monkey's if he whacks a bush or a wall, whereas the poor MHer has she'll put stacks on his latest pride and joy and would probably have apoplexy attemting the same manoeuvres....

    stick to major roads where possible, set satnav to fastest and use site directions where given...

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,149 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2018 #34

    People tend to forget that farm vehicles and HGVs and some busses are frequent users of many moorland roads - not all, granted. It’s a fair bet that if there’s a farm at the end of a lane you’ll get through but watch out for your fibreglass body shells!

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2018 #35

    I bumped our car a few weeks ago when I met two enormous haylage  trailers leaving a field after harvesting. I had to reverse up a bank round some road works on a single track lane. One of the problems for drivers is meeting very large farm machinery or tankers and the farm vehicles can't be expected to back up, it will be you doing it, not them. Down here in the SW we have very narrow lanes away from A roads, often steeply banked. If there is any doubt about a route take a look at streetview before starting off and note passing places, field gates etc where reversing may be possible. If your reversing skills aren't up to a long or blind reverse think carefully about how you'd tackle a route.

    At the moment potatoes and maize our being lifted and cut. By the end of the month things will be a bit easier. smile

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,064 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2018 #36

    Have to agree with that BB, delivery vans and buses don't usually belong to the drivers! 

    Slightly off topic but similar vein.........what are small scale maps like for other countries? I know my OH said he appreciated our OS maps, after he spent weeks climbing mountains in South of Spain and on Majorca.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited September 2018 #37

    There other downside of that road past the harbour at Porthleven is the rustic stone slab surface which does add to the rattles.

  • Hallsontour
    Hallsontour Forum Participant Posts: 199
    edited September 2018 #38

    I would never rely on a sat nav believe me!  However, I'd been led to believe that the Caravan Club sat nav that I've recently been given, won't take you under bridges too small for you, over bridges that are too narrow/won't hold your weight, and doesn't take you down roads signed posted 'not recommended for...' such as steep hills where caravans are prohibited. In other words if there is a sign post on the road to warn you about something the sat nav should act upon it. Any other roads and you're fair game like a normal sat nav. This should reduce embarrassing moments down by a few percent.

    In addition, this particular sat nav is loaded with all the caravan club sites with the correct instructions of how to approach each site, unlike a normal sat nav. Therefore if you search for a particular site and not just a post code it'll take you there safely. (Fingers crossed)

    I MUST stress that I haven't tested these theories out yet, my first tester is soon and I will be using my directions and paper maps too. The above advantages of this particular sat nav were only explained to me by the person who kindly gave us it as they no longer have any use for it.

    Happy touring! 😎

     

     

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,431 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2018 #39

    slightly (perhaps totally) off topic but was reading a book last night that said that the sat nav knows that it's internal clock is 'ticking' at a different rate to the satellite's clock in computing where you are!  

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,582
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    edited September 2018 #40

    If you plan your route in advance then Google Earth will show you if a route is suitable, and will help you see what you need to look out for when approaching the site entrance.

  • bandgirl
    bandgirl Forum Participant Posts: 440
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    edited September 2018 #41

    We have one of the (often much maligned) versions of the Caravan Club (as it was then) Sat Navs.  The “by the book” directions have never let us down in the UK, and in France.  The only problem we had is the approach to Delftse Hout, Netherlands, where you actually have to virtually drive into Ikea car park.  It’s user error that’s occasionally caused us to go the wrong way.  Don’t use post codes, as that’s almost guaranteed to cause trouble.  If your destination isn’t already “plumbed in” to the Sat Nav, use the co-ordinates.  They’ll come up on Google maps if you don’t already have them.