Questions not asked?
Listening to CL owners who have had to help new M/H owners when they have problems it would seem that many are not asking the right (if any) questions when purchasing their M/H. Such as:-
Where is the spare wheel, the jack, the jacking points, the tow hitch? How do I get off a soft grass pitch, especially when the the wheels keep spinning? Does my driving licence allow me to drive this lovely huge vehicle?
There must be others that are equally important but not asked too.
Comments
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We were all newbies once, I was lucky as my parents were campers and caravaners and passed on much knowledge to us, their offspring. One thing about us caravaners, motorised or otherwise, is that we've always been willing to help those new to our wonderful pastime. Surely this ethos, this spirit hasn't changed, has it?
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I'm a bit puzzled as to why motorhomer would ask a CL owner where their spare wheel would be, and the jacking points. Do lots of motorhomers have punctures on CLs? The other questions also don't quite fit either! And all this posited in the motorhome section by a caravanner!!
Is this a windup nth?
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Perhaps the real problem is the CL owners? If they want to accept motorhomes perhaps it is their responsibility to provide a parking place where a motorhome won't get bogged down and need towing off. They need to accept the conditions required by a motorhome are not the same as a caravan. They are the ones with the intimate knowledge of their CL which you can't expect a visitor to have. If the ground conditions are such perhaps they need to be honest in the description of their CL?
David
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I really think, David, that there are many more newbies out there now in these challenging Covid times. Folk who have vertually no experience what so ever are taking the plunge and looking to others for help, advice and possibly friendly correction. We certainly live in different times as far as holidaying is concerned.
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Not in the least. Talking to a CL owner yesterday who had to try and tow a M/H off an area that they were told not to drive on. They were brand new owners of the M/H and did not know where any of the items I listed were on their unit. The farmer had to show them where the tow hitch was so as to pull them off, and asked if they knew the other bits. All he got was a shake of the head!!
Why shouldn't I post in the M/H section, anyway? Do you know my touring experience, is so, how? I believe that the points I posted were legitimate ones anyway. This is supposed to be an open forum, or so I was lead to believe.
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And a quick piece of advice for any motorhome newbies reading this: your rescue service will find your spare and they'll use their own trolley jack to change the wheel. Can't imagine many motorhomers attempting to jack up their truck by themselves, undo wheel nuts , and struggle with heavy wheels and tyres.
So don't worry, but make sure you can check your tyre pressures and buy a foot pump that'll deal with psi over 60.
And buy a pair of mud mats for when you get stuck on a CL!!
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David, the M/H owner was instructed not to go onto the very area that they did.
My other reply should have read shake, not shame.
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I do notice many more younger folk in camper vans/motorhomes than caravans these days and many more newbies in motorhomes too I guess. Probably down to the dwindling number amongst us with grandfather towing rites. The towing course and legally required test is quite expensive and I'm told there is a considerable waiting time to get on one!
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It’s not a new phenomenon, and it’s certainly not just new owners. Couple of years ago on a grass only CL, North Yorks, we happened to be having a day on Site and watched a couple of caravans with horror. Both turned up, unhooked and immediately set about digging their vans into the soft turf with their motor movers. Neither had checked the ground over, and sadly neither had a tow car capable of extracting their vans. OH rescued both with our Jeep.
Some of the tales that CL owners pass on beggar belief sometimes. We watched another MH owner in South Wales grind his outfit axle deep in mud, didn’t want help (it was offered) so we sat and watched the arrogant so and so. He was still stuck there when we left. No sympathy.
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Some people, motorhomers or not, don't have a clue of anything mechanical. Re the motorhome getting stuck on the soft ground ... the other year we were on a CL when an older woman arrived in a large Hymer type of motor home and tried to pitch it. The ground was wet and very soft, but she drove it with no regard at all of the ground conditions, which were pretty obvious and needless to say got it stuck .... The farmer arrived with his large 4x4 tractor but because of how the motorhome was 'parked' couldn't get to the front to pull it off forwards so he crawled underneath it to attach his slings to the rear axle to pull it off backwards. The woman was clueless as to which way to steer while being rescued.
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I would expect the questions asked on CLs are no different to those that are asked of clubs (both)site staff ,from "newbies"and more "Experianced . any members of the site staff would "advise"they co?uld write a best seller book about members "questions/activities"
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I wonder how many folks who drive cars with optional four wheel drive actually know how to work it. And when........
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or actually need 4 wheel drive .... 😏
I say that & I have permanent 4x4 the option of a front/rear diff lock, hill descent control and a low ratio option that will never really be used 🙄🙄 None of it is of that much use when the car has road tyres fitted.
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We stayed with all terrain. We use the features on ours quite a bit as we do the odd bit of green laning and if it snows......well that’s just playtime. 🤩
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Snow is ok but ice, 4WD means nowt. Once a person susses the ins & outs of 4WD it’s great fun👍🏻. Tugging 2 tonnes of tree from a field was always great fun. Yet I never once drove up to a fielded/forested tree without walking it & working out an exit strategy. That ain’t clever it’s common sense👍🏻
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Common sense is no longer common.It is sadly lacking these days.Back to the original post........I have noticed a dramatic increase in the use of hired motor caravans this year and suspect that the company hiring out may explain a few of the onboard facilities they probably do not give advice on how people should act whilst on site (little things like,ball games near other units,dogs on leads,leaving on site taps partially open ,loud music etc.)As someone has said,the art and licensing for towing has made some go for the motorised version.The ability to camp (illegally) off site is yet another draw for some.
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I don’t think it’s the responsibility of the person renting out a MH to explain site rules to a hirer. That, along with enforcement, falls squarely on the shoulders of the site operator, whether it be a club site or commercial.
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Oh yes, black ice is a killer. Thankfully I have only once hit black ice, lived to tell the tale.😱 OH loves his 4x4s, but then our hobbies have meant having one was a necessity. There’s a fabulous off road centre close to Tong in West Yorks that we have visited a few times, we used to do an annual rally there each year, either camping or with caravan. One year we went to similar near Bewdley. We arrived same time as Air Ambulance, someone had got something badly wrong😕
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As told to me the only difference when driving most 4x4 in poor weather conditions is that the accident is more spectacular as most are fitted with normal road tyres
The best 4x4 we ever had was our Diahatsu Fourtrack a real go anywhere vehicle just a shame they never made a five door version,,apart from our Rover100 it was the only other vehicle we missed
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I am sorry I got it wrong.You are ,of course,correct.Perhaps I should blame Boris because everything is his fault at the moment
(if you read my post you will note that I did not say that the company should explain the etiquette that is expected
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Sir,the 2015 version of the Sorento is a different vehicle altogether.Mine (auto) returns around 24 mpg when towing my 1800 kilo caravan uphill and down dale.The AWD with diff.lock works well when required.Best advice is winter tyres from November to April where I live (Scotland).Winter tyres help greatly with braking distances as well as general grip in cold conditions.
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Thankyou but let's not get political here😀
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I don’t think our dealer mentioned ball games and tethering dogs either.............🤔😂
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Would you and Tinwheeler kindly read exactly what was written!At no point did I suggest that companies who hire out vehicles (or vehicle dealers) should tell people about behaviour on site.The original post was about people asking questions.
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