Do women drive motorhomes that often, if not why not?

[KiwiKampers]

You is a brave man. have you got your tin hat ready for the incoming?.

I is a woman and I’ve got my handbag ready for the incoming.?

 

[PeteH]

I is a woman and I’ve got my handbag ready for the incoming.?

Good backhand?.

 

[Nanniemate]

Here we go first response.....my mother would have said you were looking with your eyes closed (often to my dad)
My 2nd weekend away 5 campers wild camping on the seafront, 3 of the campers not only had women drivers but they were all travelling alone.
In answer to your question why?
Why not sit back enjoy the ride and let the 'superior driver take control' He's happy being alfa male and she's enjoying the ride without the 'side seat driver' who can always do it better. Maybe it is the route to happiness in a campervan,
My mother rarely drove but could reverse it into a gap 1st time every time (if father was not directing) and without cameras or sensors. She had 2 speeds 'doddery old dear' or 'Stirling Moss' both of them terrifying. When asked why wouldn't she drive her response would be 'we have been married for over 50 years its easier not to.' With a knowing look...…...….I am sure there are many who would understand

 

[Nanniemate]

I didn’t have a choice as my other half died in a RTA exactly a week after buying our first motorhome. ( RTA didn’t involve motorhome) I drove it back to the UK, then back to SW France a few months later. Sold it and it took me a few years to buy another but when I did I then travelled around a bit of France and quite a bit of the UK.
I’ve seen plenty of women driving motor homes in the UK. In fact stopped yesterday to let a lady driving a huge Moho out of the very tight exit of the local Sainsbury’s petrol station.
I’m beginning to think could I manage another motorhome, if I bought a very small one......

 

[Nanniemate]

Get yourself a panel van conversion small efficient drives like a car and Ideal for singles. I have driven large vehicles for years but my camper is great fun. Come out and join us.

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[Nanniemate]

Hire a MH and go away for the weekend practice on the hire van then yours will be easier (and dent free) any oops happen in the hire van good luck and have fun

 

[DDJC]

Hire a MH and go away for the weekend practice on the hire van then yours will be easier (and dent free) any oops happen in the hire van good luck and have fun

Agree with this. Hire first.

Our first MH trip was in a hire bus (only because the dealer took 10 (count 'em) months to deliver) and it taught us exactly what we did and, equally importantly, what we didn't want in our bus. Like, we decided we did want aircon, dual fuel boiler, pull out awning and a spare wheel and didn't want a gas convector heater, manual gearbox or to turn the lounge into a bed every night.

We took it about 2200 miles in three weeks and the gearbox was noticeably clunkier than when we picked it up. Didn't prang it or anything, but little things fell off, or bent, or disappeared. The number of times, I got a pocket caught on the flaming handbrake as I got out.

Learned so much about the differences between tugging a 7m caravan and driving a 7m moho.

 

[movan]

Now I am not familiar with all models of motorhome, but maybe some have the handbrake on the ceiling?
All the ones that I have seen have the handbrake on the floor, so being relatively short should give one the advantage of being closer to the handbrake than those lanky types who have to stretch downwards. Or have I missed something crucial?

When I bought current van I thought my handbrake broken.. Not impressed.. Then was shown it was a drop-down handbrake.

 

[tacr2man]

Driving a large vehicle is more a self confidence issue rather than anything gender related . I have had occasion to employ a lot of drivers over the years , for varying sizes of vehicles , the worst was a woman , and also one of the absolute best .

 

[Sunnyb]

Mrs SB here. Me and Mr SB try to share the driving. I admit I am happier driving our current Hymervan 572 3 berth as it is smaller than our previous Knaus Sun (something - sorry can't remember the model - Mr SB will!) but I did drive the Knaus too although only on big roads. I must be honest the lack of women drivers is something I myself have commented on I have actually noticed that so don't believe it is a sexist comment, more of an observation - in my personal experience only I would have put it as low as 2 in 10. It's certainly puzzled me because it's not lack of ability as nearly every gigantic horsebox I see is driven by a woman, to the point I wonder why men don't drive horseboxes (I know, women and horses, I get it). The more I drive the van the more confident I get - as someone else said, the steering can be as light as a car so you have to remind yourself it isn't as small as a car! Well I do. I intend to keep driving ours but must be honest I wouldn't want to go much bigger - but that's more because of the limitations that can place on where you can go/park.

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[makems]

My wife did all the driving in our motorhomes over an 8 year period because my eyesight is not good nough to drive.
She drove all over Europe and Morocco.
Our last moho was a 9m Burstner Elegance which she was able to manoevre into and out of some pretty tight spaces.
Its all a matter of confidence.

 

[Neil Bedwin]

My wife does most of the driving of our 7m mh and that suits us both.... I'm lazy! She loves driving it and I like navigating.

Makes me laugh when she leans over to check her hair in the 'mirror' only to remember it's a rear view camera screen

 

[Sucoz]

I don't think the OP is stereotyping, I think statistically there are far more men who drive their motorhomes than women, although I am starting to see more women driving large vehicles.
I now drive our motorhome most of the time as my husband doesn't like motorway driving. However, it was forced upon me, my main concern was the width and worry about damaging it.
Now I quite enjoy driving it.
I think it's perceived by many ( men and women) that only men are capable of driving large vehicles. It's up to women drivers to change that perception.
Go on girls, give it a go!

 

[The Dobbsters]

Still trying to summon up some confidence to have a go, so may just take my coffee and crochet out and sit, just sit mind, in the drivers seat.......
oh darn it- no coffee cup holder......?
@sucos-don't want to damage mine either!

 

[Sucoz]

Just like to add I'm only 5ft and my feet reach the peddles ? ( Burstner Aviano--no problem)

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[The Dobbsters]

Doh, so i have no excuse for not trying then have i?? well your gentle confidence building is starting to inspire me........almost finished my coffee too, can't be seen to be letting the wimmins down now can i?

 

[Southdowners]

Just realised that my post about my difficulty depressing the clutch and reaching for the gear lever didn’t make sense. The difficulty I had was because the vehicle was a LHD and the stretch across when depressing the clutch with left leg and reaching over to the right was the problem.

I don’t want any ladies to be put off driving because of size!

 

[The Dobbsters]

Well, turns out that i can reach the pedals and more awkwardly the handbrake! I drove Dobby for about 15 mins and the sky didn't fall in so giving myself just a weeny pat on the back ?

 

[Soots]

It's sexist nowadays to recognise men and women are different ?

Are we the same?!

 

[MikenPauline]

Ann will never drive the van, it's not that she's a bad driver, she suffers from lack of confidence and goes to pieces at the mere thought of it.
Even driving the car she thinks I'm watching her like an examiner ? and I'm not at all. I'm so laid back I'm virtually horizontal ?

I’m (Pauline) exactly the same as Ann. I only drive Michael anywhere in the car when he’s had a few too many drinks. I wish I had the confidence some women have to drive their motorhome.

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[DaveFromBarrow]

We were very disappointed to discover, after buying our 2008 Apache, that my 5’ 3/4” other half can’t safely reach the pedals! I guess it’s the extra padding in the seats but no amount of adjustment gives us a safe position.

d

 

[olley]

Wife drives the autocruise as often as I do, unfortunately she has absolutely no sense of direction, so I have to navigate for her, but as she claims she can't read a map, she snoozes while i drive.

 

[Jonno1103]

We've both always shared the driving and the missus is a better navigator than me. With the cars there's no his n hers, we just pick the one which is closest to the front door or whichever set of keys is handiest.

 

[the1andonly]

My chaufeur hated towing a caravan but had no problem towing the folding camper nor the toad after the fist tentative 10 minutes. just a question of confidence and adjustment. She moaned about having to drive such a big vehicle (the Bongo) until i reminded her it was a inch shorter and narrower than our old A6. She had to ferry me around for 13 years as i refused to learn to drive a car until 35 and 2 sons (bike rider). Her "biggest"(5'2 and 3quarters) problem is getting into the van , hence addition of running board. (alternative is the hab door). She moans about the handbrake less than me (also uses it less than me). Strange thought just came into my head , we both came from families where the mother was the only driver.

 

[scotzsue]

We were very disappointed to discover, after buying our 2008 Apache, that my 5’ 3/4” other half can’t safely reach the pedals! I guess it’s the extra padding in the seats but no amount of adjustment gives us a safe position.

d

Am the same height or was before i started to shrink had no problems in our 09 Swift and 08 CI but strugggled a little in our 14 Laika, the Laika seats are a little bit higher than the seats in the others. Was surprised as I had had no problems on the test drive, then remembere it was winter and I had been wearing wedge heeled boots only about 5cm but enough to make a difference.
Had a back support in my Vauxhall sitting unused at home the backrest, had changed cars, find I can reach perfectly well using that, might be worth a try. (Size 3-4 feet)
Oh and I do most of the driving but less now as we have an auto gearbox, better for John's hip.

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[Sapper520]

My wife is yet to drive our van (20 months of ownership) as she would rather do her crafting, on the journey, than drive the van.

She drives the car, and has done all over Europe……but is quite happy for me to do the driving…..which I’m happy to do.

However, given the choice she would rather ride her motorcycle anywhere……which she continues to do. We’ve been all over the UK and Europe on them.

 

[Nanniemate]

We were very disappointed to discover, after buying our 2008 Apache, that my 5’ 3/4” other half can’t safely reach the pedals! I guess it’s the extra padding in the seats but no amount of adjustment gives us a safe position.

d

Blocks on the pedals work but there must be an issue with the seat I'm just over 5 foot no problems. Is it a swivel seat they may be higher but it should still adjust

 

[Richard n Ann]

Are we the same?!

No, not in my opinion. But we should have the same opportunities

 

[Grasmere9]

I am the main driver of our Arto and him indoors is co pilot...in fact he rarely gets to drive!!

 

[Itsmcb]

Ooo, a revived 596 thread. I do miss his (?) outrageous posts sometimes

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