Feeling MHoming is more like a trucker?

[nicholsong]

I have never professionally operated HGV, only 7.5t.

However when on main roads/Mways on the continent when making passage I feel that we operate more like an HGV, of course no Tach nor paperwork, but these similarities:-

1. We drive in lane 1 at 90-95kpm, except when there is a hill coming and one of the HGVs in front might be slow then I speed up to stay in 5th.

2 At 7m we park in HGV spaces at service areas, also gives Basia a chance to speak Polish.

3 At ports we are parked and loaded with HGVs and get EHU. [not same at Dover]

4 Although not on Tacho we tend to keep to their sort of breaks.

5 Around roundabouts we use the same speeds for stability.

6 Where available we use 'Les Routiers'

I have not worked out whether on the Adriatic ferries with Camping on Board the truckers sleep in their cabs or they use a cabin paid for by the company - anyone know?

Do other members feel like this?

 

[WESTY66]

Some of it except…

I don’t stay in lane one

I don’t drive at 90-95kmh all the time

I don’t like taking breaks, I like to get where I’m going I.e Rotterdam- Austria having a solitary 15 min stop to make a cuppa.

Even though I’m 5t I think I’m 3.5t know what I mean

 

[funflair]

And do you pee againsts your own wheel or in the bushes Geoff?

 

[Jenka]

Ive been in road haulage for 40years and can honestly say none ofvthe above

 

[nicholsong]

And do you pee againsts your own wheel or in the bushes Geoff?

In the 'disabled' of course.

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[Burgo]

... and eat nothing but Full Englishes and Yorkie Bars..

 

[monzer]

Both sets of motorists pee in a plastic container but we don't throw ours out the window after.

 

[iandsm]

I have never professionally operated HGV, only 7.5t.

However when on main roads/Mways on the continent when making passage I feel that we operate more like an HGV, of course no Tach nor paperwork, but these similarities:-

1. We drive in lane 1 at 90-95kpm, except when there is a hill coming and one of the HGVs in front might be slow then I speed up to stay in 5th.

2 At 7m we park in HGV spaces at service areas, also gives Basia a chance to speak Polish.

3 At ports we are parked and loaded with HGVs and get EHU. [not same at Dover]

4 Although not on Tacho we tend to keep to their sort of breaks.

5 Around roundabouts we use the same speeds for stability.

6 Where available we use 'Les Routiers'

I have not worked out whether on the Adriatic ferries with Camping on Board the truckers sleep in their cabs or they use a cabin paid for by the company - anyone know?

Do other members feel like this?

At 6.4 mtrs I wouldn't dream of parking in an HGV space especially when there arn't many available . I think it better to take 1.5 car spaces than seriously P off am HGV driver since I am driving my camper for pleasure and they are doing a job of work, and not an easy one at that. I do tend to cruise at 65/70 on appropriate roads and as for roundabouts I use whatever sped is appropriate and I am not adverse to the occasional Les Routiers so long as I can park in a non HGV space, failing that It's Mac D or Burger King.

 

[EuroTrotters]

I will drive anything !

It’s other drivers that hate motorhomers

 

[Just smiffy]

I drive how I like but I have more consideration for lorries then cars….

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[Wh05apk]

Both sets of motorists pee in a plastic container but we don't throw ours out the window after.

Speak for yourself

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Park anywhere when in motorway services as I have found that HGV drivers will do the same and use up about 10 parking bays even if there are spaces on the lorry park
I use any lane that I can and have had the van up to Warp factor 2 (75mph) in certain conditions

And will only pee over Carthargo wheels

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

Don't forget your yellow lucozade in plastic bottles to distribute around the countryside.

 

[WESTY66]

Don't forget your yellow lucozade in plastic bottles to distribute around the countryside.

You mean “Truckers Tizer”

 

[nicholsong]

At 6.4 mtrs I wouldn't dream of parking in an HGV space especially when there arn't many available . I think it better to take 1.5 car spaces than seriously P off am HGV driver since I am driving my camper for pleasure and they are doing a job of work, and not an easy one at that. I do tend to cruise at 65/70 on appropriate roads and as for roundabouts I use whatever sped is appropriate and I am not adverse to the occasional Les Routiers so long as I can park in a non HGV space, failing that It's Mac D or Burger King.

Usually the signs on thhe continent direct HGVs, caravans and coaches to the same area. In car parking areas the spaces face the kerb and are too short for our 7m MH which would protrude into the roadway and by one finds that out there is n way to get to the other area.

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[funflair]

Usually the signs on thhe continent direct HGVs, caravans and coaches to the same area. In car parking areas the spaces face the kerb and are too short for our 7m MH which would protrude into the roadway and by one finds that out there is n way to get to the other area.

To answer your question Geoff yes sometimes we do end up parking with the trucks if it is the only available space, in the UK we know a few of the services and some have caravan spots that we are OK getting in and others it is all in with the trucks but if it is busy we are in and out pretty quick and apart from anything else they often stink, as far as using appropriate lanes in Germany etc I do get confused as to whether we are to follow truck restrictions or not there seems to be that many slightly different signs, sometimes when trucks are restricted to lane one and nose to tail for miles so if I see other big vans in with them I do join them sometimes.

 

[Flairy]

I’ve never gone that slow on autobahns except in speed limits average 65mph .most modern motorhomes ie concord morelo flair whistle past us but we’ve only got 128hp wish I had 200+.

 

[scotjimland]

Never felt like a "trucker" but I did feel like a coach driver when I had Georgieboy, my 36ft USRV.. often referred to as 'coaches' by US owners ..and for good reason..

It was the size of a coach, it looked like a coach, I used coach parking places and
HGV pumps in service stations..

Loved driving it.. with a 5.9lt Cummins straight six engine with Alison auto-transmission pushing it along.. it also sounded like a luxury coach.. it was a dream to drive.. still miss it..

On the road .. south of Paris, heading for Mimizan 2008

 

[ChesterB]

Driving the MH is about the only time I will ever consider using the nearside (Death) lane on the "Smart" motorways, as I can at least see a fair distance ahead, but I have noticed that even some lorry drivers will avoid using the nearside lane these days.
As to speed, 65mph on the level seems to balance time and fuel economy fairly well.
Cb.

 

[Carpmart]

Driving the MH is about the only time I will ever consider using the nearside (Death) lane on the "Smart" motorways, as I can at least see a fair distance ahead, but I have noticed that even some lorry drivers will avoid using the nearside lane these days.
As to speed, 65mph on the level seems to balance time and fuel economy fairly well.
Cb.

Interesting post, are you suggesting that you do not drive on the left all the time and only use the other lanes for overtaking?

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[WESTY66]

Interesting post, are you suggesting that you do not drive on the left all the time and only use the other lanes for overtaking?

I wish they would come down hard on people not using the left hand lane, it just defeats the objective of having an extra lane!
I also wish they would do away with not so smart motorways, I witnessed a HGV ignoring two red crosses then doing an emergency pull out!!
If you’re concentrating you can see ahead!
I’ve witnessed a lady driver driving in the OUTSIDE lane of an empty M62! I thought I’d try and coax her into the inner lane, so I went behind, flashed lights, she pulled into lane 2, I overtook pulled into lane one and she promptly pulled back into outside lane (yes it was a British car) sometimes I despair at the standard of driving in the U.K.

 

[Xian's Shelby]

sometimes I despair at the standard of driving in the U.K.

I despair at the standard of many things in the UK - but let's not begin a list !

 

[Littlewheels]

When in the EU if you have height 3.5+ you are pretty much directed to the HGV parking and generally they are vast areas with easy parking.

 

[Carpmart]

When in the EU if you have height 3.5+ you are pretty much directed to the HGV parking and generally they are vast areas with easy parking.

Increasingly it’s less than 3.5m; actually as low as 3.0m, but very typically 3.3m… most annoying as we are 3.35m and it means accessing LPG (GPL) can be difficult.

 

[CAB96]

Interesting post, are you suggesting that you do not drive on the left all the time and only use the other lanes for overtaking?

Some of the road surfaces in Lane 1 on the smart sections of the M6 are so poor that unless it's busy, I will avoid and use Lane 2.

Some of it feels so destabilising, with the barrier a couple of feet away I've been genuinely concerned I might be pitched into it.

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[Barclaybasher]

I try and match truck speeds in lane 1, neither overtaking nor slowing them down.

If I see a long hill ahead I will speed up and take a run at the hill, overtaking traffic if necessary otherwise I lose speed near the top

 

[Just smiffy]

Some of the road surfaces in Lane 1 on the smart sections of the M6 are so poor that unless it's busy, I will avoid and use Lane 2.

Some of it feels so destabilising, with the barrier a couple of feet away I've been genuinely concerned I might be pitched into it.

I do a fair bit of that here in Spain….

 

[The POPs]

I have a 4.2 ton Carthago Motor Home,
3.1 metres high with Solar Panels, 7.4 Metres long and 2.3 Metres Wide.

Whilst on British Number Plates, My V5 clearly showed HGV and I needed a C1 to drive it. (Now on Portuguese number plates, I had to jump through hoops to keep my C1, but that is another story).
* I seem to remember that HGV on heavy motorhomes got better Tax, but some might correct me on that !

 

[Simon G]

Since being based in NZ where the national speed limit is 100kph (62mph...), in UK/Europe I now happily sit the moho at 60mph on cruise control... I've always used the left-most lane available (sound of halo being polished). And I'm glad we have a PCV and can use the 2.0m lane through roadworks! S'funny how many folk slow down behind a vehicle in lane in front then speed up when the front vehicle pulls in, rather than pulling out to pass; then they come past you when you pull back in. Played that cat'
n'mouse game with one driver for many miles last summer.

BTW, when I was UK resident I used to drive (sensibly) on motorways at 80-85; is it my imagination or has the typical motorway speed dropped in the last few years?

 

[Rob Turner]

When I drove trucks In the 90s we would always have a cabin when crossing the Adriatic, whether it be Bari - Patras or Patras - Ancona.

The only problem was when you got to your cabin you’d sometimes find a stinking Turkish driver in there hoping he’d be able to share as their companies would never pay for the luxury.
A quick call to the Purser and they’d drag em out.

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