Caravans and camper vans, please explain
First off this is not a dig but sure some will take the opportunity to do so but need educating.
Caravans, I don't like them, hold up traffic, weave on motorways etc but I do understand them and why people go caravaning, drop it off in some field and use the car to go to town, pub, dogging, whatever caravaners do.
Camper vans and motorhomes, big caravan with an engine and a steering wheel, great again I understand them, you take your smaller version of home on holiday with you, makes sense and know people retired that sold their home, toured Europe for 12 months, came back sold it and bought a smaller retirement house, great idea, even with a motorcycle or push bikes on the back so you can go and peddle to previous said places..... can you see where I am going with this and why I am now confused,
What I don't understand and need help with is when I see a motor home towing a bloody great car like I've seen several times today whilst heading to Exmoor on the bike, I know the answer is... go to were you want to be then use the car to go to previous stated places...... but that's what you do with a bloody caravan, drop it off and use the car!!! so what's the point!!! 2 lots of road tax, fuel, insurance etc etc just so you can do what you would in the car if you towed a caravan... ps spelling and grammar police, go swivel :). Guess I woke up Mr Grumpy followed by miles and miles of following a motor home trying to be shagged by a Ford Focus over Exmoor.
Last edited by Frankie169; 19th August 2017 at 16:52.
Generalising here, but perhaps because motorhomes tend to be the choice of retired people? So with advancing age maybe they are less likely to feel confident of driving a large vehicle in cities and around country lanes? Never really questioned it but yes, there does seem to be a lot of these motorhomes+car combinations nowadays - and a lot of them seem to be coming to Devon!
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
There a damned nuisance, blocking the place up. On a b/h weekend the A55 is like caravan car park.
Last edited by sestrel; 19th August 2017 at 17:54.
Like Ralphy said.
Easier to drive than towing a caravan and small car handy for shopping and parking in towns (which may well be difficult with motor-home).
See them a lot in France, perhaps a ruse to save on the tolls!
Surely better than caravans?Originally Posted by sestrel
I get it, mostly it's big motorhomes towing something like a Smart Car, which makes sense if your site's somewhere in the middle of Cornwall and you're planning a day trips to places like St. Ives.
I like the idea of owning a VW camper for a night or two away. Caravanning or camping for a week though loses its appeal.
I'd suggest if folk are going away for a while they don't want to be pitching/packing up to go day tripping so they take a little car. However if you're away for a short period or just want to drive to a beauty spot for the day and sit in the back and chill you're not going to do that with a caravan.
You're riding a bike, avatar suggests Ducati and you get stuck behind a motorhome?
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Thats what I meant, but not communicated well, due to cooking the tea and a glass of wine.
Yes a Ducati, but over the moors in narrow lanes there's just not room to go by safely specially with sheep along the road side, I do try and keep my sensible hat on occassionly. Not a problem in other areas but don't fancy having a sheep as a pillion
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And the road surfaces are often poor, slope off sharp into the verge/hedge.
What's so hard to understand ?
You have a large motor home to cover long distances in comfort, at your own pace.
Most tourist hot spots are also parking black spots.
Jump in the smartcar and go enjoy a long lunch or dinner in town.
Small cars have minimal road tax, cheap insurance and minimal fuel consumption as they are towed by thunderbird 2.
I ride in Europe every year, and I would love to be able to tow a light sports bike behind my tourer.
The best bike for the journey is not the best bike to enjoy when you get there.
I ride in Europe every year, and I would love to be able to tow a light sports bike behind my tourer.
The best bike for the journey is not the best bike to enjoy when you get there.[/QUOTE]
Oh, I don't know, did Spain, France and Italy with wife on my Faultistrada DVT in July and had a lot of fun when we got there, specially around Menton and Sospel when wife was on the beach, dropped her off at Nice airport and I rode back on my own via route Napoleon. Only bike for me after 35 years of trying all sorts, and surprisingly enough being Italian nothing has fallen off or packed in despite 5000 miles in the 3 1/2 months unlike my last 3.
Last edited by Frankie169; 19th August 2017 at 21:36.
Got caught in the aftermath of a wobble box accident this afternoon on the M5 coming back from Yorkshire.
Hate the bloody things.
Be glad you're NOT in America. Over there they tend to tow anything that moves, including triple-towing, not to mention they have behemoth RVs
Vacation anyone?Results of cheap gas and crimson collars galore. Be glad they didn't build a bridge across the pond just yet.
Be glad you're NOT in America. Over there they tend to tow anything that moves, including triple-towing, not to mention they have behemoth RVs
Vacation anyone?
Oh god , the horror!!!!
That reminds me of the German motor home towing porsche 911 and a speedboat.
Maybe it's just me then but I look at those American shots and wish I had the opportunity to do that. Driving my mega Camper down to the lakes with my speedboat and dune buggy hooked up for a couple of weeks of playing about in the sun. What's not to like? Our mundane lives pass very quickly and anything that injects some fun like this would be a very welcome break from work.
Caravans are a lot of work to set up and to drive with, particularly for elderly people. With a motorhome you pull up, pull on the handbrake, hook up the power and make a cup of tea. :0)
You'd never get a couple of weeks of sun in the lakes anyway
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
USA big place, big roads, UK, not so much.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Exactly.
Giant rigs like those shown above are easier to navigate around large open highways.
Take your whole house and vehicle fleet anywhere you want to visit, of course the gas prices are much more reasonable too.
Funny thing is all I seem to hear is Americans moaning about the price of gas.
Cheers,
Neil.
Guess because they have had it dirt cheap since the 30's
My car couldn't tow a caravan, and if you're going to spend 3 months in France, may as well do it in a convertible
Fully agree - but can you imagine any of those fitting down the country lanes in leafy UK countryside?.
Exactly.
Giant rigs like those shown above are easier to navigate around large open highways.
Take your whole house and vehicle fleet anywhere you want to visit, of course the gas prices are much more reasonable too.
Funny thing is all I seem to hear is Americans moaning about the price of gas.As well as because they are still far behind Europe, or ahead, depending how you look at it when it comes to average engine displacement and the accompanying mileage they get. All that heavy towing could not be accomplished on your average French/Italian petrol-sipping hatchback - they have grass cutters lawn-mowers over there with bigger engines that your typical European city-car.
My car couldn't tow a caravan, and if you're going to spend 3 months in France, may as well do it in a convertible
I love my Kon-tiki too....Eterna that is
Last edited by Dan83bz; 20th August 2017 at 16:21.
'Wild Camping' is much easier in a MH. And when we go to visit people who don't have guest rooms we just park up outside.
Just love the guy with his plane on a trailer
I've got a two man tent - Fits in a bag about as big as my leg from hip to knee!
M
Motorhomes and caravans.... because you can't beat that great feeling of having a shit next to the cooker separated only by only a sheet of ply.
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