Motorhoming is a great way to travel around, see the world, and enjoy the freedom of the roads. Whilst for a few people it’s a lifestyle choice, for others it’s their first time – so if you’re new to the delights of the motorhome, you may find these tips useful.
Driving a Motorhome
If you’re not used to driving a larger vehicle, then it can take some time to adjust completely to driving a motorhome. The most important tip is to take it steady; accelerate slowly, build your confidence and remember that it will take longer to brake than it does in a car.
It’s important to know the height, width and length of the motorhome you’re driving, as you may encounter roads with width restrictions or low bridges. Make sure that they’re written down clearly in your cab so that you can check them at a moment’s notice – it’s far preferable to finding out you don’t fit the hard way.
Some manoeuvres are a lot easier with a second pair of eyes – if you need to reverse (for example, to get into your pitching spot) having somebody stand outside to direct you will be really helpful. If you’ve got nobody else to hand, just go slowly and carefully.
Planning Routes
Because you’re in a larger vehicle, it can be really important to plan your route, especially when you’re first getting used to driving it. Finding yourself on a road that’s too narrow or otherwise unsuitable for your vehicle can be embarrassing – especially if you find yourself blocking other road users while you try to figure out a way back.
Be wary of satellite navigation systems – they may not always give you the most suitable route for a larger vehicle. This is especially true if you’re navigating by postcode – a rural campsite, for example, could share their postcode with a vast area, and the satnav may take you to entirely the wrong place. Where possible, check the website of your destination or contact them in advance to ask for the best route.
Levelling your Motorhome
Once you’ve got to your campsite and found your pitch, you may need to think about levelling your motorhome – that is, setting the wheels on blocks so that the interior isn’t sloped. This is something a lot of people worry about too much; you’d have to be at quite a noticeable angle before you’d have to worry about falling out of bed in the night! In addition, many campsites provide decent level pitches for motorhomes, so levelling is often unnecessary.
Just in case you do find yourself pitching on a slope, however, it’s a good idea to have some levelling blocks with you and know how to use them! It’s a job that requires at least two people; one to drive and one to guide them.
Firstly, open your windows – the driver and the guide both need to be able to hear each other clearly. The guide is going to spend some time in the blind spot, so the driver needs to know when not to move!
Secondly, set the blocks behind the wheels, and have the guide direct the driver back onto them. If you need to adjust the blocks, the guide should tell the driver to stop and wait while they’re moved – this is when they’ll be in the blind spot.
Finally, remember to go really, really slowly – it takes some skill to back up onto the blocks instead of just driving right back over them – and remember to put the hand brake on when you’re in place!
Here at Rennie Motorhomes, we offer a range of high quality motorhomes for hire in Scotland so that you can enjoy the motorhome lifestyle at any time of year. If you’d like more information, or if you’d like to make a booking, contact us today on 01224723330.
