Getting home when partner seriously indisposed (1 Viewer)

[Candapack]

We are in Spain. I drive the van all the time. Wife does have relevant license but does not relish driving (a) a big van or (b) abroad. Or (c) alone.
She had a minor panic attack about what might happen if something serious happened to me.
We have travel insurance, which would get us both home if it was serious enough, but not the van. Is there a service which would do that?
I can't see insurance helping, as said she can drive, just wouldn't want to. And we don't have relatives who could help, friends yes but it would be a big ask.
Cheery thought, but the usual help and advice would be appreciated.

 

[funflair]

I think I am right in saying that ADAC if you were with them would bring the van home if the other driver could not/was not up to it.

Otherwise you would never be stuck as you could just post on FUN and somebody would fly out and bring it home for you as long as it was all insured, (and thoroughly enjoy the trip so don't worry about asking).

I offered to do this for a friend having long term health treatment in Switzerland, she managed OK on her own in the end, tell her not to worry.

Martin

 

[busby]

ADAC. When i injured my knee in Spain they pestered me to repatriate both of us and the van. Turned them down though,,much easier to recover in the sunshine. BUSBY.

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[DBK]

I'm in a similar position and am considering dropping my wife off the insurance policy when it next needs renewing.

 

[denisejoe]

Make sure your wife is not on your insurance,if she is she would have to drive home

Joe

 

[eddie]

Lots of dry runs on quiet roads? To over come phobia? It is the only answer

Start off driving round car parks and move to quiet road

Or if your unable to drive, you could end up with a huge bill to get the van home if you can't drive

Equality and all that

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[parknride]

If she is certain she would not be able to drive it home take her name off the insurance. I believe, (ready to be corrected) that they will expect her to drive it otherwise. Or maybe she could keep driving a little at a time to up her confidence?
FIL was with the co-op and MIL couldn't drive, van was transported home no problems.

Oops you are quicker than me!

 

[reader]

This is something we have to consider and a few years ago started to take out the Caravan Clubs Red Pennant Ins. Yes it is pricey but one of the main features for us is the chauffeur facility to get the van home.
Touch wood to date we have not had to use it but have come across a few people who have and can vouch for the service

 

[Cavs]

Otherwise you would never be stuck as you could just post on FUN and somebody would fly out and bring it home for you as long as it was all insured, (and thoroughly enjoy the trip so don't worry about asking).

I agree with Martin. I do it if asked.

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[Theonlysue]

Most insurance policies offer recovery for a price.
As previously said, they will expect her to drive. You need to take her off the policy if she really doesn't want to else she should get practising, in small bits.

 

[DavidG58]

Also if things are so bad that you need to be recovered to home, the MH would be bottom of my worry list

Other than that do as Martin suggests

 

[Viennese]

Both Camping & Caravanning Club and Caravan Club run courses on driving motorhomes. If she did one and got a bit of practice in and drove regularly, it would not be a problem.

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[jonsea]

Took my wife of the insurance for that reason

 

[Larby]

After pestering my wife for 4 years to drive MH she says perhaps she will. She realises if I get hurt when abroad she could drive. Now here's the woman's logic, she will give it a go once in France, I tried explaining it would be better to practise in UK where she is used to the roads, no, too busy she says, French roads are quieter.

 

[Dawn B]

After pestering my wife for 4 years to drive MH she says perhaps she will. She realises if I get hurt when abroad she could drive. Now here's the woman's logic, she will give it a go once in France, I tried explaining it would be better to practise in UK where she is used to the roads, no, too busy she says, French roads are quieter.

Rather her than me

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[funflair]

After pestering my wife for 4 years to drive MH she says perhaps she will. She realises if I get hurt when abroad she could drive. Now here's the woman's logic, she will give it a go once in France, I tried explaining it would be better to practise in UK where she is used to the roads, no, too busy she says, French roads are quieter.

Nothing wrong with that, Jen decided to have a go with ours in Spain quiet motorway and nothing happening for 100 miles, after about 5 miles we hit thick fog

So I was reinstated.

Martin

 

[The Dotties]

I agree with Martin. I do it if asked.

I'm not alone I'm sure, but having recently retired and with all the driving licences you can get your hands on, many of us would be happy to spend a couple of days helping out a fellow funster.

Geoff

 

[Taran_Las]

I agree with Martin. I do it if asked.

Me too.

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[Reallyretired]

I took swmbo off the insurance for that reason. Small increase in premium.

 

[Minxy]

It happened to us!

A good few years ago we had a Rimor Sailer 645TC which was a low profile MH and over 7m long, we hadn't had it that long and hubby did the driving most of the time so I hadn't had a go in the UK, never mind abroad.

We got severe sunburn whilst canoeing down the Ardeche for 8.5 hours and within a couple of days hubby could hardly walk as his lower legs and feet had swollen and blistered - he had second degree burns - fortunately I wasn't quite so bad but still very burnt. I had to drive the MH all the way up from Millau (we'd gone there for a doctor) so it was quite a trek but I just hit the motorways as much as I could and took plenty of breaks ... the use of a walking stick to press the accelerator helped too! It was painful but it meant we got ourselves home ... first thing we did was arrange to have cruise control fitted!!!!!

Despite all this it wasn't hard to drive the MH, the hardest part was getting into/out of the aires on the way home ... but this wasn't overly difficult and if I needed help I could have easily asked others.

 

[Melian]

Take the wife off the insurance,

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[Minxy]

After pestering my wife for 4 years to drive MH she says perhaps she will. She realises if I get hurt when abroad she could drive. Now here's the woman's logic, she will give it a go once in France, I tried explaining it would be better to practise in UK where she is used to the roads, no, too busy she says, French roads are quieter.

There's actually nothing wrong with that logic ... having had to suddenly drive our MH abroad for the first time it was much easier that it would have been in the UK.

 

[Judge Mental]

I'm in a similar position and am considering dropping my wife off the insurance policy when it next needs renewing.

price will rise......

 

[Cyclewalkbob]

I have taken out the Caravan Club red pennant policy for this reason. Although we both share the driving, SWMBO would not be comfortable driving home from France or Spain by herself.

We have just had an experience of how fickle life can be. We are keen hill walkers and we were halfway around a walk across the South Downs when SWMBO fractured her ankle walking on a pavement! This resulted in taxi to car and a period in A&E and 4-6 weeks in a plastic boot with no driving!

If that could happen here to one of us it could happen abroad, so we pay the higher insurance for the comfort it offers and hope for the best!

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[Minxy]

I have taken out the Caravan Club red pennant policy for this reason. Although we both share the driving, SWMBO would not be comfortable driving home from France or Spain by herself.

Does it actually state that they will send you a chauffeur even if one of you is still capable of driving?

 

[Larby]

Rather her than me

Strange that Dawn, you drive the MH in the UK so I expected you would have no problem with France. You're hardly noted for your nervous disposition
Blimey, I've just realised that if she drives in France I am in the passenger seat facing the oncoming traffic

 

[eddie]

So why are so many women scared of driving a motorhome? My Mum drove everything and anything, my Mother in Law is 80 and drives her Autotrail Cheyenne 696 and used to drive a yank, Lyn my wife drives our 33' RV even when the 27' boat trailer is on the back?

Most women on here would quite rightly be appalled if someone suggested that women should be banned from something or should be discouraged from doing something and screams of sexism and misogyny would be heard from all quarters, again I repeat quite appropriately

So why in these days of equality in all things, do so many women refuse to drive a motorhome?

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[Minxy]

I think a lot of the time it comes down to the fact that men still do most of the driving, especially the 'older generation' ... so a woman wouldn't be quite so familiar with a MH. I let my hubby do most of it ... after all ... why have a dog and bark yourself!

[plus he's crap at map reading!]

 

[Jaws]

For the first time, I decided to sign up for ADAC..
This was prompted after last years fiasco with the trailer and then the ruddy gearbox all going phut

But if I was to become unable to drive I would def be on here shouting for help, and am 100% sure it would be forthcoming !

 

[Puddleduck]

So why in these days of equality in all things, do so many women refuse to drive a motorhome?

This is a gross generalisation so please don't shout at me!

I think in the past many women have been left with the tiny "run around" or "wife's car" to do shopping etc whilst the hubby had the monster company car that she may not even have been insured to drive.

I had a minibus as my everyday transport (long story short was that with 4 kids and a friend each plus kayaks a normal run around wouldn't work for us and I saw the minibus cheap on a garage forecourt....... ) I learnt more driving that minibus (later converted to a camper) than I had in th previous 15 years of driving. When it went to to scrappy we got an MH the size of a single decker bus, left hooker, and I loved driving that as well. I'm not so sure I would have been so confident driving the big MH if I had only driven something the size of a Fiesta prior to that though. I am also on the large size (height and girth) which helps.

I think a lot of the time it comes down to the fact that men still do most of the driving, especially the 'older generation' ... so a woman wouldn't be quite so familiar with a MH. I let my hubby do most of it ... after all ... why have a dog and bark yourself!

[plus he's crap at map reading!]

I'm sure you are correct @Minxy Girl . In the Duck House he does most of the driving and I am navigator, but I can and do drive and enjoy it. I tend to do the fiddly bits, narrow roads, parking, getting her on the ramps and putting onto ferries.

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