Taking breaks (1 Viewer)

[Wizbangs]

I consider myself to be a good driver. 70,000 miles a year was not unusual. I still drive my car for 3 to 4 hours at a time and really enjoy it. My issue is that I can't achieve the same in my MH. Maybe its because I've only done a few hundred miles. I did a 4 hour trip home recently and by the end I was really stressed out, so much so I have said I will never drive that long again. My intention is to take a break every 2 hours or so.

How long do you tend to drive before taking a break?

Mary

 

[Chris]

We tend to swap over every 2 hours or 100 miles, whichever is the sooner.

I think there is more to concentrate on driving the motorhome than driving a car.

 

[John & Joan]

Being retired we have no need to go anywhere in a hurry normally.

Our normal routine is to drive for about 2 hours have an hour or so stop and then drive for another couple of hours and then find an Aire or stopping place.

That said last winter I drove from Bolognia to Cambarette Sud Autoroute Aire in one go. That was dawn till dusk with only toilet stops. I felt envigorated by the trip as it was just like the trips I used to do as a coach driver. We then went to Narbonne Plage and had two days off.

John

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[Geoffers]

I tend to drive about 2 hours then have a 15 minute break, it also depends on your motorhome, the Fiat we have now I could drive for 4 hours no problem,it's only the wife who insists I have a break as she will not drive the van (that would be stressful!) . Before the new Fiat I had a Talbot Highwayman,no power steering and handled like a piece of wet fish ! After 50 miles I was totally exhausted, had to go.:thumb:

 

[JOHNSTEY]

2 hours is the recommended max.I am sure we can all go on a lot longer but common sense says that it might not be the best thing to do.It's a bit like drink driving where you think you are safe but clearly not as safe as you think you are!:thumb:

 

[flatpackchicken]

I tend to drive about 2 hours then have a 15 minute break, it also depends on your motorhome, the Fiat we have now I could drive for 4 hours no problem,it's only the wife who insists I have a break as she will not drive the van (that would be stressful!) . Before the new Fiat I had a Talbot Highwayman,no power steering and handled like a piece of wet fish ! After 50 miles I was totally exhausted, had to go.:thumb:

Hi, It all depends on what your driving and where really, as driving a car is totaly different to driving a motorhome, as you have to be more aware of the stopping distances, cross winds, and other traffic, so you have to look ahead far more than driving a car, therefore more tiring, but at the end of the day unless you have to catch a ferry or something similar, why rush and get stressed, just take in the driving and when you feel a bit tired then take a break 1 hour 2 hours whatever, as you are motorhoming and that means no rush and no stress. I myself an am ex truck driver so am used to long periods behind the wheel and can when needed drive 600mls in a day to catch a ferry in my motorhome but try not to as i am motorhoming as well, just leave plenty of time to do your traveling, ie i just come back from Portugal a few weeks ago and drove 696 miles in three days, easy peasy, just drove till i was tired and parked up for the rest of the day each day, so the idea is drive until your are getting tired and have a break SIMPLES,:thumb: and one thing, be carefull out there, Regards Garry Flatpackchicken

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[slobadoberbob]

In the RV 2 hours if I can

I prefer to break every two hours but depends on the route.. Has been 4 hours at times.

I have covered serious distances in the USA at times...UK roads are harder work... French roads seem easier and 3 hours is easy.... Did a long haul last year backup from South of Clearmont-Ferand.. To Neuchatel ... Long haul with little tie for a break... Pushed it a bit near the mark... But 2 to 3 hours is about right for me.


Bob

 

[Wizbangs]

So 2 hours it is. What flatpackchicken says makes much sense re the differences between driving a car or MH. In the car I just wanted to get home after a business weekend away. I need to change my mentality and chill a bit more. No harm in coming home on the Monday instead.

 

[hilldweller]

How long do you tend to drive before taking a break?

Mary

Until my left ear can't take any more pain.

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[flatpackchicken]

So 2 hours it is. What flatpackchicken says makes much sense re the differences between driving a car or MH. In the car I just wanted to get home after a business weekend away. I need to change my mentality and chill a bit more. No harm in coming home on the Monday instead

Exactly :thumb: say no more and you will live longer and feel better, remember stress free life as possible, Regards Garry Flatpackchicken

 

[Wizbangs]

Exactly :thumb: say no more and you will live longer and feel better, remember stress free life as possible, Regards Garry Flatpackchicken

Fact:- Monday mornings are the busiest time for stress related heart attacks. I woke up almost 2 years ago having a coronary, just made it through by the skin of my teeth. It was a Monday. That's why we've semi retired. :thumb:

 

[slobadoberbob]

coming back on a Monday is fine BUT

Coming back on a Monday is fine, we often do that from the shows.. but sometimes we depart late on the Sunday evening and arrive home in the early hours.. roads tend to be better, less traffic and I just find night time driving easier in general... plus Dartford river crossing is free after 10 p.m (until 6 a.m.)


we often travel through the night in France.. through all the towns and villages so easy... using a Caxton FX card to take on fuel at the all night pumps at the cheaper fuel stations than the motorways... plus can never park on the motorway areas.. full of trucks, but on the National roads we can always find somewhere to stop.

Bob

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[Philb]

I take a break every two hours which includes a short walk around. I m reasonably fit but suffered a pulmonary embolism (dvt) earlier this year after driving non stop from glencoe to south wales. I never thought you could get a DVT from driving but apparently its quite a common cause.

 

[darklord]

Tis weird, like others, i have always driven for a living and am used to, at an hours notice, dring a 500 mile round trip with only the regulatory breaks. A few years ago, we got chased by seriously bad wether across europe from Austria, and I drove 17.5 hrs in one go, with only wee and coffee stops. NOT GOOD!

With the motorhome, i HAVE to take regular breaks, Carol forces me out of work mode, and makes sure we stop at LEAST every couple of hours. I find, a walk around, some fresh air, and a drink (does,nt have to be caffiene based) is better than all the red bull or energy drinks. When we took eight landrovers to Croatia a few years ago, i advised, fruit, and muisli type bars, plus water rather than sweets and caffiene drinks, Ive found they interrupt your sleep pattern, and start an abnormal cycle..........maybe its just me

 

[pappajohn]

I used to do long distance breakdown recovery.
longest was 8hrs with a 20 min drop off/turnaround...cant have the truck sat idle according to my boss :Angry:

in the motorhome.....Scarborough to Southend on sea non-stop....about 6hrs....and still fresh and unstressed until i couldnt find the address i wanted. :shout:

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[Chris]

I used to do long distance breakdown recovery.
longest was 8hrs with a 20 min drop off/turnaround...cant have the truck sat idle according to my boss :Angry:

in the motorhome.....Scarborough to Southend on sea non-stop....about 6hrs....and still fresh and unstressed until i couldnt find the address i wanted. :shout:

in an RV of course you get plenty of petrol stops anyway:hardhat:

 

[pappajohn]

in an RV of course you get plenty of petrol stops anyway:hardhat:

At a push i could just about do Southend on one tank of LPG....but i was in the Kontiki that time

 

[ROB1CHELSEA1]

I clock up on average around 50,000 miles a year in the company van traveling up and down the country, from london to glasgow with no stopping isn't a problem for me but in the motorhome im quite happy to stop every 2 hrs while the good wife makes us a sandwich and we take in the scenery:thumb:.
Our 2 weeks in scotland this year will be are longest time away in the motorhome only having done weekends, so this should test the marriage i mean motoroh:

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[chesterfield hooligan]

when transporting motorbike's I can get 3 Harly's in my trailor, to and from Spain. I tend to stick the cruise control on open road's at 60mph and will do 2x4 hour stints with a 1 hour propper break. I have been known to set of traveling and a hour later stop for a sleep at any time, day or night because I would never try to drive if feeling sleepy Iwould also add it is what you feel safe with. :thumb:

 

[gordoncbrown]

I enjoy driving but find the whole thing about driving a motorhome fun, fun and more fun. We stop when we want, we know we can't get anywhere in too much of a rush so just take it as it comes. Both of us are happy to drive it so we can swap over, although if there is anything iffy I end up behind the wheel. We feel that we could drive for quite a distance/time and still arrive refreshed. I find that I can unwind with the music playing watching the road ahead. Funny thing yesterday, we came to a T junction waited on a couple of cyclists going past then pulled out behind them.Looked in our mirrors and saw hundreds of bikes behind us, in the distance. Oops we were in the middle of a cycle race. We thought"never mind , we turn off in a mile so no rush to get past" we sat about 200 yds behind the leaders and 500 yds ahead of the next group. A steward on a motorbike came up and was quite keen to get us past the cyclists................. which ended up being about 200 yds before our turning. Just took it in our stride and had a laugh about it. Driving for work and driving the motorhome are two completely different things. One thing we know though is if you feel tired you have to take a break. Or a better way to stay awake is tell your passenger you feel tired. They won't take their eyes off you...... ( not really, best take a break)

 

[FIDGET]

I cant go more than 2 hours without a cuppa so we have to stop!!! Terry:Cool:

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[mondo]

As a former professional HGV Driver..(Yes there are a few of us about:Cool...we had to by law take a 45 minute break after 4 and a half hours accumulated driving..When I was out and about in the Motorhome I don't think I ever exceeded 4 hours driving as Dawn..(The boss) would get tea withdrawal symptoms at around that juncture so at around 4 hours travelling I'd say ..would you like a cuppa inevitably it would be Oh yes please....so it was a half hour break and up and at it again..Lets face it 4 hours is going to give you around 200 miles covered..