1st trip a success

[LynneC]

All went well and without any incidents. Skip gradually chilled. But I have more questions...
I was unnerved by the satnav directing us down unsuitable roads. Is there one that I could use that would keep to the more suitable roads please?
OMG I am SO naive ....black waste!
I notice that on some sites they have drive over waste disposal.
Is this for black waste please?
Is this suitable for all motorhomes?
Suitable for cassette toilets?

I am sure you are all laughing your heads off at my silly questions. We have so much to learn..but we welcome it.
Thank you, thank you, in advance.
Lynne x

 

[M-J]

Most drive over waste points will be only for grey waste (shower/sink water)

Cassette (black waste) emptying points are normally marked as elsan points or chemical waste disposal points.

 

[Guigsy]

Black waste is for toilet cassettes.
Drive-over waste points are for grey waste (waste from the shower and sinks).

There are dedicated motorhome satnavs. And Sygic Truck has a motorhome feature that allows you to put in vehicle sizes and weights. Personally I prefer Google Maps over Android Auto. The maps are more up to date and the traffic information beats everything else. No, it doesn't route for unsuitable roads, but that's rarely an issue.

 

[TheBig1]

I use a tomtom truckers sat nav that you program the size and weight in and it will direct accordingly

 

[Trevor Wbm]

I'm currently playing with the RoadLords App. Possibly written by the guys who did Yorkie ads in the 80's but if you can get past that, it's growing on me. Seems to use Google maps and offers up useful info like distance to parking areas. You can feed in details of your vehicle and so far it hasn't taken me anywhere I couldn't fit, as well as route preferences like quickest, shortest and most economical.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Speve]

I think whatever sat nav you have you will still have similar problems you have to use a bit of common sense and keep an eye on the map? If you think it’s tight go another way they usually have a detour/road blocked button that you can get a different route. best to play around with it and get used to all the functions you’ll soon get the hang of it

 

[Guigsy]

I think whatever sat nav you have you will still have similar problems you have to use a bit of common sense and keep an eye on the map? If you think it’s tight go another way they usually have a detour/road blocked button that you can get a different route. best to play around with it and get used to all the functions you’ll soon get the hang of it

Best thing about satnavs, is if you ignore them and don't make that turn, they calmly re-route without shouting at you.

 

[Coolcats]

All went well and without any incidents. Skip gradually chilled. But I have more questions...
I was unnerved by the satnav directing us down unsuitable roads. Is there one that I could use that would keep to the more suitable roads please?
OMG I am SO naive ....black waste!
I notice that on some sites they have drive over waste disposal.
Is this for black waste please?
Is this suitable for all motorhomes?
Suitable for cassette toilets?

I am sure you are all laughing your heads off at my silly questions. We have so much to learn..but we welcome it.
Thank you, thank you, in advance.
Lynne x

A paper road map used by the passenger is an old fashioned reliable and proven method to help keep you on track to stop the sat nav sending you down roads you do not wish to travel along.

 

[deleted79651]

If there's 2 of you, the driver using the satnav and the passenger reading the paper map to get an idea of what's ahead ['ignore the Bxxx, looks like a cart track; carry on to Axxx 3 miles further'] is a great help. As is noting any instructions from the campsite 'If using satnav, DON'T take Bxxx' etc.

Steve

 

[scotzsue]

A paper road map used by the passenger is an old fashioned reliable and proven method to help keep you on track to stop the sat nav sending you down roads you do not wish to travel along.

Works well if you have a passenger, or one who will look at a paper one. Had looked at map before I set off For France from Spain, ’tom. Says’ turn right, no I said we stay on this road, got shouted at, it was a new looking bit of road after some time of channeling i shouted for him to check the map, it’s right he said it goes to the Somport tunnel, pulled into a lay-by and snatched the map, it did but the wrong ******** end. Was too late by then to turn back, an interesting journey, to say the least. Same passenger did not see the height limit signs either and was most perturbed when I turned off the road we were on.
Then he wonders why i can’t relax and enjoy the view when he is driving, I can however read a map
Editted to add well done LynneC the first trip is always a bit daunting.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Guigsy]

Works well if you have a passenger, or one who will look at a paper one. Had looked at map before I set off For France from Spain, ’tom. Says’ turn right, no I said we stay on this road, got shouted at, it was a new looking bit of road after some time of channeling i shouted for him to check the map, it’s right he said it goes to the Somport tunnel, pulled into a lay-by and snatched the map, it did but the wrong ******** end. Was too late by then to turn back, an interesting journey, to say the least. Same passenger did not see the height limit signs either and was most perturbed when I turned off the road we were on.
Then he wonders why i can’t relax and enjoy the view when he is driving, I can however read a map
Editted to add well done LynneC the first trip is always a bit daunting.

I much prefer the shared experience of blaming the satnav.

 

[scotzsue]

I much prefer the shared experience of blaming the satnav.

We did for a time use his tom tom and my farming and let them fight it out between themselves

 

[RubyOptics]

All went well and without any incidents. Skip gradually chilled. But I have more questions...
I was unnerved by the satnav directing us down unsuitable roads. Is there one that I could use that would keep to the more suitable roads please?
OMG I am SO naive ....black waste!
I notice that on some sites they have drive over waste disposal.
Is this for black waste please?
Is this suitable for all motorhomes?
Suitable for cassette toilets?

I am sure you are all laughing your heads off at my silly questions. We have so much to learn..but we welcome it.
Thank you, thank you, in advance.
Lynne x

One thing I will add is that the more you use your van the more comfortable you will get with it. What may have seemed "unsuitable" on your first time out may well become a breeze given a few months! We now get a chuckle about an experience we had on our first time out. We had rented a 7 metre long overcab to see if this "motorhoming malarky" was really for us before buying one and were off to the Polish coast. We were using Google maps and a main road just....stopped. No warning, no signs before warning of a road cloasure or resurfacing...nothing. It went from being a busy A-road to a swamp. Honestly like the type of thing you would see landrovers mucking about on. That caused a few choice words!! We got through fine though and was a real elarning about what we can actually take our vans down if we must!
For your other questions...anything drive over is normally, as others have said, for your grey waste to go down. Do try to get your drain point as close as you can to the grate or hole or whatever and if there's a hose give it a quick sloosh down with some clean water to help get rid of any bits of food or anything else that might be left behind....keeps it nice for the next person as well as reducing nasty smells!
We don't really get Elsan points in Poland, so not the best person to advise you on what they look like. From memory of when i lived in the UK they are normally clearly signposted and marked though. If you are going to stay on any smaller sites that may use a Septic tank, try to remember to use the green, rather than the blue, toilet liquid. It's safe to use in Septic tanks whereas the blue stuff messes them up. We just buy the green stuff now and it works just as well.
Glad you enjoyed your first trip and if you have any other questions, feel free to ask away!!