Has owning a Motorhome made you a better driver (1 Viewer)

[gus-lopez]

You are right though, they forget that actually it’s probably a vehicle about ten in front that’s dictating our speed and not us just meandering along.

No they don't 'forget' most haven't even the intelligence to even consider that.

 

[Spriddler]

Technically to so do is I believe illegal. However what happens in practice is that "Bonus" is paid according to the profits of the company. So the drivers are incentivised by the back door.

I seem to remember a programme on 'white van man' delivery drivers who said they have to tear around, park on pavements etc. because their basic minimum wage is calculated on them making 50 (60?) drops a day, and only after that do they make bonuses.

 

[DL42846]

I'm sure having been a biker and riding a large heavy bike to work in the London traffic each day made me a better driver. You not only have to drive for yourself you have to anticipate what the clowns all around you in there metal cages are going to do next. I drove a car to work for 18 years and never had an accident in the London traffic, rode my bike for five years and got knocked off twice in low speed shunts. 10 mph if that.

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[PeteH]

I found driving my lorry made me a better driver my motorhome feels like a tiddler in comparison hahaView attachment 216290

Mine`s bigger `n yours:-

Lots of these on US roads. And this :-

.

 

[pagey]

What does it mean in practice please?

it means if approaching a roundabout or a left turn place your vehicle in a position on the road where no other vehicle can come up the inside of you but giving you more room to make your manoeuvre

 

[Allanm]

I think the standard of driving in the UK, especially in bigger towns and cities is generally poor, with a few exceptions.
I used to think drivers in France were better till last week when Monsieur Impatient overtook us, on a road just a little wider than our van, and took his rear passenger door window out on our door mirror as he cut in front if us.
His two offside wheels were off the road and on the verge.
I was expecting him to stop but he carried on.
Probably had a few too many Vin rouges at lunchtime.
At least we suffered no damage and it’s caught on the dash cam, just in case.
I’ll try and post a link to the episode later when I can upload it on Wi-fi.

edit, managed to upload the video onto youtube and started a new thread

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[Sue]

Thing is I've noticed that if folk in a car see a lorry coming towards them on a narrow road they accommodate because they are intimidated by it's size.....they see a motor home and they think sod it that person's paid a lot of money for that so they will accommodate me being an idiot.

For some reason, drivers get really irritated with motorhomes and caravans. They see them as a nuisance....and probably don't have a very high opinion of the people who drive them....probably classify them all as doddering old gits! ( well that's the reaction we've had whenever the subject has come up in company)
Not everyone understands the allure of MHs and we have been asked...why? What do you see in it?

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

like most people on here, I was taught how to pass a driving test. but then I was taught roadcraft by a police advanced driving instructor. I even went on to be taught how to drive a big vehicle correctly by a fire brigade instructor. believe me that any bad habits you fall into soon get corrected with professional instruction at that level

I wont say I am perfect these days, but I notice other peoples driving habits and remember my training

When I was a lorry driver the company I worked for were concerned about a number of the drivers having minor bumps and a large number of wing mirrors being damaged. To bring down their insurance costs they decided that once a year we should have a written exam, then be taken out and given a mini driving test of sorts, then we had to take out a retired police advanced driving instructor for a whole shift during which time he would take notes and tell you of you errors/bad habits at the end of the shift. He asked me if I had ever been a coach driver as everything was done so smoothly and the only criticism he had was sometimes I would drive a bit close to the lorry in front of me on the motorway, to which I replied that I was getting into his slipstream to have the power to overtake him otherwise I couldn't pass him which I felt was a valid reason. His reply was, 'Only a fool breaks the 3 second rule!'
I suppose it's a problem cops never experience!
I've been driving since 1977 and only ever been involved in one accident. I was sitting parked at the side of the road by a shop while my wife searched for her purse and a Landrover ploughed straight into the back of my 8 month old Fiesta 2 litre turbo diesel writing it off. Given that I was driving almost 5,000 kms a week for over 13 years I think I can qualify for being a decent safe driver

 

[stevewagner]

Not sure, but I felt very satisfied on my way home tonight on the M3! Driving the car, spotted a car driver being a total dick! Motorhome pulled into middle lane to overtake, the car accelerated, motorhome pulled back to lane one. Watched the car driver do this 3 times. So I over took them both using lane 3, and then slowed to 50 in front of the car (motorhome already in middle lane again), let the motorhome pass me and then flashed lights for him to return to lane one.
If it was anyone on here, you're welcome!
I really hate drivers who won't let me overtake when I am in the van! GRRRR![/QUO


Really?

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[Steve and Denise]

I am not sure if it is age that has improved my driving but I am more tolerant now than I was.

 

[tonyidle]

I think that what comes across from this thread is that everyone contributing thinks about their driving, tries to anticipate others incompetence / lack of foresight / distractions, and enjoys driving to the extent that they're willing to learn. The drivers that, without exception, concern me most are those that regard control of the vehicle and consideration for others as secondary to their need to be in front / control the kids / answer their phones / etc. To me it's like most other things in life - try to treat others on the road as you would wish to be treated. Be as considerate to others when in your vehicle as you would on foot and face-to-face.

 

[wasp]

No I’m still a ranting raving lunatic who hates everything on the road, that’s wot Sylv says she won’t sit in the front of the Fleetwood , I can’t think why

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[Hilewaychile]

No,not really you are still surrounded by the same half-wits & for me now, in an underpowered & slower vehicle, I spend the vast majority of my time when travelling , watching the mirrors & having to do the thinking for the muppets behind. In the UK that becomes 99,5% of the time.


The French are far worse.
Everyone says about the horn beeping & yet around here I'm the only one likely to do it.
Here we have the added complication of the "vegetable watchers" both in car/van/moped travelling so slowly bikes cycle past while they gaze at how well/badly the lettuce/broccoli, alcochofa,caulis ,etc; are doing.
As to not letting you out that is normal & accepted by all. No idea why, drives me mad when in town.


they made that illegal here , accelerating to close the gap. I just pull in on anyone doing it to me. or ths spaniard who thinks he is going to undertake me on the slip road when I haven't been able to change lanes.

You need to "command the road" as @JockandRita says. Itis no good trying to move as close to the nearside as possible , whether here or the UK, as what is approaching you is driven by a plank that has nounderstanding & will sail merrily along with a space on their insdie you can cycle through. Stay over & force them into the hedge. The really bad ones that should never be driving will actually stop as they cannot comprehend that you can actually travel without a 2'-3' space on the inside.

Quite so Gus. The French are dreadful. I have made repeated runs Valencia - UK in the past 18 months in my Movano self-built, following many hundreds of miles p.a. for 5 years, as a Western Front/D-Day beaches battlefield guide, driving a jumbo-LWB Sprinter mini coach. And 10 years prior to that driving my own LWB small-unit film location bus, including French locations.

Based on all that, my opinion of French drivers falls into two categories - maniacs bent on homicide, with almost certain suicide included, and 20kph bumblers, usually in a clapped out Renault 4. I haven't done much cross country mileage in Spain yet but my driving in Valencia city is informed by the constant repetition of the mantra "Look out! This idiot/these idiots may do anything - the most crazy, the more likely."

Having driven in N.Y.C. and L.A. [a lot], 20 years in London [inc two spells of minicabbing in miss-spent yoof], Pakistan ["It is reported that the fatalities were caused by an over-speedy pick-up"]. Italy [the pits, in Europe], the thing that has improved my driving by a huge amount is by taking the bus driving test. Our instructor told us that the bus driving test was the most difficult to pass for a driver not in uniform - police, military etc. And that only 40% pass first time. Mr. Smarty-pants here is pleased to say - I did.

Seriously - the consideration given to the safety and comfort of your passengers when training to take the bus test is an exercise in patience, calmness in the face of aggression and thoughtlessness [from other road users... the passengers are another matter!], forward planning, technique [in actually handling your vehicle - the crash-stop test in a bus is a blast!] and most of all - mirrors, mirrors, mirrors. Because, as Gus says, the Spanish will take insane risks to try to nip thro' on the inside on roundabouts.

The bus driver theory test is plenty silly. Multiple answer questions like, "Your double decker bus has a fire in the engine - Do you 1] Lead all the passengers to the upper deck ...." I kid you not! They do actually give you the option of "disembarking and leading your passengers to a safe place outside the vehicle." Ummmmm....