Help :( we've really bitten off more than we can chew (1 Viewer)

[Emp]

We're in switzerland and driving a 7.4m van for the first time in our lives AND it's in snow. We are from Australia and had no idea the roads would be SO small. Today i had one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. We ended up on a mountain road we couldn't turn around on so kept going forward because Google maps routed us through it to the other side. We hit a patch of snow though (my first time ever seeing snow) and we slid a little and i thought we were goingto go backwards down the mountain side. We stopped but couldn't go forward or back. now I'm curled up in the back of a police car on the side of a snowy mountain while they attempt to tow our hire van backwards. I know we were really really silly to get stuck there in the first place. I have been in total panic thinking we are going to fall off the mountain and i am beyond terrified to drive again. We went with the van instead of trains because i am disabled and use a wheelchair. We didn't know a way to transport myself and my partner around for our holiday on trains because i can't pull my own suitcase because I'm in the chair. Please can anyone tell us how to know which roads are wide and safe? We keep getting caught out with Google maps getting in scary places on tiny roads but today i thought i was going to die and this isn't really how my holiday is meant to be. I've not travelled since becoming disabled 6 years ago. We don't know how to manage when we can't predict the roads.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

You need a sat nav that is suitable for trucks, you can add your own vehicle dimensions etc and this should provide some warnings or route changes. Google maps alone will not do that

 

[Armytwowheels]

Hello EMP. Sorry you have had such a bad experience. I would suggest that you bite the bullet and purchase a GPS device that you can program with the size, weight and height of your van. I know this seems expensive, but it will be worth it to save your trip and improve your experience.

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[movan]

We're in switzerland and driving a 7.4m van for the first time in our lives AND it's in snow. We are from Australia and had no idea the roads would be SO small. Today i had one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. We ended up on a mountain road we couldn't turn around on so kept going forward because Google maps routed us through it to the other side. We hit a patch of snow though (my first time ever seeing snow) and we slid a little and i thought we were goingto go backwards down the mountain side. We stopped but couldn't go forward or back. now I'm curled up in the back of a police car on the side of a snowy mountain while they attempt to tow our hire van backwards. I know we were really really silly to get stuck there in the first place. I have been in total panic thinking we are going to fall off the mountain and i am beyond terrified to drive again. We went with the van instead of trains because i am disabled and use a wheelchair. We didn't know a way to transport myself and my partner around for our holiday on trains because i can't pull my own suitcase because I'm in the chair. Please can anyone tell us how to know which roads are wide and safe? We keep getting caught out with Google maps getting in scary places on tiny roads but today i thought i was going to die and this isn't really how my holiday is meant to be. I've not travelled since becoming disabled 6 years ago. We don't know how to manage when we can't predict the roads.

Well done you for getting through this awful experience ..... one day you will look back and smile ... trust me ... and relate it to other motorhomers , who will relate their disastrous experiences .. and you will realise you are not alone.


It gets easier.

As a solo female who is prone to going down the wrong road, I find myself in impossible situations, head in hands, crying NEVER AGAIN. But the good times make up for it.

Big hug.

 

[LesW]

Is this a wind up..?

 

[pappajohn]

Welcome to the Northern hemisphere.

Many of those living this side of the equator can't drive on snow either.

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[tonka]

Of all the European countries I think you have picked one with some of the smallest and windy roads..
Get out of there and into some flatter land with bigger roads like France, Spain etc..

Good luck...

ps... If your meant to have snow chains or winter tyres you may even find yourself on the end of a fine.

 

[Mel]

Welcome to Fun.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
It will only get beter.
Well done so far.
Hope it does not put you off.

 

[Armytwowheels]

Of all the European countries I think you have picked one with some of the smallest and windy roads..
Get out of there and into some flatter land with bigger roads like France, Spain etc..

Good luck...

ps... If your meant to have snow chains or winter tyres you may even find yourself on the end of a fine.

I was thinking that about the chains and tyres, I hope the police feel sorry for them and let them off.

Good idea though to get over to France, motorhoming is much easier there.

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[TheBig1]

as already said a truck sat nav, even a cheap chinese one will route you avoiding unsuitable roads

 

[Podney]

Two options
1. Buy a map. No,buy a good map.
2. Buy a satnav. No,buy a good satnav that is programmed for trucks or caravans/motorhomes.
Enjoy the rest of your trip.
Pay to join this Forum so that you can learn more about motorhoming.

 

[Riverbankannie]

You need a sat nav that is suitable for trucks, you can add your own vehicle dimensions etc and this should provide some warnings or route changes. Google maps alone will not do that

Hello EMP. Sorry you have had such a bad experience. I would suggest that you bite the bullet and purchase a GPS device that you can program with the size, weight and height of your van. I know this seems expensive, but it will be worth it to save your trip and improve your experience.

Shame on the Hire company who I think should have provided you with suitable gear and information. However I agree get a truck satnav as soon as you can and you can buy truck road maps. The cost will be small considering the cost of your trip and your emotional well being.

We have all been scared at some time on small mountainous roads, you are not alone.

Please post again and let us know how you get on.

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[tacr2man]

As previous posts get a satnav suitable for RVs or Trucks , and tell it you are a truck or big RV it wont take you anywhere near small roads but will take you long way round sometimes. HTSH

G'Day what part of OZ are you from ?

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

I thought also there were some requirement to obtain road passes, "vignettes" for Switzerland depending on the weight of the motorhome.

 

[dalspa]

Sorry to read of your plight. Agree with the above posts, however, you should also have a decent roadmap. I presume Michelin do a map for Switzerland like they do for France. In the front it should have a key of the roads in the order of importance/size. Stick to the major roads and ignore the lesser roads (often shown as two lines but with no colour) . Even with having and using a satnav, I still pick the route that I want to take (using map) not just following the route that the satnav has chosen. This is not a good time to be driving in a mountainous country where snow is likely to be found at higher altitude. I have never been to Switzerland so cannot comment on the roads there. I’m sure replies will soon be forthcoming from people who have experienced the roads/terrain there. In setting your route on a satnav (of any description) do it in short sections and compare it with the roadmap so as to make sure you avoid minor roads. Any satnav will tend to want to take you in the shortest distance from A to B, irrespective of the terrain and the time of year.
David

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[PhilandMena]

I don't quite get this. In a wheelchair and now beyond terrified to drive again ? Am i missing something ????? No doubt I am !

 

[Cat53]

I don't quite get this. In a wheelchair and now beyond terrified to drive again ? Am i missing something ????? No doubt I am !

My husband is in a wheelchair....yet still drives. Granted we haven't tackled Switzerland in the winter. But then we are not from Australia either. Vcan only imagine the sheer terror after big wide Australian roads.

Find your courage EM and keep on, keeping on.

 

[davidbaldam]

Hi and welcome to FUN.

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[Yorick]

Head south to warmer climes. Could be snow in Switzerland for a while yet.

 

[Hollyberry]

And breathe. You survived and your van will be recovered. The hire company should have only hired out the vehicle with the proper tyres and snow chains--- but how you fit snow chains was totally beyond me.

As has been suggested, get a sat nav that allows you to input dimensions and head for France.

Don't think about what could have happened ( that's my speciality) No damage was done, no one died.
Once you get onto wider, flatter roads you'll be fine.

 

[Theonlysue]

You can also set sat nav for fast roads which should be main roads but always worth checking route against a map.

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[treetops1]

Hi Emp, Just relax and calm yourself down .Most of us have being in similar situations before .You are lucky you have support around you at the moment and no one is going to abandon you until you are in a safe place to start with .when you can get parked up and rest for a couple of days ,talk to people and if they are going your way ask if it is ok to follow them .Where you are now ,winter is not really the place to be as a novice but i am sure there will be someone will come along who will be happy for you tag along .When you get back home you will be able laugh and tell them you nearly fell off a mountain .Keep your chin up and relax Girl, all will turn out ok and relax and enjoy.

 

[funflair]

If you can find good WiFi someplace you could download Co-Pilot sat nav to a smart phone the Camper/Caravan version has the facility to load size weight length and width and YES it does make a difference to the roads it takes you on, I have programmed it for different profiles and the route changes accordingly BUT these things are not fool proof and bit of further checking on weather conditions and altitude may be worthwhile.

Yes you should have snow tyres on but I would expect these to be on the hire van if hired in Switzerland during the winter.

Good Luck

Martin

 

[teensvan99]

Hi don't worry about the cost of a GPS. Do what we did buy the GPS and then re sell on Ebay when you get back home. We did this a few years ago when in the USA. Sold it for more than we paid. There are not many that have not got themselfs into a few very tight spots. We fulltimed for over 7 years with a tag Burstner and had many an eyes closed time. You will laugh at this in the future. Take care and enjoy
.

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[Freespirit1]

@Emp Umm - this is indeed not a good situation for you both - Maybe this forum can fine someone experienced enough in that area to come to your assistance and support - does the forum know of any Funsters over there that can help please? Any Funsters over the border close by that can maybe divert?? I’m nowhere near or I would offer

 

[TerryL]

@Emp Whereabouts are you, maybe someone can come and help you out.

 

[pappajohn]

Does anyone make a satnav which shows snowy roads.......
No, thought not.

EMP said it's the first time EVER that they have SEEN snow....never mind drive on it.
With ziltch experience of driving on snow the size of the road makes little difference.

Just unfortunate they spun out a narrow mountain road but just as scary on major road if you aren't expecting it.

Satnavs can't help avoid snow and this is Switzerland in winter..

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[autorouter]

My advice would be, get a map and learn the three local words for a wide highway: Autoroute, Autobahn, Autostrada.

Stay on the wide highways and get away from the mountains in winter. The Swiss are the best in the world for keeping highways clear of snow and ice.

I would suggest you head west, to the south coast of France. It's warmer and not so hilly. if you head north (towards Austria/Germany) there's more snowy mountains, and the same if you head east towards Italy.

Avignon, Arles and Montpelier are beautiful historic towns, and the Camargue Region has spectacular wildlife if you like that kind of thing.

By the time it gets to April, the main snow will have gone, and you can go and explore the mountains again if you want.

 

[MyrtleGuru]

Really sorry to hear of your troubles: that is absolutely terrible.
Even for someone like me who learnt to drive in snow as a teenager and with experience of driving in heavy snow in northern Europe and North America, I still treat snow with the greatest respect because of its unpredictability (and the unpredictability of other road users in those conditions).

On the positive side: you survived. I have had some difficult, sometimes near-death experiences but, if you get through them, you move on and learn from it. Put it behind you and feel stronger for it.

The advice from others about a good satnav is key -- remember in Europe roads come in many guises: some even pre-date the Romans; many were designed for horses not motor vehicles let alone motorhomes. A good satnav will distinguish between the navigable ones and the cart tracks.

 

[hilldweller]

Is this a wind up..?

Sure is an out of the ordinary first post.