Night Driving

DaveFromBarrow

DaveFromBarrow

Joined
Sep 11, 2020
Posts
277
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240
Location
Aboyne
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75,732
MH
Apache 634
Exp
Since 2020
We live in NE Scotland and love holidaying in Devon, Dorset & Cornwall. We’re just back from our latest and this time we drove down and back through the night. On the way back we joined the M5 at Taunton at about 23:00 and I didn’t need to touch the cruise until we were north of brum, it was fab.

So, what is the consensus on driving through the night? What do experienced Motorhomers think are the up and downsides?

d
 
Buggers you up for the next day and you are driving after being up all day so not well rested but I quite like driving at night though don't do it in the motorhome.
 
Going to France in June (usually) we leave home at 3am, arrive at the Tunnel about 10am. Best drive ever, gets light at about 4am and roads are deserted.
 
I found grabbing some sleep in services worked well and arriving mid afternoon allowed for some RnR as opposed to arriving in the dark 🤓
 
The last three years coming back from Spain I have driven through the night straight off the boat and it’s been a complete nightmare with motorways being closed for resurfacing. Thinking of daytime journeys instead.
 
When we drive from Wiltshire to Scotland we usually leave home about 9 - 10 pm and drive to Lancaster Services where they have a MH parking area - part of the Travelodge car park. Have a few hours sleep and set off fresh again in the morning. It is very quiet round Birmingham, Manchester etc However, last time there were roadworks and we were diverted through Birmingham! :(
 
We've done some night driving when getting early morning ferries but not something we like to do as it pretty much makes you useless for the rest of the day.
 
We live in Cornwall and stay at a site in Suffolk once a year, so I can see my parents as they live close by. We usually leave Cornwall after work on a Friday around 5 ish and drive up to Suffolk. We stop 2/3 times and usually get there around 2am…..pull in to a lay-by close to the site get a few hours kip, then drive in to the site at around 9am, works for us.
 
Badknee said:
The last three years coming back from Spain I have driven through the night straight off the boat and it’s been a complete nightmare with motorways being closed for resurfacing. Thinking of daytime journeys instead.
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I always try to drive through the night BUT the last couple of times coming off the Chunnel the motorways were closed for maintenance , more than one (inc dartford crossing) so got redirected all over the place
I’ll need to think again once we get European travel again 🤯

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Is there a website where you can get info on motorway closures?
 
I must have driven over a million miles much at night driving Bournemouth to Stranraer for the ferry to Ireland and back regularly when I was working. Really used to enjoy the near empty roads and few speed cameras
 
I wanted to call in at Aten lighting in Melton Mowbray (led’s) straight from the tunnel, 1tunnel shut at Dartford, M11 shut, A10 shut, A1 shut, ended up going up the M1, I couldn’t believe it.
 
TheBig1 said:
I must have driven over a million miles much at night driving Bournemouth to Stranraer for the ferry to Ireland and back regularly when I was working. Really used to enjoy the near empty roads and few speed cameras
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I used to love night trunk but not now.

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I drive through the night to Scotland, I even take the old route from Surrey, A1/M1 to Scotch Corner, then A66 east to west over to Penrith, then up The M6 to Asda North Carlisle, to get cheap fuel and Flat Sausage/Morning Rolls as they are open 24Hrs. Then onto Hawick or turn left and go see family in Ayrshire...plenty of parking on their farms:giggle:
I do agree, my plans can been scuppered with overnight motorway closures, but with such heavy traffic these days, especially this "Freedom" week, there have been day long closures on the M3, M5, M4, M1 due to bad accidents, lorries catching fire etc.

I did search for a "live Traffic" map, to show roadworks, & road closures due to accidents but wasn't successful on Google or The BBC, so if anyone knows where a live map can be found please let me know, as Garmin are way behind the curve I find.
Many Thanks.
LES
 
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TinaL said:
I drive through the night to Scotland, I even take the old route from Surrey, A1/M1 to Scotch Corner, then A66 east to west over to Penrith, then up The M6 to Asda North Carlisle, to get cheap fuel and Flat Sausage/Morning Rolls as they are open 24Hrs. Then onto Hawick or turn left and go see family in Ayrshire...plenty of parking on their farms:giggle:
I do agree, my plans can been scuppered with overnight motorway closures, but with such heavy traffic these days, especially this "Freedom" week, there have been day long closures on the M3, M5, M4, M1 due to bad accidents, lorries catching fire etc.

I did search for a "live Traffic" map, to show roadworks, & road closures due to accidents but wasn't successful on Google or The BBC, so if anyone knows where a live map can be found please let me know, as Garmin are way behind the curve I find.
Many Thanks.
LES
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Try the web link available on post 13 above. The traffic England site has a live map and you can add in details that are important to you by using the map menu e.g. adverse weather or road works etc. As you cross the border switch to traffic Scotland
 
KiwiKampers said:
One of the drawbacks of driving at night is the moths and flying insects collide with the luton and stick like glue. They're a b****r to wash off.
🪰🦋🐝🐜🐞🦋
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Ain’t that the truth. What’s that gunk hand car washers squirt on to get them off?

d
 
I like night driving. When we lived in Wales most every trip we did, started with a night drive out of Wales then overnighting somewhere, anywhere in England. And driving wide vans on Wales' narrow lanes it was a bonus of fewer vehicles on the road and those that were, you'd see lights long before you saw them

I only need about 4 or 5 hours max sleep a day.

On longer journey on the continent, like taking the kids to Spain, I'd often drive most of the night, then pull on to motorway aires between 4 and 5am . (The gassing teams have gone home to count their cash and ipads by then) I'd sleep the family would wake up wash and make breakfast for 9ish I'd wake up ready to go.
 

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