What's the dumbest thing you've done to your van? (1 Viewer)

Eeyore

Free Member
Oct 28, 2010
362
398
Funster No
14,265
Came back to the farm where we store the van, emptied the fridge, left the freezer and fridge door open for it to dry out and air.

Three weeks later we came back to discover the whole thing was bunged up with a vast iceberg. We' d forgotten to turn off the gas at the tank and the fridge had switched automatically. At least we know how long one tankful will run the fridge for.
 
May 7, 2011
4,797
42,703
Cornwall Gorran Haven
Funster No
16,300
MH
T Line 785
Exp
motorhoming since 1979
Like the rest of you lot , I've done several of the past admissions.

Reversing into a parking area in wooded area, my mate reversed his 8 metre moho in, I followed parking along side of him ,attempting to get our fronts level, mine being then only 6 metre long ( hadn't realised he'd parked alongside a tree ) gentle bump small crank in grp bumper.

then picked up my 1st A class old one , so busy showing & explaining all about it to the neighbours while filling water tank OOP's !!!! put hose in Diesel filler instead.

In Rouen took wrong turn due to old car satnav , and it rerouted me down an underpass 2 mtr max height, luckly spotted it , but one hell of a bugger reversing back out into the traffic.

Plus some other minor boo boo's. which wifey reminds me of quite often !!!!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Eeyore

Free Member
Oct 28, 2010
362
398
Funster No
14,265
Best I've ever see was at Gravelines aire. We'd got prime position on the end overlooking the estuary with a Dutch van parked quite close to us.

Next thing a huge UK van reversed, at speed into the narrow gap. Trouble was he'd not noticed the boulders along the edge, designed to stop you driving into the harbour.

Horrible ripping sound as the back of the van rode up over the boulder and came to a stop with the boulder under the van. He later admitted it was the second time he'd damaged the back reversing that holiday but , no problem, it simply meant more work for the insurance company !
 

JohnH

Free Member
Jan 5, 2009
404
993
Southport
Funster No
5,299
MH
Just looking
Exp
+14
Absolutely no damage done but towing a Sprite Alpine caravan through France to Northern Spain 45+ years ago my dear wife navigating told me to take the next left turn. I did, into a one way street, 100 yards into the said rue I met a police car coming in the other direction.
He told me in French that the road was his (I think he meant he had the right of way). Rather than book the idiot Englishman he made me reverse back onto the main road. He stopped the traffic with much whistle blowing, hand gestures etc. All to humiliate the idiot. I managed and drove off, looking at him and his colleague in my mirror, laughing their heads off. I think it had made his day.
Since then I have always been ultra careful when driving abroad particularly.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,003
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
Not us, but when we were on an aire in Holland which only had 2 spots just near the lake but quite tight to get into, a Dutch MHer drove up and parked no problem. In the morning we took the dogs out for a potter to the lake and when we returned we noticed the MHer trying to turn round instead of simply reversing out. Unfortunately he didn't (wouldn't) take any notice of his wife and just trusted his camera ... crunch! He couldn't see the post which his wife was frantically trying to tell him about ... consequently he ended up with the rear corner of his bumper smashed and hanging off! Our trusty 'tool kit' of gaffer tape and string came in handy! :rolleyes:
 

Eeyore

Free Member
Oct 28, 2010
362
398
Funster No
14,265
We met a couple in Venice who' d reversed into a bush on a previous trip and got a big branch caught in their cycle rack. They'd not noticed what they had done until they pulled away and the bike rack tore off the rear of the van. That they noticed.

When you think of all the possible things that can go wrong it's a wonder there are any of us brave enough to go anywhere !

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Oct 7, 2013
5,867
36,736
South Wales
Funster No
28,463
MH
Swift Escape Compact
Exp
Since 1988
While in the car park of Auchan supermarket in Calais we saw an Italian family return to their motorhome and pack away their purchases.

The driver then jumped in and reversed out of the space into the shopping trolley which he had left directly behind him.

Presumably disgusted, and frustrated by his mistake, he moved for ward again, this time driving the front bumper into a bollard. He then reversed again at speed, hitting the shopping trolley again!

At that point we left as we thought it was rude to be seen laughing too much. (And thinking, there but for the grace of God........).
 

ukbill

LIFE MEMBER
Nov 3, 2011
5,501
5,274
Pinoso
Funster No
18,740
MH
4 berth low profile
Exp
starting on saturday 10/3/2012
Allowed @ShiftZZ into my van,totally contaminated never been the same since :whistle:
 
Jun 17, 2012
2,919
9,815
North Essex
Funster No
21,517
MH
Autotrail Delaware
Exp
>12 but <13
Had this MH 4 weeks, reversed overhang over nice little grassy bank, which contained an obscured sawn off tree stump! Cracked bumper O/S.
Then at Uzerche Aire reversed carefully into space, watching look down rear camera, but due to shadows and dappled light through trees, crack, as I hit bollard on N/S. Then half a dozen Frenchies didn't walk by later to inspect stupid Englishman's damage, no, straight around to have a look and point!
Lovely aire overlooking river and free water, leccy and parking.
I tried to line front up but forgot this one is 1 metre longer (at the rear!!)
Uzerche.jpg

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Jaws

LIFE MEMBER
Sep 26, 2008
23,821
71,961
Thetford Norfolk
Funster No
4,189
MH
C class, Chieftain
Exp
since 2006 ( I think ! )
The Miller never had rear steady's.. After a couple of years I bought a pair and fitted them
First trip with them was to a big bike meet in Italy..
Yup, left em down when we left ..
Oh and while in Benidorm kept leaving the van unlocked if we were not going too far.. Twice Dillon locked us out by pushing the lock button down !!
 

Teuchter

LIFE MEMBER
Deceased RIP
Nov 4, 2014
1,404
4,001
Lee on the Solent
Funster No
34,115
MH
Hymer Mercedes MLI 580
Exp
I have been caravanning for 32 years but in 2014 I have"gone over to the dark side"
Leaving a campsite by the Canal du Midi I thought how nice of everyone to be waving me goodbye when I noticed in my rear camera an orang snake chasing us!!

Yup twas our faithful EHU lead afraid of being left behind!!

No damage to van oe lead but hugely damaged ego!! :(
 

D&G

Free Member
Apr 9, 2015
38
55
Woolavington, Somerset
Funster No
35,766
MH
Fiat Ducato Swift Suntor
Exp
2011
I asked our very nice main dealer if on our test drive we could go via our house so we could make sure we could get the MH on the drive and it would fit (our road is quite narrow and we have gate posts that are not that wide). I had had a VW LWB T5 previously and used to swing in close and point the nose over the other side of the road and reverse in. Tried the same in the now 6.2 mtr Ducato and I couldn't get the swing right, kept going backwards and forwards. Salesman sat in the back lounge watching not saying a word, turned the wheel the wrong way and knocked the top stone off the top of MY wall, nice 6 inch gash in the bumper. I turned to the wife and said, s'pose we'll have to buy it now :)

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
Jul 3, 2008
1,098
943
Lincolnshire
Funster No
3,154
MH
Autotrail Apache 700
Exp
since 1998
Not making sure the clip holding drop down bed was secure, soon found out on a bumpy mountain road in Spain when bed hit me on the head
 
Jan 22, 2013
1,245
58,340
London SE
Funster No
24,385
MH
A class Adria vision I707
Exp
since 1971
Forgot the cardinal rule of tight manoeuvring – watch for the rear overhang swing out. Only concerned with the front end on a 90 deg turn and took my eye off the rear end. Clipped / Smashed the corner of a wall and scratched the canopy and broke off the end cap. Lesson well and truly learned and never to be repeated:cautious:

The dumbest thing Jane has done:- Talk to me after I did it:D

plus one! I felt a real dipstick after:cry::cry:
 
OP
OP
D

DanielFord

Free Member
Jun 1, 2013
3,020
3,086
Funster No
26,287
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I think I now qualify for the 'Golden Cock' award after todays antics.
I Swung into the family house in my car where the van is stored. Admittedly at a larger rate of knots than I usually do, because I was in a hurry, only to discover that brother in law is reversing down the drive towards me In his works van, and I know he doesn't use his mirrors. No problem, I shall quickly engage reverse and swing into the side. CRUNCH! Oh yes, there's a bloody great big campervan in my way! Oops! Moral of the story, use all mirrors, not just the rear view.
I now need a new rear light cluster on the car, but the van faired rather better, just made the crack in the fibreglass a bit bigger.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,003
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
I gave you a 'funny' but I know it's not really! :D
 
Jan 10, 2013
5,958
7,354
Near Uttoxeter and Crete
Funster No
24,227
MH
Warwick XL PVC
Exp
Still trucking and learning
A couple of days ago we decided that we should disinfect the fresh water tank. Mixed up the whole tub of Puriclean in a bucket as per instructions, poured it into fresh water tank, went to get water hose and got back to discover all the Puriclean liquid making a dash for it down the drive ........................ yep, you've guessed it, we forgot to put the plug in the bottom of the tank.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,003
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,003
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
Yep luckily the kids spotted him out of the rear window before we got into fifth. He didn't need another walk that day.;)
No wonder he looks knackered in our avatar! :D
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top