Why Me !

Finally persueded Loto (Leader of the Opposition ) to drive the motorhome on the way back from the show at the NEC. The idea being that I get some breaks on long jourmeys but clearly not to be. Despite my frequent and loud interjections during the course of the mile or so she did drive, she has decided its too wide, too awkward, too stressful (she should have tried being a bl**dy pasenger ), and other driver are too inconsiderate ( I have yet to interview the other drivers for their response !)

Am I the only one to suffer in this way.

On a serious note, she is a good driver it's the others. i used to have the same trouble with the rest of my platoon being out of step.

NORGIL wrote:Am I the only one to suffer in this way.

Yes, mine takes driving long distances in France and elsewhere in her stride. The journey is less stressful for both of us, (and uses less fuel to boot).

I find the Clubman far easier to drive than the cars I have had, that's is why it is my everyday car, perhaps it`s a case of driving it more and the easier it will be, not passing judgement here, but I found the first time I drove mine , on my own, was a 200 + journey home after I had just bought it, never did a test drive before hand either, after 10 minutes loved it, also I am better on my own and not with husband in the vehicle, some men make bad passengers and cannot help passing remarks which doesn`t help if the lady driver is nervous. ( doesn`t apply to my H. as the first time he tried to be clever, told him he can always walk,he isn`t into MH`s so that doesn`t apply now.

Can you take it somewhere quiet and then let her drive it on her own. ? seems a shame.

Good luck with that, or she could do a motorhome driving course with an instructor , might find it easier with someone not personally involved. Just trying to help, don`t shoot the messenger,

Norgil,

I opened your post and immediately called to Penny to come and read it.
I even lent her my glasses!
After thirty seconds there was a loud "hmmff" and the glasses were thrust back at me.
She stomped back off to where she belon...
She then stomped back off into the kitchen.

Have no fear, you are not alone  

Derek
(fellow sufferer)

NORGIL wrote:Am I the only one to suffer in this way.

Nope!

Every suggestion, however tentative, is taken as a criticism. Even the gentle reminder that 60mph in second might be straining the engine a bit!!

We have a good arrangement though. I drive, and she prepares all the meals when we stop at lunchtime or for the night. A reasonable division of labour. We've been married now for 45 years and have managed to stay together!

Dave

Mrs B does the lion's (lioness's?) share of driving the motorhome, both here and in France. Like daisy mae, she prefers driving the motorhome to driving cars; in our little local runabout she feels intimidated by cars driving too close up her rear  (oooerrr missus), the Vectra estate is more difficult to park than the motorhome (not having the benefit of double side mirrors, I agree on this.)

Overall she is a better, safer and more careful driver than me; lighter on the throttle and also therefore more economical.   Although she is perfectly capable, she feels less comfortable driving through cities where, shall we say, a more assertive style is required; that's when I take over and go into white van driver mode!

On long journeys we share the driving so it is less tiring for both of us. I am quite happy to kip in the back whilst she drives; the reciprocal however is not the case for some reason.  I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat as a passenger in any form of transport, be it road, rail, sea or air - perhaps she's worried I'd fall asleep whilst I'm driving?

If any of you have wives or female partners who hesitate to drive the motorhome, I would suggest you to encourage them to drive but do allow them to gain in confidence without criticising.  daisy mae's suggestion of letting her try on her own somewhere quiet or with someone not closely known or indeed on a course is an excellent idea.

One day, you may have cause to be grateful.

cheers
Roger

Groggy from anaesthesia and medication after a very intimate encounter with a camera it was suggested that I didn't drive.

Everything went well until we met the tractor doing 5mph and the driver refused to overtake it.

After being overtaken by a stream of cars, lorries and vans (no milk-float but it was late afternoon) almost all with flashing lights and pipping hooters I decided that even semi-anaesthetised it would be better for me to drive.  

You are not alone!!  

Whenever I ask my Other Half if she wants to try driving she always says she will drive when it's an emergency !! If it ever happens I hope I'm not concious ! If I knew what was happenning it would be bad for both of us ! But at least she wouldn't be doing 60 in second, it's an automatic It's not that she can't it's just lack of confidence.

Ha Ha! memories from long ago reminding me of my ex wife and rows over driving a VW camper. Last i heard she was touring New Zealand solo in a hired motorhome, good for her I guess. I hope the hire firm was ready to replace the gearbox and clutch when it was returned.  The poor old VW suffered  badly some years go, or perhaps she has managed to understand  why things have more gears than 3  She did not in the past it was her crunch of choice. hahaha:

You should all be grateful that your wives do drive. Mine has never learnt, never wanted to and doesn't see the need when she has a chauffeur. So every holiday is a busman's holiday. She did actually have about 6 lessons after son persauded her when he was learning. She hated every minute and stopped after one particularly bad lesson.

Paulmold wrote:You should all be grateful that your wives do drive. Mine has never learnt, never wanted to and doesn't see the need when she has a chauffeur. So every holiday is a busman's holiday. She did actually have about 6 lessons after son persauded her when he was learning. She hated every minute and stopped after one particularly bad lesson.

that sounds a bit like my mum. Never stopped her knowing exactly what dad was doing wrong or knowing every shortcut (!) in the book.

To be honest, when we picked up the Neuvo it was the first motorhome I'd ever driven and the biggest vehicle since a transit 30 years ago.  To say I was filled with trepidation would be an understatement. For days before I was seeking advice here, there and anywhere (yes, even that other forum  ) on how to drive "the monster". After 10 minutes, and once I relaxed the white knuckles on the steering wheel, I really got into it.  I enjoy it much more than driving a car now.  My wife wants to drive it, and I want her to drive it, but she is, quite naturally, apprehensive. 

I'm sure she will get into it over the coming months, as and when she feels ready.

Askit wrote: it was the first motorhome I'd ever driven and the biggest vehicle

I felt the same when I bought a T25 VW. That was until I read the dimensions and found it was 2" shorter and 4" wider than my car. 

I have to confess that I have been nervous of driving a vehicle that seemed enormous the first time I sat in the driving seat.  

Before we bought "Petal" (a 1998 Duetto) we hired one of the smallest motorhomes available to hire in America to see if we liked the motorhome life.

We picked up the van in Boston and I was so terrified at the sheer size of this "economy" motorhome (actually called a Chateau!) that the first three miles was literally a "white knuckle" ride as my grip on the steering-wheel failed to relax.

Suddenly I thought "Why are you worried when you have driven and ridden around the Paris Peripherique on numerous occasions?"

I started laughing and after explaining to SWMBO that I hadn't gone insane, relaxed and we had a great three month holiday ... 

... and not once did I encounter a level of behaviour that can regularly be found on the Paris Peripherique!  (Extreme examples being the passing courier bikers that kick the doors of cars that slow them down, or ordinary bikers that knock the wing-mirrors off vehicles that don't move over to let them filter between stopped traffic!)

Best regards,

my first motor home experience was also a hire van. A Toyota Hi Ace in New Zealand. I spent the first 20 minutes driving around the block trying to not hit the kerbs. The Hi Ace (like the VW I finally bought) had the driver sitting over the front wheels and his feet a long way in front. This appears to give a much quicker "turn in" and left kerbs vulnerable to my attack.

Before finally ordering our Nuevo we hired a similar van (a Swift) for a few days just to see how I would cope with a coach built. Our first trip was home to check that we had enough space to park it.

And like Dutto, nothing is as bad as the Paris Peripherique!

Central Amman, or Dublin in the 80s come a close second IMHO 

EDIT: I also get wound up on the Caen ring road nowadays though.

meanchris wrote:I also get wound up on the Caen ring road nowadays though.

I've got a good set of route notes, kindly given by a friend on another forum. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I passed them on.

I'll look for where I "put them safe!" and will post them if you would like them. There's only one tricky junction to negotiate - the rest of the route is very straightforward. (Or you can detour through La Mailleraye sur Seine where there's an excellent aire and an adequate municipal.)

Dave

My wife cannot reverse, read a map and clips kerbs frequently, I would love her to drive the Sigma, if she  did I think I would have to sit on the WC in the back.
Don't you say anything to her JT.
Boaby

burlingtonboaby wrote:My wife cannot reverse, read a map and clips kerbs frequently, I would love her to drive the Sigma, if she  did I think I would have to sit on the WC in the back.
Don't you say anything to her JT.
Boaby

Hmmmm,  I sense a big plate of cream and strawberry jam scones to keep me quiet 

My wife can drive perfectly well but I cannot passenger in the same situation:hugegrins:

dbroada wrote:
that sounds a bit like my mum. Never stopped her knowing exactly what dad was doing wrong or knowing every shortcut (!) in the book.

Wet night in Stockport.

Mum driving her Mini Cooper down Stockport Hill with her sister May as passenger.

Mum turns to May and says "Brace yourself May!  We're going to crash."

May, braces herself as Mum's car, with all wheels locked, slides into the back of a car waiting at traffic lights.

Driver of the car in front leaps out, runs to the back of his car to survey the damage and carries on to start shouting at Mum.

Mum slides her window open and says "Calm down!  You ran into the car in front of you as well."

It was at this stage that my Aunty May thought that the other driver was about to have a stroke.

The veins on his neck and forehead stood out like ropes, he had trouble breathing and his face rapidly turned purple.

Not surprising really.  

He had been happily parked at the lights when Mum had hammered his car into the back of the one in front of him.  

Hopefully sorted this issue, have booked Loto on a days course with a local HGV/LCV training centre. They are going to take her out for a few hours in a larger vehicle than the MH then have an afternoon out in the MH.

Apparently the instructor is

more patient then me.....................rubbish
doesnt get annoyed........................nonsense
doesnt shout..................................he's probably too hoarse
more considerate of her feeligs.........snake oil salesman
and knows what he is doing.............idiot who has probably picked up what he knows from ....................................................driving behind me at some point.


Time will tell

Norgil you missed out 

Is being paid for this activity and the longer he can hold out the more he gets and he isn t paying the insurance premium!!

Is this a sexist forum. My husband never wants to drive anywhere even the car now. Old age I think. But of course when something goes wrong whose fault is it. MINE. Even when the door locked on me my fault. Oh well. Lucky we are the stronger sex and can take it.

Says it all for me Rose!!

Dave