Driving in lockdown

Hi Everyone
Has anyone got any definitive advice on taking motorhomes or campers out for a spin
to keep things moving as one normally would every couple of weeks in winter, during the lockdown?
Best regards
Mick

Dont see anything wrong with using it to do the click & collect shopping

I normally start ours every couple of weeks havnt done it and despite everything being turned off, you guessed it, would start yesterday.  

Unless AS get some decent electrics this is the last AS I will have

I do every two weeks, only a 5 mile run on our by-pass but do several laps until its done at least 20 miles. I'm therefore never more than 5 miles from home, it has a long gradual slope (used to be a railway line) uphill 3 miles or so I can give it full throttle in 6th at 60mph or so, does it the world of good. It really does need to get properly hot, IMHO.

I have done it after having to move it off the drive. It was only local and I followed another motorhome on the same route almost to our door. They stopped at Lidl so it must have been an extended shopping run.

Going for a drive probably falls foul of current rules but I cannot see any potential infringement  driving to the supermarket.(that’s how I see a means of giving the van a run )there is no legislation on what vehicle to drive.

I agree with the above. Instead of using the car, we use the 'van once every month to do the food shopping.

roli wrote:Dont see anything wrong with using it to do the click & collect shopping

I normally start ours every couple of weeks havnt done it and despite everything being turned off, you guessed it, would start yesterday.  

Unless AS get some decent electrics this is the last AS I will have

Beat AS by disconnecting your engine battery.
If you can remove it and charge in the garage.
I always leave batteries disconnected on long term storage. Dont have an alarm and keep my van in secure storage.
Cars not used are kept in the garage with battery disconnected.
I have always used where possible a battery isolator on the neg connection of the battery.

Micky

I have taken my van for a forty mile drive since last March, seen plenty of police on my travels but non took any interest as to why I were traveling or where I was going.
On some occasions I stopped for shopping otherwise I just drove round and went home.
It may have been different should I have broken down or been involved in an accident.

Pete

Not within the spirit of the law,if not breaking the law.IMHO. Breakaleg.
Yes if broken down or more likely an accident Plod would have you.

Micky

North Yorkshire Polis are out in force according to my close neighbour (Adria) ,he was stopped twice going in and out of York.
Didn't get fined though? Medical reasons .
Our footpaths are getting dug up all around the area, unable to get the van out even if I wanted too. (Kingston comms laying wifi cable)
Boaby

There are set reasons we can leave home for essential purposes including shopping for food and medical reasons. I see no problem with using the van within those rules but taking it for a drive to charge the battery or to keep the bits moving, nah, that's not essential.

Just done a good run, of some 35 miles, Chichester for a blast along the A27 then thought, nice sunny day, might as well go to Southsea to top LPG, 3 leds on but only took 8.5L, then via BP for a tank full as I was still running on 18 month old French Derv!

Only Police cars I saw were at the Tipnor drive in test site from the M275.
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Richard

Tinwheeler wrote:There are set reasons we can leave home for essential purposes including shopping for food and medical reasons. I see no problem with using the van within those rules but taking it for a drive to charge the battery or to keep the bits moving, nah, that's not essential.

as you say Tinwheeler essential purpose .the police have plenty to do with out needing to stop people going for a drive that is clearly not essential .i have been seeing lots of vehicles with lots of people in them when out driving at work myself some days is like a normal day on the road this lock down is not been treated as people did in the first lock down

Just back from a 30 mile round trip, wanted to top up lpg as we are leaving the heating on when van is on the drive (mix 2 setting at 10C) had 3/4 led on guage, but only took 6.5 litres. Then went for quick top up shopping, stopped by beach and made coffee while watching the water, then blast back up the dual carriageway. Van now reparked on drive, ehu connected heating and tank heaters on.

Still not the same as getting away for a few nights. Number 2 daughter did sleep in the van the other night for a change of bed.

nuevoboy wrote: Instead of using the car, we use the 'van once every month to do the food shopping.

I've been doing exactly this.

Since March.

The parking bays at Tesco are seemingly very small, so I just park right at the far end and overhang two bays.

Once per week it goes as follows:

Leave the house and get in the car
Drive to unmanned storage site
Drive the van 15 miles down the motorway 
Exit the motorway, go around the roundabout and back on the other side 
Drive back to storage site
Drive home in the car

Technically against the rules I suppose, but, unless I'm pulled over I don't / won't interact with another human being. Yes, I could be involved in a RTC that would involve interaction with the NHS, but, I could also fall over running around the park during my allowed exercise.

I had a plan if I was stopped, well officer I am going to the Garden Center that is still allowed to be open to get some compost, officer I don't see any, no they were sold out.
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Richard

You better rehearse your story. You must be on the way back (not going to) if you say they'd sold out.

Paulmold wrote:You better rehearse your story. You must be on the way back (not going to) if you say they'd sold out.

I am old and easy get confused. 
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Richard

Don't come to Derbyshire in a leisure vehicle on a non-essential trip.. Our police take no prisoners.., well maybe they do...
My van is safely parked up on the drive, unheated, not started or turned a wheel for over 3 months now. Solar keeps batteries alive, assisted by EHU through a time switch a few hours a week.
I've done this for ten winters now and it comes to no harm whatsoever. Springs to life in spring.
I see no point contributing unnecessarily to climate change.
Al.

We used our Duetto to attend my mother's funeral last week. Drove from Cheltenham to Crem in Bristol, 40-odd miles each way.

We used the van rather than the car, because we had our own loo rather than use M'way services, etc, somewhere to have a bite of lunch on the way, and also because we had a lot of mum's personal effects, that wouldn't all have fitted in our car, to share with family members.

bikeralw wrote:Don't come to Derbyshire in a leisure vehicle on a non-essential trip.. Our police take no prisoners.., well maybe they do...
My van is safely parked up on the drive, unheated, not started or turned a wheel for over 3 months now. Solar keeps batteries alive, assisted by EHU through a time switch a few hours a week.
I've done this for ten winters now and it comes to no harm whatsoever. Springs to life in spring.
I see no point contributing unnecessarily to climate change.
Al.

What about your bikes?
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Richard

A lot of unnecessary 'charging the battery', 'topping up the LPG' (which you can't use) and 'a blast down the bypass'...
I'm with TW on this one....by all means use the van periodically to do the essential shop, but joy riding?
I had my MOT a couple of weeks back....it's about 3/4 of a mile to my local chap. Even then, I got a few hard stares as I came home...

bolero boy wrote:A lot of unnecessary 'charging the battery', 'topping up the LPG' (which you can't use) and 'a blast down the bypass'...
I'm with TW on this one....by all means use the van periodically to do the essential shop, but joy riding?
I had my MOT a couple of weeks back....it's about 3/4 of a mile to my local chap. Even then, I got a few hard stares as I came home...

Let me be clear! I was not joy riding just keeping my van in good shape as I was advised by MOT station. As for the LPG, I am upgrading the kitchen cookers + hob so need to have a back up! My batteries are fully charged thank you on the drive due to the solar setup.

I have been told we can travel to the beach for exercise, before you start, I must add we have not since early December and while there we would like a brew inside the van with the door shut, after all the beach Cafes are all open with hoards sitting outside on their benches very close to each other, eating take away food and drinking, with the local Police driving by taking no notice what so ever.

Maybe the stares were because you don't have an Autosleeper

As always each to their own.
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Richard