What do fulltimers do if...

[kimbowbill]

What do you fulltimers do when you need to have any work done on the van, your home?, it got me thinking today, if anyone was in a situation say, accident or breakdown and had nowhere to stay, i would be happy to help out, I have got a spare room, or they could even stay in the MH, if I wasnt out in it, which isnt often these days due to diesel prices, or could even offer safe storage of a spare vehicle or bikes etc, or is this just the most stupid idea?

Even if its just to look after the dog for a short while, i'm sure you have a contingency, so what do you do?

Jen

 

[Deleted member 967]

Hi Jen. Thanks for your post.

Full-timers with sense make plans for such emergencies.

We had the van in for Habitation work in Preston so we arranged to stay with a daughter in Manchester while the work was being done.

We had a fan belt tensioner go in the lakes last May. The van was recoverd to Askham in Furness. The van was off the road but as we have a Smart on a trailer we stayed with our son until the work was done about a week it took. When we were recovered they allowed us to stay in the van that night in their yard and again the day we went to pick the van up again.

We took it into the garage we always use for its service before going to Spain in November and they had problems with the rear brakes sticking so they couldn't complete it that night. This time we stayed with my sister in law for the night.

This week it was in for power steering, Front disks and rear hub oil seals. Again the work over-ran so we stayed with another daughter.

If we were stuck somewhere where we couldn't get to a relative we would book into a B&B.

You always need a Plan B, C, D etc. Having lots of kind relatives spread across the country also helps.

 

[kimbowbill]

Hi Jen. Thanks for your post.

Full-timers with sense make plans for such emergencies.

We had the van in for Habitation work in Preston so we arranged to stay with a daughter in Manchester while the work was being done.

We had a fan belt tensioner go in the lakes last May. The van was recoverd to Askham in Furness. The van was off the road but as we have a Smart on a trailer we stayed with our son until the work was done about a week it took. When we were recovered they allowed us to stay in the van that night in their yard and again the day we went to pick the van up again.

We took it into the garage we always use for its service before going to Spain in November and they had problems with the rear brakes sticking so they couldn't complete it that night. This time we stayed with my sister in law for the night.

This week it was in for power steering, Front disks and rear hub oil seals. Again the work over-ran so we stayed with another daughter.

If we were stuck somewhere where we couldn't get to a relative we would book into a B&B.

You always need a Plan B, C, D etc. Having lots of kind relatives spread across the country also helps.

you are well organised then, but what if you don't have relatives? or you are in a place not near anyone? I'm thinking that maybe on this site or on the POI database we could have marked places where people are offering help in an emergency situation, don't know, just got me thinking how you fulltimers cope and how us as a community could help in an emergency situation, say for eg, your a single person with a dog and you finish up in hospital, who would look after the dog?
Jen

 

[vwalan]

strangely enough the more you get out and travel the easier all these things become . you get to know lots of people in different areas and countries. garages run you to b&b,s .or carry a tent in case . its good to ask as much as you can before you leave and try to get a few alternative plans. but you soon find others with help to offer. its ok making lists but its far better to get out there and sort as you go. you end up with lots of places to stay ,do repairs ,servicing on the road. as you travel just keep asking.
have a word with a good garage that works on your type ofvehicle carry emergency parts that can be roadside fitted . all makes sense. depends where you are going . practice driving without a clutch or learn how to wedge open a throttle . there are some good survival driving books out there. get to a landrover show or a travel expedition show . all have lots to offer.

 

[John H]

As John and Alan have said, you build up a wide network of friends in this life and in emergencies there is usually someone nearby who is willing to put up with us for a few days (especially if I volunteer to do all the cooking and bring a box or two of vino with me!). For more routine things such as servicing/mot etc, we do have a house that we ocassionally drop into (my sister lives there full-time but there is plenty of room for us all). So far, in about ten years of this life, we have never been homeless!

 

[lotty]

breakdowns!

I think this is a good idea, we are quite new to motorhoming and so have not built up a circle of friends yet and dont have lots of relatives to call on.
We had a problem whilst touring last year.
We were away for 2 weeks and 4 days in our van broke down, we phoned the AA who recommended a local garage but on phoning them they said they could not help us as there garage could not fit a motorhome in!! We managed to get a yellow pages off the site warden and phoned a local Fiat commercial dealer and drove over to them, they ordered a part but it was not arriving until the next day. Like i said we were drivable but it was not really safe as we kept loosing throttle power and cutting out!
The dealer recommended a local site, we drove there NO DOGS!! so drove back 10 miles to where we came from, slowly, praying we would not cut out on the way! We went back in the morning to get the part fitted and had to wait 2 hours in their reception!
It did not cure the fault and we cut out again 100 miles further down the road and the same process started again!! It was a nightmare!

 

[kimbowbill]

I think this is a good idea, we are quite new to motorhoming and so have not built up a circle of friends yet and dont have lots of relatives to call on.
We had a problem whilst touring last year.
We were away for 2 weeks and 4 days in our van broke down, we phoned the AA who recommended a local garage but on phoning them they said they could not help us as there garage could not fit a motorhome in!! We managed to get a yellow pages off the site warden and phoned a local Fiat commercial dealer and drove over to them, they ordered a part but it was not arriving until the next day. Like i said we were drivable but it was not really safe as we kept loosing throttle power and cutting out!
The dealer recommended a local site, we drove there NO DOGS!! so drove back 10 miles to where we came from, slowly, praying we would not cut out on the way! We went back in the morning to get the part fitted and had to wait 2 hours in their reception!
It did not cure the fault and we cut out again 100 miles further down the road and the same process started again!! It was a nightmare!

this is exactly what I mean, if you were near me, and you had my contact (which you have now), I would have gladly helped, even if it was to look after the dog for a while, :tongue: :wacko:

 

[vwalan]

nowadays you go on a site like this one and ask can anyone help me . its that simple . do we need to keep making lists for every thing . just ask anyone near ??????? can you help. i,m sure thats the best way .

 

[kimbowbill]

nowadays you go on a site like this one and ask can anyone help me . its that simple . do we need to keep making lists for every thing . just ask anyone near ??????? can you help. i,m sure thats the best way .

its ok alan, you dont have to be on the list, and you dont have to read it either and it is only a suggestion, i have been stuck for 6 hours in the middle of nowhere and loads of MH past me, not one stopped, to ask if I was ok, suppose its a case of 'i'm allright Jack' is it?

 

[Deleted member 967]

its ok alan, you dont have to be on the list, and you dont have to read it either and it is only a suggestion, i have been stuck for 6 hours in the middle of nowhere and loads of MH past me, not one stopped, to ask if I was ok, suppose its a case of 'i'm allright Jack' is it?

The problem with Motorhomes is they do park in the middle of nowhere by choice. How do you know if one is in difficulties?

When I had coaches it was understood that if the back seat was standing outside at the back, the vehicle was disabled. I still has an idiot in a VW campervan smash into the bus near Glenfinnan and break the seat. He had set off from Fort William with no foot brake and was relying only on handbrake to stop him. I had dropped a conrod through the side of the block near the top of the hill out of Glenfinnan to Malaig on the single lane road (now improved). He came shooting up hill and another vehicle came over the top of the hill from the other direction. Result bent bus x 2

When we broke down last May we were on the roadside from 12:00noon to 8:00pm as the breakdown truck was on another job on the other side of the country. We were OK as we had food water gas etc so it was only the location that was a problem. We were asked by locals if we were OK as we were on the only place where it was safe to pull off the road and they could see the belt hanging down under the engine. I had the four way flashers going. It was not realistic for any other motorhome to stop in that location.

We try to be self sufficient with breakdown cover and Mobile phone to get assistance if necessary. It is appreciated when people do offer support though.

 

[kimbowbill]

The problem with Motorhomes is they do park in the middle of nowhere by choice. How do you know if one is in difficulties?


John, I'm not been funny but does this look like a wild camping spot to you

57.576712,-5.221939

I am mereley making suggestions not looking for an argument over it.

 

[Deleted member 967]

The problem with Motorhomes is they do park in the middle of nowhere by choice. How do you know if one is in difficulties?


John, I'm not been funny but does this look like a wild camping spot to you

57.576712,-5.221939

I am mereley making suggestions not looking for an argument over it.

Hi Kimbowbil

I have had a look at it on Google Earth and street view to the nearest camera and to be honest I have seen vans parked up on much worse places. It looks like a spot that you could stop for a cuppa.

 

[AndyC]

its ok alan, you dont have to be on the list, and you dont have to read it either and it is only a suggestion, i have been stuck for 6 hours in the middle of nowhere and loads of MH past me, not one stopped, to ask if I was ok, suppose its a case of 'i'm allright Jack' is it?

As John says, it is often hard to tell if someone has just stopped for a cuppa or if they have a problem.

If I saw a motorhome parked up with the flashers going and the bonnet up I would stop to offer help, if it was safe to do so.

AndyC

 

[Deleted member 775]

it nice to know if any of the members of this site that were full timing ,had a prob that someone would help all they could, i would help all i could if need be . we lived in our van for some 18 months and with a bit of luck we had no problems. we did have family we could have stayed with and of course rac recovery to and from anywhare .i suppose that having a tent with you would give you a roof over your head in an emergencey but where do you draw the line on what you carry round with you . i suppose that a lot of fulltimers are people that have retired and sold up so have a backup fund just in case for a night or three in a b&b but i must say the breakdown always was in the back of my mind as we were on a limited budget so as for a list of helpers on the site ,i think all one of us need to do in a dire emergencey is put a post on here and i am shure that help would be forthcoming but lets hope none of us need to go down that route.