laimeduck

Ditto .... I always put my details in as length and height etc. The registration option just brings us up as a standard Ducato van ... the base vehicle .. not the motorhome. Jeremy

Can't answer you. It depends how you want to use your van? If you want to visit cities, get a compliant one. If, like us, you want to see the great outdoors, then it doesn't matter? If we want to visit a town/city we find a site in the countryside with public transport in, or we use our small motorbike to go in. Europe is much easier to do this than UK. Jeremy

Brian .... having looked at the link that Derek provided earlier ref the CMC discussions page (https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/club-talk/club-membership/sponsorship/?er=P850827) it would appear that the respondents were unaware of any sponsorships. I had considered joining that discussion, to send them the link I had found to their sponsorship deals? I too wondered who in CMC could be a motorsport or Surfing enthusiast? Perhaps that question should be asked? However ..... As already stated I have no intention of renewing my membership this year as for me there is simply no value for money I decided I really couldn't be bothered! Someone else can enlighten the un-enlightened CMC members! Jeremy

I agree ... I've done 2 testa now and it's very straightforward?

From "The Caravan & Motorhome Club" Press releases ..... https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/media-centre/press-releases/?p=8 Midway down LHS, sponsoring Rokit MB Motorsport and Surfing England, no mention of TNT though? Jeremy

In the light of recent revelations ref the Post Office, it might be relevant to ask what bonuses the directors received?

Translation "Handbags at Dawn" Tee hee!

The green Algae itself does not pose a problem as it is quite edible - indeed it is widely used in foodstuffs now as an additive and that use is likely to increase *. In my Biochemist days I experimented with Chlorella, a single cell Alga. Slime is a different matter and could be bacterial or fungal in nature - probably harmless, but? From the 1950's I have always drunk the local water in Europe and use the small amount of water we carry in the motorhome, and don't remember ever having been ill. But then, I used to eat worms and mud pies as an urchin, so probably have resistance to most bugs! Jeremy *https://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/follow-the-food/the-green-sludge-that-could-transform-our-diets.html

Newton's Second Law of Motion would suggest that the heavier your vehicle is the more force (diesel) will be required to move it. So there will be an effect but whether it will be noticeable is debatable. If you carry a full tank of water ~100kg you will increase the weight of your vehicle by about 2-3%. Being a cheapskate and usually using campsites, I never carry more than 10-15 litres water. But I am near the limit on my Benimar as I carry two electric bikes and a motorbike so am very weight conscious! Jeremy

The OP asked for a Sat Nav APP for his phone!

Soulman hello I use a free App on my Android.... Map factor Navigator. https://navigatorfree.mapfactor.com/en/ You can't input length/weight/width stuff on the free app but that does not worry me. I use my Mk1 eywballs to keep me out of trouble! Takes a bit of getting used to start with as there is no real manual. BUT it's worth the effort. It's a powerful app, constantly updated and it does the job well for me and has never let me down over about 5 years. Don't need any connections as it works on GPS. Jeremy

I would put my money on the little critters every time. Cunning little survivors perfectly adapted over 1000's of years to exploit human behaviour. As usual it is mans fault that they cause a problem - we give them what they want:- Commensal rodents need just four things to survive. A source of food and water; somewhere dry to live (shelter) ..... and another mouse or rat!. The house mouse (Mus musculus), Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus), and ships rat (Rattus rattus) are the main rodent species categorized as commensal. All are responsible for several problems. Rodents often gnaw through almost any material, including lead and cement, causing expensive structural damages; they also are considered as causes of fires when they gnaw on electrical wires. Rodents spoil food, partially eating and discarding it, and they spoil agricultural crops.

Degree in Biochemisty at Manchester 1969/72 Trained as a PhD Research Biochemist in Max Plank Institute Tubingen, then State University of New York at Buffalo, then University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, then Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Joined Rentokil as Field Biologist 1977, then Quality Assurance Specialist, then set up my own consultancy business 1996 until retirement in 2014/5. So 50+ years experience of dealing with the science of pests ....but none so bad as those on forums (fora?) Jeremy

Many of the CL's also have other pitches in addition to the 5 CMC pitches. Run as a separate enterprise but with same rates. I'm not denyiny anyone? I am/ .. soon to be was, a CMC member! Jeremy

We were CMC members in the 80's then again about 2008/9. Cancelled each time as we didn't like the petty rules. Not really our scene. Covid forced us to tour in UK rather than Europe and we disliked having to book in advance. In Europe we never book and usually have no problems. Allows us to tour with no constraints. Against our better judgement joined CMC again 2023 as we wanted to use sites for a N Yorks/Lake and Peak district trip. Big mistake! Didn't use any sites ... far too expensive ..only used a few CL's. We could have stayed on the CL's without being CMC members. How CMC can display prices and then nearly double them for two people is appalling! Cheaper to stay in a budget hotel now? We will not use them again ... in the UK we'll simply search on google on the day and use pub stopovers where possible. Jeremy

Way... way... before that Colin! It is not the composition per see of the cable, more the texture. Rats and mice don't eat it, they simply chew it. They have been chewing everything since time immemorial and electric cables since they were invented (1800's?). The word "Rodent" comes from the Greek, "to gnaw". They have to gnaw stuff to keep their incisor teeth sharp. They are chisel shaped, with the front surface made of hard enamel and the rear softer dentine. The teeth grow constantly. When they gnaw the teeth are therefore kept sharp AND they are kept short. If they didn't gnaw, then the teeth grow round in a circle rather like boars tusks and the animal will starve. (Same in rabbits). If you really want to know more there is info on this site https://www.nc3rs.org.uk/3rs-resources/malocclusion-mice Jeremy

Deffheads I think the answers were in my post. BUT without full detail it is difficult to advise? Where is the van stored? On grass, on gravel/ tarmac? Near woods? In a building? On a farm? Why are there mice in the area? Animal foodstuffs in the vicinity? If they are active inside your van now then use baits and traps But as soon as you see no more evidence of them remove the baits. Depending on the location It may be effective to place baits in special tamper resistant bait stations in the proximity of the van but not near it. i.e. kill the critters before they get near your van. On a farm or open ground though this may nor be feasible. You must ensure that only the target species eg mice can access your baits. You will never find all the access points. To suggest that you can proof all entry points is unhelpful in my view. There are just too many hidden gaps in a complex vehicle that are inaccessible. In my experience wiring is only damaged when there is a long term and fairly heavy infestation. So inspect often and use baits only when a problem is evident. Jeremy

You are going to get many old wives tales in your answers ... but as an ex professional Field Biologist I will answer with facts. Yes baits attract .. that's how they work. Avoid if you can but they have their uses. If you don't have a problem do not use bait! Yes rodents leave scent trails (pheromones) which are followed by other rodents. (All rodents have very poor eyesight and move mainly by smell and by touch and a system called kinesthesis... muscle memory, so they have preferred routes. (Rather like a blind person) So keep cupboards and surfaces clean to break the pheromone trails If you can slide a pencil into a gap (a gap not a hole!) an adult mouse will be able to squeeze through that gap. So if you are going to try to block entry points that is the scale of proofing that is required. Don't block holes with anything they can chew because they will! They have to chew stuff to keep their teeth short and sharp. You can block temporarily with wire wool ... more permanently with wire mesh ...like bird feeder mesh. Treadle type break back traps are most effective in a motorhome ... but place them next to a vertical surface not in the middle of a floor. Remember, a mouse moves by smell and touch so will usually keep close to walls. You do not need to bait them if they are placed correctly. If you do bait them put on a smear of peanut butter, not cheese .. mice really don't eat cheese much .. that's just Tom and Jerry! (Unless you can inspect them daily you should never use so called "humane" traps ... they are not humane and it is technically illegal to use them without inspecting them twice a day!) I had a mouse get in to our van in the South of France. I caught him within 5 minutes with a trap made from un upturned ice cream container, a pin and a length of cotton thread tied to a bit of Grissini. He or she, went for a trip in the local wood about half a mile down towards the beach! Jeremy

At present we use Nationwide because it suits us and it is a good product ... for us now. Brians's caveat ref repatriation does not apply to us because both my wife and I can drive the Benimar. If we both went down with something that would perhaps be another matter? The Benimar would have to go into storage until we could collect it? I think that is an unlikely risk we will have to accept. Still but and however ... just checking their breakdown policy wording I find that the Nationwide AA breakdown DOES NOT cover my motorbike .... they exclude machines under 200cc and mine is 125cc! So I have been riding around for 10 years with no breakdown! So IF you are relying on Nationwide for breakdown cover AND you have a scooter or motorbike under 200cc - you are not covered. As Brian says ...."Check very carefully" Jeremy

Have to disagree about access Derek. The frontage is very similar to my Benimar and from experience it's not easy. To work on the overcab from steps means positioning the steps parallel to the van otherwise you are too far away. That means about 60cm away from the hole which means twisting the body and unstable steps. Even with a platform (which I have) you can't get it close and have to stretch and/or bend. (If you lean a ladder against the van the curvature of the overcab means that a ladder slips sideways). Jeremy

The problem here is going to be access to work on it? Not the easiest location to balance from a ladder while stretching over the mirror for a couple or three hours? As it is so small, I would be tempted to seal the hole with whatever(filler/mastic/resin) as small and as smooth as possible then cover with a small fablon type sticky back plastic decal, and do the other side as well so it doesn't look out of place. (Or even simple paint a small round circle over the repair in a dark colour, eg black paint?). Basically a "Trompe d'oeil" Jeremy

I have just phoned the NFOP Travel insurance people to clarify a couple of points with them. The scheme is administered by the Civil Service Insurance Society CSIS, based in Maidstone. I am 74 in February 2024, but my wife is 64. I currently use the Nationwide travel insurance on their Joint Flex account. Overall with trip length extension, age extension, cruise extension it costs me about £300. But it does include vehicle breakdown for any vehicle registered in my name - including our 3850Kg Benimar. In total therefore I get breakdown for 5 vehicles! (including my daughter's vehicles) It is perhaps worth noting a few points about NFOP Travel insurance. Applicants must be members of the NFOP which is an annual cost of £25.80 for an individual £36.60 Joint membership. This is in addition to the Premium for the travel insurance policy. Applicants must have signed up before their 75th birthday . ie up to and including 74 years of age. In a joint membership, if one partner is older than their 85th birthday, then they cannot join the scheme. Once in the scheme, age is immaterial. The insurance runs from March to March. (So if you join in e.g. December you pay £395 for 4 months, then £395 again the next March. There is no pro-rata payment). So for me, NFOP works out more expensive than Nationwide by about £150-200 pa. (depending on breakdown cover costs?) With Nationwide, I have to pay additional amounts for different covers and they could be withdrawn of go up in price steeply. No point in joining NFOP now until March, but I may just take the financial hit then for the peace of mind? So ....... I may well go for it in March 2024 as once in, you are in. and the cover seems pretty good with few questions asked. Jeremy

Michelin Maps and the online versions on Via Michelin also indicate the free autoroutes. On maps pay autoroutes are yellow with a red centre and have Red lollipops with yellow centres for mileage (Km) markers and the mileages are in red numbers, whereas free autoroutes have a white centre to lollipops and blue numbers. If you put a route into Via Michelin it will also tell you how much to expect to pay in tolls. You can also select no tolls to get a toll free route. https://www.viamichelin.co.uk/web/Routes Jeremy

I concur with Brian about getting out and having a look before driving on to the pitch. Rather the same as a golfer lines up a putt! You get to see the lie of the land and an indication of where to go. I have mentioned before, but I have a simple plumbline I can attach to where the rear view mirror was sited. I then have a mark on the dash which is dead level. So ..... slow on to the pitch while using the plumbline and more often that not no ramps are required. When they are, the plumb line tells me which wheels to put the ramps on and how far up to go .....my wife is also a good STOP shouter! Jeremy

It was when we used it in January - I downloaded this map then