candapack Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Just back from a week on Mull, NOT in MH. As a novice, was encouraged to see quite a few coachbuilts bigger than ours negotiating the single track roads with no difficulty, also parked up in Tobermory. And Mull was glorious, by the way. Eagles and otters, fabulous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 candapack - 2014-04-05 8:59 AM Just back from a week on Mull, NOT in MH. As a novice, was encouraged to see quite a few coachbuilts bigger than ours negotiating the single track roads with no difficulty, also parked up in Tobermory. And Mull was glorious, by the way. Eagles and otters, fabulous. I spent some time on Mull in our van ( PVC ) It' was an easy place to explore for us because it was low season and traffic was very light - sometimes non existent - but I'm not so sure that would be the case in high season. One road I would recommend you avoid is the B8073, from Killiechronan to Tobermory via Calgary. It's scenic, but quite often you can't see the next passing place, so we spent much more time than usual reversing . Don't go that way if you are in a hurry ! Would I go to Mull again ? Certainly would. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 malc d - 2014-04-05 9:48 AM candapack - 2014-04-05 8:59 AM Just back from a week on Mull, NOT in MH. As a novice, was encouraged to see quite a few coachbuilts bigger than ours negotiating the single track roads with no difficulty, also parked up in Tobermory. And Mull was glorious, by the way. Eagles and otters, fabulous. I spent some time on Mull in our van ( PVC ) It' was an easy place to explore for us because it was low season and traffic was very light - sometimes non existent - but I'm not so sure that would be the case in high season. One road I would recommend you avoid is the B8073, from Killiechronan to Tobermory via Calgary. It's scenic, but quite often you can't see the next passing place, so we spent much more time than usual reversing . Don't go that way if you are in a hurry ! Would I go to Mull again ? Certainly would. ;-) It was Killiechronan House we stayed in - I cycled the road to Tobermory (then back by Dervaig and Salen) and encountered 2 coachbuilts. Yes, they were driving carefully,one said he had to reverse once (by then!), but they weren't in a hurry - why would you be (?) :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Mull at this time of year, hardly likely to have many problems, try Devon and Cornwall in summer. In fact we where down in Devon couple of weeks ago, had to reverse some distance on one occasion as the numpty in a Mondeo couldn't manage 100yds with out constantly hitting the hedges, so I 'kindly' reversed several hundred yards, when passing they just scowled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zydeco Joe Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 colin - 2014-04-05 2:51 PM Mull at this time of year, hardly likely to have many problems, try Devon and Cornwall in summer. In fact we where down in Devon couple of weeks ago, had to reverse some distance on one occasion as the numpty in a Mondeo couldn't manage 100yds with out constantly hitting the hedges, so I 'kindly' reversed several hundred yards, when passing they just scowled. Don't go to Cornwall and have not for many a long year as its always been full of scowling numpty's. 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globebuster Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Funnily enough I don't have any trouble getting around the west country in a coachbuilt - mind you I must be one of those numpties you're talking about 'cos I live here! Ever thought the 'numpties' you both encountered might both have been fellow 'grockles' on holiday too 8-) That's not scowling by the way - that's just our normal look! - still nice to know you won't be cluttering up our roads in future Zydeco, more room for us local campers - ooo' aarrhh my lovely ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 I have always found the Cornish people freindly enough. Stayed on a lot of CL's down there, wilded a bit and rented a cottage once. Never had a problem. Some of the lanes are a tad narrow but most cars have a reverse gear! (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 globebuster - 2014-04-05 3:11 PM Ever thought the 'numpties' you both encountered might both have been fellow 'grockles' on holiday too 8-) Not worried where they might come from, they where just crap drivers that couldn't reverse a car. BTW one of my houses is on a single track road,not unusual to encounter a bus on it, but we manage to pass each other with no drama's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawcara Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 When you see how we build stuff in Cornwall you will realise why driving is a challenge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebeaches Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 We're very fond of Devon and Cornwall, but some of the local roads are definitely challenging when driving a coachbuilt. However, following much advance trepidation, I was pleasantly surprised the first time we went to the Scottish Highlands and the Outer Hebrides. Much easier than I expected on the single-track roads. Few if any trees or high banked hedges at the side of the road, hence forward visibility is usually excellent. Oncoming vehicles can see you and tend to hang back and wait at a convenient passing place. Most designated passing places have a good-sized signpost marking them, and which can be seen well in advance so you know where to pull over etc etc. (lol) We certainly find it a great deal more relaxing driving in north-west Scotland than in the West Country. But as always, it pays to take it steady on all narrow roads and be prepared to stop quickly if necessary, rather than imagining 'it will be OK, we'll get through'. *-) Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Towing a trailer with a car on it complicates reversing on narrow roads but fortunately it's still possible since in our case the trailer is quite long and as wide as the MH, so I see the sticky-out rubber stalks of the tail lights in the mirrors on both sides. Not practical to do much reversing in the dark of course. I endured a terrifying drive from Kingsbridge to Slapton in Devon one Friday afternoon heading for the delightful C&CC Site when all the world's bread vans seemed to be heading home to Kingsbridge. They took no prisoners and there were several close calls with clashing mirrors. Our MH is LHD too so it was the OH experiencing most of the terror. And that's a Devon A Road! A problem I have reversing stems from the gearing of our Fiat-based 2.8 JTD 2006 MH. The reverse gear seems to be a much higher ratio than first gear, so you have to slip the clutch a lot to avoid ending up going far too fast. Clutch our and no throttle in reverse would be about 10 mph on level tarmac! Has anyone else noticed this or did we get a Friday Afternoon gearbox? When I was a lad reverse ratios were always lower than first gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 I'm afraid most modern vans are like this. Had an interesting talk with parking warden on slapton sands t'other week, on enquiring how many tickets we needed was told as long as wheels where in bay 1 ticket, overhang didn't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 colin - 2014-04-06 11:59 AM I'm afraid most modern vans are like this. Had an interesting talk with parking warden on slapton sands t'other week, on enquiring how many tickets we needed was told as long as wheels where in bay 1 ticket, overhang didn't matter. The clue is in the name " car " parks. Very few places ( in the UK ) cater for vans. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebiker Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 having a 30ft c class yank rv poses some problems with narow uk roads(its 8ft6ins wide) and when dragging my zafira behind as a support car its even worse! as reversing is not an option as i discovered last year on a very narrow lane in south wales. so narrrow that my mirrors were hitting the hedge on either side! i had to reverse back after missing our turning and in doing so i bent the a frame cross member on the car and had to have it re welded! i am in south and north devon this may but will be driving on main roads where poss and the b roads, simply try to avoid giving way. there are normally quite a few passing places and i have found most peple are very kind enough to realise that due to my size it is easier for them to reverse than me and to avoid a queue building up behind me i am not averse to pulling over to one side to allow people to pass, after all i am on holiday, they may not be pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 malc d - 2014-04-06 12:08 PM colin - 2014-04-06 11:59 AM I'm afraid most modern vans are like this. Had an interesting talk with parking warden on slapton sands t'other week, on enquiring how many tickets we needed was told as long as wheels where in bay 1 ticket, overhang didn't matter. The clue is in the name " car " parks. Very few places ( in the UK ) cater for vans. :-D I thought it very odd, the contact patch of tyres on van where within bay and this seemed to satisfy him, so one ticket, but front overhung 'roadway' (but this was quite wide), and on the space behind you wouldn't have been able to park anything bigger than a smart car, if we had been in a coachbuilt with large rear overhang then no car would have room to park in space behind. I don't know if this was the written rule or just his interpretation of it. Any way he then went off to write a couple of PCN's for other cars so he wasn't adverse to writing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 The wonderfully scenic for passengers, very busy but laughingly named A379 from Dartmouth to Kingsbridge is no place for a driver that cannot reverse or lacks width judgement. The real experts are the double deck bus drivers who work the route. Study the bus time tables before starting a run. The CCC Slapton site has a planning limit of from memory 5 caravans but none on motorcaravans. I am not sure if the planners were pro motorcaravans or just wanted to minimise the delays when tuggers get it wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 George Collings - 2014-04-06 1:22 PM Study the bus time tables before starting a run. Now he tells us. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebeaches Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 George Collings - 2014-04-06 1:22 PM The wonderfully scenic for passengers, very busy but laughingly named A379 from Dartmouth to Kingsbridge is no place for a driver that cannot reverse or lacks width judgement. The real experts are the double deck bus drivers who work the route. Know the road well - all a bit of a nightmare in a coachbuilt. But, as you say, the bus drivers seem to manage. (lol) Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean.clarke Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 George Collings - 2014-04-06 1:22 PM The wonderfully scenic for passengers, very busy but laughingly named A379 from Dartmouth to Kingsbridge is no place for a driver that cannot reverse or lacks width judgement. The real experts are the double deck bus drivers who work the route. Study the bus time tables before starting a run. Been there in my MH, didn't encounter a bus..... but a bloody huge HGV!! He was as good as gold though and pulled right over and I squeezed passed with inches to spare. Luckily it was on the straight and not in one of the villages/patches of houses - one of those is on a goose neck and I certainly wouldn't want to encounter oncoming traffic. We did the bus trip and were side by side, inches away from the passengers in the other bus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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