Mel B Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 Just remembered that I meant to tell you lot that I nearly got squished last weekend! Now I know that some will be disappointed that I didn't (stop giggling Michele!) but this is serious!8-) We stopped at Brownhills (Newark) car park last Saturday/Sunday, even though we don't have a van from them now they were happy for us to use the car park so we did and had quite a good night's kip. Anyway, on Sunday we had our usual poddle round the vans (as you do!) and saw a La Strada van that we'd never seen before. Upon exploring it, I noticed that it had a drop down bed. Now, not that we're looking to change the van again but more like doing research for the future in case we decide to downsize, I decided to see how much headroom there was and how easy it was to pull down. Being that we've had motorhomes for some years now and we are careful when we look at anything that doesnt belong to us so as not to damage it in any way, I gave the handle under the middle of the bed a tug, nothing, absolutely nowt happened. So I went to the end of the bed and checked that the catch had remained unlocked, yup, after a bit of though I wondered if it was done differently and you pulled the end down first then the middle to level it up, so I decided to try to pull the bed down from the end instead, so gave it a GENTLE tug. The ruddy thing flew down, and I mean flew! Just missing my noggin and ended up about 18 inches lower than it should have, resting halfway down the rear seat cushion back with me hanging on to it! Absolutely lethal!!! If I'd not been quick I'd certainly have been injured, as it was it trapped my hand. A bit later I told the receptionist and she eventually managed to get one of the technical personnel to come over to see what had happened. When I explained exactly what had transpired, all he said was, "you don't do it like that". After telling him that pulling the handle hadn't worked, he tried it himself and had great difficulty pulling it down by this and he also checked that the catch was off before trying again, he was also tempted to do it the way I had told him I had, I had to tell him not to. In the end he just said that you "Don't do it like that", but with the handle. I explained that that may be the case but that it should have something on it to say that you should ONLY do it that way and to make it clear that it was dangerous to try any other way. Again, he just said you don't do it that way, only with the handle. I said that it should at least have a sign in it to say either don't try to put the bed down or exactly how to do it, but he wasn't interested and got out of the van, I said, that it was up to them but I wouldn't like to be them if someone really did get injured because they would be responsible for not making it clear. He just walked off. The problem could easily be solved by a couple of brackets attached to the side of the van to prevent the bed coming down too low, even if pulled from the end rather than the handle, that way it wouldn't be able to nearly crown anyone! I really hate to think what would've happened if someone had been sat on the lower seat when the bed came flying down ... To use a Hill Street Blues phrase ... when looking at motorhomes and van conversions and playing with bits and pieces ... "Be careful out there"!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 :-( :-( no not really mel :D :D :D seriously could of been really bad . I wonder what they wouldof done had it of really hurt you ? Wouldn't be funny if it hurt an OAP and knocked them over or cut their heads ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingpete Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Yeah Michelle, good thing it was not me. I would have have been showing them my injuries and asking afor a 50% discount off all future purchases to keep quiet about it >:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowan Lee Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 We looked at an Autocruise at Brownhills and the swinging wall arrangement in the washroom fell off its hinges. I went to look for a member of staff and eventually found one, who wasn't in the least interested. Put us right off both companies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc_edward Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 yes totaly aggree brownhills a waste of time i have had 2 motorhomes off them and bolth times had hassle :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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