“Rant”

The ferry to Westray is a Ro-ro ferry so at one end of the journey the ferry moors bow first and at the other stern first, so that vehicles can just drive straight on, and then straight off.

Occasionally there is a problem and they can't do this, you should see the panic on some drivers faces when they come round telling them that they will have reverse onto the ferry!
 
I did it last week in Devon I ended up parked between a party of 4 vans so asked the girl at the end would she like to swap places with me yes please but I’m not sure I can reverse it between the vans she said so I moved my van out reversed her van in then parked mine at the end 🤦‍♀️ I did have to bite my lip.
 
One of the secrets is to not go for sharp turns. The rear end swingig too much esp when reversing due to
a) the distance from rear wheels to the back end
b) steering is managed by the front wheels so the geonmetry is different.
In 2016 We had to reverse onto the ferry From Hirtsals to Norway.
Not much leeway but with help from "a friendly sailor" we managed fine
a) and b) can cause an altercation (and an alteration) with a stone wall on narrow roads.
Simple keep as staigt as possible and small movements of the steering wheel !
Apologies to tha many who know this !
 
Elder badger said:
Having a lot of experience including most of the other drivers, driving our campers around the uk. Now that we have a bit more freedom with the virus on the back foot, I have just come back from a week in the highlands & found an increasing number of incompetent camper/ Motorhome drivers who seem to have jumped out of the family car & off with the hired camper. Especially the guy I met on a single track road, who did not know about the use of passing places + could not use his mirrors to reverse, I must admit, it was a laugh to watch. When is the DVLA going to make it compulsory for drivers to have a certificate to show that they are capable of being in control of their vehicle. Also Camper/Motorhome hire company’s should also be held responsible as well. Rant over 🤬🤬
Click to expand...
oh no its not, u r rite, some i would not let loose with a wheel-barrow,oh and they seem like clever dicks,move over let me throw up. ok.pj. rant 2nd
faize?
 
I learnt to reverse with tractor and trailer,; start straight, keep straight.
One of the few who taught myself to drive having moved from the showroom from a Lambretta scooter to an Isetta bubble car.I asked the salesman to drive the Isetta to the edge of town and I would take it from there. Only changed underpants twice.
Reversing the Isetta came two weeks later.I didn't really have to lock car as I think the gear stick was lubricated with rice pudding and took days to find the sweetspots. I wish I had kept it worth lots now.
 
Elder badger said:
Having a lot of experience including most of the other drivers, driving our campers around the uk. Now that we have a bit more freedom with the virus on the back foot, I have just come back from a week in the highlands & found an increasing number of incompetent camper/ Motorhome drivers who seem to have jumped out of the family car & off with the hired camper. Especially the guy I met on a single track road, who did not know about the use of passing places + could not use his mirrors to reverse, I must admit, it was a laugh to watch. When is the DVLA going to make it compulsory for drivers to have a certificate to show that they are capable of being in control of their vehicle. Also Camper/Motorhome hire company’s should also be held responsible as well. Rant over 🤬🤬
Click to expand...
Oh boy. I remember driving our 7.5m long along a single track road in Scotland and meeting a car. The driver just froze and couldn’t reverse the few metres into the passing place behind her. I had to reverses nearly 100m to one. My husband and I just looked at each other shook our heads and laughed. The driver looked at me driving as she drive past and went very red in the face lol
 
Try a 24ft single axel artic trailer. My introduction to Supermarket delivery. Think I got the hang of it by the time they were phased out. Tandem? Easy. Tri axle? A walk in the park. Then they spoiled it by bringing in the 13 metre rear steer. I took the gate off at Dereham, first time I used one.Turn left, the rear swings right, go right, it swings left. Probably scares the sh1t out of anyone following it. Oh! To reverse it, the rear axel locked, by a relay connected to the reversing light circuit, allowing the manoeuvre. If, and only if the three axels were in line. Providing hours of fun. While it jack knifed on that axle. Shunters in depots were instructed to lock the axel in place, because of the damage they were causing in the yard. Of course there were stores where it couldn’t go to because of access. The idiots route planners, sorry “Team Managers”, often booked one of these out to a wrong store. If the shunter didn’t notice the mistake, more fun was had while they attempted to load 30 pallets onto a 26 pallet trailer. And of course if loaded, it was either the shunter’s or the warehouse loaders fault. Never a Team Manager.
Don’t think I miss work. Tbh, I’m surprised I ever found time to do it.
 
My 3.5t van is the biggest normal vehicle my "grandson rights" licence allows. I think I drive it pretty well.....
Can't say I'd be any good driving a steam engine which my licence allows. It also wasn't included in the driving test. CHOO CHOOOO
 
I've been driving since 1964 I hold a licence for all the groups of vehicles including motorbikes and lorries buses trailers etc but after all these years my worst subject is reversing especially in a strange place in fact the only times I have had a prang I was reversing no accidents going forwards
Patrick:(
 
Mevi said:
My 3.5t van is the biggest normal vehicle my "grandson rights" licence allows. I think I drive it pretty well.....
Can't say I'd be any good driving a steam engine which my licence allows. It also wasn't included in the driving test. CHOO CHOOOO
Click to expand...
Hello Mevi, good to see you’ve joined us. All you need to do is come to a meet.
 
When I changed from the caravan to the motorhome I had great difficulty in reversing the M/H at first. I was so used to turning the steering the "wrong way" it was difficult to get out of the habit.
 
Millie, I guess the two German ladies thought they were in one of those enlightened countries where those driving down the hill are expected to yield way to those coming up.
 
Elder badger said:
Having a lot of experience including most of the other drivers, driving our campers around the uk. Now that we have a bit more freedom with the virus on the back foot, I have just come back from a week in the highlands & found an increasing number of incompetent camper/ Motorhome drivers who seem to have jumped out of the family car & off with the hired camper. Especially the guy I met on a single track road, who did not know about the use of passing places + could not use his mirrors to reverse, I must admit, it was a laugh to watch. When is the DVLA going to make it compulsory for drivers to have a certificate to show that they are capable of being in control of their vehicle. Also Camper/Motorhome hire company’s should also be held responsible as well. Rant over 🤬🤬
Click to expand...

I had a hired camper come out of my campsite and got hitched up in the hedge didn’t have a clue how to back it off. There is plenty of room to do the turn just need to use the space that’s there. Good job I have not stone faced the end of the hedge yet! 🙄
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top