Gas & Ferry

Morning,

I have a 2 part question:-

I have a Auto-sleeper Broadway FB 2016 & was wondering where the gas shut off valve is, had a look at the book & unless im missing something i can't see it

Is it right you have to shut the gas off before boarding the ferry

Also whilst I am here, our van has been uplated from 3500kg to 3750kg, im i also right in thinking I have to display 80 & 90 speed stickers on the back to comply with French driving laws?

I think that is all for today, of on our holibobs Saturday, bit nervous driving the MOHO abroad as we venture down through France/Switzerland & our final destination being Italy for 2 weeks, there are 2 key area's which make me nervous & that is boarding the ferry with a long overhang as the Broadway FB has & also the speed limits on the roads over there, oh & then there is the tolls, but i have been told to get in the right hand lane that HGV's use or use the ones with the green arrows pointing down or something like this.

ANyway hope someone can shed some light for me & have a good day

Cheers

Sean

You're right, all ferry companies require the gas to be shut off at the isolator valve while on board. Although until this year I've never been specifically asked to, maybe they've tightened up on the rules.
I wouldn't be too worried about your overhang when using the main ferry routes, the problems arise if you use any of the smaller lake or estuary crossings, where the angles can be quite acute. I Use them, but my overhang is swept up quite steeply.
I have to say you've chosen a tough country to visit for your first trip abroad in the MH, the drivers in Italy are, er, quite unforgiving...
Have fun.
Al.

You are right about the small ferries. I caught the folding step at the rear of our Executive when getting on a small ferry to cross the Seine near Rouen. I don't think the Executive is renowned for a long overhang.

Sorry can't help with the location of your shut off valve but yes you will be asked if the valve is shut and this may be checked depending on how efficient they feel on the day! If you have a lot in the fridge or freezer putting frozen bottles of water in helps it keep cold longer.

No, you do not need to have 80 and 90 speed stickers on the back, you might want to consider getting a critair sticker for going in to some towns if you have not already done so, well covered in another thread here and only costs a few euros. Not essential though.

We drove down that way to Lucerne a month ago and because we were in a hurry took the toll all the way. So easy and I noticed now they have some toll gates designated for right hand drive vehicles with a union flag above them. You will soon figure it out. You will have to buy a vignette at the Swiss border, if I remember it cost us about 45 euros ( we weigh 3880kgs). In France you must also have the reflective jackets in the van for every occupant...inside not locked away out of reach plus spare bulb kit.

I am sure you know all this already so forgive me but it is better reminded than a kindly gendarme giving you a ticket.

We have a piece of laminated paper kept within easy reach with height, width, length and speed limit conversion on it, easy in case you forget or are worried about it, worth a thought.

You will love the drive down, have a great time, France is motorhome heaven as is Switzerland as long as you have a spare kidney to sell to buy an ice cream

Endorse what Al has said about Italian drivers, we were sideswiped by one in Austria this trip, just have your wits about you in Italy and you will be fine though!

That was the crossing I had in mind, Quillebeuf-sur-Seine, we use it most trips when heading south, and so far have never had a problem. 
But Sean may be tempted to cross one of the Italian lakes, Como in particular has superb crossings which cut out busy and torturous roads, but you have to be aware of the steep loading ramps.
Al.

I remember at one Eurotunnel run, they did check the gas bottle and he gave it an extra turn on the valve, as he said just to make sure, I neeeded to find a strong young person to turn it on for me as it was now too tight for me

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring!!! 

You must have read the replies to your earlier concerns about boarding ferries, tolls and speed limits, so those worries should have been dispelled. 

Your isolation valve for the gas is under the van I'm afraid. Not Messrs S/S's best bit of forward thinking!!! You will have to get on your back and look up to find a yellow lever on the regulator, which you turn through 45 degrees (or as far as it will go).

You may get away with turning off all the valves in the wardrobe, but I wouldn't guarantee it. The security people prefer an outside accessed isolation valve so they can see on their CCTV cameras if any idiot turns the gas back on after their checks. (It happens, believe me!!)

Further to Hog's comment about the high visibility vests, you must put them on BEFORE stepping out of the van, specially on a motorway. You must also have spare bulbs, a first aid kit, a spare pair of glasses if you wear them for driving, a reflective "accident" triangle (two for Switzerland I think) your original vehicle log book, and several other items which are extremely unlikely to be checked unless you upset a stroppy policeman!! The alcohol limits are lower than in the UK, and they can be vicious with drink drivers.

When in France the STOP signs mean exactly that, and there are reports of British drivers being fined when their wheels did not come to a complete and absolute stop. There are still some small villages where the "Priorite a Droite" rule still applies, so you should be aware that an elderly local might shoot out of a side road directly into your path!!! A lunatic rule I know, but it has never been repealed, and you do occasionally have to stamp on the brakes!!

All these issues have been covered in depth elsewhere on the forum, and the AA and RAC websites are good sources of information.
This website tells you just about all you need to know about driving in France. There are probably similar ones for other countries.
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All will be well. As Hog said, I expect you knew all this already but it never hurts to be reminded.

All,

Brilliant many thanks for all your replies, I have driven the car before in france & switzerland so have all the jackets etc, I have noticed 2 shut off valves under the bed at the back of the moho, so will post piccies later, we hope not to hit any small towns, but who knows, i do have the clean air sticker, in regards to the vigenette which Groundhog spoke about, do i need to show the V5? again something else i have read as it seems everyone has different stories, i do carry all that stuff anyway!!!!

Sorry for the daft questions but i would rather be safe than sorry

Cheers
Sean

Regarding the tolls, we just go through whichever open booth doesn't have a height barrier. I don't see the reasoning for specifically following the lorries.

Nora

There are no daft questions believe me! We went in to the border crossing and Lady G offered the rather grumpy official all our documentation and he didn't want to see anything, quite rudely threw it back, looked out of the window and said 40 euros..not evn please.

Just out of interest our total toll fee from Calais to Chalons en champagne was 38 euros, we travelled the road on a Sunday and it was like driving on an empty perfectly flat runway*. Are you planning to use aires or just driving straight through, if the former there are a couple of free ones that might be worth considering for a good overnight stop.

* Under these circumstances you just have to.... " I bet I could get a ton out of this van".......the sensible side said no more at just over 90mph but it would have done it!...... Yes I know, stupid, childish, very naughty but those roads are just so good"

groundhog wrote:There are no daft questions believe me! We went in to the border crossing and Lady G offered the rather grumpy official all our documentation and he didn't want to see anything, quite rudely threw it back, looked out of the window and said 40 euros..not evn please.

Just out of interest our total toll fee from Calais to Chalons en champagne was 38 euros, we travelled the road on a Sunday and it was like driving on an empty perfectly flat runway*. Are you planning to use aires or just driving straight through, if the former there are a couple of free ones that might be worth considering for a good overnight stop.

* Under these circumstances you just have to.... " I bet I could get a ton out of this van".......the sensible side said no more at just over 90mph but it would have done it!...... Yes I know, stupid, childish, very naughty but those roads are just so good"

Hi Mate,

We are breaking the journey up & staying at a eurocamp independant site in france then the following day down to Italy

:-)

Great enjoy the trip!

Has the requirement to carry breathalysers been dropped now? I still carry two but I think they're date expired now.
Al

When we bought our 2016 Nuevo last year we were shown where the isolation valve for the onboard gas tank was (underneath a metal cover which needs to be removed  . If your Broadway is just a longer version of the Nuevo then I would assume that that this will be on the offside of your van between the waste and freshwater drain plugs. There is a section in the manual on how to remove the cover etc (hence the reference to RTFM ). We haven't used our Nuevo abroad yet, but I was considering printing of the pages that cover the gas tank (both for isolation and also for the 2 type of LPG gas connectors.

Traficlady
"Regarding the tolls, we just go through whichever open booth doesn't have a height barrier. I don't see the reasoning for specifically following the lorries."

The lorry lanes usually have a slightly different system. You don't have to come to a stop, but can roll gently through at about 20 or 30kph and the barrier will (usually) lift well before you get there. Not stupid these lorry drivers - it saves them going up and down several gears.


Libraryman2
"I read recently that the requirement to carry spare bulbs etc had been repealed in France due to the recognition that in order to change said duff bulb, could require specialist tools on certain models not normally carried by the the driver?
The  confusion born out of daft rules will continue I guess!"

Didn't know that Ray, thanks. 


We Love Hugo
"When we bought our 2016 Nuevo last year we were shown where the isolation valve for the onboard gas tank was (underneath a metal cover which needs to be removed."

Strictly speaking yes, but before we had a separate and easily accessible isolation valve fitted the officials were always perfectly happy if the yellow lever on the regulator was used to turn off the gas. (See my earlier post.)


bikeralw
"Has the requirement to carry breathalysers been dropped now? I still carry two but I think they're date expired now."

Yes and No Al. This is one of Ray's particularly daft rules. It is still on the books, but there is no fine if you don't carry them. When the law was introduced the breathalysers couldn't be produced fast enough even to keep up with the unenthusiastic demand by the French, who eventually threw a strop (as they do) and just ignored the rule. It hasn't been repealed, but nobody takes the slightest notice of it any longer - except the AA and RAC who still have some and are desperately trying to con motorists into buying them.

Traficlady wrote:Regarding the tolls, we just go through whichever open booth doesn't have a height barrier. I don't see the reasoning for specifically following the lorries.

Nora

On my recent single handed trip to France I discovered that I could avoid any pressure from following vehicles by switching my hazards on as I entered the toll booth lane.

The French drivers nimbly darted into adjacent lanes and I could leave my seat to operate the toll machine without worrying. One Frenchman even gave me a wave of acknowledgement and a smile for my trouble.

meanchris wrote:On my recent single handed trip to France I discovered that I could avoid any pressure from following vehicles by switching my hazards on as I entered the toll booth lane.

The French drivers nimbly darted into adjacent lanes and I could leave my seat to operate the toll machine without worrying. One Frenchman even gave me a wave of acknowledgement and a smile for my trouble.

What a brilliant idea. 

Wish I had thought of it - although since we got the Sanef Tag we have sailed through the tolls with no problem at all.

Gromit wrote:
We Love Hugo
"When we bought our 2016 Nuevo last year we were shown where the isolation valve for the onboard gas tank was (underneath a metal cover which needs to be removed."

Strictly speaking yes, but before we had a separate and easily accessible isolation valve fitted the officials were always perfectly happy if the yellow lever on the regulator was used to turn off the gas. (See my earlier post.)

But 2016 Nuevos don't have the yellow lever. That valve has been replaced with an inertia cutoff valve so the cover has to come off.

I have been stopped every crossing so far. Tomorrow is the 4th so I will see if I keep my (unwanted) record.

I have never been asked whether my gas is turned off, or told to turn it off, though I do of course.

Chris that is a great idea! so simple! Thanks

I always turn mine off but I have always been asked to prove it. On the trip out I was excused once I had got out all the stuff needed to make my knees comfortable (I was suffering from bursitis at the time) and the inspector felt sorry for me.

dbroada wrote:But 2016 Nuevos don't have the yellow lever. That valve has been replaced with an inertia cutoff valve so the cover has to come off.

Didn't know that Dave. Autosleepers really know how to make things easy and convenient don't they!!! 

This is what we've had fitted. Dead easy, obvious at a glance, and the official looking sticker seals the deal.

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I realised when we got home at the end of June that not only had I forgotten to turn the gas off for P&O ferry but the fridge would have switched over to gas operation during the voyage! Hey-ho!  On the way out it had been switched of at the bottle.

seanroberts037 wrote:
Is it right you have to shut the gas off before boarding the ferry

On all the dozens of trips we've made via Brittany Ferries to and from Spain and France we have never, ever, even once, been reminded to turn off our gas or had it checked. Anecdotal evidence is that many on a ferry will not know about gas regulations, have genuinely forgotten to switch off or wishing to save their bacon, have “ forgotten”.


Returning from our last trip a few weeks ago I wrote to BF to ask if having a gas supply turned off really mattered to them as a safety issue and pointing out that, not switching off meant that appliances using a naked flame, would be active in vans which did not do so. If gas should be off then why no checks or more active reminders ? A simple verbal or single sheet of paper warning at check-in, scrolling the message across the outdoor screens or announcing it while people wait would not cost them money. Even a visual check when staff search motorhome interiors would not be expensive.


The response was that passengers were informed via BF's Terms and Conditions and in the ship's guide given at check in or available online. Hands up those who read the small print of the T&C or look at their ship guide in detail before they board ?


Quote:

Unfortunately, it would be impossible for all safety rules to be reminded at check-in or in the garage so we have to trust that other customers will be as sensible as you.


To make sure that even passengers who don't book online or read the Terms & Conditions on their ticket are made aware of the rules, they are also reminded in the ship guide given at check-in. The guides are also available online (example: Mont Saint Michel Ship Guide) and you can see that we indicate that gas cylinders have to be switched off.

End quote


I've given up trying as I am clearly not getting anywhere.