So few women Motorhome drivers :(

I've been solo campervan camping for a few years now- recently upgraded to my wonderful AS Symphony from a Doblo. Can honestly say I rarely see women driving motorhomes. I'm single so no choice and love it. Have chatted to a few women,at campsites and the response is usually " Let the other half drive " or " I couldn't "..... well all I can say is "YOU CAN " !! This bigger van has been a challenge believe me but getting used to it and learning to love it.

Well I love driving ours but then the Topaz is a smaller van. I did the test drive and drove it home from the dealers for the first time. Must admit to a little apprehension when I got behind the wheel at first, it seemed, and is, much bigger than our car, but 5 mins down the road and it felt so natural.
Now it's a fight for the keys when we set off.

Hi there,

That's it then. Gone 10pm GMT so they will all be getting their beauty sleep now (or shaving their chests) so I can post something.

The trouble is that I am too scared to post anything critical. I mean, what if one of them takes her hands off the wheel to shake a fist at me when she is still doing her make-up in the rear-view mirror?

It could be a disaster so I will just stay "Shtum!"

Best regards to some of the finest drivers on our roads! (Grovel, grovel ......... !)

There are quite a few lady motorhome drivers - you may not be seeing them. Many rally on their own and meet up with friends on a regular basis. Quite a few carry on after their husbands/partners retirement from this world

roli wrote:There are quite a few lady motorhome drivers - you may not be seeing them. Many rally on their own and meet up with friends on a regular basis. Quite a few carry on after their husbands/partners retirement from this world

I did meet a very nice older lady at Dunbar who does just that. Her husband passed on a couple of years ago and she started driving their motorhome ( she previously hadn't ). She goes to meets with a Solo Companions group in Scotland

We have a few single lady members in our club and many of our married lady members take turns with the driving.
Dot doesn't drive but it would be handy if she could, then I could have a rest and chauffeured around now and again

Frank

boxerman wrote:We have a few single lady members in our club and many of our married lady members take turns with the driving.
Dot doesn't drive but it would be handy if she could, then I could have a rest and chauffeured around now and again

Frank

yes being chauffeured now and then would be nice

Hi All,
My wife does drive but only accasionally drives the MH, as particularly with the higher fuel consumption compared with the car she doesnt or won't understand economy driving, and wont accept my advice, she drives up to lights or stop signs and then brakes rather than lifting off early and allowing the vehicle to slow down with less brake, same with corners, even ones she knows, consequently she only drives the MH enough to keep her hand in case of emergency.


Brian2

boxerman wrote:We have a few single lady members in our club and many of our married lady members take turns with the driving.
Dot doesn't drive but it would be handy if she could, then I could have a rest and chauffeured around now and again

Frank

Carol doesn't drive either (I wish she did for all sorts of reasons) but why would she want to when she has a chauffeur.

murph wrote: Hi All,
My wife does drive but only accasionally drives the MH, as particularly with the higher fuel consumption compared with the car she doesnt or won't understand economy driving, and wont accept my advice, she drives up to lights or stop signs and then brakes rather than lifting off early and allowing the vehicle to slow down with less brake, same with corners, even ones she knows, consequently she only drives the MH enough to keep her hand in case of emergency.


Brian2

Sounds like she learnt to drive in the last 10 years or so, cos thats the way pupils are taught to drive these days (and don't change down through the gears to slow down, use the brakes instead as brakes are cheaper than gearboxes!!)

No Paul,
She has been driving for arround 50 years but doesnt or won't accept that braking wastes fuel because it turns the speed you have built up by accelerating into heat through friction.


Brian2

Paulmold wrote:Carol doesn't drive either (I wish she did for all sorts of reasons) but why would she want to when she has a chauffeur.

Oddly enough,that's just what Dot says!

Frank

I met a couple from Stoke last year whilst wildcamping in Scotland. They had a huge Fiat motorhome. Luckily she did drive as he suffered from a stroke when they were away on their travels and she was able to drive. They also continued motorhoming during his ( thankfully ) recovery with her doing the driving.

Hi all,
Before I retired, I used the car, as I needed it for my work, Norma used the van every day to travel to work
but although she can, she doesn't enjoy driving but keeps her hand in in case of emergencies like I want
a drink or two ( she doesn't drink )
Every year for the last four years whilst wintering in Spain, we have come across a lady in her 70s called
Doreen who travels around on her own in a clubman, wild camping, gutsy lady
has anybody on the forum met her ?

Ray

I do all the driving, car and MH, hubby doesn't have a licence anymore (epilepsy), we started off with a Symbol as wasn't sure I could manage it, but loved driving it and exchanged it a year later for the Executive. Last year drove to Norway, and this year 6 weeks around Scotland, and germany.


Patty

I contacted Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in 2010 and as I was banned from driving for a year Hilary took over the driving. Now I'm stable on medication, I have to fight for the keys but as she loves driving she does most of it now. She even drove to Spain and back last year and around France. I navigate but do take my turn behind the wheel as required.

Just wonder Patty why your husband can't drive?

ShellDrake,
He was diagnosed about 20 years ago, had his licence taken away for a year, then was on a 3 year renewal, he renewed it a few times, then he had a quite serious blackout( at home, not driving fortunately) and had his meds increased, but he stopped driving less and less, and then never re-newed his licence, think he didn't feel 100% confident. he hasn't driven now for about 5/6 years, maybe my fault!! I am a terrible passenger! - just joking!

Patty

Sorry to hear about you hubby etc. when it happens its life changing. I have been as fit as a flea all off my life but 2010 doesn't exist for me as I was having small siezures which I was unaware off. Thankfully I recognised this at Christmas 2010 when the family went to Disney, Florida. I don't rememeber one thing about it but was told that I enjoyed myself and had tests in early 2011.
The problem with my TLE is memory loss like names, counting change, reasoning and remembering directions.
Still as I always say there are people out there with worse medical problems than me.
Thankfully I can now drive but Hilary prefers it on the Continent as she doesn't lke being in the "suicide seat"as she calls it!!

a bit off line but does anyone else have epilepsy as it would be interesting to hear of your experiences

I love driving our Nuevo as I find it really nice being in the driving seat... being a passenger the journeys seem so much longer... MrsCC keeps saying she wants to drive but between us (keep it to yourselves) I'm frightened she'll then jump in at every opportunity and I'll no longer find the travelling as exciting and I'll just end up dozing off in the passenger seat Must go... think she's coming

CC

I LOVE driving my van. As a not-very-tall person, sitting high up and seeing the scenery rolling out in front of me is great. I think it helps having previously driven a horsebox van-conversion, but honestly if there are any ladies out there who are worried about it, you should give it a go! My T4 doesn't feel much different from a car.

This might give an indication why this is the case:

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Actually, Mrs B does the lion's share of the driving in our motorhome, both here and abroad. She loves the high driving position and, thanks to the wide dual-lens mirrors, finds it easier to park than the Vectra Estate. And that leaves me free to deal with programming the TomTom & notebook running Autoroute

I love to take my share of the driving in our executive, we tend to do 2 hourly stints and swop. This way we both get full enjoyment of the surrounding views and not just one is tied to the tarmac. Works for us!

Perhaps it's a Northern thing as most of my campervanning has been done north of Teesside. In the 3 years I've been driving and camping, I still haven't seen a woman ( other than myself ) driving a motorhome.

Minniesmum wrote:Perhaps it's a Northern thing as most of my campervanning has been done north of Teesside. In the 3 years I've been driving and camping, I still haven't seen a woman ( other than myself ) driving a motorhome.

You obviously haven't gone far enough North, then. Whilst I was driving (for a change!) and manoeuvring the streets of St Andrews this summer, Mrs B pointed out that the motorhome that had just gone the other way and waved at us had good-looking young lasses in both the driver and passenger seats . . .