Are you thinking of a road trip adventure but worried about driving a bigger vehicle? Don’t be, it’s easier than you think…
‘How easy it is to drive a motorhome?’ ‘Is it difficult to drive a motorhome?’ This is the most common question we get asked!
The short answer is no, it’s not hard at all to drive a motorhome. It’s actually very easy, and our luxury motorhomes all come with the latest technology making it even more simple.
Travelling New Zealand in the comfort of your own motorhome, with the open road stretched out before you, is a true pleasure and a fantastic way to enjoy the many sights there are to offer at your own leisurely pace.
Driving a motorhome might seem like a daunting task, especially if you are used to driving smaller cars, but once you get behind the wheel and experience the smooth ride and user-friendly features, you worries will a thing of the past.
Here are some helpful tips for when driving your luxury Roam Motorhome…
Relax, and take your time!
This is the most important thing to remember when driving your motorhome.
Give yourself lots of time to reach your chosen destinations, so you can tackle any situation calmly and without feeling rushed for time.
Relax, slow down and remember you aren’t on anyone else’s schedule. Part of the adventure is the journey so if you’re feeling stressed about traffic behind you, or a new location and finding what you need, take a break for a while then start your drive again when calm and refreshed.
Know your size.
It is important that you know how high and long the motorhome is. This will help with things like parking, turning the vehicle around or driving on roads with overhanging trees.
Check height restrictions before parking or going into fuel stops. Remember that steep roads or ramps can catch the back of a longer vehicle so choose roads and carparks with a gentler slope.
Use your mirrors and camera
All motorhomes have large wing mirrors and a reversing camera to make driving easy. The larger mirrors give you a wide view of what’s around you and the reversing camera is especially helpful as you don’t have a back windscreen. It takes a while to get used to having no back window to look out of so use the mirrors more than you would in a car and always be sure to check the reversing camera backing up.
Have your road trip buddy stand behind the motorhome while reversing, or if you are in an area where you feel unsure about the terrain. A second pair of eyes is always helpful and can help avoid unintentional damage.
Give yourself more room than usual
This is an important part of driving a motorhome. Giving yourself more room for turns, parking, and reversing will make driving simple.
Remember that you are in a larger vehicle than a car, so turns needs to be made wider and carparks need to be bigger.
You can often find carparks where you are able to pull over two spaces which will fit your motorhome nicely.
The center of gravity is different than a normal car so you will also need to take corners and windy roads more slowly than usual.
Keep left!
In New Zealand we drive on the left side of the road, which may be different from your home country.
Remember that your motorhome is wider than a car and you need to keep as far left as you can while driving. The best way to make sure you are doing this is to have your mirrors adjusted correctly and use them often to check your place on the road.
Braking and stopping distances
As a bigger and heavier vehicle, a motorhome will take longer to slow down or stop than a car.
Be aware of your speeds and your following distance of the vehicle in front. It pays to give yourself a bit more room than normal. If a car in front stops suddenly you want to have enough time to stop safely and avoid a fender bender.
Gravel roads can be tricky to stop quickly on. Take it slowly on gravel roads and watch for livestock and animals in bush or farmland areas.
Check the weather
It is important to keep an eye on the weather forecasts as inclement weather can be felt more in a motorhome. Snow conditions, high winds or thunderstorms can be a challenge to drive in at the best of times.
Drive with care if the wind is strong and keep a good grip on the wheel. If it is very stormy, snowy or windy, postpone your travel and tuck up in your cozy Roam Motorhome and enjoy your campsite instead.
Be considerate to others around you
The speed limit for a motorhome in New Zealand is 90km/h. If you see traffic building up behind you, pull over where it is safe to let them pass you. There are many laybys, rest stops and passing lanes on New Zealand roads, so make use of them to give yourself a stress-free road trip.
Basically, if you can drive a car, you will be able to drive a motorhome. You just need to remember to give yourself more room and more time on your road trip.
Your confidence will grow each day that your drive your Roam motorhome and you will be a pro in no time.
Remember that all our luxury Roam motorhomes are designed with user friendliness in mind. All have power steering, smooth transmissions, reversing cameras, excellent brakes, large mirrors and are well maintained, so they are easy to drive and maneuver for parking.
They are very easy to drive, and you will eventually wonder why you were nervous about it in the first place.
So, adjust that drivers chair into a comfortable position, pull down the armrests and get your adventure on the road!
