25 MAR 2024
PARKING A MOTORHOME: RIGHT THINGS TO DO & WHAT TO AVOID
TOURING IN A MOTORHOME
Parking your motorhome is an art. It really is, because stopping your vehicle in the right place and in the right way can give you the best possible experience on board and helps to avoid various issues. You can park in an urban area or in a car park in the suburbs; you can stop in a parking area or in the midst of nature, but you always need to do it the right way even so. However, it’s also useful to try to predict what changes there might be in the next few hours where you've parked, not only in terms of the weather conditions and whether it's in the sun or the shade. For example, if you arrive at an urban car park in the evening, check the road signs: the next morning you could find yourself stuck in the middle of a street market!
It’s always essential to manoeuvre properly, as well as working out the vehicle size and any obstacles in the way. When reversing, your Ducato motorhome comes into its own by showing what’s going on behind the vehicle on a screen, which already helps a whole lot. Of course, you need to use the wing mirrors the right way, and if you don't feel safe, ask for help from another passenger, who can take full control of the situation if they get out of the vehicle. When manoeuvring, pay attention to the lower and upper parts of the vehicle (a motorhome is quite tall!): metal poles, concrete parking bollards, tree branches and balconies protruding over the roadway are all treacherous obstacles and can cause significant damage to the vehicle.
Many motorhomes have a pronounced overhang at the back: even if the vehicle seems to be parked the right way, the section that protrudes beyond the rear axle can inappropriately take up public spaces, like the pavement, walkways and other parking spaces. Also remember that the significant height of your motorhome can block out the windows of shops or homes on the ground floor.
These points are only in terms of public spirit, but there are also right things to do for people spending time in a motorhome once it's parked. For example, the incline of the parking space matters a great deal. Parking your motorhome on an incline (even if slight), without stabilising it with special wedges or jacks, means sleeping with the beds at a tilt (and maybe even on the 'wrong side of the bed’), eating and drinking from plates and glasses that could fall off the table and showering in water that doesn’t go down the drain properly. All these minor issues could be very inconvenient. Last but not least is working out whether to keep your motorhome in the sun or the shade. In winter, it's better to park in sunny spots, whereas in summer it's preferable to be in the shade of trees, buildings and the local topography.
In terms of sensible manoeuvres and thorough analysis of how and where to stop, it's essential to park your motorhome the right way. With a bit of foresight, you can avoid any inconvenience and have peace of mind when spending time on board.