During the trip

Manage water, gas and electricity autonomy

Imagine: in the middle of a cold night, the heating goes out because there is no more gas. You try to turn on the lights, but the battery does not deliver any more electricity. And then you notice that a tap has been left open, the water tanks are empty. The nerves are raw, it's a domestic scene. The end of the night is more than painful. To avoid this catastrophic scenario, you must learn to anticipate and manage your resources on board the motorhome. If you are not equipped with solar panels or a fuel cell, remember to regularly recharge your auxiliary battery by plugging it into the 220 V mains. It recharges normally when you drive. Nevertheless, the electrical appliances you use consume a certain amount of energy. LED light bulbs consume less energy than conventional light bulbs or neon lights. Do you need to leave the TV on in the background, or even have it on? For coffee, opt for an Italian or piston coffee maker. Calculate your electrical expenses according to your needs to make sure that your battery will support it (there are online electrical autonomy simulators). To compensate, a second auxiliary battery mounted in parallel to the main one will bring you more power, but it takes up space.

Concerning water, don't let it run when you brush your teeth, shave, wash dishes or soak in the shower. When camping, use the sanitary facilities. When washing dishes, use a waterfall method: wipe the dishes well before washing and leave the dirtiest and greasiest items at the bottom of the sink to soak, before they are put under the energetic sponge. Although the water in the tubs is safe to drink, many people prefer to drink bottled water, or use a separate dedicated canister. This saves water in your tanks.

As for gas, the main advice is to carry a spare bottle already attached to the diverter so that you can change it quickly when the bottle in use runs out of gas.

Produce the least amount of waste during the trip

At home, it is already not pleasant to have a lot of waste to sort and throw away, but we are even less inclined to accumulate it in a smaller space. At service and parking areas, you will find in almost all cases garbage cans and bins for selective sorting. As soon as you have consumed, you will throw away the superfluous. This seems logical. The management of your waste will obviously depend on your consumption habits. If you are already a fan of buying in bulk, continue to do so by stocking up on sufficient supplies in the appropriate stores before your trip. For those who are less used to it, bulk shopping (in the wave of zero waste, which tends to reduce waste as much as possible and not to totally eliminate it, because we are well aware that this is still impossible and requires too much mental effort) consists of shopping with reusable bags, not buying in packages but by weight (you will fill rice, pasta, oilseeds... in glass jars to recover your cloth bags). In supermarkets, for example, do you need a plastic bag for your bananas or a salad? Then you need to be equipped with tote bags for transportation, as you had assumed.

Trying to compost, i.e. separating the organic from the rest, after sorting out cardboard, glass, paper and canned goods, remains a challenge since you will need an extra special garbage can, and a place to throw your organic waste. These garbage cans are becoming more and more popular. The website www.lesactivateurs.org/geo-compost lists shared compost bins. We understand that this will divert you from your route..

Safety at the wheel

Take the time to adapt your driving position to your body type, especially if you share the wheel with someone else, and to check the adjustment of your mirrors (add extendable ones if necessary, as caravan drivers do). If driving a motorhome does not pose major difficulties, the driver must always keep in mind the size of the vehicle. So be careful when maneuvering! Reversing aids exist to minimize the risks of collision. Think about the width of your blind if you are equipped with one. On the other hand, you may be surprised by the height of your motor home. Install a paper on the dashboard indicating the height of the vehicle so that you don't forget it when crossing bridges, tunnels and barriers. This kind of accident happens very quickly... The braking distance is shortened because of the weight of the vehicle, use the engine brake as much as possible when driving downhill. In traffic circles, keep to the right and turn around if necessary. Speed is really not an end in itself for the motorhome driver, quite the contrary. If he prefers to stroll according to his desires, you should not obstruct the traffic. If you want to take your time on the road, let the vehicles that are following you pass by by pulling over to the side of the road. The freeway is not the most favourable terrain for motorhomes. Avoid monotony and sleepiness. Drink plenty of water and stop frequently. Beware of the "slap in the face" when you pass or overtake a truck. Whenever possible, make it easy to pass the vehicles behind you. Also, avoid driving in a convoy with other motor homes.

What to do in case of a breakdown?

No one is immune to problems while en route or at a stop. As long as all passengers are safe, the problem will be solved, just be patient. For a breakdown related to the vehicle in motion (engine, tires, exhaust pipe...), if it is impossible to restart, contact your insurance company which will be able to guide you. If you can still move, look for the nearest garage, preferably a specialist in motor homes and the brand you own. If you are renting, you will probably have been specified in your rental contract how to act in case of breakdown.

For the breakdowns related to the cell, if it concerns a loss of autonomy, you will have to recharge the batteries, fill the tanks or change the gas bottle. It can happen that the gas fridge does not work anymore. This may be due to a lack of propane circulation. It will then be necessary to dismantle it and leave it turned over for 48 hours, which is more delicate in the middle of a trip. For electricity, a fuse has usually burned out: look for the disturbance and change it. Sometimes you don't notice that a fuse is faulty with the naked eye, so replace each one, one after the other, with a new one of the same amperage. Otherwise, you'll have to follow the electrical circuit to find where the power is gone. This takes more time and is not always done. Be patient, ask other motorhome owners who have had this happen to them, or go to a specialized garage.

Of course, the breakdowns are multiple, the technical booklet of your motor home is a precious resource to guide you.

Good manners between motorhome owners

Just as motorcyclists wave their feet to say thank you, or trucks wave their headlights at each other to say hello, RVers also have their own distinctive sign. As soon as you pass one on the road, wave and smile if possible. It's a game that quickly becomes addictive. If they don't wave back, don't take it personally, they probably didn't see you, or waved so many times that they needed a break... It's not always pleasant to arrive at a motorhome parking area and find yourself almost on top of each other, we won't tell you otherwise. It's a part of motorhome travel that you have to accept from time to time. Instead of sulking, take it as a chance to chat, to visit your fellow travelers' vehicles if they're willing (and to get some good design ideas). Privacy is generally well respected, because other motorhomers, like you, know what it's like to be a little exposed, even if it's just by leaving your door open. These are good neighborly relations. If you don't feel comfortable, there is nothing to stop you from looking for another place. If there are no demarcated spaces, be sure to respect a minimum space, especially if there are not too many people. Share available electrical outlets among yourselves. Don't make too much noise after a certain hour.

Not easy to be a camper

Between the abusive municipal by-laws which forbid the parking in certain communes, the camp-sites which refuse the campers of passage, the residents who complain about "nuisances" (note that they are not the tradesmen), it is necessary to be passionate to pass in front of all these difficulties. Camping-carism is more like a way of life than a leisure. Coming from nomadism, it is confronted with reactions (mistrust, jealousy, rejection), far from its ideals: freedom, discovery, opening and curiosity. Some people consider motor-home owners as profiteers, egoists, cads, polluters. This is not true, and we must stop suffering the deplorable behavior of a minority. Our image is improving little by little thanks to the long term work led by the clubs, the specialized magazines and the motor-home owners themselves. Let us remain conscious of the importance of each of our facts and gestures, at the time when certain communes start to become aware of the place of the motor home in their economy.

How to wash your clothes?

Without a washing machine in the camper, it's up to you to wash your clothes. The simplest method is to wash by hand with soap in a bucket. Wring out as much as you can and hang the laundry inside the cell while you're away, or let it dry in the sun. An idea I found on the internet is to put your laundry in waterproof cans with water and a dose of washing powder. When rolling, the cans will act like a washing machine drum, amazing! There are also bags that allow you to wash an outfit by shaking by hand, as well as mini washing machines that are activated with your foot and can hold up to 2 kg of laundry. Finally, the washing machines on the campsite, those in self-service on the parking lots of supermarkets, or in laundromats are more than efficient. Count between 4 and 8 € for washing and drying.