Date:         Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:48:02 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject:      Re: Vanagons and RVs
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

  Boy, in the past two days I have seen some RV operators that should never
have been allowed behind the wheel of one.
  Twice, I've seen huge ones "Jill-poked" on the main street of Hood River,
Oregon, unable to move forward or back, mainly due to driver error, I'd
guess.  I mean, one of the first things you learn about driving a bigger
than normal rig or a vehicle with a trailer is to NEVER go somewhere where
if you don't know, for sure, that you can make it..If you don't know for
sure, you had best get out and check or just steer clear.  But some RV
pilots seem to forget they aren't in a regular vehicle and blithely point it
and go!  Then, when they get trapped or stuck, they say "Well who the hell
built this street/road/campground/gas station anyhow?"  "It's not big
enough!"
  One was the biggest diesel pusher I've seen recently, and this older woman
was trying to negotiate it down the main street of town.  Bad enough, but
then she decided to go around the block...But the side streets are quite
steep and smaller two lane normal town streets. She got one wheel into the
air somehow, making a turn. Couldn't move the thing....That took two tow
trucks to clear out of the middle of town, on a Sunday afternoon...
  Another, about 35' pulling a ski boat, couldn't make a corner and got the
boat hung on a light pole, then stuffed the RV into a stores awning.  A real
truck driver had to get in and back the thing up to clear it..
  I suppose you could blame it on the government for not having signs at
every street entering town saying "not for oversize vehicles"...but log
trucks and double semi's regularly manage make passage through town..so
perhaps the RV drivers ought to learn to drive these things before they
venture into 'sketchy' situations with them..Or get Vanagons instead..Both
of these 'beached whales" in Hood River only had two aboard, man and wife in
each..
  I can do a U-turn in the main street in my van (in winter, when there is
no traffic, of course) so the streets aren't too small for Vanagons or
normal vehicles..or even huge trucks, if they are wisely driven..
  Don Hanson

From:    Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagons compared to RVs

In New York, you can get an "RV" endorsement. This allows for operation of
recreational vehicle over 26,000 pound GVW and air brakes. It reqiures a
road test and demonstrataion that you know how to operate and test the air
brake system. No written test here unless you want CDL. Most states are now
reqiuring some type of license upgrade for this class.

Dennis