Driving a van for the first time
Uncle_Phil
Posts: 490 Forum Member
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Hi,
Since I passed my test 3 years ago I've been regularly driving a 1.0 Vauxhall Corsa, it's the only car I've ever driven. On Thursday I'll be hiring a Transit to move some furniture and I'm wondering if anyone can advise on how different things will be and if it will be much more difficult to drive (particularly parking and reversing). I don't want to look like a complete idiot pulling away from the hire centre.
Thanks
Since I passed my test 3 years ago I've been regularly driving a 1.0 Vauxhall Corsa, it's the only car I've ever driven. On Thursday I'll be hiring a Transit to move some furniture and I'm wondering if anyone can advise on how different things will be and if it will be much more difficult to drive (particularly parking and reversing). I don't want to look like a complete idiot pulling away from the hire centre.
Thanks
0
Comments
Just be aware of the width of it and the speed potential with the much more powerful engine , you will soon adapt . All ford cars and vans are engineered to make it easy for new users to get in and drive without any issues .
Yes, it is a bit harder - it's wider and longer for a start, and you probably won't have a rear-view mirror. But you get used to it quickly and just learn to drive much more carefully.
It can also be more fun than a car (if it's like the Transits I've rented), being in an elevated position.
Also be aware that speed limits on dual carriageways are different. Oh it will probably be diesel so don't try and put petrol in there, though modern transits have a fill-safe nozzle which should stop that happening.
If you have any questions then ask the people at the hire place.
motorways are still the same though
https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits
was thinking of single carriageway which is 50 for vans instead of 60, not dual carriageway which is still 60. I remember reading about a load of transit connect drivers getting done as its fully laden weight is more then 2 tons.
Before you set off familiarise yourself with the controls, and make sure that you adjust the external mirrors so that you can see as much as possible from the normal driving position - you probably won't have the option of a shoulder check or an internal mirror so you need to have as much external vision as possible. Don't be afraid to drive it half a mile and stop to readjust them if necessary. Stay alert, be aware, and relax. It'll still have three pedals, a gear lever & a steering wheel. It's not that different, and not difficult.
And a final tip - find your favourite radio station before you set off, and know where the volume is. It's easier to do that still in the car park at base rather than when trying to drive in busy traffic.
Although I've driven loads of different cars, I've only driven a van twice, both hired. It's the same as a car pretty much apart from reversing is harder as you have poor visibility.
I find them pretty nice to drive, sometimes nicer than whatever car I have at the time!
I scraped the side of a van, which was bad enough, but then I thought about the consequences if I had been turning left when there there was a cyclist next to me.
^ This. Van hire companies are murder for it. Also, make sure you know what the fuel replacement procedure is, and make sure you take it back with exactly the same amount in as you received it, as many round here will dip test the tank to double check, and charge you even if you're a few quid short.
It's mainly the vehicle hire companies (car or van) who rip off the customer.
For example, vehicles are usually supplied with a full tank. But a full tank can mean (A) the gauge with the needle at 8/8, or (B) past 8/8 at the limits of its movement, or (C) actually full, which is impossible to determine (well, there are ways which involves immediately topping up).
Usually it will be between A and B, but it is very difficult to fill up the tank so that it stops at A or B, generally it will be filled to C. And the last van I rented actually had a set of 0 to 8 LEDs for the fuel gauge, which is even worse. So with 8 LEDs lit, the fuel is at at least A, but you can't tell if it's at B or C.
So when I had to return it after a mere 90 miles' use, I tried to fill up, but it just kept going and going and going! I eventually gave up after I'd put in £27 worth of fuel, but all 8 LEDs were on so that was OK. But how much extra had I wasted? How much more could I have put in ?!
Keep a sensible distance from the car in front. They may drive like a car, but it's still a big vehicle and needs a bit more distance to stop.
Keep to just below the speed limit. One of the great things about driving a transit is that the BMW drivers who drive in your boot when you're driving a Corsa won't give you any hassle at all when you're in a van
So why, two days ago, did you claim that you hired a van a few years ago - and smashed a fox to pieces in it?
Just give yourself a little bit more distance behind the car in front and be wary of the brakes. You might stall a couple of times to begin with but you'll quickly get used to it.