SUVs

[Bonefishblues]

My first car was a (proper) mini. I don't ever recall thinking to myself, "You know what - this blinkin' thing is just too small..."!

We did after we had our first child. Going on holiday with baby clobber was a challenge.

Unusual name

[tim-b]

Most CARS are over 6ft wide, including our 2014 Yaris

You'll be fine to drive in the 6' width restriction, the width is measured without mirrors (your snowplough attachment wouldn't count either )
The 2014 Yaris is 1695mm and you could update to a new Yaris at 1745mm (68.7")
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/198 ... ion/3/made (scroll to "overall width")

[tim-b]

They should do what they do with bridge heights, make a point that is exactly that width/height. Catches wagon drivers out daily

There's an optical gizmo near to a frequently-hit railway bridge that lights a sign up further along the road before the bridge. Paraphrasing it says, "You're too flippin' high".
They still drive into the bridge regularly, a sad state of affairs really

[Mick F]

Going back to our Yaris.
Yes, we are fine going along those roads I showed. The limits are a bit OTT.

The width limit doesn't differentiate between "sticky-out" bits and the car body, so strictly speaking, we aren't allowed on there as a through route.

Talking about car sizes, we wouldn't mind buying a cheap secondhand van, but we want a small one.
What happened to Escort vans, for instance. Yes, I know they don't make the Escort any more, but the point still stands.

BTW, we've had eight Minis - two vans, two Clubman Estates, and four saloons.

[richardfm]

Going back to our Yaris.
Yes, we are fine going along those roads I showed. The limits are a bit OTT.

The width limit doesn't differentiate between "sticky-out" bits and the car body, so strictly speaking, we aren't allowed on there as a through route.

Talking about car sizes, we wouldn't mind buying a cheap secondhand van, but we want a small one.
What happened to Escort vans, for instance. Yes, I know they don't make the Escort any more, but the point still stands.

BTW, we've had eight Minis - two vans, two Clubman Estates, and four saloons.

The Escort van was replaced by the Ford Transit Connect
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Transit_Connect

[pwa]

Most CARS are over 6ft wide, including our 2014 Yaris

You'll be fine to drive in the 6' width restriction, the width is measured without mirrors (your snowplough attachment wouldn't count either )
The 2014 Yaris is 1695mm and you could update to a new Yaris at 1745mm (68.7")
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/198 ... ion/3/made (scroll to "overall width")

I guess people living down such roads don't get Tesco / Amazon deliveries with that width restriction.

[Bonefishblues]

Most CARS are over 6ft wide, including our 2014 Yaris

You'll be fine to drive in the 6' width restriction, the width is measured without mirrors (your snowplough attachment wouldn't count either )
The 2014 Yaris is 1695mm and you could update to a new Yaris at 1745mm (68.7")
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/198 ... ion/3/made (scroll to "overall width")

I guess people living down such roads don't get Tesco / Amazon deliveries with that width restriction.

It says 6ft except for access. They will be fine.

[pwa]

Our motorhome has a satnav that has the vehicle dimensions and weight factored in, so in theory we can't be led down roads where use of that vehicle would be illegal. Naturally, we have to drive with a high level of caution when we have to use a narrow road to get to a site. And once we get there, we tend to spend a few days with the vehicle going nowhere, and us doing a lot of walking. When we do move it, we tend to slow faster traffic down, so perhaps we perform some sort of public service. It gets about 36mpg, which isn't bad really. And of course we use a small economical car when a car is what we need.

[Bonefishblues]

Our motorhome has a satnav that has the vehicle dimensions and weight factored in, so in theory we can't be led down roads where use of that vehicle would be illegal. Naturally, we have to drive with a high level of caution when we have to use a narrow road to get to a site. And once we get there, we tend to spend a few days with the vehicle going nowhere, and us doing a lot of walking. When we do move it, we tend to slow faster traffic down, so perhaps we perform some sort of public service. It gets about 36mpg, which isn't bad really. And of course we use a small economical car when a car is what we need.

I can't help feeling that a motorhome plus a couple of e-cycles will be the optimal setup for Mrs BFB and me in our greater dotage.

[audaxjk]

BTW, we've had eight Minis - two vans, two Clubman Estates, and four saloons.

In 30 years of motoring I’ve only ever owned 4 cars! Fiat Uno, Audi 80, VW Passat & a Skoda Estate!

[ANTONISH]

There is now a demand for electrically powered SUV's - thus one can show green credentials while still being a menace to the more vulnerable.

Have seen a couple of all the new Landrover Defenders recently that appear to be steam driven


seriously, a very strong smell of deisel, must not have been running on all cylinders - could taste it in the air for a good mile.

I'd suggest the driver gets their head examined.

[pwa]

Our motorhome has a satnav that has the vehicle dimensions and weight factored in, so in theory we can't be led down roads where use of that vehicle would be illegal. Naturally, we have to drive with a high level of caution when we have to use a narrow road to get to a site. And once we get there, we tend to spend a few days with the vehicle going nowhere, and us doing a lot of walking. When we do move it, we tend to slow faster traffic down, so perhaps we perform some sort of public service. It gets about 36mpg, which isn't bad really. And of course we use a small economical car when a car is what we need.

I can't help feeling that a motorhome plus a couple of e-cycles will be the optimal setup for Mrs BFB and me in our greater dotage.

If you did do that, I would recommend having the bikes on a tow-bar carrier rather than one held onto the back by screws penetrating through the otherwise watertight rear wall.

Our motorhome is the just about shortest we could find, and requires us to make the bed(s) each evening by moving around the fitted furniture in the lounge. It is a small inconvenience but makes a neat package that includes a toilet, a shower, a kitchen sink, a proper cooker, a small fidge with freezer compartment, a microwave, a TV, and heat reflecting blinds + curtains on the windows, plus heating and other little comforts. All in a package under 6m in length. But it is wide, so you don't want to be on narrow roads for too long. I try to confine our narrow lane excursions to the minimum required to get us to our site for the night. Basically, if you can get a Tesco delivery down a lane, we can get down it. Slowly and carefully.

I did worry that we might need a supertanker following us to satisfy the fuel needs, but it turned out not to be nearly as thristy as I feared, and we are pushing out a lot less greenhouse gases doing UK holidays with this than we would if we were flying abroad. And we are not staying in cottages required by local people who have been priced out of the market.

This one is simialr to ours
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpYY7xAE38U

[PedallingSquares]

Our motorhome has a satnav that has the vehicle dimensions and weight factored in, so in theory we can't be led down roads where use of that vehicle would be illegal. Naturally, we have to drive with a high level of caution when we have to use a narrow road to get to a site. And once we get there, we tend to spend a few days with the vehicle going nowhere, and us doing a lot of walking. When we do move it, we tend to slow faster traffic down, so perhaps we perform some sort of public service. It gets about 36mpg, which isn't bad really. And of course we use a small economical car when a car is what we need.

I can't help feeling that a motorhome plus a couple of e-cycles will be the optimal setup for Mrs BFB and me in our greater dotage.

If you did do that, I would recommend having the bikes on a tow-bar carrier rather than one held onto the back by screws penetrating through the otherwise watertight rear wall.

Our motorhome is the just about shortest we could find, and requires us to make the bed(s) each evening by moving around the fitted furniture in the lounge. It is a small inconvenience but makes a neat package that includes a toilet, a shower, a kitchen sink, a proper cooker, a small fidge with freezer compartment, a microwave, a TV, and heat reflecting blinds + curtains on the windows, plus heating and other little comforts. All in a package under 6m in length. But it is wide, so you don't want to be on narrow roads for too long. I try to confine our narrow lane excursions to the minimum required to get us to our site for the night. Basically, if you can get a Tesco delivery down a lane, we can get down it. Slowly and carefully.

I did worry that we might need a supertanker following us to satisfy the fuel needs, but it turned out not to be nearly as thristy as I feared, and we are pushing out a lot less greenhouse gases doing UK holidays with this than we would if we were flying abroad. And we are not staying in cottages required by local people who have been priced out of the market.

This one is simialr to ours
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpYY7xAE38U

Whilst I was having our cars MOT'd I was chatting to a bloke who was waiting for his American Dodge campervan to be MOT'd.It was on an old 'P' plate(95/96?) He'd had it about 15 years and it was a 5.8L Petrol V8!!He said it got 15mpg on the motorway if he stuck to 50mph!!!They'd been all over Europe in it but he was selling it for a newer/bigger American Camper.I can't remember what he said it was but it was the widest American camper that's legal on our roads and it was a 6.8L V10 Must have money to burn...literally

[Mick F]

The Escort van was replaced by the Ford Transit Connect
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Transit_Connect

.......... and it's huge.
Far too big.

This photo lifted off Goole Images.

BTW, we've had eight Minis - two vans, two Clubman Estates, and four saloons.

In 30 years of motoring I’ve only ever owned 4 cars! Fiat Uno, Audi 80, VW Passat & a Skoda Estate!

30 years?
Child!

My first car was a Mini Van in January 1972, having passed my test in December 1970. I was away in the RN for much of 1971, and bought the Mini Van on return. Me and Mrs Mick F had our first date with me driving the van! (The rest is history)

[Jules59]

Cars have grown in size for several reasons. I'm told that one reason is that interior space is required for mandatory safety systems to work effectively - eg air bags and room to decelerate before the occupants hit something hard.

Surprisingly many cars are as wide and longer than our old Freelander. For instance a Ford Mondeo saloon is 37cm longer - it doesn't look bigger though but it is.