How fast can I drive that Motorhome? European Motor home Speed limits

Posted on 30 June 2008

Curious to know how fast you can drive your campervan, motorhome or caravan in Europe?check out these speed limits. Note, these are in KPH (not MPH). This information was taken take from http://www.mcrent.de/en/html/wissen.html

Country	Total permissible weight	built-up area	on highways	Motorway
Belgium	from 7.5 to 7.5	50	90/120 a 60/90 a	120 90
Bulgaria	from 3.5 over 3.5	50	90 70	120 100
Denmark	from 3.5 over 3.5	50	80 70	110 80
Germany	from 3.5 3.5 to 7.5 over 7.5	50	100 80 80	130 b 100 80
Estonia	up to 3.5 3.5 to 7.5	50	90 70	110 90
Finland		50	80 t	80 t
France	up to 3.5 from 3.5	50	90 c/110 a,c 80 c/100 a,c	130 c 110 c
Greece		50	90/110 a	120
Great Britain		30/48	60/96 70/112 a	70/112
Ireland		30/48	40-60/64-96 60/96 a	70/112
Iceland		50	90 d
Italy	up to 3.5 over 3.5	50	90/110 a,f 80	130 f 100
Croatia		50	80/100 a	130
Latvia	up to 2.8 2.8 to 7.5	50	90 90	110 90
Lithuania	up to 3.5 3.5 to 7.5	60	90 70	110
Luxemburg	up to 3.5 over 3.5	50	90 f,i 75 f	130 f,i 90 f
Macedonia		50/60	80	80
Netherlands		50	80/100 a	120
Norway	up to 3.5 3.5 to 7.5	50	80/90 a 80	90 80
Austria	up to 3.5 3.5 to 7.5	50	100 70	130 h 80
Poland	up to 3.5 over 3.5	60	90 70	130 80
Portugal	up to 3.5 over 3.5	50	90/100 w 80/90 w	120 g 110
Romania	up to 3.5 over 3.5	50	90 80	100 90
Russia		50	90 n	90 n
Sweden	up to 3.5 over 3.5	50	70-90 w 90-110 a,w 80/90 a	110 90
Switzerland	up to 3.5 over 3.5 q	50	80/100 a	120 100 e
Serbia und Montenegro	up to 3.5 over 3.5	60	80/100a 80	100 80
Republic of Slowakia	up to 3.5 3.5 to 6.0	60	90 80	130 80
Slovenia	up to 3.5 over 3.5	50	80/100 a 80	100 80
Spain		50	80/90 k/100x	100
Czech Republic	up to 3.5 over 3.5	50	90 80	130 80
Turkey		50	80	90
Hungary	up to 2.5 over 2.5	50	90/110 a 70	130 80
Cyprus		50	80	100
(Source: ADAC, as at 8/03)

Explanation of the added letters:

a= on freeways.
b= recommended speed: 130 km/h.
c= when wet, please slow down 10 km/h, on motorways slow down 20 km/h.
d= gravel road: 80 km/h.
e= Motorhomes over 3.5 t total permissible weight
f= when wet, please slow down 20 km/h.
g= Drivers, who own their license less than one year, are not allowed to drive faster than 90 km/h on motorways. Stickers have to be placed visibly on the boot of the vehicle.
h= From 22-5 o'clock on all motorhomes with the exception of the A1 (Salzburg - Vienna) and A2 (Vienna- Villach), A8 (Innkreisautobahn) and A9 (Pyhrnautobahn):110 km/h.
i= Drivers, who own their license less than one year, are not allowed to drive faster than 75 km/h on freeways and 90 km/h on motorways.
k= On freeways and streets with more than one lane in both directions.
n= Drivers, who own their license less than two years, are not allowed to drive faster than 70 km/h.
o= Vehicles over 7.5 t total permissible weight need a trip recorder ( § 57 a StVZO).
q= All vehicles over 3.5 t total permissible weight have to pay the toll for heavy vehicles
s= On main roads 2,55 m, on roads with a „B“ 2,20 m.
t= Motorhomes registerd 1995 and later with a unloaded weight of 1875 kg, and motorhomes registered 1981 and later with a unloaded weight of 1800 kg are not allowed to go faster than 100 km/h .
u= Swedish campsites often require a closed sanitation system.
w= as signposted.
x= On motorway-like roads. Hamburg

US RV Market - Great news for some bad news for others

Posted on 12 June 2008

Here's a look a quick look at the headlines in Google News for 'RV Rental' taken today:

1. Flat visitor season anticipated in Alaska thanks to high price of gas
2. Camping World/FreedomRoads Announces Expansion Into RV Rental Market
3. RV Rentals Up Despite Rising Fuel Costs
4. The Demise of the RV
5. Big cars take big hit in light of gas
6. Despite fuel costs, demand for rental motor homes rolls on
7. RV sales travel off course
8. Cost, variety make RVs a good deal for families
9. Sales of big RVs take a dive as fuel stops cost drivers $600
10. Tourism feeling effects of high gas prices

The messages are very mixed - some companies are going great some on the verge of bankruptcy. Here's my two quick points on the market.

1. Manufacturers are struggling - with Petrol prices high, economy going into recession, RV's are a luxury that Americans are not likely to purchase.
2. RV Rentals Companies are doing well - but only some markets. US Dollar is down, Euro is up. The travel-happy British, Germans and other Europeans are coming to America in droves to take advantage of this. However, this seems to be in only popular tourist areas such as California and Florida. Other areas like the American midwest which are common destinations for foreigners have to rely on penny pinching Americans to hire their vehicles (though in the long run - renting an RV is a bargain when considering all the costs).

To compare prices of US RV Rental Companies, across the United States - check out Fetch RV Rental USA.

Thats all for now :)

RV Rental Checklist

Posted on 6 June 2008

I found this post recently on Dave Corby's RV Rental blog - though the blog hasn't been updated in a wee while (27-Apr-2006 last at the time of this post), the Common Mistakes of RV Rentals has some invaluable tips for planning your next RV holiday:

1. Planning to do too much.
   
2. Driving too fast or too long.
   
3. Forgetting their unit is wider, longer, taller and heavier than the vehicle they are used to driving.
   
4. Driving into areas, such as parking lots, without first planning how to drive out.
   
5. Assuming their rental unit will have a TV, VCR, and/or Entertainment Center.
   
6. Assuming their unit will be delivered with all of the equipment and supplies needed to actually live in it.
   
7. Not allowing enough time for just enjoying the RV lifestyle.
   
8. Planning to eat all of their meals out . . . or planning to prepare all of their own meals.
   
9. Rushing through the dealer’s pre-delivery orientation.
   
10. Not paying attention to their monitor panel.
    
11. Driving with the water heater or water pump on.
    
12. Failure to Use Checklists
    
13. Hesitating to ask questions of other RVers.