A regular GPS, whether in a car or on your phone, is designed for a standard car. And with a motorhome, that can land you in real trouble: too narrow a street, a low bridge, a weight restriction, a road that's impossible for your size. That's why navigating with a camper needs something more than just any old GPS. Let's look at how to do it safely.
The problem with a car GPS
A standard navigator looks for the fastest or shortest route without factoring in your vehicle's size. It can take you through a village's historic centre where you don't fit, under a bridge lower than your camper, or along a road with a weight limit. More than one motorhome owner has ended up wedged in after trusting a car GPS.
The solution: navigation for large vehicles
There are GPS units and navigation apps specifically for motorhomes and lorries, where you enter your vehicle's dimensions and weight (height, width, length, kilos), and the navigator calculates routes that avoid low bridges, narrow streets and restrictions. It's the difference between arriving relaxed or getting stuck.
- Dedicated GPS units for motorhomes/lorries.
- Navigation apps with a large-vehicle mode where you enter your measurements.
- Many also include camper points of interest: aires, large petrol stations, water points.
The figure you must always keep in mind
Whether you use a dedicated GPS or not, the most important thing is to always keep your vehicle's height in mind (as well as its width and weight). Write it down in the cab. Most scares come from forgetting the height at a barrier or a bridge (see driving for the first time).
Combine tools
The ideal setup is to use the navigator for the route and aire apps (Park4Night and similar) for where to sleep and services. See the best apps. And download offline maps for areas without coverage.
In short
To navigate with a motorhome you need a GPS or app that factors in your dimensions and weight, avoiding low bridges and impossible streets, and to always keep your height in mind. The step to take today: set up a navigator with your vehicle's real measurements (or at least keep its height always in view); that's what prevents the classic scare of getting wedged in or facing a bridge that's too low.
