Parking Class B's

[HighLonesome]

Hi... I am new here.... I have been looking at this board for years... trying to decide what I wanted to buy and now... i have finally decided that what would serve me best is a class b. I have come a long way from when I first started and thinking I wanted a travel trailer. NOW.... after all the thinking and research I have done.... I can see that B is what I need.

I have lots of questions but first I want to ask you B owners.... if you have a B thats about 20 ft or so.... how do you handle the parking situation when you are in a small town with 2 lane roads going thru it.... or somewhere with parking problems.

If you want to park and go into a cafe or a store and they have no lot.... or the lot has low hanging trees or is TOO tight for your vehicle.... what do you do ?

DO you keep going as far as you can to park and then walk back? or ride a bike back?
I won't be towing anything so.... all I can think to do is keep a bicycle on board..... or walk back from wherever I park.

I figure this is a dumb question because there really is no answer except to park where you can put it. lol but I thought I would ask anyway.

In my travels over the years.... I have found LOADS of places I love that I had problems even getting my standard pick up truck into. lol.... let alone a 20ft van.

anyway..... I have not yet decided what I want to buy.... but the standard van won't be enough space for me. I want between 10 and 12 ft of interior living space..... so I'll be looking at something longer..... but a vehicle not more than 20ft or so bumper to bumper.

OK well..... thanks for your input.... I have lots more questions and I do appreciate your help in making my decisions.

Ruby

[HighLonesome]

Since I already drive a pickup truck..... I am fine with the van. I did test drive an extended body ford transit van.... It was fine. But I am just going to have to practice parking. lol
no getting around that.

Thanks everyone for your advice.

[mayble]

I find dealers tend to balk at week-long test drives 😉
Maybe I'm going to the wrong dealers, but the longest I've had was overnight.

[goreds2]

mayble wrote:
Go to Enterprise and rent a 15 passenger van for a week and see if you have any problems maneuvering it.
For the full experience, throw a cargo bag on top to add extra height.
Or you could just rent a Class B, but they're a good bit more $ than a passenger van.
You'll probably find it's no big deal.

Or test drive one.

[mayble]

Go to Enterprise and rent a 15 passenger van for a week and see if you have any problems maneuvering it.
For the full experience, throw a cargo bag on top to add extra height.
Or you could just rent a Class B, but they're a good bit more $ than a passenger van.
You'll probably find it's no big deal.

[goreds2]

No parking issues for me. I usually park a little further from the venue if I want to take up two spaces. Although it only takes up one parking spot. Just can't park in garages.

To B or not to B, there is no question, I will B. 🙂

[Davydd]

Here is a hint for downtown or city street parallel parking. Look for an end of the block spot if available marked or unmarked. That way you can get in and out easier and will fit since most marked meter stalls are generally anywhere from 22 to 26 feet long. You should thus easily fit legally. Parallel stalls are longer than necessary for the length of vehicles because you still need maneuvering space to get in and out.

[bsinmich]

My 19' Roadtrek takes the closest parking spot available. I usually take a handicapped parking spot since I have a walking problem. If I don't find a close spot I take my Travelscoot from under the bed and drive into the stores. The only problem is I can't load my basket with much. As stated a pickup takes that much space also.

[HighLonesome]

thank you all SOOO much for the replies.... I feel alot better now about the length. I'll be on pins and needles for a bit till I get the hang of parking it but I am sure I will catch on quick.

I'll HAVE to. lol

[VE3ESN]

ryegatevt wrote:
Be sure you've found a way out of any parking situation before you get into it.

For sure! In my previous post, I should've said that I try to find a spot where no parking is permitted either in front of us or behind us. 🙂

[Neecies]

Can't recall ever not being able to park where near or at where we wanted to with our 23 ft PW, even if on a side street to avoid parallel parking in a business district. In parking lots, we're narrow enough to fit in most regular parking spaces, but will usually opt for selecting an out of the way area of the lot where we can cross-park in two spots so as not to leave our a$$ hanging out or inconvenience others.

[AsheGuy]

Just to pile on with others, we have had our Class B for 11 years and been all over the US and Canada and parking just isn't an issue. Yes, there are some parking spots not big enough (ours is 22' including spare tire) but they are rare and far between. And as others have posted, parking garages are out.

We never park our car out of "harms way" and the same with our Class B.

[DaveInAL]

Our experience is similar to what others have posted. We generally don't have a problem finding parking We also try when possible to park where the risk of damage is minimal.

[HighLonesome]

GizmosMom wrote:
We owned a 21 foot Class B and it was my daily driver for 14 years. I can't remember ever having a parking issue (except for parking garages where I was too high).

We now have a 25.9 foot Class C and we just returned from a 3 week trip. Never had any issues with parking it at stores, cafes, etc.

WOW ! your daily driver for 14 years ! THIS is how I will be using the van when I am full timing in it. It will be my daily driver going anywhere I need to go. This is why I wanted B class instead of a C or an A.

So ? .... you didn't drive anything other than the van to places you needed to go everyday ? Is that what you are saying ?
Don't want to misunderstand you. lol

I guess because I never imagined a daily driver longer than my standard pick up truck.... thinking 20 ft or so sounds slightly daunting.
but I am up for doing it.

thanks very much.

[HighLonesome]

Thanks guys.... all good advice. I appreciate it.