How to prevent driving off with hook up attached?

[scraynes]

I've lost count of how many times I've nearly driven off with the hook up attached! Where the van is parked on my driveway, I can't see the hook up when I approach the drivers door - a 'problem' for all right hand drive california. I'm thinking of something which is normally attached to the hook up lead which you take off when the hook up is attached to the van, and that is placed on the steering wheel or the like.

How any of you come up with anything?

 

[Hotel California]

Has been discussed many times on here....
As you say most who keep forgetting put something on the steering wheel , i never had this problem.
Strange as there should be a sound giving alarm starting the engine when still on hook-up .

 

[Sandyvan]

I put a note in front of the clocks before plugging in the lead.

 

[cundf]

In a T6 Cali Ocean it makes a sound and there is a message in the camper unit that the hook up cable is still connected when turning the ignition on. Same as when the roof is open!

 

[alstevens]

Driving off attached once does stick in the mind ! ... Fortunately the hook up plastic was a lot less robust than the Cali plug in assembly .....broke in several pieces as the cable stretched ......everything still seems to work...

 

[B J G]

I bought a mains warning sign off Ebay which fits in front of speedo etc when plugged in and stores away in glovebox when not in use. Robust plastic item.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201740627...49&var=501696948361&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[Stoneybroke]

Bright velcro cable tidy tie for the cable. Take it off the cable and place around top of steering wheel.

 

[California Dreamin]

Ribbon on steering wheel when you park (every time). Get in habbit of walking once round the cali before taking the ribon off before putting th key in the ignotion. This makes hookup, ramps and final roof / bikes check a natural thing (once you get used to the walk round)

 

[hirsty]

I've read about clothes peg on the sun visor as a method, but I like the walk around idea better.

 

[Meoncoast]

whoopy pillow on the drivers seat may help, When I get to the stage when I can not remember if I have pluged the van in and start to drive off I have told the wife to take the keys off me and sale the van

 

[Max-Felix]

I drove off once at a site near Wells still attached to the 240v years ago until there was a bang and a big blue flash and all the campsite electrics went down....

You only do that once!

 

[Amarillo]

How any of you come up with anything?

Solar panels and no hook up.

Now I need to find a way to stop myself driving off with the dogs hooked up to the tow bar.

 

[GrannyJen]

From my old Caravan days I formed the habit of a final walk round before driving off. Avoids doing things like driving over stuff put under the van overnight etc.

For some strange reason though it still does not register with me when the tailgate is open Collecting my shopping / dirty laundry / duvet roll and whatever else decides to roll out of the back can be quite embarrassing

 

[scraynes]

Glad to hear that it's not just me! Not done it yet, but amazing how many times I've saved myself at the last second. Love the velcro idea, keeps the cable tidy when not in use and should remind me. Just got to remember to put it on the steering wheel Thanks

 

[Smiffy4bikes]

I too do the final ‘walk-around’, again, a grained-in habit from my camping/caravanning days.

As much as anything to check I haven’t left anything behind, and I’m also paranoid about driving over a hidden tent peg and giving myself a puncture...

However, the one I always forget is to turn the gas on when I arrive, and off when I leave (as in the valve on the bottle itself rather than the tap in the kitchen cupboard) Nothing worse than getting all cosy in the van, going to make a cuppa and...doh !!!

However, having a son with autism who has a memory beyond anything I've ever known has its uses, because if he’s with me, he never fails to remind me and also enjoys pointing out, that I ALWAYS forget... !!

 

[SimonB]

I got into the walk around habit after having children.
Pack away the tent, put things tidily in the car, walk around the pitch checking for pegs left in the ground, children's toys, etc left out. You only leave a favourite toy behind once and have the fallout, a very good reason for the walk around.
I have a tree tie which I use for securing the EHU lead in a coil. Take it off the lead and put it on the steering wheel as a memory jogger.

 

[Yorkie]

I have a genuine vw lanyard key ring. I fasten it to the steering wheel on arrival and can remove the keys at the press of a button and to be obsessive have a little card with a list of external items in front of speedo.

I am like an airline pilot:
Chocks, check
Electric, check
Dog lead, check
Solar lights, check

Let's go

 

[Spartan]

All good solutions but rely on remembering to remember to do something else first?!

Walk-around is the best solution but highlights why this problem might be prevalent for RHD owners (as the OP mentions) - the hook-up point is on the other side, out-of sight of the driver ...

If you can remember to remember this then, when first plugging the cable in, you could maybe run a loop around front of the van and around the door mirror to make it more visible?

(or, as my wife suggests, "Wrap it round your bloomin' neck!").

 

[Joker 1299]

Don't you guys look in the mirrors before driving off? The hook-up point is easily visible through the near side door mirror. Or am I missing something?

 

[Palm]

Wife and I always take a walk round the car independently before driving of!

 

[Yorkie]

Wife and I always take a walk round the car independently before driving of!

Scraynes original post was about him driving away from home from his drive so I guess that like all of us it's different to when he's camped. He also most likely doesn't check his mirrors as he drives off I guess.

 

[MattBW]

I put the cable bag over the steering wheel.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[4NT5]

I keep the rolled up cable tidy with some of this stuff, and wrap it round the steering wheel when the cable is unravelled. Never let me down.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VELCRO-Br...4c48789aba0da2b038167a&pid=100507&rk=1&rkt=1&

 

[bvddobb]

Ha ha, is this topic serious? Or some kind of April fool joke? Isn't the alarm screaming like hell when you start with the hookup still attached?

If the built in alarm isn't enough, you could do a check list like pilots do before take off. Make a sticker, and put it on your dash and have your co-pilot read aloud the items one by one and double check before you take off...

You could put items on it that are relevant to you, e.g.:

• co-pilot in seat?
• roof down?
• wind-out awning in?
• ramps from under wheels and stowed away?
• outside doormat stowed away?
• hookup loose and stowed away?
• parking heater off?
• kitchen lid down?
• fridge closed?
• gas shut off?
• rear window blind rolled up?
• front window blinds rolled away?
• air suspension in drive mode?
• mirrors out?
• hand brake off?
• safety belt on?
• foot on clutch?
• start
• gear in first?
• noone or nothing in front of car?
• hands on steering wheel?
• let clutch come up, drive

some pun intended...

 

[4NT5]

Ha ha, is this topic serious? Or some kind of April fool joke? Isn't the alarm screaming like hell when you start with the hookup still attached?

If the built in alarm isn't enough.....

What alarm? I've never heard it, probably because I've never started the van when hooked up.....