Romahoming with kids

[lizziehill]

Hi,

Haven't been on the forum in ages as things have been a bit mad...

I found out I was pregnant earlier this year (at which point I was already 18 weeks, much to my & my partner's surprise , and so, sadly, it looks like my beloved Romahome will have to go

I know that the Romahome is supposed to be a 2/3 berth, but the over-cab area looks very small and not that safe for a wee one. And if it was to be used as a bed then we'd have no storage for anything else!

Also, I'm concerned about the lack of seatbelts in the back for carrying 3 passengers.

Does anyone have experience or advice about Romahoming with a baby/toddler in tow before I bite the bullet and put the van up for sale?

Or can anyone recommend another type of small 3 seat/3 berth van that might be suitable?

Thanks,

Lizzie (+ bump!)

[lunnie]

Congratulations on your bump. the C15 doesnt have seat belts in the back, but the new Romahome Outlooks, you have the option of pullman seats which DOES have seatbelts

[Graham]

Hello Lizzie

Many congratulations on your good news.

We've got a Dimension which has four forward facing seats with seat belts but only room for two people to sleep.

We have now added a Movelite awning which has a free inner bedroom so we are hoping to use this to take our Grandchildren away for a few nights.

The double bed in a Dimension is enormous so I suppose at a push two adults and a little one could sleep on there.

Graham

[jayjay]

Hi Lizzie! Congratulations!!! ;D ;D ;D

Yes I always wondered how they could say the small romahomes were for 3 ppl when there are only two seats in the cab.

However, I've been out on day trips with my son and grandson. The GS sat in his booster seat with me in the cab; the son sat in the back. It's not illegal when no seat belts are fitted for ppl to sit there. A proper baby seat will also fit the cab seat.

I saw a romahome on ebay recently that had had lap belts fitted to the side seats, but I dunno how! I enquired about that at the garage, and was told it was very expensive and virtually impossible with a pickup/dismountable chassis.

However, hopefully at some point I will be going away with son and grandson + dog... dog and son in the rear, grandson strapped into a seatbelt in the cab with the driver, that's me. We have an awning, so son and Gs will be sleeping in that, but as Graham pointed out, even in my little teeny romahome, the bed is big enough for three!

Grandson wants to sleep in the luton, and that is possible, but as Graham pointed out, the bed is big enough for three and if I took the GS away by myself, he'd have plenty of room in the bed with me and the dog! In fact, if it came to that, son and grandson would fit in the bed - dog would have to sleep in the cab. There are ways around every problem, I find.

Another possibility is to look at putting a bunk bed in. I believe you can get kits for them.

[glenw]

I wouldn't have thought travelling in the rear would be legal, as there are no seat belts?? I know the law came in to force in 1987 and the rear of our romahome predates that, but I guess that as the base vehicle is 2000 it is that part that the law see as the vehicle?? maybe i'm wrong but that would be my interpretation. Possibly best to ask a solicitor though??

Again, personally, I wouldn't have anyone travel in the back without a seat belt, I've seen what not wearing seatbelts does to people :-(

And may I also add my congrats to you and your other half Lizzie!!

[jayjay]

Some good points there, Glen.

My son (aged 30) has traveled in the back with GS in the other seat with seatbelt, but only for very short distances, eg., to the local lake for a walk (4 miles there and back!) However, accidents do happen, even on short journeys.

Further to my earlier comments, I wouldn't really be happy going away with someone in the rear without a seatbelt. I was thinking maybe that son & grandson could follow in the car! another way around the prob!

[chowzamma]

Firstly many congrats on your great news Lizzie! I don't know you personally but think becoming a parent is the absolute best thing in life. As far as your question goes, when I make my regular trips to Switzerland to see my lovely children we all manage fine in my Hytop C15 1988 vintage. They are 10 and 8 years old and travel in the back whilst I drive around. Overnight I dump loads of stuff in the drivers cab area, other things go under the bed and we sleep no problem in there. Breakfast and lunch cooking is easy in good weather, they play out while I get on with it. They are real "open air children" and extremely adaptable even in crummy weather. The baby seat issue is a bit difficult I suppose, what about fixing a mounting to the floor against the bulkhead? Rear facing of course would be really safe I think, when the baby is yelling one of you could ride in the back and restore peace for the driver! Good luck and all best wishes anyway. Steve.

[Barbara and Graham]

Aug 16, 2008 8:42:56 GMT glenw said:

I wouldn't have thought travelling in the rear would be legal, as there are no seat belts?? I know the law came in to force in 1987 and the rear of our romahome predates that, but I guess that as the base vehicle is 2000 it is that part that the law see as the vehicle?? maybe i'm wrong but that would be my interpretation. Possibly best to ask a solicitor though??

We bought a new Outlook in 2006. It has no rear seat belts but we were told that, provided there are no belts fitted in a vehicle, it is legal to carry passengers on sideways facing seats who are not wearing belts. I believe we were also told that belts weren't available even as a factory fitted option.

Shame if you do decide to sell the van, Lizzie, but I'm sure there'll be many, many compensations.

Barbara

[Pauline]

Congratulations Lizzie!

When our grandchildren were little and we had the Duo we did as other have said and put the baby seat in the passenger seat and the adults travelled in the back.

I don't think it is illegal to travel in the back if no seat belts are fitted. I don't think fitting lap belts on side seats is a good idea, from what I have read they can cause considerable injury in an accident because the belt would be across the side of the hip as you were thrown forward in a sideway position, if that makes sense.

Perhaps you could sleep in the beds as singles and fit a carry cot between them while baby is tiny then get a Movelite and one of you sleep in the inner tent with it when it was older and more able to sleep 'outside'?

[glenw]

quite an interesting topic this, one i've been wondering about for a while...... I found this thread on another forum, see what you think. it is athread dated 2006 so may be a little out of date.

www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=12&TopicID=62315&PagePosition=1

[glenw]

another interesting link, more up to date here.

www.motorhomefacts.com/forum-printtopic-1-44030-0-0-asc-viewresult-1.html


From a personal point of view, regardless of legalities I would strongly recommend against carrying people unrestrained in the back of your vehicle, however short the journey. You can never account for other road users. In the event of an accident an unrestrained person in the rear of a vehicle are at a considerable higher risk of serious injury. I think jayjay's suggestion of a follow on car is by far the safest suggestion.

[yamaha]

I would have thought that most Romahomes were designated as 2 seater vehicles on the V5 log book.

Therefore, I would also assume that, if that were the case, to carry any more people would negate your Insurance.

Mike

[roamingsue]

With our roads so much busier and speeds much greater I think it would be not sensible to risk it, never mind the legalities! If something serious happened you would have to live with the consequences. That is why the Pullman layout is so fantastic, I would not be surprised if most people who buy new opt for that layout as it is much more flexible.

[lizziehill]

Dear all,

Thanks for all your helpful advice.

I'd definitely not be up for carrying anyone in the back without a belt, adult or child - I'd never forgive myself if anything were to happen.

I think I may have asked about seatbelts in the past on the forum, and my memory is that it's currently legal (although defo not safe!) to carry passengers in the back without belts if they were not fitted when the van was made, but that the law was due to change in May 2009 (?) to make it illegal for anyone to travel in a vehicle without a belt, regardless of whether they were fitted originally or not.

Not sure if our budget will stretch to a newer Romahome, ie. Duo or Outlook, unfortunately, although will have a look around. Does anyone have any thoughts on or experience of a - dare I say it - non-Romahome van which might suit??

Cheers,

Lizzie

PS: Managed a weekend away in the van in Pitlochry the other week, which was great, although getting in and out of the bed with my bump was, er, interesting...