Driving and Loading a Van
“Change is only constant in life” – Heraclitus. And people who open their lives to changes and embrace them with joy get the best out of any and all situations. When the old is not what excites you anymore then it is time to leave what is old behind, go with the flow and be inclusive of all changes till they become a part of significant and indispensable that you feel good and proud of yourself for taking that decision.
Moving out of what you called home involves three things - leaving behind your comfort zone, making the new place feel like home and most importantly actually moving without causing any damage to what you have or to what is of any worth to you. We at Van Rental Ireland know the challenges that you may come across while moving and thus have moving solutions that includes renting a van for just the purpose of moving. We understand that since you may move only once or twice, this could be your very first time driving a van and we don’t want you to have a hard time. Thus, our experts have come up with a quick guide for a sure shot way to get your movements done with almost none of the hassles.
Loading the Van for the first time? Do it like a PRO -
Loading a van is almost like loading any other vehicle. We mean though the basic principles are the same, but there is a lot that can go wrong when it comes to a van -
- Boxes and items can get damaged a lot more, since vans are bigger, thus has more room for things to move around.
- The order of placement may be wrong where heavier boxes go above.
- Wrong way of loading may lead to taking up unnecessary space.
- Lack of support may lead to items falling over when the van is moving leading to breakage.
So once you've packed your belongings and you're ready to get on the move it's time to load it into the van. Easy right? Well yes it can be when you do it right, otherwise you risk damaging your items. Here's a few things to consider when loading a van for the first time.
- Heavier boxes and containers to be loaded first. This way the back and sides of the van will provide due support.
- Boxes should have minimum spaces in between. This way they do not move or topple while the van is moving.
- Pack smaller items around the larger ones to use up the empty space blocks.
- If the boxes need to go one above another, ensure the boxes on the top are lighter, and have nothing that can leak or seep and are properly secure.
- Make sure you put a guard like a rope or tape around the front of the gates. This way boxes will not fall over or fall out when you open the door.
How to drive a van for the first time?
While the driving rules of a van and a car are almost the same, as an experience driving a van is a new and different ball game altogether. The set of differences a new driver may face are –
- Driving position – The driver’s seat in a van is considerably higher and the driver sits very close to the front of the vehicle.
- Rear view mirror – Vans may or may not have rear view mirrors and first time drivers may need time to get used to it.
- Drivers need to adjust to increased load, thus driving slowly initially so you can get used to the weight you are transporting.
- Drivers need to be more vigilant of the fast moving traffic like – motorbikes or cyclists or bigger vehicles like larger trucks or vans.
- Size of the van – Since the size of the vehicle is much bigger and wider than what they are normally used to they may have to be extra cautious and negotiate the curves and corners differently.
- Avoid grazing and damages – Vans are mostly damaged by when the vehicle moves too near to the wall and the vehicle clips a wall/gate or when the radius of turn made by the vehicle is not wide enough.
- Speed of the van –You need to understand the speed limits are different based on the size of the vehicle and thus drive as per the specified speed limit. The speed at which you take turns needs to be negotiated. For a loaded van, the center of gravity is much higher level than a regular car and thus at high speed, your cargo could easily be disturbed or damaged if the van tilts too much.
Still have your concerns? Don’t worry. Our experts will guide you with their expertise. Call us at - +353 1 8441944 or drop your queries and concerns on our contact page and let us get back to you as soon as possible.