Convoy Advice?

[SiT]

After some last minute advice before we depart the UK tomorrow bound for Le Mans.

We had paid for hire of radios (Top Gear style) as 7 of us will be driving solo down to Le Mans, we figured it would keep us in touch and be a bit of a laugh. Sadly DHL cocked up the delivery and they won’t be here.

So anyone with experience advise on some simple ground rules from experience to avoid losing people??

We won’t be hairing off anywhere, just want to have an enjoyable drive and try to keep everyone together.

Wasn’t sure if anyone had found a couple of ways to keep a group together on a longish continental journey?

Excited is an understatement!

Si

[jsat_100]

Keep the person behind you in your mirrors, if they slow or stop, so do you - if everyone does this you should be ok, just involves paying attention to the person behind you...

Oh and make sure the leader has the route/nav sorted!

[SiT]

I was thinking something along those lines makes sense if you can all see each other if not then stop.

The route is on me apparently…….although I have provided them all with a copy so if we lose someone then we can meet at the next waypoint/town.

Si

[davidd]

Are you all stickered up the same? Helps to get everyone out of junctions at the same time..

There are a couple of walkie talkie apps you could try, they are no brilliant but might help.

[MrC986]

I suggest you put the fastest drivers at the back of the group as they may have to work harder to keep up at times if the traffic allows you to make progress. As others have said, keeping the car behind you in view at all times is a good starter and if you have a nearby Argos they do walkie-talkies but only tend to have about a 1.5 mile range I’ve found. Alternatively give everyone a simple route planner of the main interchanges where you will change direction in case they don’t pay attention and also agree a coffee/loo stop or two along the way so you all know where the planned stops will be.

Also have an agreed rule that you don’t exceed the speed limit as the Gendarmes will be out looking to top up their “Christmas party fund” on the popular roads - if you go more native then you won’t see them very much. We had a change of “leader” one year and our group got “pulled” for a slight bit of over exuberance and the beer money fund was depleted

Have a safe trip

[judgespeed]

Using either a substantial tow rope or chaining each car together will do the trick lol

Serious note have pre agreed stops and if you get split head to the next rendezvous

[SiT]

Thanks gents, some really good pointers. We are in Poole heading for ferry and as soon as we get off ground rules kick in and we are touring!

See you all there, safe trip.

Si

[Jammez]

I recommend almost instantly unintentionally separating in a kind of shot gun approach and end up all taking completely separate directions yet somehow all arriving within a few minutes of each other despite half the group not having any ideal where they're actually going and the other half breaking down/ getting stopped for speeding/running out of fuel etc!

Always works for us!

[Plus8]

Might be a bit late to party but App called Zello turns any phone into a walkie talkie. Free to download, make up a user name and that’s about it. It uses phone data if out of wi fi area. Not used it abroad but worth a try.

[stewartm]

"We won’t be hairing off anywhere, just want to have an enjoyable drive and try to keep everyone together."

Also late & a deeply dull answer ... ... but make sure ahead of time all people can get to the destination on their own if necessary. My first convoy to Le Mans partly involved being in convoy for navigation and as a result was far more fraught than enjoyable. When you inevitably get split up at Rouen, or the last couple of miles in heavy traffic or wherever, then everyone just chills, keeps going and likely meets up again further on.