LastLetters:


Is there a prevailing view? Recently a former high school friend and staunch RVer sent


me a copy of the RV Times (May-June 2012 issue). It rekindled memories of our own RV days from 1992 to 1994 in a 27-foot, Class C Gulf Stream Ultra. While I thoroughly enjoyed the articles, I was struck by two


things in particular, one touching on RV experiences in the province of Quebec (Bucket List: Take an RV Trip to the Canadian East Coast), the other entirely concerned with an RV trip along the north shore of the St. Lawrence in the same province (Viva St. Lawrence). Te former article while generally interesting and informative,


depicts PQ as the foreign “country” of Quebec, a political aside, which I thought detracted from the narrative. As well, it tends to focus only on negative perceptions of the province: attitude of Quebec Separatists, high fuel prices, jammed highways and bridges, a campground too close to the highway to the exclusion of anything positive. On the other hand, the latter article characterizes the province


in an almost idyllic way, clearly seen through different eyes. Te upbeat title, Viva St. Lawrence, sets the stage. Te writer’s description is infused with imagery, optimism, humour, and perhaps – reading between the lines – hope. Part of Quebec’s charm for him is its distinctive French heritage: the France-like milieu of “street signs, brochures, menus unique architecture and everyone speaking en francais”. Laughing at himself and his wife, he describes their stumbling attempts to communicate in French with few words, gestures, and laughter, noting that “Everyone appreciated our attempt to do so and we were enriched by the experience.” He concludes with a rousing “Vive la difference!” I cannot help wonder which of these two articles most reflects


the view of English-speaking Canadians toward Quebec. Is there a prevailing view?


Vince Iannacone Queretaro, Mexico viannaco@gmail.com


Winterizing Your RV: I created a new video that’s posted on YouTube entitled ‘How


To Winterize RV Travel Trailer Water System’. Te video is professionally produced and is not a sales video. I’m a RV owner and researched how to do it and created


the video to share with others who might need similar help. Te video is posted


at http://www.youtube.com/


watch?v=fLQ5Xo6uNkk&feature=g-upl and is only 5 minutes long. I hope it assists your readers. All the best and I like your website! Ken Hook, Ontario


kenhook@45degreeslatitude.com


Messy Dump Stations: I would like to ask fellow RVers to please clean up aſter


themselves at dump stations, once they are through with their dumping of their tanks! Leaving a mess gives all of us a very bad name, and no one


wants that! Clarence Vogt Campbell River, BC 10 RVT 151• JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013


Help Sought: As a fulltime RV’er, my husband started a little ‘Pick Up &


Delivery Income Tax” business in the Victoria area of Vancouver Island where we winter. However upon showing up to renew our interior RV insurance for 2013 this year, he inquired about the possibility of extra truck coverage for the occasional times he may have to drive to client residences as most of them reside in our RV Park so that he just walks to their RVs. To our total surprise, no sooner had we returned home when


the broker called to inform us that our insurance company, for whom they sell, had cancelled our policy! Tis despite the fact that no where in the policy was it stated that one could not carry on a small business in it, plus the fact that none of his clients come to the RV so that at no time are they at ‘risk’ which was one of the company’s rationale for not providing business coverage for RVs! When this was pointed out to them, plus the fact that we’d


mentioned nothing about carrying on business in the RV but were merely inquiring, our policy was reinstated but not until we’d phoned almost every insurance company on the Island for possible replacement. However not only is there none that sell business insurance for RV’s but we were informed that in event of a claim, carrying on any type business in it nullifies the policy! Just wondering if your readers, who may be conducting even


just a small hobby business in their RV, are aware of this and/ or if those who have successfully been able to find a business insurance for RV’ers, especially in the Vancouver Island/Mainland area, would mind informing us of such via the following e-mail address: perrospetitpas@ aol.com.


Seat Belt Question: Perhaps other grandparents have come across this problem,


and have a solution? We have a 20-foot Class B Ford Okanagan with four seatbelts.


We sometimes travel with our grandchildren. Tey are outgrowing their car seats, but our “kitchen table” seatbelts are lap belts only. Any idea how to travel safely without shoulder belts?


Bev Dall rdall@dccnet.com


Campground Host: We would be interested in being Campground Hosts, either


here in Canada, or in the USA or Mexico. Anyone know of a contact for information in this regard? Dan Harvey 250-245-2092


altabrudan@shaw.ca


Old Fashioned Service: I would like to share my recent experience of some old fash-


ioned service when I had a problem with my RV 5th wheel hitch not coupling properly.


I contacted Burnaby Hitch located on Douglas Road in Burna-


by. The office manager, Patti, that I first spoke to demonstrated a refreshing “Can-Do” approach to solving my problem. She even ordered a replacement hitch-head just in case. When I returned a week later, the owner, Louie, examined the hitch. He installed a new hitch-head under warranty. When I asked if I needed to sign anything, he said “No, I’ll


take care of it.” It’s been a long time since I have experienced old fashioned service like that!


Grant Wallis wallisg@telus.net


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40