Egress door on Driver side

[Nellybelle]

I am considering a London Aire in the future. I wonder who would want the egress door on the same side as the Main door. If God forbid the coach tips over on the passenger side both doors are blocked from opening. Yes I know there are some models with opposing doors but not enough. I am not sure if you can change the door location with a special order. Please enlighten me with you opinions and thoughts. Thank you,

 

[Stuart W]

I can only speak for my 23 DS 4369 with the door on the camp side as you describe, to change this it would require a complete redesign of the bathroom including holding tank and plumbing connections. For these reasons I would say no way.
By the way even in mine, there is still a emergency exit window on the drivers side at the foot of the bed over dresser.

 

[Nellybelle]

Yes I understand however Newmar had the door on the driver side for several years. I was surprised to see it on the 2023 passenger side.

 

[Neal]

Isn't it different in different floor plans?

 

[NWIP]

It used to be you could tell the difference between a 40 footer and 43 footer by location of the egress door. With the reconfiguration of the bathroom this no longer applies.

Reconfigation of the bathroom starting in the 4081 was a big improvement and brought into the 43’ Dutchstars allow better access to the rear bathroom.

I think you’ll be stuck with the location of egress door based on floor plan.

Lastly in a roll over it would be hard to get to the rear of the coach, you’ll no longer be walking on the floor, don’t ask me how I know

 

[Stuart W]

So on my 2018 DS 4369 the door was on the drivers side and the bathroom was designed accordingly. In 23 Newmar flipped the bathroom to give better access to the bathroom around the foot of the bed. I’m guessing Newmar designed the the door for vertical departures not that you couldn’t try and use it as you describe in a side rollover. Food for thought, the interior width of the motorhome is 8.5 feet, so in your scenario it would be quite a climb. Also consider that most likely the front windshield would pop in that type of accident.

 

[Nellybelle]

Thank you to those who replied.

 

[Stuart W]

It used to be you could tell the difference between a 40 footer and 43 footer by location of the egress door. With the reconfiguration of the bathroom this no longer applies.

Reconfigation of the bathroom starting in the 4081 was a big improvement and brought into the 43’ Dutchstars allow better access to the rear bathroom.

I think you’ll be stuck with the location of egress door based on floor plan.

Lastly in a roll over it would be hard to get to the rear of the coach, you’ll no longer be walking on the floor, don’t ask me how I know

Not to mention moving towards the hot engine area (a likely ignition point) would not be the direction I would chose

 

[Rod]

Good reason to store an adequate tool near the front of the coach to dispatch the windshield should it not pop, perhaps an 8lb hand sledge?