How to backup an RV without divorce
Learn how to backup an RV without divorce. I was sitting in a campground enjoying my surroundings when I spotted an obviously new RV being pulled into the campground. It was very obvious that this was a totally new experience for the owners. It became clear as they tried to back the small popup into the campsite. They surveyed the spot and determined where the rig was going to go.
The couple divided up with the husband behind the wheel and the wife directing the vehicle into the spot. They tried and they tried to get the rig into the spot but it didn’t happen. I was starting to feel bad and was going to walk over and see if I could help when they got into their vehicle and left. They came back after a short amount of time. I figured that they went to the kiosk asking for a pull thru spot if possible.
Ill-prepared
Unfortunately, for them, there are none at this particular campground. So they came back and tried again and again. Over and over until tempers flared. They eventually got the rig into the spot. Then as I watched produced everything they needed to set up camp. Everything was brand new not a scratch or a dent in anything.
They lasted in their spot approximately an hour then packed it all up and left, never to be seen by me again. I imagine that the trauma of backing the rig into the spot probably undid any goodwill between them. I imagined that they went home and slapped a for sale sign on that brand new rig.
So how do you backup an RV without divorce?
- Be safe
- Communicate, communicate, communicate.
- Have an agreed upon set of verbal directions that are common to both the driver and the person giving direction.
- Don’t rely on line of sight for communication.
Be safe
Never stand directly behind a moving trailer. Stand to one side of the trailer, if the driver doesn’t hear you, you could be run over. As a driver back up very slowly. This is not a race and if you need to, go around the park again to cool down and get a better angle for starting out.
Communicate, communicate, communicate.
Communication is key to getting the rig into the spot. But what kind of communication. I have seen all kinds of hand gestures used to provide direction. A hand spinning in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction is not communication.
For my first rig, I had a set of two-way headphone/microphones that my wife and I would use to talk to each other without having to use any hands. I was devastated when my radios broke. We have tried 2-way walkie talkies but I don’t care for the fact that if I need to say something I need to stop and grab the walkie talkie and press a button to talk. There are now models that have a VOX feature but mine didn’t have that feature when I purchased them.
Today, my wife and I use our cell phones in speaker mode. It works well for me I put my cellphone on the dash and can hear her clearly. When I need to talk to her I just speak without taking my hands off the steering wheel.
Wireless Bluetooth Cell Phone Hands-Free Noise Reduction Headsets – Amazon.com
Common directions
Common directions between the driver and the positioning person are also key. Telling your driver to go right or left without a point of reference is pointless. Waving your hands in the direction you want the trailer to go may not be seen and definitely, can’t be heard. Always use verbal communication. Use the rig’s rear end or use the terms driver’s side, passenger side as a point of reference. Have a clear understanding that when you’re communicating over the cellphones/2 way radios that you’re talking about the agreed upon point of reference 0f the RV and nothing else.
When you first survey the site determine where the rigs rear end will end up. That way you and your significant other have a common reference on where the rig’s rear end needs to be when you finally put the brakes on and consider it parked.
Don’t rely on line of sight.
Don’t rely on line of sight for parking your rig. Most of the time the driver may not be able to see you in the rearview mirrors. Line of sight also encourages hand gestures. Good verbal communication, common directions and knowing where you want the rig to be parked will make this job a piece of cake. The divorce lawyers will have to feed on someone else because you’ve learned how to backup an RV without divorce.
Related Articles: RV articles
Want more information on backing up a travel trailer?(click here)
Need more information on walkie talkies/2 way radios (here’s a buying guide)
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