By Nanci Dixon
I will admit it, watching folks back RVs into campsites, particularly tight ones, has become a rather guilty source of entertainment. I am not alone. Every head seems to turn to the new camper as they begin their backing up journey.
Someone jumps out to help direct the way in—usually the wife, although I have recently seen several men hopping out, which means in their family the consensus is that the woman in the driver’s seat can back in better (or take directions better… or both). Sometimes no one jumps out and I can only imagine the conversations that ensue. Sometimes the husband jumps out over and over again to check while the wife is sitting in the passenger seat. Those would have been interesting conversations, too.
I have seen walkie-talkies, cell phones and, the most fun of all, the hand signals used to help avoid sign posts, electric pedestals, sewer covers, trees and bushes (some work more successfully than others).
I was not the one deemed better to back in, or take directions better, either.
Learning best backing up signals
Early on, backing the 28 ft. Class C required a bit of learning. Flapping like a bird to indicate “Stop!” “Turn!” “Wait!” did not work and was the cause for a lot of discord. I did find that the universal hand gesture for stopping by cutting across the throat seemed to work well (or maybe it worked because that was what he was actually thinking at that point…).
When we got the 34 ft. Class A, I had already learned that rotating my arm in a circle to signify which way to turn the wheel was useless. I had to be able to determine which way the back end of the motorhome needed to go and then which direction the wheel should turn to achieve that. Back end to the left? Point to the left so the tires pointed left and the wheel turned left. Position myself in the mirror so I can be seen.
When we got to the 40 ft., all aspects of precision backing, turning and direction required an enhanced skill level.
Finally have it down
Now we have it down. When backing up the RV, he lines up the rear wheels, the pivoting point, with the edge of the pad. I walk the site to note any trees, bushes, odd poles or overhead wires. I learned that after a near-hit on a low-hanging branch… but I usually don’t mention the number of previous near-hits.
I’ll stay on the driver’s side so he can see me in the mirror and I can watch the pedestals. Point left to move back end to the left, point right to move the back end of the motorhome to the right. For “straighten up!” I do two hands about a foot apart moving backward and forward. To continue straight back, I move my hands in a come hither gesture and then leave them at my side while he slowly backs up.
As he gets closer, I hold my arms apart the approximate distance he has to go and slowly bring together. Two fists for stop. I learned that when I was the one pulling into a service bay and the tech was wildly pumping two fists frantically for “STOP!”
Learning a few simple hand signals has been a boon to saving a marriage, avoiding an argument, avoiding frustration and a relief at the end of a long day of driving.
What works or doesn’t work for you when backing your RV up?
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All the above are great backing up signals One other helpful hint is to think which way I DON’T want my trailer to go and that’s the way I turn my wheel
The tip I was told was to put your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel. Then you move your hand the way you want the trailer to move.
Military uses crossed arms as their universal STOP signal. Much easier to see than a fist 50 ft away from the driver.
I like the idea of crossed arms. I will start to use this signal.
So does aviation.
Since I am nearly blind because of Macula Degeneration, the wife does all the driving. We are now in a class B, Roadtrek Popular 210. We used to travel in a 40′ Landmark fifth wheel. Yes, the wife did the driving. But she was not thrilled to do so. Hence the class B. When backing into a site, I can see enough to help her to back in. We use hand signals. We have been doing it for a long time. She uses the edge of the site also to help her line up square in the site. Yup, hand signals work for us. I am 80 years old and the wife Brenda is 74 years old. We were introduced to each other almost 8 years ago. Yes, a second chance at that thing called LOVE.
Having been a truck driver for 30-something years, backing in on either side is a ‘piece of cake’. However, Wifey and I use hand signals for fine tuning. More to the right, more to the left, forward or back to allow the slide to ‘miss’ the pedestal, not so far back that the power cord is too short to connect (I wonder how we know this?), making sure the steps lead to solid ground, etc. We’re pretty darned good at this if I do say so myself.
Best advice? Get out, walk the travel path and talk your intended maneuvers with your spotter/driver.
Confusion, frustration and language increases in intensity when folks stumble into learning their preferred approach into the site isn’t the same as the other person’s. A simple sixty second interaction can dissolve the potential for most miscommunication. Especially if folks are road weary and tired.
Second piece of advice – Don’t set up in the dark. It doesn’t just add risk, it inhibits the thoroughness of your post-travel inspection.
First, I show my spotter where I want the trailer, that is, how close to the pedestals and how far back in the site I want to be, etc. My spotter knows to move from side to side to ensure that I do not hit anything with the truck or the trailer while backing. I put my cell phone on speaker and start the backing process, and my spotter only tells me if the trailer’s wheels need to move toward the driver’s side or the passenger side, and when to stop. Since I use Andersen levelers, once in the desired location, while I’m pulling up on the levelers, the spotter is watching the level on the rear of the trailer and tells me to stop when the trailer is level side-to-side. Works very well for us.
We use this very technique, other than we use walkie-talkies because we don’t always have cell service. I always walk the site so I have a mental picture where all obstacles are which helps both myself and spotter, no guessing.
Regarding Back-up signals. In our RV Club we would watch in amazement as Dennis’s wife would guide their motorhome perfectly into their site. You see, Pat retired as an Airline Hostess, although she never guided the jumbo jets into their terminal parking space, she used the same technics with flags to effortlessly get their rig parked. So cool to watch.
We learned this when backing into a friend’s very long curvy driveway, and now we use it every time we have to back into a site. I drive, and my husband directs me by walking next to the driver’s window and telling me which way to turn the wheel and how far. He tells me when to stop and change direction if necessary. We have both checked out the site for overhanging and other obstructions. There is no yelling or handwaving.
I use the GOAL method. Get Out And Look.
My sweetheart stays in the truck until I am pretty much in the spot. No arguments. Some slight adjustments… Move a little closer to the pad but otherwise it’s a one and done. I’m a farm boy. Back up a tractor with baler and a wagon to connect second wagon. Now that’s skill and a lotta luck!
Same here.
We’re relatively new to RV travel and bought walkie talkies which has helped a lot. We’re still getting used to using them. There is a learning curve for when to talk and which button to push. We also use hand signals. We’ve had lots of practice moving our 32′ Class A around in our driveway recently. Fortunately we can do a 5 point turn to turn around. We still need to work on communication while backing up but we are getting better. Both of us are driver and eyes for backing up.
If you don’t already know say, “driver” or “passenger”. Not right or left.
Wife here. I back motorhome in with hubbs direction. Works perfectly for us.
Thank you, Nanci! DW directs and I back. We use cell phones if have service, walkie talkies if not. She directed me into a challengingly tight site at Bow Valley Provincial Park in Alberta on the first try. The many forced to view the proceedings (we were blocking the narrow campground road) gave her an ovation. She is very good. Have a great week and safe travels!
We use simple tried and true aircraft hand signals for taxiing in. She moves so that I can always see her in one of the mirrors.
Another good item of entertainment is hearing all the logger, trucker and oilfield roughneck lingo used when making feeble attempts at communicating with so called DW who is “supposed” to be guiding as driver back up. One can learn an entire chapter of new, and old, words.
My husband and I watched a video on how to back up a trailer. My job is to say Driver hard or Passenger hard. He knows which way to turn the wheel.
Sometimes I take the RPod to music festivals while he works, so I had to learn the task. I bought orange cones and created a target “Lane”. I practiced in our Cul-de-sac while the neighbors safely watched from their lawn chairs.
This is why we have a MH with a back-up camera after 2 trailers.
Nanci, we use the same signals you do and having failed with others, find those signals and positions to be the most reliable (unless I look away and miss one!). Though I’m usually the one backing in, we both will depending upon who was driving when we came into the campground but she is more reliable than I am.
After 24 years our hand signals are second nature. Backing our 36 foot Cl A is usually routine and whoever was driving stays at the wheel and the other is ground guide. However parking on our site in Jojoba Hills is different. We have a hard awning and placement has to be within a couple of inches. DW takes the wheel and I ground guide. These days it is one move then final adjustment so the door misses the front column by at most an inch when fully open. Wheels are about 6″ from the patio pad. She takes direction much better than I do.
My wife gets out and directs and I ignore her and back in. 😎
Many times I’ve given in and told the wife that if she can’t see the pilot in the mirror you are no help at all.
Not my wife.
They give me a weird look and then get the message and probably hit the sack with smiles, rather than daggers..
When backing our 5th wheel into a spot, we (wife & I) walk and look, discuss the plan on placement and I back, she spots. One simple rule, if I can’t see you the rig does not move, if moving and she disappears, I stop. Hand signals are what we have agreed on for stop, left, right, etc. Our system works for us.
When we get to a site, we both get out and look at where we want to end up. My wife then gets in the truck and I guide her. We have backed into tight sites and have even had people applaud her skills. (Long wheelbase 3500 Ram and 40′ Montana 5th Wheel.
With a Class B, I back in and my wife stays in her seat and warns me if I get too close to something.
Well Nanci! You hit the nail on the head in practically every single regard! Natalie and I laughed when reading many of your comments because they are so true. The best way we are able to back in 36 foot travel trailer is to have Natalie go in the back of the trailer with either a walkie-talkie or cell phone, and simply say “the other way“—( she also stays in either the driver or passenger side mirror like you), -it’s the easiest way we found to avoid an argument after doing this for so many years. Like you, we pretty much have it down to a science and practice (almost) makes perfect! Thanks so much for the laugh. Natalie and Manny.