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Old 09-06-2012, 04:25 AM   #1
Bill-N-Donna
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Help me, help me, I need help parking!


Do you suppose we look like someone that needs help when parking? While parking at the campground last Labor Day weekend, I had plenty of help. Once again someone walked up near the rear view mirror I was using. He started telling me which way to turn the wheel to get backed in. Maybe he was just being nice and trying to help but unfortunately that kind of help too often isn’t help.

My wife was directing me as usual and we have a great system worked out with each other. I was forced to ignore him and his help didn’t last very long at all. He sort of withered away quickly. We got parked without any problems. My wife felt that he didn’t have any confidence in her ability. When you get outside people helping IMO it doesn’t work, only adds to the confusion.

Once you develop a system and have something worked out as to how to park that works, my advice is to hold fast with the way you normally approach it. Don’t allow yourself to get rushed and pressured into something you normally wouldn’t do as a result of bystanders. When people try and help or are watching their intention is good but very often it can be a distraction.

On edit: I always take my time and sometimes I get out and look before I back in. Perhaps that makes it appear that I don’t know what I’m doing.
 
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Old 09-06-2012, 04:36 AM   #2
Mrs. CountryGuy
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We have offered help, AFTER 20 or 30 minutes of observing someone who is obviously having a horrible time, backing up, with awnings, that sort of thing. We never offer until we feel they are totally lost, we judge when to offer by watching them.

Once we did that, and we ended up meeting some very special people that we hung out with for 3 weeks or so, some great memories there. Some wild stories came out of that offer to help!

We accepted help once in a Louisiana state park, after 30 or more minutes of wiggling Tana and still not getting her in the campsite (only one left by the way), the locals came over and offered assistance. We ended up with one on each corner, plus me running interference. And, one of them moved ALL his vehicles and directed Big Butt INTO his campsite, really into his campsite. We pulled forward more, more, more, until we were under his awning and less than 5 inches from the side of his rig! GULP. But, with all the help we got into the site and again met some terrific people who fed us great local Louisiana cuisine over the next few days!

Your points are well taken. And, being interrupted can be annoying at best and disastrous at worst.

Help must be offered with caution.
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Old 09-06-2012, 04:50 AM   #3
H. John Kohl
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I like to help people and USE to jump in too soon. Well that is my side of my story. I now try not to say hi to old friends until they are parked and set up because of the interruption causing a break in the check list. Even more so for departure check list.
I too have had to ignore outside help when parking. Ann and I had our way and it worked.
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Old 09-06-2012, 05:28 AM   #4
NCFischers
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Vickie and I have our method that works for us. If anyone is going to the Rally in Goshen and wants to learn our system, I'll be teaching a class on hand signals. Sign up for it.
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Old 09-06-2012, 06:08 AM   #5
Fire5er
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I agree with H. John Kohl, interruption causing a break in the check list can be disastrous.
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Old 09-06-2012, 10:38 AM   #6
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I most often share with those "helpers" that if I get enough speed built up, I can get my truck and trailer into most spaces, then rev the engine right good--usually nuf said. :-)
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Old 09-06-2012, 12:06 PM   #7
DQDick
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Just had that situation in MO a couple of days ago. Explained we liked to do it ourselves. He didn't seem to take it all that well and probably even less so when Joyce got me in on the first try.
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Old 09-06-2012, 12:21 PM   #8
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by NCFischers

Vickie and I have our method that works for us. If anyone is going to the Rally in Goshen and wants to learn our system, I'll be teaching a class on hand signals. Sign up for it.
I love the idea of taking a class...hopefully sooner than later...but unfortunately we can't make it to Goshen. Is there a way you could video a tutorial for those of us who can't make it?

We do have a system...if I want my husband to turn the back of the trailer to the passenger side I use flat hands and point them to the right so he can see them in his mirror. I do the reverse (point flat hands to the left) if I want him to move the back driver corner toward the drivers side. That probably made no sense but...it works. I just love watching the couples where the wife hops out of a 40'_ coach and directs by waggling her finger in a general direction, the husband hops out and says I can't see your finger in the mirror, and she continues to use her finger and say things like, "A little more the other way.' which is oh so helpful! We don't look that bad but we aren't much better. Any help, ahead of time, regarding backing in is greatly appreciated but unless we are really struggling we prefer to do it ourselves. Trial by fire in some cases. Our neighbors, two men, tried to help my hubby back her up on our first night home and we were exhausted. Needless to say their help wasn't much help at all. Nice gesture but please just keep your kids out from under our tires!

So if anyone has any suggestions for backing up these beasts let us know. We are planning on practicing this weekend!
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Old 09-06-2012, 12:44 PM   #9
8.1al
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We have some friends that never got the hang of backing their fifthwheel. They discovered that if they started backing and did a lot of yelling at each other that someone would back it in for them so that was their system.
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Old 09-06-2012, 12:58 PM   #10
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Carol,
First thing, the driver needs to grab the bottom of the steering wheel. If you want the rear of the trailer to go left, move your hand left. Make gentle corrections. If you turn the wheel too much, you won't recover. Picture a ground crewman guiding an airplane into the gate in an airport. His signals are big and bold so the pilot can see him. Take the trailer to an empty parking lot on Sunday morning when there is no one around and practice there. Try backing up a couple of hundred feet. Then back up and turn at the same time. Put cones or buckets out to mark where you want to go. Have fun with it. Practice makes perfect. Let me know how you make out. I hope this helps.
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Old 09-06-2012, 01:03 PM   #11
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On some of the big rigs perhaps you have noticed on there mirrors the word GOAL get- out- and -look no harm no foul I still will get out and look if it does not feel right
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Old 09-06-2012, 01:06 PM   #12
NCFischers
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AMEN!!!!!
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Old 09-06-2012, 02:26 PM   #13
cwalker
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John and I took the hand signals class last year and it was excellent! We haven't had any problems 'communicating' since then. I would urge anyone who hasn't taken it to take it, even if you think you don't need it.
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Old 09-06-2012, 02:59 PM   #14
seahunter
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I have a related question as to what is the "etiquette" if you are by yourself and need help to back in. I might try to go ahead of Kris once in a while to a campground and she will follow in a day or two. Would you ask the camp host if there is one, or just a nearby camper?

Thanks.
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Old 09-06-2012, 05:26 PM   #15
steelpony5555
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If by yourself go very slow and get out and look a lot... When I worked for Verizon they did not like us to back up but it is the nature of the job. So even parking a fiber trailer by myself or just backing one of our large trucks in to a tight place I might move 2 feet and get out and look and move another 2 feet and look again, no biggie. In our job I have had to back a truck and pole trailer for blocks in alleys because the only access in was 4 blocks down. Backing in my trailer I have had guys come out and tell me "you'll never get into there"....told em to step back and watch this lol lol...yep got er in there...
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Old 09-06-2012, 06:43 PM   #16
BusyCarol
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WOW! Some great tips...I just hope I never have to back our rig 4 blocks! That would not be fun. We were getting really quite good at backing up our pull-behind travel trailer but the 5th wheel responds so differently that we definitely need more practice. There is a huge parking lot nearby that we practice at because the building was closed a few years ago. It is perfect because it has islands, trees, lines, etc. Just need to find that sweet spot of turn and follow and what is too much of a turn. Thanks for all of the great ideas! I am wanting to become as proficient as my husband at driving it and backing it up. I could do the last trailer but usually I had him back it in because it makes it easier to have a system when it is consistently one person doing the backing in. I just want to make sure I am proficient enough at it in case I need to drive on my own. Thanks for all your help!
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Old 09-07-2012, 12:46 AM   #17
NCFischers
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Dave,
I also drove line trucks with pole trailers into some mighty tight spaces. It's amazing what you can do with practice.
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Old 09-07-2012, 12:53 AM   #18
NCFischers
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Carol,
It's always a good idea to have both people capable of driving the rig even if only one does it most of the time. A minor little incident like a twisted ankle can cause big problems if you wind up stuck in a parking lot and the other person can't drive the rig, even if it's only to get it to a safe spot.
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Old 09-07-2012, 02:54 AM   #19
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I stink at backing up, and sadly since I've only been able to get out ONCE this year, I'll probably take down a couple of trees next trip. I need to take it to a big parking lot and give myself some more lessons.

But I go slowly and usually don't get into trouble. I scout out the site pretty thoroughly before doing anything. When I'm out by myself I get way too much "help" which is sometimes difficult to decline. When I'm out with one of my travel pals (and it's been YEARS it seems) everyone just watches and waits to see how much trouble two women can get into.

I did get wedged against a tree once, and it was awful. I accepted help from two very nice men and got out in about 30 minutes. Spot too small, never should have taken it in the first place. My sister told me once that if God was an RVer, all campsites would be pull-throughs...
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Old 09-07-2012, 04:15 AM   #20
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Pat, I know what you mean. Ann and I have gotten plenty of comments. We even almost got a standing ovation from the North East Montana Group at this years North East Rally when we backed in our 40' SOB on the first try.
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