Parking aid

The best and most effective answer you have gotten (IMHO) is ...

PRACTICE.

Get the coach to an empty parking lot and keep at it. I had driven big things all my life, but it took DW (now the primary driver - her choice) a full day to be comfortable parking near other things.

Again.

Practice

If you want a set of signals so the SO can help direct, that is good, but you have to agree on them BEFORE you start and the outside director has to understand the s/he has to be where s/he can be seen easily either in the driver's side mirror or window. (Don't try to use the passside mirror, it just doesn't work.)

Matt

Bobbo wrote:
Not cheap, but a wife.

A wife as a parking aid can lead to a quick divorce if she doesn't know the hand and arm signals as pointed out by John. And it took years for my wife to understand that if she can't see me in the mirror, I can't see her either. And if I can't see her, I do not back up, just sit and wait. She had gotten real good about it.

X2 on Barney's driving tips on Lazy Days website. Very, very useful.

ArchHoagland wrote:
Let me play the Devil's advocate here.

You should learn how to back that RV into any space alone.

There won't always be someone there to help you. How many people do you see helping big rig drivers back into their loading docks?

My way of thinking is that if you are going to take on the responsibility of driving a big vehicle then you should be able to do it alone.

Going to a large parking lot and practicing is a must.

Just my opinion......

I fully agree. But if someone else is available that you trust then the operation can be quicker.

Campsites often have considerations - Is that branch 11' or higher? etc. Sure I can get in and out to check everything but if I don't need to then great!

One situation that I will always be involved in is backing the rear overhang over the site back bumper stop as this can allow us to use a smaller site. The rig must clear the site bumper when backing and it must clear when leveling. These sites aren't what we normally look for but several times they have enhanced our camping experience.

2oldman wrote:
Practice.

I see many "Tricks and tips" for backing and ignore all of 'em, Grew up on a farm backing 2 wheel trailers around "S" curves several times a day and I won't tell you the rest of it as you'd not believe more than likely.. Great training.

now I drive a class A.

YOu need to learn the hand signals for manuvering, I got trained in them by an FMCA "landing guide" totally by accident, (I'd never encountered them before but they made so much sense I instantlly understood.

Hands up, palmsout and pushing. (usually the director is behind the RV) go forward

hands up. palms toward you pulling (come here motion) (I will let you figure that one out)

Sweeping both hands to the right.. Yup, that's what it means
Or the left, Likewise

Arms crossed like the bars on a RAIL ROAD CROSSING sign: STOP


Now, that's how I direct folks into a site.

My wife was absolutly useless as a guide.

So I had her stand somewhere important and referenced off her using my skills to back in.. That too worked well.. did not ever run over her :)

Alas, that's not possible today.

(Anyone out ther wish to co-pilot for me)

I'll add, Get out and to see what's going one behind/above you. Get out many times if needed to insure you will not damage your rv or anything else.
Pat

Not cheap, but a wife.

I'm a newbie and only have a 26 footer but I have to park alone and use the driver confidence method mentioned earlier - Backing Into a Campsite. I got 2 orange pop-up cones from Walmart. They "pop-in" to small flat packages that sit on my passenger seat. I get out and walk the site to choose the best placement then place one cone at the center back position that I want. It will be visible in my rear view camera when it's time to stop. And the other cone I place at the front side position where the other person would stand in the "backing into a campsite" procedure. I view it in the side view mirror and wait for it to start to disappear as I am making the prep turn. This took parking lot practice.
This is another link describing the same process that you can print out for reference.
Link

ArchHoagland wrote:
Let me play the Devil's advocate here.

You should learn how to back that RV into any space alone.

There won't always be someone there to help you. How many people do you see helping big rig drivers back into their loading docks?

My way of thinking is that if you are going to take on the responsibility of driving a big vehicle then you should be able to do it alone.

Going to a large parking lot and practicing is a must.

Just my opinion......

A BIG X2

My wife (deceased) wasn't able to help so I learned by the GOAL method (get out and look). I got into some pretty tricky sites, with the backup camera out, by watching the shadows for alignment and when to stop. When I finished, I was pretty impressed. It worked as well or better than I could have done with the camera working.

In this day of cell phones, I don't see the need for a walkie talkie, assuming both have their own phone.