Showing up late

rhagfo wrote:

Muddydogs wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:


4. Don't listen to anyone else except your spotter. Tell every one else you appreciate their efforts, but you have your designated spotter. And if you have a family, still take directions form only 1 person. This greatly reduces confusion and anxiety! If you have other family, they can respond with only 1 word and 1 word only! That word, yelled from the top of their lungs is "STOP!" Nothing else should come out of their mouths. You listen to only your spotter. "STOP" is the only word you listen to from every one else. Make sure they all know that. But if all is going well, they keep their mouths shut. Always!

How about just learning how to back? There is no reason for hand signals, radios, or flashing lights. I pull up to a sight and I know what I need to do to get backed in and don't need anyone telling me which way to turn or move the trailer. My standing order with the wife is to yell stop if I'm going to hit anything other then that just stand back. I might kick a line or hole in the dirt or gravel and tell her to stop me when the back of the trailer is even with the mark but other then that I can see what I need to do to get the trailer there.

My wife doesn't know how to back a trailer and doesn't care to learn so why would I want her to tell me what to do when she has no idea what's really going on? I have watched more than one spotter telling the driver to straighten out when the back of the trailer really needs to be pushed over a few more feet.

Biggest mistake I see with others backing is when things don't go right they think they need to pull forward 20+ feet when just pulling forward 5 feet and turning the steering wheel to kick the back of the trailer around is all that's needed.

Your local WalMart parking lot at 6am or 7am is a great place to practice your backing skills.

X2!

DW job, is warn if I am going to hit something, hold the dogs, and keep stupid kids on bikes from going behind me!

Except for one thing, I agree with you. My steps are for when it's completely DARK especially in a new campground. Can you HONESTLY back in when it's completely dark into an unknown spot with out getting out a few times to check where the trailer is heading or without assistance. Re.ember, this response was for darkness. If you can do this in total darkness alone wit no assistance or getting out to check the end of the campers position then you truly ARE a remarkably driver!

The key for even the pros here is that you need to know when to get out of the truck and see what's going on. That reverse turn can put the front of your truck up against the site post, a low log, a boulder or all sorts of low things that you just can't see while in the truck. And seeing what's going on is always more difficult in the dark, And I could easily wake up a camping neighbor in the middle of the night with a tough back up to park.

I have been know to have a hard time backing up in an empty parking lot from time to time when in general I can put a 30 foot trailer in a 32 foot hole.

Took hubby's truck to work yesterday (he's traveling) because we had a power failure at home and I couldn't get my car out of the garage. The manual release is VERY tough and I just didn't want to fight with it. It's an F150 quad cab with the 6 foot bed. Parked it almost exactly between the two lines and perfectly straight. Took my Countryman this morning and had to realign twice!

I don't mind providing entertainment.

We provided MORE than our fair share of entertainment! And I do admit we like to watch, but cut most people slack figuring their either stressed or newbies. On occasion, though, we would see the "I know what I'm doing" screaming at the "I SAID RIGHT!!!" or the "YOU AREN'T LISTENING TO ME!". As long as we keep it all in good fun and remember we were once there it's all good.

Me you ask? I can't back a trailer up to save my life. I was fine with the Endura but our 5er, pop-up or boat offered more challenge than I could overcome. I blame the hubby, though-he's not the most patient person in the world!

LASER POINTERS!!!!

That sounds like a GREAT idea.

A couple of weeks ago we camped during a very busy week-weekend. With that being said,I try to leave by Friday of I know its going to get busy,,, But, we thought WTH? Why not stay,,anyways,, yep folks were showing up after work on Friday,,,ALL hours of the night!!
Observations= Most annoying; DW jumps out while DH stays behind the wheel!! She surveys the site then begins to give DH verbal directions to back in,,,it seemed the more maneuvers required the longer their rig got,,had to be because she had to yell even louder each time!! She would even yell out how much wheel turn to give it!!
The finally got it in and began the set up,, well it got delayed because three of the four yappy dogs got out and they must be def dogs because she had to yell all their names out multiple times to get them under wraps!!
The thing that impressed me; This whole time DH did not say a word!!!! Just kept about setting up and beating on what ever he was beating on with a hammer!!

The most efficient set up; Family of four with a half decent size 5er and diesel PU,,, DS get out,, and DD get out along with DW who has the dog on a leash and heads off for a walk!!
These kids/teenagers had LASER POINTERS!!!! They pointed the laser on the ground where the back of the trailer needed to be!!! Not once did they screw off and point those lasers into the trees or any ones camp site!! They stayed in clear vision of DH mirrors!! I was impressed,,swift and quiet!! Looked very professional!!

its just like driving forward., but backwards.

but then I can use both hands equally well

backup cameras are good for knowing WHEN to start a backup turn. and when to Stop.

I do not use wife to help with backing ., never have. she sits at the picnic table and reads.

others (lookers), I do not care about.

I do not arrive at a campground after dark. Period.
I like Cracker Barrel for parking after dark.

I don't mind providing entertainment. Did it once in Kings Canyon. DW said it could not be done (basically last site available). I said it had to be done. Big group sitting around across the road could almost be seen salivating waiting for the show to begin.

Well, after much backwardsing & forwardsing, we get the thing in to the applause of the crowd across from us. Apparently bets were placed. I went across & asked for a score from the judges. Got a beer.

I like a challenge. Almost never use pull throughs. Don't get rattled by the audience. You are providing something for them to look at & talk about. Think of it as a CG service.

The same thing goes on in boating. People who don't know how to anchor or dock a boat.

Crowe wrote:
I love watching those who know how to backup without assistance do so going back & forth, getting out of the truck then back in again multiple times while the DW attends to the itty bitty dog & the traffic backs up on the CG road as
Great entertainment. Watched one once. Counted 18 times forward & back getting into an easy backin.

I'll stick with the DW using a radio, giving simple hand signals & acting as a reference point for backing in. Boring to watch I'm sure but we get into some crazy tight spots without drama.

Love these "I'm better than you" posts. You were once a beginner too. Just remember that pride goeth before the fall.

I'm defiantly not trying to do an I'm better then you post, just trying to state that practice make for a good backer without all the hand signals, radios and yelling. One should be able to back into about any commercial camp spot without any help. Your last sentience is very true when it comes to backing, I have been know to have a hard time backing up in an empty parking lot from time to time when in general I can put a 30 foot trailer in a 32 foot hole.

NYCgrrl wrote:
Kind of on topic ..wondering how a video cam system would work on a trailer and how the lights should be placed so there are no blind spots?

I have a backup camera on my trailer, it works good to see whats behind me when towing down the road especially the motorbikes that like to get 5 foot of my bumper. The camera also helps when backing to see whats directly behind the trailer but I find when I'm actually backing I use my mirrors and just reference the camera when I know I am getting close to stopping.

I love watching those who know how to backup without assistance do so going back & forth, getting out of the truck then back in again multiple times while the DW attends to the itty bitty dog & the traffic backs up on the CG road as
Great entertainment. Watched one once. Counted 18 times forward & back getting into an easy backin.

I'll stick with the DW using a radio, giving simple hand signals & acting as a reference point for backing in. Boring to watch I'm sure but we get into some crazy tight spots without drama.

Love these "I'm better than you" posts. You were once a beginner too. Just remember that pride goeth before the fall.

Kind of on topic ..wondering how a video cam system would work on a trailer and how the lights should be placed so there are no blind spots?