Wife fearful in Class A

[WeMosey]

We have sold our truck & 5th wheel, and are looking at Class As. DW, however, feels quite fearful riding in the ones that we have looked at. Not sure if it's the big windows, or just the size of the Class A as compared to riding in a truck, or just a combination of things. Has anyone else's wife experienced this fear? And was she able to overcome it?

[tiffinboy]

WeMosey wrote:
We have sold our truck & 5th wheel, and are looking at Class As. DW, however, feels quite fearful riding in the ones that we have looked at. Not sure if it's the big windows, or just the size of the Class A as compared to riding in a truck, or just a combination of things. Has anyone else's wife experienced this fear? And was she able to overcome it?

No my wife laughs when she reads some of the posts.Shes 100% no fear in a DPMH and simply can not understand anyone whom is

[TKGLAD]

I know that this is a little late, but I have to add. About a month ago we bought a Class A. We had a Class C years ago and I was fine in it. I am not sure what it is, but I am absolutely terrified in the Class A. I really did not realize that it was an irrational fear until I read this forum. I just figured we were idiots that didn't know how to drive an enormous vehicle. Yes, I am sure some accidents happen, but it sounds like for the most part, they do not fall off the road and they do not tip with sensible driving.

I did drive it home one day and hubby was gasping and griping the whole way and has since been a little nicer to me. Thanks everyone for helping me through this. I might be able to deal with it now!

AAAANNNNDDD to the guy who scared the devil out of his wife.....I would be careful going to sleep;)

[Sully2]

RVER wrote:
Riding in pass seat is scary but MH riding can be more comfortable. My partner wants to go back to a MH from fiver. We had a MH then bought the fiver. Much less maintenance etc. but she feels safer on overnights in truck stops etc. we do love the room in our fiver so MH would have to come close to that. Sitting on right side seat can be unnerving.

Most definitely!

[RVER]

Riding in pass seat is scary but MH riding can be more comfortable. My partner wants to go back to a MH from fiver. We had a MH then bought the fiver. Much less maintenance etc. but she feels safer on overnights in truck stops etc. we do love the room in our fiver so MH would have to come close to that. Sitting on right side seat can be unnerving.

[Iluvrvcamping]

Here's my female/passenger advice for your wife.
Ride on the couch till you get used to the floating feeling you are experiencing when riding in the MH. Sitart sitting for short periods of time in the passenger seat. When you start to feel anxious or panicky go back to the couch. My hubby and I have been rving for almost 20 yrs now and sometimes I still sit on the couch when I get a nervous. 🙂
I'm driving our rig at least half of the time now and love it. Just give it time and you will become comfortable riding in the passenger seat.

[sowego]

It is indeed different than riding in any smaller rig. If the driver is using their mirrors, can therefore see the white line in the right mirror and know where the wheel is on the left it just takes time to get used to it, realizing the rig is safely in the center of the lane. I'd not hug the left or right because neither is a good idea.

If she is scared in the right seat then what will she do when she needs to take the wheel?! Offer to have her take a driving course so she can become familiar with driving, therefore feel how it is to drive a wide rig. She'll then realize the truth of the matter. All someone has to do is see one parked in a standard size lane and notice how much room is left on each side...it can be scarey..But a good driver can manage that well enough. As a passenger it helps to know where the proper placement in the lane is and the best way...take the wheel for a while, watch the mirrors and know what is doable and what is not.

good luck

[BigRabbitMan]

WeMosey wrote:
Fearful Wife update: We are purchasing a 2000 Monaco Knight 36Z Diesel Pusher. DH says the shocks look like the originals, so he's going to replace them with Koni or bilstein shocks. He says we'll see what difference that makes in the ride, then consider other modifications. Hopefully the new shocks will make me happy, happy, happy!

Thanks to everyone for your responses and suggestions, serious ones and the funny ones! Enjoyed reading them all!

Be sure to update this thread when you get tne new shocks installed and if it corrected the "rocking and rolling" issue.

[bertnspike]

When I took a fearful friend on a trip with me in my motor home, it helped her a lot to walk around the RV with me and look at where the front tires are in relation to the sides and the front of the RV and the location of the passenger seat in relation to that tire. Once she realized that she was sitting almost on top of the tire she was able to understand that the overhang she saw was skewed. It was a short trip from there to accepting that I was not running off the side of the road.

Susan

[okhmbldr]

Today I drove (in my car) from Branson to OKC on I-44. I passed five Motorhomes on my drive, and since reading this thread I noticed that all five were hugging the white line on the right side, some were a full tire width on the shoulder. After this observation I can see why the passenger would be fearful riding in that seat.

[JimM68]

We're on our second class A, over a 5 year period.
she was scared to death in #1, and for good reason. It took some time for me to properly learn to drive it, and there were some mishaps.
#2, well I could thread a needle with this thing, and back it thru an s curve and give change on a dime.
And she still gets nervous, especially if I am passing a truck on her side, or in construction.

I've learned to ignore it.

She has learned that if she says anything, all I will give her is the opportunity to take over the driving.

[JetAonly]

Only vehicle my wife falls to sleep in is the MH. I think if you drive your MH some, you would relax more.

[Bumpyroad]

reminds me of my first trip in my old Flair 26Y to the Camping world in Ohio. at the Ohio state line pulled into the right lane at the toll booth. as I was leaving a horrific sounding grating noise, caused the attendant to turn and look. drove on to the campground assuming that the front fender area of my MH was torn up. stoppped at the rest area and looked at the fender and no damage. drove the rest of the way then thinking that I had torn the corner of the roof off. sweated all the way about that. then got there and no damage to roof.
found out that the curb at the toll booth had met up with the front corner of my steps and the bracket that started the day square, was now rounded off to the same diameter as the cross bar. looked professionally done however. 🙂
always was a little leery of clearance on the right after that.
bumpy

[cross_country]

Agree with "tohare". It seems the problem may be not seeing the curb or shoulder as if suspended over the roadway, or not even on it. Watching the side mirror curbside does instill some confidence in the passenger/co-pilot with the position of the vehicle on the road. This I think helps allow the passenger transition time from a car/pick-up to a class A.

[tropical36]

Flowergirl wrote:
Construction sites are even worse. Those cones are so close to the sides, I sometimes move my leg over just so we don't hit them!

Yep, a little tight sometimes and while traveling through a coastal southern CA town this summer, our step started acting up with going in and out and scored a few of those cones in the process. Too funny!
First thing was to put a lock out switch for it in the basement and then with a little tweaking of the door, it's almost trustworthy. Still use the switch most of the time, when traveling though.

[BigRabbitMan]

Flowergirl wrote:
Construction sites are even worse. Those cones are so close to the sides, I sometimes move my leg over just so we don't hit them!

Just like I stomped on the "brake" while teaching my kids to drive!