Go Figure - RV-Dreams Community Forum

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Go Figure

grandpalarry · RV-Dreams Family Member

Last night about midnight I was shutting down for the night when this 26 foot brandnew trailer pulled up in front of my rig.

Nosey me sat down and watched what was about to happen, out jumps mom and two sons and began to look for an empty space.

For about 45 min. they tried to back this rig between two class As, yelling instructions all the time,it appeared to be the Keystone Cops Unleashed.

I finaly wandered over and talked to the driver, this was his first TT, his first camping trip and his first time backing, they had bought the rig about two hours before.

His wife came around the back and yelled at me to leave him alone and let him do his job, so I disappeared back to my picnic table.

Another 30 mins went buy and the park manager showed up, night clothes and robe, he too was told to mind his own business, and the show went on until 2am.

I just went by to see what happened and the trailer is in the spot about 20 degrees off center, the sewer hose and water hose are just laying on the ground, no sign of life anywhere, the son is asleep in the SUV.

Such fun with newbees.

scrappy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yeah, its rampant here, but entertaining.

What I don't get is why someone who has never ever tried to park an RV of any kind, would not wait until daylight to attempt it!

We have a lot of newbies on one side of us it seems, and they are in........and out..........and back........and forth..........then they start over...........then there is yelling........and in......and out............

Good thing our dogs aren't barkers.....but ive been tempted to bark myself.

WestWardHo · RV-Dreams Family Member

We were fortunate last evening to meet Grandpa Larry and Rita (thanks to this forum!) they are staying in the other RV Park in our little town and kindly asked us to join them for dinner and cards at their clubhouse. I'm stunned at how rude folks can be with yelling, telling you to MYOB, keeping everyone up until 2 am but it is entertaining to those of us who don't have to get up in the morning! I'd say come over to our friendly park but we're booked up solid! 😒 Scrappy you make me laugh! Sherry

scrappy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Oooh a meet up! Color me jealous! I belong to a horse forum and have met probably 75% of the members. Its so fun to meet people in person.

Yeah, since we are the only employed full timers here, we really love when we have the in and out, back and forths at 2 am on a weeknight....since he gets up at 4 and I (make an attempt) at getting up at 5.

We just realized somebody stole our rubber door mat that we had hanging over the tongue of the fifth wheel to get washed off in the rain. Really? You needed to steal our floormat?

If someone looked to be struggling and I went to offer help and was told to MYOB....rudely..........um...........

Soulsearcher · RV-Dreams Family Member

You are describing to a tee, ME. Prior to buying my 35' Open Range TT, and had a little 13' Scamp. I dreaded.....DREADED having to back into any sites.....I got a pit in my stomach when I neared the "20 miles from home" mark.........I KNEW that it would take me until next June to back that little sucker into the spot. My neighbors would hear/see me coming down the street and out would come the lawn chairs, side tables, and beverages while they gathered to once again be entertained by my attempts to back it into my driveway.

It is a very sad thing that my poor neighbors had nothing better to do, isn't it? Jeesh!

Cut a gal some slack!

Carol

scrappy · RV-Dreams Family Member

If it makes you feel any better, Carol, I cant back my Beetle into a parking spot.

disbelief

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well, having been a former 18-wheeler operator and working on farms and ranches, I've had my share of backing trailers. We started out with a 16-foot travel trailer, then a 21-foot travel trailer for RV's. After a number of years without one, we bought a 26-foot travel trailer. Then because I goofed up and Jo "really" wanted a fifth wheel to start with, we traded for a 26-foot fifth wheel.

I had forgotten how it was to back up semi-trailers and worried a bit as to how much trouble I would have with backing up a 38 1/2-foot fifth wheel into our yard and onto the RV pad. We were on a cul-de-sac and with the 26-footers, all I had to do was pull into the cul-de-sac and straighten out and back in. With 38 1/2-feet, I was afraid to do that, so I backed in off of the "main" street into our cul-de-sac with a 90-degree turn and then into our drive and back yard.

It was actually easier because one can adjust faster with a longer trailer because the rear of the trailer doesn't go off on a tangent so fast. Oh, and it didn't help on our cul-de-sac home because our driveway curved a bit instead of being straight. However, even with that, the 38-footer is easier on backing as long as one has the room.

In the photo below, you can see the layout of our home, related to the cul-de-sac and the street. The house with the "X" on the roof was ours and our 26 foot RV and pickup are on the RV pad inside the fence. However, will all things said above, this would still be an easier "parking job" than what many RV parks and campgrounds offer. We may get to find out in October. There is a chance we can pull our Mobile Suites to the Colorado Springs area for a two-week vacation then.

Terry

Future Fulltimers · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well, if backing up into a tight spot is hard with an RV, see what this guy does with a huge ship!

http://screen.yahoo.com/massive-ship-crashes-boats-130339687.html

Sometimes might has the right!

Steve

PIEERE · RV-Dreams Family Member

Future Fulltimers wrote:
Well, if backing up into a tight spot is hard with an RV, see what this guy does with a huge ship!

http://screen.yahoo.com/massive-ship-crashes-boats-130339687.html

Sometimes might has the right!
Steve

biggrin biggrin biggrin Hope they had good insurance!!!! And can just about bet these people no longer work there!!!

This is a must see!!!

-- Edited by PIEERE on Wednesday 10th of July 2013 10:36:50 AM

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

The park where we are staying recently had all of the roadways resurfaced with asphalt sealant.

It was easy to see which RVers had trouble parking their RVs. The couple behind us left at least 4 telltale trails of "S" patterns in the new sealant.

-- Edited by The Bear II on Wednesday 10th of July 2013 04:33:57 PM

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

scrappy wrote:
If it makes you feel any better, Carol, I cant back my Beetle into a parking spot.

Wish there was a "like" button! That's so me as well. Dreading the day when I'm in the position to back up my 5'er or MH!

lindy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Guilty of the comedy act myself, but luckily it was at home when I brought home our MH for the first time. Bear in mind that I drove tractor trailer for 20+ years. So here I am trying for 10 minutes to basically back almost straight in with the MH and trying to steer it like I'm backing up a trailer, doesn't work. Mind set of large windshield west coast mirrors large cab etc my mind said steer one direction when I needed to steer the other. After 1/2 a dozen times backing in now my mind is retrained to do it right.

Frac999 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I am one of those people that have no patience and would rather just do it myself than watch someone else spend hours trying to back a fith wheel.

MarkS · RV-Dreams Family Member

Backing a short trailer can be a real pain. But, Terry, even I could do that one drunk. The real key is to get as straight as possible to begin with. In RV parks that is difficult. The second rule is to always avoid blind side back in. Sometimes that isn't possible. But you guys with pickups don't really have blind sides anyway.

So god help you if you are having difficulty backing in and are keeping me awake. I'm old and cranky. I only say this because i can put a trailer wherever you want it, If you tell me to mind my own business and keep me from sleeping, you better like disco cause tomorrow night this old f****** is partying till the wee hours and I'm paying all my neighbors to participate.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'm going to take this opportunity to "expound" on Mark's comment. With regard to those still considering the choices of RV's and tow vehicles, I want to mention that Mark has a Class 8 (semi-truck tractor) and I have an F450 pickup for tow vehicles. The nature of many Class 8 trucks is that they don't have useable windows in the "rear" on either the sides or the back. With a pickup, one has windows all the way around, so blind spots when backing or driving are limited.

However, blind spots are NOT eliminated. The very fact that one has a trailer behind their tow vehicle means that one is towing their blind spot. As soon as the angle between the truck and the towed trailer increase enough, the trailer will block a lot of the view. That is the primary reason for anyone backing in a trailer to have someone outside on the ground and providing some form of signaling that one's trailer is still safe to back.

Just as a personal view, in my past I have driven commercial vehicles, including 18-wheelers and bobtail trucks, as well as lots of farm trucks and trailers. My experience with the Class 8 trucks was what made me insist on either a pickup or a mini-freightliner MDT to tow our heavy Mobile Suites.

So, this is more to benefit those that may have just started the research and planning stage of choosing an RV. Hopefully, it helps you with a decision of some kind.

Oh, and to make a light joke about Mark's other comment, I really don't suggest anyone try backing in an RV while intoxicated.

Terry