My Bride of 40 years and I have been doing this for 41 years, together. She is very precise behind the wheel and does a good job. Started with boat trailers and now travel trailers. I give her all the credit she deserves. She humors me by letting me give her instructions and watching that everything is clear, but her hands are usually on the wheel, when we are backing into a camping place.
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edited 02/24/12 01:17pm by rgolding *
My DW will do it if she has to, but would rather not.
Me, I grew up on a farm so I learned to back with mirrors. When I got into driver's ed they made me look over my shoulder to back up and I had a heck of a time doing that.
Me and my wife are new to all this...about a month in. We've only gone twice camping so far but at this point I do all the driving. i've only had to back in to one spot and it was not a hard spot to back into since it was angled in a way that I pretty much just drove past it and almost drove straight back. We are building a pad in our back yard so I'm about to have to get really good at backing in. I know it can be done so I know I can do it...just need to go out and do it. I'm not worried about looking like a noob because I'm sure there are a lot of things I can do better than some random guy watching me back in that's good at backing in himself. So pretty much I don't care what the other guys think because I'm confident that I'll get it done...just may time more time.
My wife has yet to tow our TT yet...I'm not sure I want her too...like another guy she often hits the curb in her car when turning right.
I think the guys that have wives that can back up like champs don't need to turn in their man cards at all. I'd chalk it up to being a good wife trainer...perhaps if anything yall should upgrade your man cards to platinum man card accounts.
TT: 2013 Jayco Eagle 314
Truck: 2006 GMC 2500HD Duramax
Duck Gun: Benelli Super Black Eagle II
I think I'd pull up to my campsite. Get out of the TV go into the TT, grab some beers, then go stand next to the usual group of observers. Yell, "Go ahead honey". Watch her back-in and leave the gawkers there without speaking another word.
TxTiger wrote: My wife can barely drive a car, forward.
It is my husband that can barely drive a car forward. When we test drove the new TV, he was like a teenager learning how to drive. Gas. Brake. Gas. Brake. I thought I was gonna get whiplash. I am the wife and I drive the TT and the TV. In fact the F250 is my daily driver. I back the TT anywhere it needs to be. In fact one of the CG's we went to, the staff member that showed us to our site, complimented me on my backing. He said he couldn't beleive that we had requested an easy back in site (I had booked earlier in the season after having had the TT for a month). He asked me if I would back the other rigs coming in or at least teach them how to do it.
We discovered a long time ago that hand waving does nothing but cause fights. We use the walkie talkies when DH can use that correctly. When we had the armada, I started teaching him how to drive and back the TT. With having had the new to us TV for a month, he hasn't wanted to drive it since we bought it. I keep offering, he keeps having an excuse not to drive it. I remind him he needs to get comfortable in the truck so he can try to pull the TT with it. He worries me a bit with this. One thing to remember. No matter how bad our loved ones are behind the wheel, they gotta learn in case something happens to us. You don't want the rig stuck somewhere unable to move because you have a broken ankle and can't drive.
Water-Bug wrote: You really need to buy a boat. Every boat owner dreams of having a wife who can back the boat down the ramp into the water, so he can be onboard and drive the boat off of the trailer. Just the oposite for retrieving. Wife goes and gets the truck and trailer and then you drive the boat on to the trailer and she pulls up the ramp. Of course with her family background, she would probably handle the boat better than you too.
Water bug, You just described me (DW). I do this all the time with the jet ski's and the boat. I'm terrible at getting the boat or jet ski's on the trailer, but I can back those trailers into the water no problem.
I had a really tough time with the TT, but I'm a little better with the 5th wheel. I still rather have the DH back these up and I just guide him in.
If it working for you don't worry about it. Beats the hassle and frustration after multiple attempts.
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I am the wife and I drive the TT and the TV. In fact the F250 is my daily driver. I back the TT anywhere it needs to be. In fact one of the CG's we went to, the staff member that showed us to our site, complimented me on my backing. He said he couldn't beleive that we had requested an easy back in site (I had booked earlier in the season after having had the TT for a month). He asked me if I would back the other rigs coming in or at least teach them how to do it.
