There’s nothing like making a great escape in your RV when the open road calls to you. Don’t let your arrival at the campsite—or the rest of your trip—be ruined by the anxiety that comes from parking your RV.
“The saying, ‘I’m sorry for what I said while parking the RV’ is true,” says Carolyn Koncal Breinich, who has been a full-timer with her husband for five years and travels monthly, and sometimes weekly depending on the location. “When my husband and I started RVing, we had a 43-foot triple axle fifth-wheel toy hauler that, when hitched, was 60-feet in length. Parking an RV is stressful enough, but it adds to it when you are that long.
“My husband and I had a unique strategy. He would back up, and I would guide him. But because we were both new to this, he didn’t always trust me, which would frustrate me and cause me to swear at the situation. As soon as we were in the right spot, we would put aside any swearing and work together to finish getting set up.”
In many cases, RV parks have hookups for power, water, and sewer at the back of their sites that require RV owners to back into the space in order to get connected. Many people also like to back their Class A Gas RV or other motorhome into a space at home or into storage when they aren’t out on the road. If you’ve been doing this for years, you’ve probably got a good system down by now. However, if you are new to RVing or are a husband-and-wife team that just can’t seem to find a way to see eye-to-eye on how the procedure should be done, here are some helpful tips from RVT to make the process smoother and, hopefully, less stressful for everyone.
1. Have A Spotter
Having a spotter behind your rig as you are backing up gives you an extra pair of eyes where you need them. You and your spotter should create a simple form of communication that can help the spotter direct the driver without any confusion. Some find that simple hand directions that signify “left,” “right,” “slow,” and “stop” to be useful.
2. Communicate
Instead of shouting directions, especially if you are parking in the evening and don’t want to disturb other campers who are already settled in, many spotter/driver teams have found walkie talkies to be exceptionally useful. This is also a useful tool if the spotter needs to be out of the driver’s vision while the fifth wheel camper or other RV is being maneuvered. When providing directions, the spotter should also be aware to avoid saying “left” or “right,” and using “driver side” or “passenger side” to avoid confusion.
3. G.O.A.L. (Get Out And Look)
To meet your goal of argument-free reversing, you need to GOAL: get out and look. Before backing into a space, it’s always a good idea for the driver to inspect the area first to get a mental picture of any obstacles—such as low-hanging branches—they’ll need to navigate. Now the driver can get to work reversing with a better idea of the environment and what their spotter is seeing.
4. Slow Your Roll
Backing an RV is not a race. Hurrying to get the job done not only adds more stress, it usually leads to mistakes. Take your time, even if you feel pressured because you are partially blocking the road. Other RVers understand that backing an RV is about taking the time to do things slowly, safely, and correctly.
5. Practice
If you have a wide-open parking lot near you and you need to sharpen your backing and parking skills, use the space to practice navigating your toy hauler motorhome or other RV. Learning how to be effective at backing your rig when there’s no pressure will help build your confidence and you’ll likely get better with time. But even if you get really good in a parking lot, always remember to take things slowly.
6. Get Help From Technology
If there are times when you don’t have a spotter, or if you just want to double check the terrain behind your RV while backing, some people like to use backup cameras that can be installed by your local RV dealer if your rig doesn’t come equipped with one. Backup cameras can provide the driver with a maximum view of everything behind them, and many have a warning tone that alerts the driver when they are getting close to a potential hazard or when they are properly positioned.
The Bottom Line
“To most people, you would see us and think we hated each other,” says Carolyn Koncal Breinich, “but my husband and I both knew it was just me venting during a stressful situation. Having a clear understanding of each other’s needs is key to parking successfully.”
Like any other skill, learning to back-up and park an RV takes some practice to perfect. Learn to communicate with your spotter, practice when you can, and remember to take things slowly. You’ll enjoy your travels more when you can reduce the anxiety and execute a well-choreographed maneuver. And if you’re ready for your next RV to reverse into campsites, check out all the inventory available for-sale on RVT.com.
By Barrett Baker
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