Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > MOTORHOME FORUMS > Class A Motorhome Discussions
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 03-28-2017, 07:31 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 5
RV Driving School-worth it??

I have driven a 31 foot class C while pulling an SUV behind us for 2 1/2 years and 19,000 miles. (I do 95% of the driving so hubby can be on his phone conducting business) We recently purchased a 41 foot Tiffin Phaeton and we were thinking about going to RV driving school. While I love driving and felt confident driving the class C, driving a class A (and 10 additional feet) is a different beast! Can anybody chime in and tell me if you felt the driving school was worth the money?? Recommendations of schools/instructors?
We live in Maryland

Thank you!!

Debra & Jeff
4 kids
2017 Tiffin Phaeton 40QKH
debra1967 is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 03-28-2017, 07:41 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
13charlie's Avatar
 
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 127
I am new to MH driving and was nervous about driving the 40' MH. It sounds like you are already handling a large vehicle and towing! I believe you will find the DP nicer to drive and 10' will be nothing for you. any tips you get I. Driving school are good, but you can educate yourself on the Internet. Good luck and be careful.
__________________
Tony
SoCal, 2022 Newmar Dutch Star 4081,2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Eco Diesel ,Blue Ox Avail, RVI Brake
13charlie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2017, 08:01 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
ThomB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Pinellas Park, FL
Posts: 1,117
This past weekend we took the Driver Confidence course at Lazyday's Tampa location. I'd driven Penske moving trucks but my wife had never driven anything larger than a minivan. We didn't purchase from Lazyday's but the $150/couple was well worth the $ to us.

Their technique is probably tried and true (you can actually find youtube video's of the instruction). While I was driving in my portion of the class a guy flagged us down and raved about how well it's done for him for the past 5 years as he was accident and coach damage free.

We took what we learned when we got home and I had my wife back the coach (33 footer) into the driveway. Her first time backing it up and she placed it perfectly straight into the drive on her first try. That alone was worth the price of admission!!!
__________________
Thom and Diane Boles
2010 Winnebago Vista 32K **2013 Mini Cooper S Roadster **
ThomB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2017, 08:09 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Cacique's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Coastal Campers
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Florida
Posts: 770
I also think it is valid. My wife and I also took the Lazydays's Driver Confidence and for us it was free but i would have paid 150 because the wife came out very happy. Pluss it give me a discount on insurance.
Cacique is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2017, 08:11 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Betr2Trvl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,723
When we took delivery of our coach, our first RV, 2 years ago, we left it at our dealer that evening and an RV driving instructor met us there the next morning for a 1/2 day lession before we took off for a short first trip. It was a very worthwhile $500 (if I remember correctly) investment for both of us..........

I will also say, that I spent many years doing various road racing schools and high performance driving events, and beleive it or not, they are also applicable to driving your car on the street as well as an RV.

How you ask?; understanding vehicle dynamics and weight transfer, understanding the traction circle, braking and cornering, "heads up drivng" and both hands on the wheel all the time, look at where you want to go not at what you are trying not to hit, are just a few things that come to mind. The reality is, most people are barely concious when driving thier cars, and if something out of the ordinary happens they simply panic and make it worse instead of understanding how to react.

If you are seriously interested in become a better and safer driver, there are many driving programs around the county, most hosted at road race tracks while others have their own facilities. Just look up "racing schools" and you find many to choose from with a variety of programs in their cars (Bondurant and Skip Barber, Porsche Sport Driving School are a few). Many BMW and Porsche Clubs also offer "high performance driver's education" as well, where you drive your car (does not have to be a BMW or Porsche) with great classroom training and on track training under the supervision of an in car instructor. Most all have progressive classes, from the most basic beginner to advance programs based on your demonstrated skills and experience. They are not cheap, but are also a lot of fun and can be addicting (which makes them very expensive).

One final thought, and probably better before you load up your Motorhome, is find a safe place to get it up to 45 or 50mph and slam on the brakes hard enough to have the ABS engage, and come to a compete stop with the ABS cycling. You need to understand just how hard you have push and exactly what happens when ABS engages, as well as exactly long it really takes to stop an RV. You may want to do one stop from 30 or 35 mph, then work up to 45 or 50. Give your brakes a chance to cool down between stops. You need to do this in every vehicle you drive...... If you have never engaged ABS, you need to understand that it is a very odd experieice, and you may think something is wrong as it can send strong pulses through th brake pedal and can create very loud and unusual noises that may scare you.

Be safe!
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	image.jpg
Views:	181
Size:	217.3 KB
ID:	156330  
__________________
D&S
2015 Tiffin Allegro 31SA; 24k chassis, Sumo springs
2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
Betr2Trvl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2017, 08:16 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Posts: 4,040
You new Phaeton will be a very different driving experience than your Class C. I would suggest you take the course. Diesel pushers drive different, steer different, and stop different. Spending a few hundred bucks is a better investment than a few thousand repairing the scrapes from turning the corner to close.
__________________
Roger & Mary
2017 Winnebago Navion 24V (Sold)
2014 Tiffin Phaeton 36GH (Sold)
luvlabs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2017, 08:16 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Twomed's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: On the road
Posts: 2,115
RV School


Less expensive than body damage. Enjoy that new rig.
__________________
Happy Trails,
06 Dynasty Countess III ISL//3060
07 Hummer H3
Twomed is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2017, 08:53 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
funjnt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Unionville, pa and Ocala, Fl
Posts: 651
Take the course if you can! Education never hurts along with the practical experience you will receive. So, my experience:

I have grown up farming and driving all kinds of big equipment, trucks and tractor trailers. Have had a cdl for many years, since 21 and have driven over the road many years. With that being said our first rv is a class A DP, Country Coach. It looked big but figured it is a bus and can't be that difficult. Not that difficult, but, very different! The hardest part I had driving was the turning. With the wheels behind you, you must go much further into the turn before turning. I watched the lazydays video on you tube and the best advice I picked up was, "aim with your hip". I know when going forward in an axle forward truck or tractor when to initiate the turn. When sitting in front of the axle it kept throwing off my timing, turning much too early. Now I have a much better handle on driving or rig then before. So do some research, look on you tube and see all the info out there. It certainly helped me.
__________________
2000 Country Coach Allure #30476
2007 Subaru Outback
Winters in Ocala, summers in Pa and North East US.
funjnt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2017, 11:51 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
gruelens's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,450
Quote:
Originally Posted by debra1967 View Post
While I love driving and felt confident driving the class C, driving a class A (and 10 additional feet) is a different beast! Can anybody chime in and tell me if you felt the driving school was worth it
The fact that the OP wrote in to the forum and mentioned not being confident, tells me the time and money needed for RV Driving School would be well worth it. All the best with your new coach.
__________________
George R. - Fulltiming since January '03
2007 Newmar Mountain Aire 3991
2012 Chevy Malibu LT1
gruelens is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2017, 12:02 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
manderson2228's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Nor'easters Club
Appalachian Campers
Carolina Campers
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 673
Quote:
Originally Posted by ThomB View Post
This past weekend we took the Driver Confidence course at Lazyday's Tampa location. I'd driven Penske moving trucks but my wife had never driven anything larger than a minivan. We didn't purchase from Lazyday's but the $150/couple was well worth the $ to us.
See i'd do 150 a couple, but the ones i saw were like 600 a couple and frankly i'm already doing it.. It's not hard, I am sure there are some tips and tricks, but i feel confident that i wouldn't learn 600$ worth.
__________________
-Mike
2020 Tiffin Open Road 34PA
manderson2228 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2017, 12:34 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Granger, TX
Posts: 593
6 years and 50000 miles ago we jumped into. 42 tag axle Tiffin as our first RV. If driving school would make you more comfortable in your mind, go for it! No accidents so far even though 4 people really tried to kill us with unbelievable maneuvers right in front of us. DEFENSIVE driver school and mentality is what you need to develop. Expect that every vehicle stopped on the roadside is planning to pull out in front of you without looking. Expect that other RV coaches have no idea where the ass end of their rig is, and will cut you off in their hurry to get back in the slow lane after passing you up at 65 mph. Expect that big rig drivers know what they are doing, but never just trust them. Etc, etc.!

In urban areas put on your combat driver hat and focus, focus. That is not fear, just step it up a notch and focus.

Biggest change you will see with your Phaeton is to learn where the pivot point is back by the rear wheels and get comfortable maneuvering in tight RV parks and smaller fuel stops.

PS, depending on your home State you may need to upgrade your Drivers License.
Larrikin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2017, 12:48 PM   #12
Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Brandon, Florida
Posts: 99
There should be an instructor near you.

School locations – Click on map icon to see the town & date availability | RV School

You might want to sneak in some test driving at a dealership
cavedvr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2017, 01:20 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Newmar Owners Club
American Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Oxford, Conn & Davenport,Florida
Posts: 849
Quote:
Originally Posted by debra1967 View Post
I have driven a 31 foot class C while pulling an SUV behind us for 2 1/2 years and 19,000 miles. (I do 95% of the driving so hubby can be on his phone conducting business) We recently purchased a 41 foot Tiffin Phaeton and we were thinking about going to RV driving school. While I love driving and felt confident driving the class C, driving a class A (and 10 additional feet) is a different beast! Can anybody chime in and tell me if you felt the driving school was worth the money?? Recommendations of schools/instructors?
We live in Maryland

Thank you!!

Debra & Jeff
4 kids
2017 Tiffin Phaeton 40QKH
Its a funny thing...you have driven a RV, but feel that you would possibly benefit from a driving class...and because you have the attitude to do it well, you will definitely get the most out of the training and have even more confidence in the future,based on that...you should take a course
I was paid to go to a driving course wnem I was hired into my main job,years ago and to this day I can remember what I was taught,at the time,I thought it was so much bull but the O/T was nice....but I used the same course and taught both of my kids it when they wanted their licenses....Of course in time I trained quite a few new drivers and management people in the % Keys to Defensive driving...Go For It...Chuck
__________________
2017 45 FT Newmar Mountain Aire Seville Freightliner..with a 2015 Granite Grand Cherokee
Limited....GO NOLES
2012 (Piglet)American Tradition Merlot-Spartan>>SOLD
chuckster52 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-28-2017, 10:14 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
BigBadDad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 313
The 31 foot C will give you a good reference and confidence. The driver training though will be very worthwhile in two aspects 1) the specifics and differences in the longer coach with the different front perspective, especially the great wheel cut but also the air brakes and related system including retarder. 2) correction / improvement on items you may have been doing incorrectly and never realized it. When an instructor knows your history they can focus on key items more and less on others (mirror basics for instance.)
__________________
2016 Pace Arrow LXE 38K
BigBadDad is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Question new school vs old school G-Man562 Tiffin Owner's Forum 32 01-02-2016 01:38 PM
RV Driving School Garth iRV2.com General Discussion 10 09-06-2011 05:06 AM
RV Driving School RuthE Excel Owner's Forum 5 01-29-2008 08:23 AM
Just finished two day RV Driving School - long report John_Canfield Winnebago Industries Owner's Forum 8 01-15-2006 02:16 PM
RV Driving School LouRobin Southeast Region 8 01-16-2005 07:16 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:10 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.