Community Forums

Skip426 · 05-20-2013, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielJ390TS

Okay, I'll be the odd man out here. My wife does the majority of the driving. We have a 39' DP. She's comfortable doing so, and we are both very aware that she is a better driver than a passenger. For me, sitting in the passenger seat, I can see neither side view mirror and during the day I cannot see the rear view camera screen.

I just sit back fat and happy :-)

My DW, could drive the coach if necessary; could I ride with her

well I'll leave that alone.

newmar10 · 05-20-2013, 09:48 AM

My wife likes to drive just as much as me. She can get the coach ready to go including hooking up the toad. We have done over 1000 miles in a day and would be tough by myself

zzjea · 05-20-2013, 10:50 AM

Sounds like most of you do all the driving. How do you handle fatigue etc. and where do you take breaks?

Mrs.M · 05-20-2013, 10:51 AM

Mr. M drives Moby more than I do, but we do share the driving. I've taken Moby out by myself, too, when we needed to take two vehicles to the campsite. As a general family policy, everyone in the house needs to be able to operate any vehicle in the household. One of our projects this summer is to teach our daughter to drive the coach while she is home from college. I don't think it will be a problem, though, she's been driving the Dodge Ram hauling the utility trailer since she was sixteen.

Oh, and yes, not only do we both drive, we both cook!

Mrs.M

Craigls2 · 05-20-2013, 11:34 AM

I've done most of the driving since we started traveling by motorhome 8 years ago. We usually drive long days and she will take a couple of hours on the interstate in the early afternoon. It's more to get her away from the kids for a while than it is to give me a break!

I'm not a great passenger and I know it. We went for a drive in our new longer coach for her to practice and the results weren't reassuring. Almost pulled right in front of a car and then missed the turn into our driveway and drove the rear wheels through the culvert causing the coach to list and crushing the metal drainage pipe! Yikes!! Have to find a way to get her confidence back up and I think freeway driving is the way to go.

Selah · 05-20-2013, 11:35 AM

We both took a driving course when we got the MH so DW is fully capable of driving and does. I always do the parking but only because that is what we have always practiced and she is good at watching out for anything that might cause a problem. Between the both of us we are pretty darn good at backing the MH into some pretty tight spaces.
I do most of the driving though, first because I like it and second because she is much better at navigating than I am. The GPS faces the navagator's seat and is not viewable by the driver.
We each have our tasks when setting up and breaking down the camp site. Example, while I am connection up to facilities, she is turning off the air if running, leveling the coach, putting the slides out etc.
We also have or specific tasks for the toad as well. All in all it is a team effort and makes for pretty quick set ups and tear downs.
Shoud it ever become necessary I am confident that DW could break down the site, hook up the toad, and get the MH to where ever it needs to go without my help.
One less worry for me.

joemcgin · 05-20-2013, 11:46 AM

Would love to split up the driving so I can offload the Harley & cruise out ahead. Have a Road King & looking to add a CB so we can communicate bike to MH.

Jol912 · 05-20-2013, 12:44 PM

My DW does all the driving! I make the coffee and relax.

caninecop · 05-20-2013, 01:58 PM

My wife attended the big rig school and has a class A commercial license, but I do the driving because I really enjoy it. She always let me know that if I need a brake she will take over, I would have no hesitation on her taking over the driving. I know she has the ability and confidence to take over at anytime.

amanda_h · 05-20-2013, 04:04 PM

LoL! I like that, Greg, that's the way to do it. I too try to do that too ...let the DW do the driving and I sit back and relax.

Like cainecop, DW has more professional time behind the wheel driving semis and commercial buses and although I too have a CDL, I truly believe she is the better driver. I tend to take too many chances and am a bit more aggressive and that's not good although I'm much better than when I was younger.

So she does most of the driving now but it is nice to be able to switch off and relieve each other when needed. I often feel for couples that can't do that.

And because she is such a good driver, I can actually sleep while we are underway. I'd be nervous about that if she hadn't been a commercial driver in her past or if I had a DW that was nervous about driving larger vehicles.

-harry

R2Home · 05-20-2013, 04:12 PM

Well our MH is only 38' but I am going to jump in here. I do 100% of the driving! I enjoy driving and would be a nervous wreck with her driving. She does good with her vehicle but with the MH and its size, well.........
We currently are in the lower '48' on vacation and made a dash to get to CA to pike up our, new to us, 2009 Diplomat. We did 3100 miles in 5 days. I drive until I get tired and then stop for the night. Our labs need potty breaks ever few hours, so that gives me time to stretch and relax for a few minutes.

Francesca · 05-20-2013, 04:14 PM

Interesting!

I see the question in this thread was asked as it relates to 39' or bigger DP's...

The results seem to be different when it comes to towed units. Here's a link to a recent thread posted by a fiver owner: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f64/shoul...in-145417.html

UFO Pilot · 05-20-2013, 04:19 PM

My wife wanted to drive the MH but couldn't reach the gas pedal. While on the East Coast last year I finally decided to modify the pedal so she could drive. She never had a lesson but decided she wanted to share the driving and has done a great job so far.

I usually pull out of the RV Park and then drive to the first rest stop. She then drives to the next rest stop and I take over and drive to the next rest stop. That usually works out to 1 to 2 hours each. For now, I make sure I am driving when it is time to fuel up or get off the freeway. She hasn't driven on any 2 lane roads yet.

WheelingIt · 05-20-2013, 04:22 PM

Hubby and I share driving on our 40 foot DP. I consider it a safety issue that we're both able to fully handle the MH and wouldn't be comfortable any other way.

It's come in handy several times. We often switch on longer drives or if one of us is tired (just pull into a rest stop and switch). I had to drive exclusively when hubby did in his back last year (we'd have been stuck otherwise). Plus I've had to move the MH by myself several times when hubby went home on trips for some family emergencies. If I didn't have the knowledge we would have been in quite the jam. I really encourage all gals out there to learn everything they can about the MH. Gives so much more flexibility in case something happens.