Women Drivers

[Johndale]

https://youtu.be/mtqhyPVkoTc
DW driving our 33 ft Winnebago Sightseer. And truck is passing her.

[rewillia]

When we began looking for our retirement Class A coach (our 1st) my wife said "No Way" she would drive one. Too big. Then we bought ours which happens to be a 45' 600HP DP from there we took the RV Driving school (2-day course) and since then, she willingly offers to take the wheel and does be that highway or urban driving. Confidence gained there's no anxiety anymore. Happy to share the wheel with her as its important for both spouses to be able to drive.

If of any value, my wife is 5'2 and 66.

[UTTransplant]

To the OP, please let your wife learn to drive without a bunch of testosterone. We don't have a Class A, but we do have a 55' total length truck trailer combo. We alternate driving it. DH usually backs it in because he grew up on a farm and was backing trailers around by the age of 12 (he's 64 now). I can do it, and sometimes I do just for practice, but it takes me longer with more tries. For years he did most of the driving because he can't read or nap in a vehicle; I excel at both LOL! Now we alternate drivers every 100-150 miles, and we find both of us are less tired and sore. Both of us know how to set up and break down the trailer for travel - dumping, leveling, WDH hitch, what on the inside needs moved and set up, etc. We do generally divide with me doing the inside and him the outside because it does take some strength to pick up the hitch which is 50+ pounds. If it was me on my own, I just wouldn't ever take it off the truck! Other than strength, there is nothing about traveling in a RV that might be gender specific. Practice is the main thing that needs to happen, preferably without a spouse yelling at the newbie. The idea of s professional doing the training is brilliant.

[Cooperhawk]

OK, I have to add to this. My DW was raised in Chicago. She drives like she is in Chicago all the time. Aggressive! Her sisters are the same. I drove tractor trailer for several years in my youth. I drive defensive. She scares the heck out of me!

Yeah, she has a good driving record. No accidents and only one ticket for speeding in her lifetime. I think she's been lucky.

Now, I want her to be able to drive the MH if need be. Maybe I get sick or injured and we need to get home, or whatever. OK?

She did drive our last MH which was an Airstream 345 diesel and did pretty well. Course on a two lane road when she met a truck she did scream, but she did OK with it, but now with our Journey it's a lot wider and she's really hesitant to try it, so last July at the Winnebago Grand National Rally she took the class "Women on Wheels". They drove a large DP all over the town, backed it into tight places, learned how to dump the tanks, ect. All in all a pretty good class I would say. Course she still won't dump the tanks.

On the way home we stopped for lunch and I suggested she take over and drive us home. Well one thing the class did not do was drive on the Interstate at speed. She hated the center line even though it was a divided highway and used the shoulder quite a bit. After a while she said she was tired and wanted me to drive so I said just find a spot to stop and I'll take over. Without warning she signaled right and was about to take a downhill off ramp at seventy miles per hour, at which time I and the Grandchildren were screaming "No!"

Problem was the class did not discuss how long it took to stop a a big rig towing a car from highway speed. Thankfully she veered back onto the highway and the next off ramp she slowed to a safer speed and exited successfully.

My fault, I thought they had at least discussed this with the students and felt really bad for her getting yelled at, but she would have blown through the stop sign at the bottom for sure and who knows what traffic was down there.

Bottom line is I really want her to drive, but it will take some time and patience.

[F76Marion]

The link is to a video of Matt's wife (Mary) driving their coach. She often does. Matt is usually in the right seat with a laptop planning or navigating or just surfing. I'm not sure why he isn't there this time, he could be in back sleeping. This actually makes us jealous. Mary (my Mary) does not like to drive. She also does not like to try to navigate. So, it is all left to me. And, when we travel together, we get there and I am all worn out. Matt and Mary are ready to go and do something.

It sort of worked out OK when I fell and trashed my knee. Matt drove our Cayo home and the Marys took their coach. I have been trying to live that down for a few years now.
I keep hope my Mary will be jealous of Matt's Mary. Or at least start helping then we could go places with less stress on the driver.

Frank

[Bikrgrrl]

This is probably a good spot to drop my first post, woman driver here :-)


I've been pulling travel trailers for about a decade, with the last 5 years being from the driver's seat of a Ford F350. When my husband and I go out, we share driving with him doing most of the backing but when my sister and I go out (which is way more often then me and my hubby go out), I do the driving and backing (she absolutely refuses to have anything to do with either). I also take frequent solo trips. I almost always do the hitching which is a much easier job solo than with "help" LOL. We just inked the deal on our first motorhome (a Thor Outlaw class C) which is on a Ford Super Duty chassis so I expect it will feel pretty familiar but even if it wasn't, I'm not at all concerned about my ability to drive it. And someday, when we finally go full time and trade in the travel trailer, motor home, and super duty for a bigger super duty and a 42+ foot 5th wheel toy hauler, I full expect I will pull and park that too.


But I say all that knowing I'm rare. I see lots of women camping but rarely behind the wheel and almost never solo.


Kathy J

[twogypsies]

There are RV groups consisting only of women so I assume they all drive their RVs.