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jacwjames · 09-10-2017, 05:08 PM

I've had my motorhome parked in front of a house I am building. My wife was here when I first parked the rig so it wasn't a big deal.

I am hooked to power but no water or sewer. My Black tank got to a point I knew I had to dump. I installed a dump near the house that I decided to go ahead and christen. Not a problem as I could just pull around and pull close enough to it to hook the dump hose to. I have a well on the property that I can run with a generator so I filled my fresh water tank also.

Got done and started to back into the same spot as I had been parked. No big deal just back in but I had to go around a curve to get to the spot. I backed up and thought I was doing OK but something didn't seem right. Stopped the rig and got out and walked around to make sure I was OK. I almost backed into a small tree on the drivers side, couldn't see it in the backup camera. I was ~2" away!!!

Pulled out an orange cone and put it on the passenger side where I wanted the rear tire to be. Pulled forward and took another try and came within inches of where I was originally parked.

So lesson learned, putting out the cone took a minute and would have saved me from a potential disaster.

**CLIFFTALL** · 09-10-2017, 05:11 PM

When DW isn't there , put out the orange cone [emoji106]

nehog · 09-10-2017, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clifftall

When DW isn't there , put out the orange cone [emoji106]

What ever you do, do not let her know she can be replaced with an orange cone.

jacwjames · 09-10-2017, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nehog

What ever you do, do not let her know she can be replaced with an orange cone.

She already knows it, that's why I carry 2!

FIRE UP · 09-10-2017, 06:24 PM

Yep,
Backing is just one of those things that, no matter how good you are, no matter what kind of experience you have, no matter what the conditions are, it just pays to MAKE SURE of your situation prior to backing. TIME is a lot cheaper than fiberglass, steel, wood and or anything else that can get crunched if two worlds collide, as in rolling house and/or, non-moving objects. Been there done that, even after 35 years of fire truck driving.
Scott

mike brez · 09-10-2017, 08:36 PM

Been there done that. I have been backing mine from street and up a fairly steep grass incline for about 300 feet and threading it between a tree and large bush.
I have been parking in this same place for 20 years with no help.
Guess I was a little to laxed and watching everything except for my deck

Craig36 · 09-10-2017, 08:50 PM

I would never back without my co-pilot directing me, however Monday I witnessed something amazing.

A guy pulling a 44 foot fifth wheel backed it into a space with no spotter. He had a huge pickup and on a not very wide roadway to work with. I was directly across from him so I watched the whole event.

When he got set up, I walked across and shook his hand!

jrclark · 09-11-2017, 05:37 AM

Craig36, why did you not offer to assist?

twinboat · 09-11-2017, 06:04 AM

When I'm backing I don't pay attention to unsolicited help.

Even with the DW out there, I often check for myself.

Bigd9 · 09-11-2017, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clifftall

When DW isn't there , put out the orange cone [emoji106]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nehog

What ever you do, do not let her know she can be replaced with an orange cone.

Sharon moves around so much I "make" her wear an orange vest so I can track her in the mirrors and camera. She looks like a tall traffic cone!

sbleiweiss · 09-11-2017, 08:05 AM

Much better to learn from a close call than from a worse outcome. Ask me how I know.

Dave-Oh · 09-11-2017, 08:26 AM

I back up the driveway, have to jog right and then straight back - fence opening barely wider than the mirrors. This last time I also got a feeling and stopped and got out and looked. 6 more inches and I would have taken out my gate on the driver's side - glare in the mirror sometimes really makes it difficult.....

If something feels wrong, it probably is - don't ignore it!

I guess I'll have to consider a glare abatement shield of some sort so the reflection off of my rig doesn't make things confusing. The wife helps when she can, but isn't always around, so I'm often on my own.

DGBPokes · 09-11-2017, 08:51 AM

Yep.....I backed the previous rig out of the storage unit, and tried to do a u turn as I backed. Unbeknownst to me I had hooked the right rear edge of the rv on the I beam. I pulled forward and ripped the right corner off, and tore the rear cap diagonally about 8' long. A$2700 lesson. Even going forward tailswing can be a problem. You just can't be to deliberate or careful driving a big rig.

znt1186 · 09-11-2017, 09:06 AM

Rainy night backing into rv carport w/DW watching. However, she did not have radios or phone on. Lost her in the glare of the security lights and hooked exhaust tip on carport post. New exhaust tip and some body work costs a lot more than waiting to get radios out. Lesson learned.