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05-10-2015, 08:55 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: AR
Posts: 348
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Driving Solo question
We have run into a problem we don't know how to fix. Where our street intersects the highway, it has a left hand angle. If I'm driving alone, I can't see traffic coming from the right without getting out of my seat, checking for traffic, then trying to hurry out before something comes. Can anyone share a way to handle that? Right now, we're driving 4 miles to a different intersection, but what do you do when traveling and this is unexpected?
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Jimmy (the driver) & Teresa (the mechanic) Newsom
2018 Forest River Riverstone 2018/2011 Heartland Landmark
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05-10-2015, 09:45 AM
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#2
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 35
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Can you mount a camera to view the road to the right?
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Jack Esposito,
2012 Monaco Knight 40 DFT
2012 Chevy Sonic Hatchback on Falcon All Terrain Tow Bar
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05-10-2015, 10:06 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 357
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Jim, I feel your pain! On a recent trip from h@ll I almost gave someone a new customized door style! At the botton of a ramp, I could not see far enough back. I got up, looked (noticed the nearby curve in the road) and then headed out. Naturally, someone was rounding that curve and not at the 25 posted. A close call! For the rest of the trip I got use to turning the convex mirror out to max!
I am going to add to the top of the passenger mirror to cover that area. So far, I have found this which I think will work. All the other so called "blind spot" mirrors are just that, "spots"!
The only thing I am not sure of is their mounting system. I have concerns about attaching to the plastic housing. I am sure I can do better!
The goal is something like this
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05-10-2015, 10:41 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Lafayette, La.
Posts: 1,144
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Do you have side view cameras? If not it may be worth the investment.
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2011 40' Monaco Cayman PBQ ISC 360
2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
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05-10-2015, 12:58 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: AR
Posts: 348
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This is our first summer to really use the MH and of course the right side camera didn't work when we purchased it. I'm not sure the camera would show enough out to the side to help with this problem. Something like SkaterDoc's idea might be the ticket. It just seems there should be a way to see. Maybe customizing a camera would work.
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Jimmy (the driver) & Teresa (the mechanic) Newsom
2018 Forest River Riverstone 2018/2011 Heartland Landmark
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05-10-2015, 01:13 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 14,913
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You have to make the intersection into a T intersection for the purposes of entering the highway. You can try this without the trailer attached.
As you come to the intersection drive close to or almost on to the center-line of the road. (almost as if you are going to make a right turn) Just before you come to a stop cut the wheels hard to the right. Your truck should come to a stop at right angles to the highway. The trailer will start to follow you to the right but still be in the driving lane.
You should be able to see the traffic to the right through the passengers window. When traffic is clear make a left hand turn. The trailer will follow.
It may take a couple practice runs to figure out when to cut to the right but once you do it will be second nature. Dont forget - it will take a while for the trailer to start following so when you make the left hand turn the trailer will have only made a small correction to the right.
Note: this works well for unloaded too.
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Gordon and Janet
Tour 42QD/InTech Stacker
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05-10-2015, 06:02 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,636
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Have the same issue with a road I use, I just swing wide to the LEFT when approaching the stop line (2 MH lengths away) and then at the last minute cut it hard to the right so I'm at right angles with the road I'm going to enter. Had top do this 20+ years while driving truck too. It's something that will come with ease with practice.
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2012 Journey 40U (Our Incredible Journey)
2008 Dodge Dakota(TOAD) 2005 Honda Shadow in TOAD
AF-1 braking system
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05-10-2015, 06:50 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: AR
Posts: 348
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Swinging out to the left may work when "out and about" but not in this particular area. The MH blocks the left lane, traffic entering is clipping along pretty good because they're coming off a major highway and there's no where for them to go because of a culvert. We will continue to go to the other highway entrance but I just wondered how others handled it when traveling. Most of the time there are 2 of us but on those other occasions...
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Jimmy (the driver) & Teresa (the mechanic) Newsom
2018 Forest River Riverstone 2018/2011 Heartland Landmark
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05-10-2015, 08:37 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 499
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I was going to suggest the same thing as Gordon, with the caveat "if there's enough room."
A camera probably can't be angled far enough to see the traffic from the right, and a blind spot mirror (which I'm usually a huge fan of) probably won't let you see far enough down the road to make a safe left.
So - and this just popped in my head - how about a hand-held make-up mirror? If it was 4"-6" or so, you should be able to just hold it out in front of you (like, at arm's length or so) with plenty of angle adjustment to see the traffic coming a long way off. Then stow it away in a nearby pocket or compartment for next time.
Now that I think about it, I'm going to get one for myself. Do they even sell super manly, hand-held make-up mirrors?
Good luck, happy travels!
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05-10-2015, 10:05 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Florida Keys
Posts: 2,687
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I have the same problem on this road by my house:
1. I have a side view camera already. It shows the side of the coach for changing lanes but is not angled enough to show the lane(s) of traffic in this situation.
2. Traffic on the main road is doing 50mph going downhill and there's two lanes of traffic in both directions.
I added a convex mirror that was made for the top of my side view mirror (looked up my mirror online and saw that they sold an additional piece that sits on top of my existing mirrors). You have to adjust it all the way right and up to try to see that blind spot. Even with this mirror that is now 6 or so feet away from you in the drivers seat, the reflection of the cars is EXTREMELY small because the mirror is only about 3x5 inches.
So if solo, I still go miles out of my way to avoid this turn. If I encounter an unexpected road by myself, I study that little mirror intently, pull out when I THINK I see no traffic and PRAY!
Believe it or not, I actually bought a smaller, 2nd RV to drive when I'm solo just to avoid this very scary situation!
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Tom and Katharine
'07 Winnebago Tour 40TD, 400hp Cummins
'17 Winnebago View 24V, '02 R-Vision B+
RVing for 20 years & 200,000+ miles
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05-11-2015, 06:41 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
American Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lakeland. Florida
Posts: 342
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Of course every coach is different but in mine I have learned to always leave the window blinds open on both of the windows on the passenger side, it almost always allow me to see that right hand area, especially by angling a little to the left at the intersection.
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1998 American Eagle
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05-11-2015, 07:46 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Overland Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Virginia
Posts: 138
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I have one place that nothing works but to use the window behind the passenger seat. I drive aiming towards my turn and that allows me to see out that window.
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42' Foretravel U320
24' Bornfree
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05-11-2015, 04:13 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: AR
Posts: 348
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wryly Blithe
I was going to suggest the same thing as Gordon, with the caveat "if there's enough room."
A camera probably can't be angled far enough to see the traffic from the right, and a blind spot mirror (which I'm usually a huge fan of) probably won't let you see far enough down the road to make a safe left.
So - and this just popped in my head - how about a hand-held make-up mirror? If it was 4"-6" or so, you should be able to just hold it out in front of you (like, at arm's length or so) with plenty of angle adjustment to see the traffic coming a long way off. Then stow it away in a nearby pocket or compartment for next time.
Now that I think about it, I'm going to get one for myself. Do they even sell super manly, hand-held make-up mirrors?
Good luck, happy travels!
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That might be a quick and easy solution!
__________________
Jimmy (the driver) & Teresa (the mechanic) Newsom
2018 Forest River Riverstone 2018/2011 Heartland Landmark
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