Women drivers

[Grnrubicon]

I rarely see or meet a woman who will even attempt to drive a 42' class A diesel pusher. One day I decided to drive ours from the corner gas station to our lot near Ft Myers. I thought I would be more comfortable to start on 2 lane roads with little traffic. Gaining confidence I learned to navigate construction zones and driving through cities. I would suggest that all women have some experience behind the wheel. It is easier than you think. In 2015 DH cut off the end of his finger on the way back from AK to MI. I had to drive the unit about 2500 miles home. Good thing I had had some experience! I can drive that baby anywhere now!

[Jim T.]

My wife, now 68, has been driving our various class A motorhomes exclusively since 1991 or 1992, when we traded in a micro mini Winnie that was on a Toyota chassis. My handicap prevented me from getting into the class A driver's seat. She's driven us all over the USA without mishap (and we've had our share of side-of-the-road mechanical failures, including tire blowouts). We started our class A experience with a 34', went through two 36'ers & now have a 39'er, all gassers. She had never driven anything larger than a half-ton pickup. She is remarkable!

[frankdamp]

You're all lucky that the ergonomics are suitable for your wives. They must be much taller than mine (she's just < 5 feet). We never thought to check when we bought our 32' Georgetown (F53 chassis, Flexsteel seats). It turned out that she couldn't reach the pedals, even with the seat at its most forward position and her feet didn't reach the floor as the seat had no height adjustment. Next issue was the steering column - not telescopic and very limited tilt adjustment.

I did all the driving and found I couldn't drive more than about 150 miles without a walk around outside and hip pain prevented more than about 250 a day. We sold the rig after our fourth season and haven't replaced it. Had we kept it, I was looking at replacing the Flexsteel seats with Recaro transit coach seats. I could easily handle 9-hour days as a coach driver with those seats.

[WendyG]

As I was the one who really wanted the RV lifestyle, DH said I'd be doing the driving....and the researching and rv shopping. First time behind the wheel for a test drive was intimidating, but it got easier and easier. I did find six way power seat helped me get a better drivind position (I am 5'4").

Now I am the one who wants my spouse take a little time in the driver's seat,l just in case there comes a circumstance where I cannot do it.

[Old-Biscuit]

When we hit the road back in 07 GF had only driven small sedans

I said "We're in this together....you NEED to drive this set up and get use to it (Longbed Quad cab and 34' 5vr that is 13'4"tall)

So whenever we were out in the toolies she drove.
Very apprehensive at first...then better and better
Then it was time for some backing in (she had done well on driving and doing pull thru)
Found out she us better at giving directions vs following them (or I am REALLY Bad at giving them)

Regardless....she can/does handle driving.
Which is OK. Now when I crock she can just open truck door, push me out and boogie on down the road. GOOD FOR HER!

[vsheetz]

My DW does most of the driving on long trips. I nap. (-:

[jmcannonball]

When the DW and I met in 2001 she was single and driving a 35' Georgie Boy gasser. I had never driven an RV (altho I had driven Semi's many years ago), so I was the one who had to step up and learn the techniques of RVing. Last year we moved up to our current 39'DP and she was a bit intimidated, but with gentle encouragement, she took the wheel and found it much easier to handle than the Georgie Boy. She didn't like the feel of the air brakes, but has now gotten used to them. Altho I do most of the driving, she is willing and able to take the wheel for a few hours to give me a break.

[wa8yxm]

I have met a number of women who drive Class A's. some are solo, some just like to drive more than their co-pilots.

One thing about them.. I've had to modify hand signals when working with men in the driver's seat.. Never had to do that with a woman.. The hand signals are all but instinctive, in fact when I was first introduced to them I was driving and understood 100% they are that instinctive. But I've had men mis-understand right and left.

[jmzumer]

Welcome. My hubby doesn't care to drive that much so I do it all. I make a lousy passenger I must admit too, so this works perfectly for us. We get some strange looks sometimes when we pull into sites but we don't let it get to us. Enjoy your travels and if you ever pass through CA send a wave out.

[WendyG]

I have not noticed weird looks when I drive, but some fellow campers sometimes give me "thumbs ups" as I back in while DH is outside directing me. I chuckle, as I firmly believe when backing in, the person directing has a much harder job that the person at the wheel. With an excellent spotter, a trained chimp could back in.

[ctpres]

Not to long ago we met an 80+ year old widow driving a 45' and towing a car on dolly. Her only problem at that time was how to lube the dolly hubs!

[hoosierrun]

My wife drives most of the time except on the Interstates where she tends to get sleepy or hypnotized. I take over at those times. I'm the tech/mechanic and responsible for final check over of the rig and toad. We are both pretty happy with our roles.

I see a lot of women driving 18 wheelers on the roads these days too. Nothing unusual in these times.

[dbeth52]

I'm proud to say I drive our 40' Tiffin Allegro Red exclusively. Two years ago, I drove our 29' starter motorhome all over Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan. Louisville was the toughest place I've driven because of all the construction and our exit was closed so I did panic a little. I've been driving large farm machinery for years so it wasn't that big of an adjustment for me. So far, my husband is my navigator, my encourager, and my rock. We make a great team and in March, we are headed to FL for a month with me at the wheel. Wish me luck!!

[FIRE UP]

The wife and both kids learned waaaaaaaaaaaaay early on when we purchased our first motor home decades ago to drive and drive with confidence. I pretty much demanded it for one primary reason. If I were to ever become incapacitated, hurt, ill, or for any other reason I cannot drive, then ANY one of them can and will easily step up to the plate and take over.

And, it's happened at least twice and the training paid off tremendously. I got hurt twice in my dumber years riding those dumb-a$$ three wheelers in the sand dunes and could not even get myself back to camp. The group got me back to camp where, all hands jumped in and packed everything up, my son, who was 16 at the time, "ORDERED" his mom and sister to tend to me while he drove 50' worth of motorhome and trailer all the way home to San Diego.

The wife has been driving any and all our coaches for as long as I have. She has zero problem jumping in and relieving me so I can either catch a few Zzzz or, just take my concentration off the road for a while. She's 5' even and has just a tad bit of trouble with reaching the throttle pedal but, she compensates pushing the seat controls to tilt the seat to her advantage.

As for seeing women drivers. In our travels, and motor homes approach us in the opposite direction, we see and comment how many are being driven by women. Even towing fairly large toads. We've been relaxing in campgrounds and watched many Women pilot the coach into position and back it into place, while the male is either directing or, just watching out.

In many of our Jeep groups, ALL THE Women drove all the motorhomes at various intervals. I have always emphasized the importance of the WIFE being able to handle the coach, in any set of driving condtions, just in case you should enter a condition that I've been in twice or, just simply take the wheel so the husband can simply relax for a while. It's amazing how just a short break can regenerate ones alertness. And I'm not talking about parking for an hour in a rest stop.
Scott