Do you use a "momback"??

[Francesca]

"Momback!"
I didn't know it had a name

Perhaps others would find my Husband's system of hand signals useful!
Apart from the facial expressions, these selections from the "smiley" menu serve very well for illustrations:

#1: STRAIGHT BACK:
#2: BACK LEFT:
#3: BACK RIGHT:
#4: You're about to run over the Camp Host:
#5: You're in the next site's fire ring:
#6: Why did you stop? are we out of gas?


Francesca

[turn1fan]

For us changing from toyhauler to MH we may have to make a few small adjustments to our system. One thing that won't change is how we communicate and who is in charge of the directing. First rule is nothing moves unless I can see DW in the mirror. When traveling with a group and others volunteer to "help" the only one I watch and listen to is DW, everyone else is just a distraction. Left rear has always been the key spot. Now we also have to consider slides, higher roof, and awnings. Might not be squeezing into all thos cozy little spots anymore.

[pkmesser]

We use the 2 way radios a lot. Have 2 grandaughters that travel with us, and they are pretty good at it too. (as long as they don't have friends that distract them).
Once in the Redwoods, I had wife, and both grandaughters spotting, front for overhead, and both sides, to pull out of a campground for about 1/3rd mile. (big trees). Ranger told me as we went out gate, he never saw a rig our size go on that road, successfully! (Road we came in on was blocked). We did provide entertainment for tent campers.

[Roam America]

For those times when I need to back into a spot, my wife and I get out and examine the spot first looking for potential obstacles. Then we figure out where we want the place the trailer. Barring any obstacles, she will stand near the back of the truck (not trailer) and guide me, telling me to either JACK IT or CHASE IT. This way there is no confusion as to her left or mine. I either "steer" to jack-knife/turn or "chase" to straighten out. Work everytime. Of course if there is an obstacle, then she stands at the rear of the trailer and guides me using hand signal on which way to go.

[mikron]

Originally Posted by NITEHAWK

In case some one does not know--a "momback" is the individual in back of your rig signalling or calling you to "momback" (come on back). If you use one where do you prefer that this individual stand? Or, do you communicate using handheld radios?

Do tempers sometimes begin to flare? Does the driver occasionally have to get out to reaffirm instructions and/or location desired?

I have tried and experienced all the aforementioned. Sometimes the best thing is to swap drivers just once to illustrate the difficulty of the communications coming from either end!!

Our rear camera has sound, my DW talks to me.

[cliff841]

Through trial and error (this does not mean crashes but does mean frustation) DW and I developed a great system for her to help me back in a space. First, I get out and inspect the site for obstacles, etc. I identify the spot I want the MH (formerly 5th wheel when we started with this system) to park. I point out any hazards to her and she points out any to me. From that point, her job is to tell me if I'm about to hit something with a particular eye on tree limbs, picnic tables and hookup pedestals. Beyond that, she just watches. We used to have her direct me but found it didn't help much. Don't take this as a slight on her abilities. She was great at directing but we found our system to be better.

[Arch Hoagland]

Originally Posted by ctcamper

I am the lone backer upperer... no spotter here.. If the area is very tight I will be out of the coach several times to check and double check as I back up.. I haven't hit anything in 20 years of doing this and have squeezed in some very tight spots...I take my time and go slow.

It always amazed me how many impatient people there are as you back up ... more often off a public road and occasionally in a CG. The amount of Time the backing takes, it's no more than a couple of minutes and people blow horns etc..

I'm the same way. I never use anyone back there. I always wonder what a person does if they happen to be alone.
My thought is if you are going to drive something this big you should be able to maneuver it all alone. Ever see anybody guiding a tractor trailer backing up?

[CJ7ole]

When we reach our usual CP in FL the camp host will lead us to our site with a golf cart then back us into our site with verbal signals thru the driver window. Only problem is that when he says to turn right, he means the top of the steering wheel, not move the front of the MH right. Once we got that figured out, all went smooth. Until then not so much.

At home, it is mirrors and back-up camera. In other CG's it is mirrors, back-up camera with DW just looking for things I might hit.

[rhorn]

I may need a "monomer" dw is driving and will not stay off the rt side rub-board on highway

[Jol912]

Only once have we used the momback. First time DW guiding me into a very tight spot took off the driver mirror and crashed in the satellite cover. Never again. We now use radios. She drives, I guide using clockwise and counter clockwise terms and have never had an incident since. Works great for us.

[sdennislee]

Always use a spotter on the drivers rear corner.

Just read a post earlier were a 1 yo girl died from from injuries sustained from being hit by a coach backing up.

[SiberCamper]

Nothing frustrates me more than backing up and I'll jackknife our 14 ft trailer in a second if I'm not careful. Im pretty sure I might be labeled mentally unstable if you only saw me trying to back a trailer.

[randco]

I like most others use anything that I can to safely back up. It's not necessarily the obvious campground obstructions like the power pedestal, overhead limbs or a tree. It's the little things like a child or a dog that may wander behind the coach.

First we both get out of the MH and review the site. Then with the wife spotting I use the mirrors and the backup camera.

We thought about Walkie Talkies. Some Walkie talkies offer good performance, some have good range and good noise suppression.
But the downside is that they are not full-duplex. Only one person can talk at a time.

We overcame the verbal communication problem by using our cell phones.
I have a simple TracFone that I always carry for emergencies. The wife has her cell phone. I purchased an earphone to plug into my TracFone. I lay the cell on the seat between my legs so I can have both hands on the steering wheel and put the earpiece in my ear. I can hear her loud and clear and I can acknowledge her or ask questions with the phone laying on the seat. It really works great.

We don't have the chatter or the delay problems associated with the push to talk systems used with Walkie Talkies.

The earphone cost me $8.00 and change. I feel it was a very good investment.

[Rick Long]

I travel alone ... only "momback's" are in my head. I use the mirrors and back up camera but I had a hard time judging where the utility post was soooooo... I installed a small flush mount (yes drilled a 3/4" hole) camera on the side next to the utility bay that points straight out and a small switch box under the dash. As I back in I switch to the side camera and am always lined up perfect with the utility post.

Total cost about $50 and my labor