Wife Driving

[NavyChief200]

Wife is always leaning in when I'm driving the RV. Says it looks like were gonna hit it. No where close. I would like for her to learn how to drive it also to give me a break. Says she'll only drive it on straight roads. But we all know stuff happens quick. I've had ours down some really narrow one lane roads in Amish country. Taking a left and before your done, your making a right. Any ideas can help

[Unplanned Tourist]

Find an RV drivers course. Good for both of you!

[TonyDi]

Have her enroll in a driving course for RVs, it will improve her views. My wife used to have similar concerns when we bought our first class A. I told her to watch tractor trailers and other large vehicles so that she wold get a feeling of how much clearance there really is on the sides. This also works well for going through toll booths, where she said we were gonna hit. Now she is fine. Still doesn't want to drive but will.

[rkresge]

I feel for ya, and I don't really have much in the way of helpful suggestions.

Hate to say this publicly, but I really do NOT want my DW driving while towing. EVER. She habitually cuts corners short, especially right-hand turns. She also tends to brake very late - not quite last second, but late. To me these are a formula for disaster when towing.

Luckily she has never seemed anxious to drive our F150 - says it's too big for her. Lord help us if she ever has to drive while towing! I guess I'm also lucky that she hasn't pushed the issue yet. She also does not critique my driving while we're towing - I guess I should count my blessings. Hopefully I can get her to stick to navigating.

Roger

[TonyDi]

I've always felt that the DW should know how to operate and drive the MH. You never know if for some reason you became incapacitated she may have to drive it to a safe place off the road. You never know.

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Originally Posted by TonyDi

I've always felt that the DW should know how to operate and drive the MH. You never know if for some reason you became incapacitated she may have to drive it to a safe place off the road. You never know.

Think about this: When the primary driver is incapacitated, the secondary driver must operate the vehicle(s), or get help, without assistance. What that means is that the secondary driver should actually be more skilled than the primary driver.

I learned this years ago, when I taught sailing. It was my practice to encourage the "first mates" to be better at sailing the boats than their "captains."

The key word is "encourage."

[Twomed]

Short course... 8 hours at http://www.rvschool.com/


Once she drives and sees where the coach actually tracks she will be more comfortable.

[georgelesley]

Originally Posted by Twomed

Short course... 8 hours at RV School


Once she drives and sees where the coach actually tracks she will be more comfortable.

My wife and I will be doing a lesson next week with the above school. I figured a few hints and reminders would not hurt me either.

[RPreeb]

No problem here with my wife towing the TT. She doesn't really like it, but she knows how to pull a trailer - she's a farm girl, so she is quite familiar with various vehicles. She can even change a flat... something that a shocking number of guys can't, or won't do these days.

[rkresge]

Originally Posted by RPreeb

No problem here with my wife towing the TT. She doesn't really like it, but she knows how to pull a trailer - she's a farm girl, so she is quite familiar with various vehicles. She can even change a flat... something that a shocking number of guys can't, or won't do these days.

My wife is a farm girl, too, but when I watch her driving habits I shudder. I really should clarify my earlier remarks: I'm OK with her towing if she is willing to get some training and change her habits. That's a big freakin' trailer back there - it's a foot wider than our pickup, adds 27' to the vehicle, and adds nearly 3 tons to the load.

(BTW, I don't think I can train her - she tends to assume I'm criticizing. This does NOT go well!!)

And I agree with the posters who pointed out that we need a second person who is qualified to drive while towing!! We're just not at the point where I'm ready to risk that yet.

Roger

[Mr_D]

My late DW never wanted to drive any of the RV's we had, not even the ¾ ton PU by itself, let alone with the TT on. Then we got a 17' Type B MH, wouldn't even drive that. In fact the last 4 years before she died she never drove, not even a car. I always tried to get her to try, just in case something happened to me but she never would.

[BillJinOR]

I drove a sleeper team commercial rig for several years with one other co-driver with relief drivers for illness and vacations of my regular I learned quickly some people can't be in the passenger seat. I have found These are mostly men but not always. Most women rvers my DW has talked to say it's intimidating and #1 ( the real reason) don't want their critical DH freaking out on them .. so they refuse to try or learn.
I'm a big fan of another trainer not the spouse. One method I heard was the pro trainer wanted the learner driving and the spouse in the rig but silent so they knew the training "she" received. Perhaps even learning something. In my professional career I had annual ride alongs and training followups. You'd be surprised how bad habits creep into the best drivers. I had over a million miles and still found things I'd forgot or wasn't doing
Encourage your co driver to learn. Preferably with a pro trainer ! Afterwards , do the navigation and be quiet when in the pass seat. If you can't handle that, then you need to just drive. And be more exhausted needlessly . Some couples can't handle it. Of course jmo

[rkresge]

My lips are sealed when my wife is driving. No body language, either. Nor reaching for the door handle. Sometimes I wish she would do the same.

[photopilot]

My DW took the driving course at an FMCA convention and passed a lot of good tips along to me. She'll drive it, but would rather ride. Same with the airplane. :-)

Walt