2manytoyz - Teaching A Spouse To Drive

Teaching A Spouse To Drive

I've owned RVs for decades. From Class Bs, Popups, Travel Trailers, Class As, and now a Class C. All require a different skill set to master, but none are beyond the capability of any driver. There are RV Driving Confidence Courses available at places like Lazy Days RV. Or if your spouse already drives an RV, they can show you the ropes.

As I and my wife grow older, we are finding we rely on each other more and more, especially when illness hits. Driving while ill sucks. It's also more dangerous. With that in mind, we decided it was a good idea for my wife to learn how to operate all the functions of the RV, and to take it to a deserted parking lot to practice, before going on an open road with traffic. This made the task much more relaxing. I'm also very laid back, making for a less stressful experience. Have patience, and don't get upset. Go slow, remember the goal.

Before we set out, I had my wife extend and retract the slides, awning, extend and retract the leveling jacks, and operate the generator. The thought is if something happens to me, she would need to configure the RV to travel, even if she only drove it from the campground, to a parking area.

There are switches and buttons throughout our RV. Most are clearly labeled, but some are not. I'll be adding labels to those shortly. From this panel, the generator can be started or stopped, and the jacks can be deployed or retracted. This sounds simple enough, but there's a procedure for both of these functions. The stop button has to be held down to prime the generator for a few seconds, before starting. With the jacks, the RV motor has to be running, and the parking brake set. Same goes for the slides.	The awning can be extended or retracted from this panel. But this awning can roll up backwards if not paying attention. This is another switch I need to add a label.
Can't drive with the awning extended.	Same with the two slides.
Even a new generator can be a bit temperamental to start. Sometimes they need to be primed a second time.	Our 31' Class C is less intimidating to drive than out previous Class As. Sitting lower to the ground, and having the same sort of car like controls, makes it easier to learn. This was part of the reason we traded in our Class A for a C.
We spent about an hour in a local park during the middle of the day. Place was empty. We walked around the outside of the RV, looking at the overall height (11' 2"), and where the rear axle was located, which causes tail swing in the turns. Also had her learn to use the convex mirrors, to eliminate blind spots.	After making many turns throughout the park, learning to delay the turn until the nose of the RV was well into the intersection, she learned how to avoid curb hopping, and getting too close to stationary items and fellow motorists. It didn't take long for her to master these skills, and the smile on her face tells the story.
Now we have two qualified drivers. I still prefer to do most of the driving, but will have her take turns, and we'll soon have her back the RV into campsites and learn how to configure our Jeep for towing. Some may find making up a cheat sheet helpful.	This is exactly how we feel. I hope you and your spouse do too.

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