RV advice: 'Making a U-turn is a nightmare'

[Dreamer]

I had a hard time making up my mind where to post this... I couldn't make it thru without laughing, so it was almost a joke.. but too sad... not quite political... but it does affect everyone!

It amazes me to no end that any average joe with a drivers license can go rent a 36 ft RV and they turn him loose with 'tips' like these....

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TRAVEL/ADVISOR/06/20/rv.driving/index.html


-- Experienced RV drivers share the tips they wish someone had given them.

My favorite:

Directions--
"Get meticulous directions. Let people know you're driving a 36-foot motor home and need the straightest, easiest route. Making a U-turn in an RV is a nightmare. You stop traffic. It's a major deal." --Mike Marriner, cofounder, PBS series "Roadtrip Nation"




[font size="+2"]Umm.. ya think?? (!!!!!!!!!)[/font]





There should be required training in order to drove a motorhome..


Dreamer
Forums Administrator


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"The present is what slips by us while we're pondering the past and worrying about the future."

- Ziggy

 

[mrgoodtude]

I agree but to give some credit we passed a 1000 yr old woman driving a coach pulling her Landrover awhile back, gave us the peace sign as we passed and I do believe she handled that rig better than most truckers.
Still lmao when I think of her..
Mike

 

[LDB]

She's probably got 6 figures worth of miles on the odometer though. The ones that have the ww.rentme.com or whatever on them are the ones that I watch and avoid the most. Granted, some brand new drivers handle a 53' better than some 20 year vets but usually the ones that have been at it a while are better whether 53' or rv.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[greg334]

I think that this says it all - Mike Marriner, cofounder, PBS series "Roadtrip Nation"

 

[cheri1122]

My favorite tip: "Try to find long entrance ramps" for ease in merging - how, I wonder, are they sposed to do that? Maybe make a practice run of the whole route, Wisconsin to Fla, first, in the car?
The same problem occurs for boaters - anyone can buy or rent a boat, or 'personal watercraft', and hit the water with no idea whatsoever of the rules involved. Many I've seen don't appear to know there ARE rules for boaters!
But yet, you need a license to fish...

 

[greg334]

Speaking of long on ramps, last week I got behind a Prevost MH with a toad and a trailer behind that.

We are heading for I 25, we turn to get on the ramp and he starts to accelerate, got going about 45MPH to merge and than slams on the brakes, coming to a complete and total stop. I almost ran into the back of the trailer, but didn't and rolled back a little until a truck got onto the ramp.

Then all of a sudden the backup lights and alarm comes on and he procedes to start backing up! I hit my air horn and he stops and some old lady gets out of the MH, walks back to the end of the trailer, looks at me (and the end of the trailer) with a contemptious look then gets back into the MH.

I can't move, half way up the ramp and a truck behind me, no where to go.

About five minutes of the lights going on and off, finally they get moving. The ramp was very short but I had no problems getting on the freeway and passing them - no traffic.

There are only two things I can think of why they stopped;

1- they were going the wrong way which was proved not the case when they pulled into the truck stop 60 miles later

or

2 - the ramp was too short for them to merge, even though there was no traffic to speak of.

A third reason was that they should not be driving and may of thought that the ramp was actually a parking spot, in that case they should enjoying Maimi beach instead.