The Art of Reversing, a lot of us can relate to this, I was hopeless when I first started.
Caravan Parks or Free camps are terrific for watching people try to reverse their rigs.
Reversing a caravan is tricky business. The Caravaning Corps knows this. There is tremendous pressure on getting it right on the first attempt. Many can't cope, and some don't even bother. It's a drive-through site or nothing, for the non-reversers.
4pm is the worst time of day to arrive. Happy Hour is well underway in caravan parks and campgrounds around the globe. Often entertainment is required, to go with the copious amounts of alcohol being consumed. An arrival of a newcomer is just the ticket.
Every right-minded caravaner is sitting on cheap fold-up chairs outside their vans, and are getting stuck into the cask wine and home-brand crackers. A caravan rolls in.
The meerkat heads go up. All eyes are on the newcomers. They find their allocated spot. Both get out of the vehicle to do a cursory check of the site. A discussion between the husband and wife occurs over the best way to reverse into the spot. A bit of friendly banter from other caravaners takes place. "Don't stuff it up" they say. No pressure.
The husband walks back to the vehicle like a condemned man on death row. The wife waits on the caravan site, sweat pouring down her brow. Please don't f*ck this up, she thinks to herself. He starts backing. She is guiding him, yelling instructions. He hits the curb. Damn. Goes forward. Lines it up a bit better this time. Reverses into the spot like a pro. The wife is thanking the good lord above; he got the van in.
Out he gets, chest puffed out like he's just won an Olympic medal. Struts his stuff and heads over to the nearest group of blokes to wax lyrical about reversing. He's been forgiven for hitting the curb. You are allowed 2 hits of the curb before you lose your Caravaning Corps Ticket. He's safe.
The meerkats go back to drinking. Until another van rolls in.....
aussie_paul said
05:26 PM Jan 15, 2015
Ha ha, love it............ I grew up on a farm and reversing was a natural progression from driving the farm tractor while feeding hay to sheep. I drove semi tip trucks for years and backing was a piece of cake. Fast forward 50 years and it has taken a while to get back into the "swing" of reversing. I have given and still give my share of entertainment!!! The tip trucks had very little behind the trailer wheels and it takes some getting used to where the "bit" out the back actually is!!!!
Aussie Paul.
-- Edited by aussie_paul on Thursday 15th of January 2015 05:40:09 PM
Big Gorilla said
05:37 PM Jan 15, 2015
Here is a tip for those that have trouble backing a trailer or caravan..
Watch the trailer/caravan in your side mirrors and to keep it going straight ease your steering wheel towards the mirror you see the trailer/caravan getting out of line in..
Practice makes perfect..
03_Troopy said
05:39 PM Jan 15, 2015
Watching them reverse trailers at a boat ramp can be pretty amusing too, unless you're in the queue waiting to get your boat out of course.
Dougwe said
07:25 PM Jan 15, 2015
RRRRRR yes, boat ramps. Here at Greens Lake Central VIC I am camped near the boat ramp as usual and enjoy the "entertainment" provided by the boats being launched or retrieved or is that TRYING to do either. Always a good talking point.
Maybe I shouldn't laugh as I have to try and reverse my van into my daughters driveway in a few months up in Townsville and that's in a very tight spot and street. I might try and arrive late morning when all are at work, hopefully
aussie_paul said
07:48 PM Jan 15, 2015
Dougwe wrote:
RRRRRR yes, boat ramps. Here at Greens Lake Central VIC I am camped near the boat ramp as usual and enjoy the "entertainment" provided by the boats being launched or retrieved or is that TRYING to do either. Always a good talking point.
Maybe I shouldn't laugh as I have to try and reverse my van into my daughters driveway in a few months up in Townsville and that's in a very tight spot and street. I might try and arrive late morning when all are at work, hopefully
Your a squib Douge..
Aussie Paul.
TechnoGypsy said
08:01 PM Jan 15, 2015
I CHEAT - and try to approach the site so that the drivers side of the truck is aligned with the site That way as I back in I can watch the direction that the van is going instead of the opposite - which is to try and turn the van from the blind side (if that makes sense) And of course having good clear directions from your "Guide" helps ! I think the biggest thing is not to overcorrect..........
Baz421 said
08:21 PM Jan 15, 2015
Big Gorilla wrote:
Here is a tip for those that have trouble backing a trailer or caravan..
Watch the trailer/caravan in your side mirrors and to keep it going straight ease your steering wheel towards the mirror you see the trailer/caravan getting out of line in..
Practice makes perfect..
Yes it really is that simple,,, I use to teach guys to drive semi the same way.
Delta18 said
08:25 PM Jan 15, 2015
For those that can access Facebook have a look at this, perhaps someone smarter than me can make it visible to all...he is a crowd pleaser.
I wont, I don't reverse the van, but Mr D, having worked in caravan parks in a previous life, is pretty damn good.
What amuses us is when some thoughtful, well meaning grey nomad heaves himself up off his cheap fold-up chair outside his vans at happy hour, after devouring cask wine and home-brand crackers, to come and give us directions or assist with parking. By the time he has arrived, we have the van parked due to our joint effort, me giving quiet hand directions, and Mr D with his parking prowess. Hmmph, you have done that before is the usual remark, as they slink back to their happy hour.
Me, on the other hand, could not even reverse the trailer on our ride on mower!
EDIT: In the previous life, the "old" wife would take son No 2 for a walk to get away from the situation, leaving Mr D and son No 1 to deal with it.....
-- Edited by Dunmowin on Thursday 15th of January 2015 10:59:31 PM
Delta18 said
11:37 PM Jan 15, 2015
D and D wrote:
Delta18 wrote:
For those that can access Facebook have a look at this, perhaps someone smarter than me can make it visible to all...he is a crowd pleaser.
I must be the only one that the original link works for. Wonder why that would be.
Murraman said
12:04 AM Jan 16, 2015
The funniest incident we had was in Melbourne in about 92, I was backing a 17 ft Millard into a spot. Now I know I'm bragging but I could back a box trailer into anywhere I had 1mm clearance (8x5). I did rubbish jobs clearing peoples rubbish for many years with a box trailer (sideline job to make ends meet) so I got very good at backing.
Also I was a train driver that was good at shunting trains that were 84 wagons long. This was part of the training we all did and you had to be able to see the shunter (the person giving the hand signals) or you stopped those were the rules.
So I attempt to back into the spot, I have always told the better half that if I cannot see her then I stop. So better half gets behind van and waves me. I calmly get out of car walk up to her and say dearest lol. If you stand behind the van I cannot see you so I need to see you otherwise I stop.
Get back in car and wife waves then disappears behind van again. Now this goes on about 5 or 6 times, We have dozens of onlookers by now because I stop when I lose sight of Her, I'm thinking WTF I can couple up 84 wagon trains as a driver without breaking an egg but trying to back a van is impossible because my better half doesn't understand that if I lose sight of her then I stop.
It was starting to get nasty when the manager of the park came down and assisted with parking, To this day I'm still told it was my fault as she was waving me into the spot. Maybe others will agree with the wife.
Rear view cameras have changed this but can give you a distorted view as ours does on the Coaster as they give a wide angle view, The backing part is really only mastered by practice, practice and more practice. But you have to use your mirrors for any reversing as it gives you a far better view then just turning your head. I do note that uhf radios have made it easier as well as you have a line of communication between the guiding person and driver. On the railway we still had to rely on hand signals as radios do fail, Batteries go flat etc.
Get some witches hats and go to a secluded car park and get some practice, Those that need it. I get rusty at times and need a few goes to get the trailer to behave itself.
valiant81 said
07:13 AM Jan 16, 2015
Hi all;
A nother great place to see some one do a bit of creative backing is the tip. Saturday and Sunday are the best. While some are quiet good at backing, for the others .......well it's a wonder how they got there licence in the first place. you see all types at the tip!!
I once saw a person reverse his trailer that had a big load over the tip face and got stuck, poor guy, he ended up haveing the front end loader pull him and his car/trailer out.
Dougwe said
08:11 AM Jan 16, 2015
Thanks to D&D I was able to watch that. Mmmmm, red ute, white Van, narrow street, just hope that's not me looking into the near future .
Funny thing was he nearly had it in the beginning and you could see how he should have corrected himself a little later. Would be even funnier if the person with the camera up stairs in the house was the owner of the little car stopping him from turning
Joga said
10:15 AM Jan 16, 2015
Many years ago I watched a caravan park manager reverse the rig into the parking spot & disconnect the van for an older couple.
Then I watched as she stood in the van doorway directing him to park beside the van, as you do.
She was watching towards the car not where it was going. Nearly directed him into a tree that was only about 2 metres across!!
Cupie said
11:57 AM Jan 16, 2015
I don't do too bad these days but have made all the mistakes in the past.
- hold the wheel at the bottom & turn it in the direction that you want the back of the van to go.
- Approach the site with the passengers side closest to the site so that you can watch the van wheels as they approach the slab or similar aiming point.
- SWMBO stands on the wheel edge of the slab so that I can determine how far past the slab I need to take the van.
- Position the van rear about 2 or 3 meters past SWMBO & get the turn going with full lock, then turn the other way to 'follow' the van thru the turn. The wheel & tug aught be straight by the time you are in position. Perhaps she should stand on the other front corner of the slab. We'll try that next time.
- reverse past the desired spot & then check for the need for leveling ramps & then pull forward to correctly position the ends of annex walls & onto ramps where necessary. SWMBO's role in all this is to make sure that I don't reverse into the van behind, trees or services poles etc. & to let me know when I'm on the ramps & the annex wall channel is correctly positioned. We have hand held CBs now to help in communications. If we have kids with us she takes them off to check the facilities while I do it solo.
If I stuff up I go round the block & try again always without SWMBO's assistance.
Things that I have stuffed up ... A couple of examples drawn from a long list ...
- Went thru the standard process unsuccessfully several times at Tallebudgera CP until I found that the slabs were not at right angles to the concrete kerb that I was using as a guide.
- Got annoyed with SWMBO changing her mind on the best site three times, after I had got the van on site each time. Roared off in anger & turned too sharply wiping out the rear right of the van on a beautiful privacy hedge (at Portland). Rule now .. Only one change of mind allowed per CP.
- Went sight seeing along the coastline with the van hooked up. Ended up in a dead end too narrow to do a U turn & too steep to reverse up driveways. Of course I had ignored the constant advice that I would get stuck. I had to reverse for several hundred meters up a windy narrow hilly lane with SWMBO keeping a traffic lookout. Amazing that I didn't run over her in the process. I put it in low range to save the clutch & fortunately didn't get transmission lock up. May have been because of the loose gravel on top of the road surface.
- Had extreme difficulty in getting on to a tight spot on the York Peninsular & finally a guy kindly did an excellent job of guiding me on. SWMBO decided she didn't like the site & exercised her 'one change per CP' option & off we went to a 'better' one with a lovely shady tree, which turned out to be a mistake as the sea birds nested in it overnight and shat all over the van & tug. That's probably why it was available. New rule, don't park up under trees.
- Spent a lot of time reversing into a relo's back yard in Castlemaine. Had to turn the van around in the narrow dead end lane (just like the guy in the video), then across the single car gutter crossing & thru the gate while turning to avoid the front steps. All uphill of course.
Missed the front edge of the house & finally got into an excellent position beside the it with beautiful apple trees in fruit just outside our bedroom picture window. Yes had to avoid them too & stop short of the fruiting plum trees at the rear.
What's wrong with that you might ask.
Problem was that I almost burnt out the clutch in the process. (Only cost $1,400 to fix).
New rule .. use 4WD in similar positions.
-- Edited by Cupie on Friday 16th of January 2015 12:00:27 PM
-- Edited by Cupie on Friday 16th of January 2015 12:02:58 PM
justcruisin01 said
09:09 PM Jan 16, 2015
The day we picked up our previous van about 12yrs back a guy comes in a bit after us to a site a couple down the row. Arrives with his site in his right; yep easy done on the right side so after a couple of stuffups off he goes for a lap of the park so the site is on his left; this must be better he thinks.ok after half an hour of stuffups he is back on site; gets out to admire his work a oooooopps ; im on the wrongside of the concrete slab.
Ok we go find anothet site a try again..
JC.
Cruising Cruze said
09:52 PM Jan 16, 2015
Don't park in Caravan Parks
Out in the open it's not that hard to park
( For sure when Old Boar is around )
Once again thanks for last year mate, that is if you read this
Cheers John
deverall11 said
04:59 PM Jan 17, 2015
Russue, you forgot the 'Handbag brigade'. Those females that guide you in your spot with hand bag firmly strapped on one shoulder.
Murraman, what about the ones who push on either the spare tyre (Pajero) or the tailgate because you have reversed too far.
Larry
NeilandRaine said
09:10 AM Jan 18, 2015
Have you noticed tho if their are no Meerkats the van usually goes right into the spot you want. As soon as a Meerkat pokes its head up things start going wrong
The Art of Reversing, a lot of us can relate to this, I was hopeless when I first started.
Caravan Parks or Free camps are terrific for watching people try to reverse their rigs.
Reversing a caravan is tricky business. The Caravaning Corps knows this. There is tremendous pressure on getting it right on the first attempt. Many can't cope, and some don't even bother. It's a drive-through site or nothing, for the non-reversers.
4pm is the worst time of day to arrive. Happy Hour is well underway in caravan parks and campgrounds around the globe. Often entertainment is required, to go with the copious amounts of alcohol being consumed. An arrival of a newcomer is just the ticket.
Every right-minded caravaner is sitting on cheap fold-up chairs outside their vans, and are getting stuck into the cask wine and home-brand crackers. A caravan rolls in.
The meerkat heads go up. All eyes are on the newcomers. They find their allocated spot. Both get out of the vehicle to do a cursory check of the site. A discussion between the husband and wife occurs over the best way to reverse into the spot. A bit of friendly banter from other caravaners takes place. "Don't stuff it up" they say. No pressure.
The husband walks back to the vehicle like a condemned man on death row. The wife waits on the caravan site, sweat pouring down her brow. Please don't f*ck this up, she thinks to herself. He starts backing. She is guiding him, yelling instructions. He hits the curb. Damn. Goes forward. Lines it up a bit better this time. Reverses into the spot like a pro. The wife is thanking the good lord above; he got the van in.
Out he gets, chest puffed out like he's just won an Olympic medal. Struts his stuff and heads over to the nearest group of blokes to wax lyrical about reversing. He's been forgiven for hitting the curb. You are allowed 2 hits of the curb before you lose your Caravaning Corps Ticket. He's safe.
The meerkats go back to drinking. Until another van rolls in.....
Ha ha, love it............ I grew up on a farm and reversing was a natural progression from driving the farm tractor while feeding hay to sheep. I drove semi tip trucks for years and backing was a piece of cake. Fast forward 50 years and it has taken a while to get back into the "swing" of reversing. I have given and still give my share of entertainment!!! The tip trucks had very little behind the trailer wheels and it takes some getting used to where the "bit" out the back actually is!!!!
Aussie Paul.
-- Edited by aussie_paul on Thursday 15th of January 2015 05:40:09 PM
Here is a tip for those that have trouble backing a trailer or caravan..
Watch the trailer/caravan in your side mirrors and to keep it going straight ease your steering wheel towards the mirror you see the trailer/caravan getting out of line in..
Practice makes perfect..
RRRRRR yes, boat ramps. Here at Greens Lake Central VIC I am camped near the boat ramp as usual and enjoy the "entertainment" provided by the boats being launched or retrieved or is that TRYING to do either. Always a good talking point.
Maybe I shouldn't laugh as I have to try and reverse my van into my daughters driveway in a few months up in Townsville and that's in a very tight spot and street. I might try and arrive late morning when all are at work, hopefully
Your a squib Douge..
Aussie Paul.
Yes it really is that simple,,, I use to teach guys to drive semi the same way.
For those that can access Facebook have a look at this, perhaps someone smarter than me can make it visible to all...he is a crowd pleaser.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1036142076402629&set=vb.514051788611663&type=2&theater
That is the same link I put Wooly, I wanted one that didn't require Facebook, i.e.: a youtube link.
Gday...
Wooly's "link" worked for me .... red ute trying to reverse ....
Cheers - John
It is easy to identify those who are expert.
Wife will alight from the vehicle and grab her handbag and sling it from her shoulder. This indicates supreme confidence.
Those without the handbag will be ridiculed by the "s******ing set"
The Phantom
Gday...
I canna figure thatun out
Cheers - John
Link made clickable
I wont, I don't reverse the van, but Mr D, having worked in caravan parks in a previous life, is pretty damn good.
What amuses us is when some thoughtful, well meaning grey nomad heaves himself up off his cheap fold-up chair outside his vans at happy hour, after devouring cask wine and home-brand crackers, to come and give us directions or assist with parking. By the time he has arrived, we have the van parked due to our joint effort, me giving quiet hand directions, and Mr D with his parking prowess. Hmmph, you have done that before is the usual remark, as they slink back to their happy hour.
Me, on the other hand, could not even reverse the trailer on our ride on mower!
EDIT: In the previous life, the "old" wife would take son No 2 for a walk to get away from the situation, leaving Mr D and son No 1 to deal with it.....
-- Edited by Dunmowin on Thursday 15th of January 2015 10:59:31 PM
I must be the only one that the original link works for. Wonder why that would be.
Also I was a train driver that was good at shunting trains that were 84 wagons long. This was part of the training we all did and you had to be able to see the shunter (the person giving the hand signals) or you stopped those were the rules.
So I attempt to back into the spot, I have always told the better half that if I cannot see her then I stop. So better half gets behind van and waves me. I calmly get out of car walk up to her and say dearest lol. If you stand behind the van I cannot see you so I need to see you otherwise I stop.
Get back in car and wife waves then disappears behind van again. Now this goes on about 5 or 6 times, We have dozens of onlookers by now because I stop when I lose sight of Her, I'm thinking WTF I can couple up 84 wagon trains as a driver without breaking an egg but trying to back a van is impossible because my better half doesn't understand that if I lose sight of her then I stop.
It was starting to get nasty when the manager of the park came down and assisted with parking, To this day I'm still told it was my fault as she was waving me into the spot. Maybe others will agree with the wife.
Rear view cameras have changed this but can give you a distorted view as ours does on the Coaster as they give a wide angle view, The backing part is really only mastered by practice, practice and more practice. But you have to use your mirrors for any reversing as it gives you a far better view then just turning your head. I do note that uhf radios have made it easier as well as you have a line of communication between the guiding person and driver. On the railway we still had to rely on hand signals as radios do fail, Batteries go flat etc.
Get some witches hats and go to a secluded car park and get some practice, Those that need it. I get rusty at times and need a few goes to get the trailer to behave itself.
Hi all;
A nother great place to see some one do a bit of creative backing is the tip. Saturday and Sunday are the best. While some are quiet good at backing, for the others .......well it's a wonder how they got there licence in the first place. you see all types at the tip!!
I once saw a person reverse his trailer that had a big load over the tip face and got stuck, poor guy, he ended up haveing the front end loader pull him and his car/trailer out.
Thanks to D&D I was able to watch that. Mmmmm, red ute, white Van, narrow street, just hope that's not me looking into the near future
.
Funny thing was he nearly had it in the beginning and you could see how he should have corrected himself a little later. Would be even funnier if the person with the camera up stairs in the house was the owner of the little car stopping him from turning
Then I watched as she stood in the van doorway directing him to park beside the van, as you do.
She was watching towards the car not where it was going. Nearly directed him into a tree that was only about 2 metres across!!
I don't do too bad these days but have made all the mistakes in the past.
....................................................................................................
My tips include ..
- hold the wheel at the bottom & turn it in the direction that you want the back of the van to go.
- Approach the site with the passengers side closest to the site so that you can watch the van wheels as they approach the slab or similar aiming point.
- SWMBO stands on the wheel edge of the slab so that I can determine how far past the slab I need to take the van.
- Position the van rear about 2 or 3 meters past SWMBO & get the turn going with full lock, then turn the other way to 'follow' the van thru the turn. The wheel & tug aught be straight by the time you are in position. Perhaps she should stand on the other front corner of the slab. We'll try that next time.
- reverse past the desired spot & then check for the need for leveling ramps & then pull forward to correctly position the ends of annex walls & onto ramps where necessary. SWMBO's role in all this is to make sure that I don't reverse into the van behind, trees or services poles etc. & to let me know when I'm on the ramps & the annex wall channel is correctly positioned. We have hand held CBs now to help in communications. If we have kids with us she takes them off to check the facilities while I do it solo.
If I stuff up I go round the block & try again always without SWMBO's assistance.
.......................................................................................
Things that I have stuffed up ... A couple of examples drawn from a long list ...
- Went thru the standard process unsuccessfully several times at Tallebudgera CP until I found that the slabs were not at right angles to the concrete kerb that I was using as a guide.
- Got annoyed with SWMBO changing her mind on the best site three times, after I had got the van on site each time. Roared off in anger & turned too sharply wiping out the rear right of the van on a beautiful privacy hedge (at Portland). Rule now .. Only one change of mind allowed per CP.
- Went sight seeing along the coastline with the van hooked up. Ended up in a dead end too narrow to do a U turn & too steep to reverse up driveways. Of course I had ignored the constant advice that I would get stuck. I had to reverse for several hundred meters up a windy narrow hilly lane with SWMBO keeping a traffic lookout. Amazing that I didn't run over her in the process. I put it in low range to save the clutch & fortunately didn't get transmission lock up. May have been because of the loose gravel on top of the road surface.
- Had extreme difficulty in getting on to a tight spot on the York Peninsular & finally a guy kindly did an excellent job of guiding me on. SWMBO decided she didn't like the site & exercised her 'one change per CP' option & off we went to a 'better' one with a lovely shady tree, which turned out to be a mistake as the sea birds nested in it overnight and shat all over the van & tug. That's probably why it was available. New rule, don't park up under trees.
- Spent a lot of time reversing into a relo's back yard in Castlemaine. Had to turn the van around in the narrow dead end lane (just like the guy in the video), then across the single car gutter crossing & thru the gate while turning to avoid the front steps. All uphill of course.
Missed the front edge of the house & finally got into an excellent position beside the it with beautiful apple trees in fruit just outside our bedroom picture window. Yes had to avoid them too & stop short of the fruiting plum trees at the rear.
What's wrong with that you might ask.
Problem was that I almost burnt out the clutch in the process. (Only cost $1,400 to fix).
New rule .. use 4WD in similar positions.
-- Edited by Cupie on Friday 16th of January 2015 12:00:27 PM
-- Edited by Cupie on Friday 16th of January 2015 12:02:58 PM
The day we picked up our previous van about 12yrs back a guy comes in a bit after us to a site a couple down the row. Arrives with his site in his right; yep easy done on the right side so after a couple of stuffups off he goes for a lap of the park so the site is on his left; this must be better he thinks.ok after half an hour of stuffups he is back on site; gets out to admire his work a oooooopps ; im on the wrongside of the concrete slab.
Ok we go find anothet site a try again.
.
JC.
Don't park in Caravan Parks
Out in the open it's not that hard to park
( For sure when Old Boar is around
)
Once again thanks for last year mate, that is if you read this
Cheers John
Murraman, what about the ones who push on either the spare tyre (Pajero) or the tailgate because you have reversed too far.
Larry