I see the Grey Nomad Times has a story about a new caravanner's partner who refuses to drive while towing. I certainly can understand  someone who hasn't had experience with towing having that fear. Luckily my wife is not too fazed by doing some of the driving with the van or our boat behind. We've towed boats into the north west of WA for many years with her often enough driving long stretches. But most of that country is little more than flat as a pancake.

She must have done around 30/40% of the driving on our 'big trip' last year, and I was thankful for that, because my ability to cover the kays tends to vary from day to day. The only time when neither she nor I wanted her to drive was in some of the mountain country in Victoria and NSW. There is just nothing to compare with some of it in the Big State.

I was just thankful that mostly, I could rely on her to take over if I was feeling a bit second-hand. She's a quiet bird but a game one and a darn good and adaptable partner on the road. It's gold to have that. Could other GNs tell us about their experiences?

Yep A-K, that's always an option for us on the road. Sometimes the partner is just as tired as the driver. One our trip we chose not to travel at night, but we often have when coming home from fishing holidays in WA's north to dodge hot weather. We take it slow to avoid roo strikes. Nik has sometimes driven for hours until we've pulled over in some roadside park up. I've done a bit of shooting in my time and she drove for me then too.

That's good advice Ian. You never know when it becomes essential that she can take over. We seem to do everything together so 'she-time' was only when she was clothes washing. We'd often separate when fishing though. She certainly doesn't need my help with that... well, most of the time.

Fishing is possibly our most separated activity, more or less, at least when land based. Her first ever Murray cod. Went back of course as it was undersized and out of season. The other is a cr**py ol' carp, but not a bad one and gave her a good tussle. That one fed the ants  Caught at Mulwala.

I have no option as my has no license due to illness.

Gday...

Those who are solo travellers just have to cope

Cheers - John

My wife drives sometimes to give me a break,the thing simply follows the car,why can't an experienced female driver not tow the van to give the old man a break just common sense .

now reversing that's needs a bit more experience but she's keen to learn But that could cause me some distrease .

When we purchased our new van. I booked us both in for a Towing Course with Tow Ed.
Best thing we have ever done.
Although I am still to drive, I have the confidence to do so.
Turns out I am better at Reversing into site than the Old Man 

I had to tow our van back from Moe campsite after hubby tripped over dog and broke his elbow. Was quite scared with the experience. Now pull the van a fair part of the time. Still get a bit nervous especially coming down hills.

Hi.

Missus drives sometimes as much as I, More so with the D-Max.
She 5ft1 Not comfortable behind the wheel in patrol. But drives it as well as I do.

Towing. Drugs I'm on put me to sleep as soon as I concentrate on straight line.
She does most of driving nowadays. I do the reversing.

Ex-Truckies, we used to backing rear end of 40ft tray into some interesting places.
Even more so with a couple on the back or a 4 wheeler
But missus with handset IS a godsend EVERY TIME.

Those women who have a licence and no physical problems. Really.
ARE being selfish to their husbands.

Plus. as said.
What happens if you coupla hundred kliks from anywhere and he has a heart attack or something.
Wake up woman.

ONE DAY. you may NEED to be able to.
My missus 71.(Whoops. Head smacked.   70 yrs madam says.)

5ft 1. and would outwheel most blokes driving rigs on here believe me.

I woke up once. Madam doing 140km's with Patrol and 6.5mtr off roader.
Overtaking a row of Cattle trains.
(5 I think) cruising at 85\90ish on back roads.
Quite happy wheeling along. handset in one hand.
Talking to lead trucker so she'd know when to pull in
for oncoming traffic.

If you not comfortable driving your rigs people.. get so.
One day. You may NEED to be.

They only tiddly little things really, in todays traffic.

-- Edited by macka17 on Monday 22nd of May 2017 01:29:03 PM

Great stories and insights there!

Possum, I'd like to see some of those episodes with your mrs on video. Sort of things good You Tube is made of.  Fun stuff. Gotta respect her. Nik can reverse boat trailer fairly well but lets me do the caravan. We've worked out a set of hand signals that work most of the time. But I tapped a tree lightly in Lakes Entrance, which might not have happened if we'd used the hand-helds we had on board. Duh!

I think I'm inclined to agree that the lady should at least be sure she can take over competently if necessary. Unfortunately, as the years pass, the chances of needing help on the road increase quite a bit. Our distances covered would be seriously affected if I had to do all the driving. 

Hey AK, if I said that she'd be able to point out the many times I do it to her   As far as seeing each other with reversing, I still occasionally have to remind my lady about the old saw 'If you can't see me in the mirror, I can't see you!' 

Macka, you lady sounds like a card as well. Some of the stuff I sometimes have to take makes me drowsy too.

Yea Jock.
I can sit in passenger seat all day.
Alert as anything.
20 min's behind wheel. Where's the eyelid props.

If I drive till sleepy first thing. Then madam drives till I wake up.
I'm normally. Good for most of day after that coupla hrs.
It's just that first kick off.

We normally do 2 hr stints. then it sweet. Stop. Coffee. walk.
and change over driver.

But we don't do the 1000\1100km's a day nowadays.
getting Point A to Point B. Yeppoon to Darwin. or reverse, going home again.

Didn't bother with much in between . After doing it for near 20 yrs.

Easy Man.
when you did it for a living.

Multi's and Semi's 7 days a week solo and tandem drivers.
Your system grows into it.

Just like 2-10\10-6\and 6-2 shift work. Alternate weeks.
Your system NEVER adapts, but your brain says.

Wages and kids. So you go off to work like a good little boy.

These "workers" nowadays would die in the Ar-e if they had to do a fraction of what we did to earn a crust.
Don't even appreciate, That if it wasn't for us and our generations.

They wouldn't have a fraction of what they have today.
And probably speaking Japanese this side of the world.

Us. EXNortherners. We'd be saying "Dankashern mine' herren"".
and goosestepping.

PS.

last time I drove down to Adel from Yeppoon.

Took me 32 hrs.

Friends of ours used to swap drivers but after the wife tried to overtake a road train & their rig ended up demolished in a roadside culvert she's given towing away for good.  

We only have one driver 'cause that's all we need. We like to travel in small steps so that we really get to see the country not just look at white lines.

A lot of people say they've been to places when all they've really done is drive through that place, they wouldn't have a clue what's there.