After 17 years living in a caravan park and watching 100s of people muck about for 10 to 30 minutes backing in beside a slab, it is probably time to pass on my tip.
Here goes.
BACKING your van in beside a slab is EASY
My Tip of the day
(A) Measure the over all width of your van tyres from outside to outside.
(B) Get your hands onto a piece of rope about 8 Ft to 10 Ft long.
(C) Lay the rope on the ground the same distance as (A) from the slab.
(D)
Now it is a simple exercise to back in with your Van wheels on to the rope, looking out of your drivers side instead, of trying to follow the Mrs confusing signals on the passengers side.
Yeh Aus-Kiwi, I had a few milk rounds back in the 1960-70s using a tamdem trailer in WA, and learnt to back a trailer very quickly. But for years I have been watching all these late starters going IN-OUT-IN-OUT & IN_OUT. So I thought I might just pass on a little trick I came up with many years ago. The choice is theirs!!!!!!
When you need to put a 6 foot trailer into a 6 foot 2 inch gap at 3 am in the morning at the Milk Depo, you do it or get another job.
Earney of the West . Boat ramps and hay sheds, horse floats was my learning curve . From about 8 years old . Not saying I'm Perfect ! But hell second or third shot should do . Some end up 90* to were they should be !! Had a couple come up to me saying . It bet you have trouble parking your motor home ? .. Pfft I said not half the trouble I saw you guys reversing into position !! Lol
-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Tuesday 20th of September 2016 01:40:18 AM
EVERYBODY....
Should spend some time in SHopping Mall. Centres. Car parks in quiet hrs.
Backing. shunting in and out of the bays .
After a while you get a mental idea of the positioning needed
to put THAT van into THAT space
Once overcome. You'll find it easy to adjust for differing situations.
UNTIL you have trouble with your neck...
Mine broken yrs ago. but last coupla yrs or so Lets me know it's there.
From being n EX Semi.Multi, Float driver who can back anything anywhere.
Almost with eyes closed. and back a semi at road speeds no problems.
I've gone to an old fart who. Cause he can't turn his head anymore.
is a complete novice in others eyes.
A TERRIBLE backer.
Look after your neck if you want to stay competent..
Some days are diamonds some days are stones. Some days I back in without a problem.
Usually when no one is watching I back straight in, you can bet if people are watching everything goes wrong.
Having said that I am not so bad other people bring their chairs out to watch the show.