RE: [A/S] Hitchin' up

["Phil Sinewe" <phil@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Here is a couple general backing tip some of you might try.

If you tend to turn your head to look back through the back window, or even
if you turn you head a lot to look out the side view mirror, you tend to do
two things at the same time (from teaching fire truck driving by the way).
One, you probably loose more bearing than you gain, but most important, most
everyone turns the wheel as they turn there body.

A much more reliable way to back is to learn sit perfectly straight in your
seat and use only your eyes with as little head movement as you can.  If you
learn exactly what bearings and what indicators you need to see (I know what
spot on my trailer lines up with the center post of my back doors) you will
find that you back very straight and right on line most every time.

The comments about backers or helpers is also well taken.  As a policy, we
use backers to basically only make sure you do not hit anything, but little
else.  Firefighters have a fairly dreary record of backing over and killing
backers.  One of the reasons it happens is because the backers feel that
they has some ominous responsibility of helping the driver to find his way.
That is how we learned that we needs to have a "backer" but only to keep
clear of the vehicle and only to make sure the driver does not ram
something.  Otherwise, it is the drivers total responsibility to back the
vehicle.  Having helpers at a campground, particularly ones I do not know,
makes me very nervous.

I am also amazed at the number of people who are willing to step behind the
vehicle when it is in reverse.  Once again, our policy is that a backer can
not cross the path of a backing vehicle no matter how safe it seems.  The
drivers can not back if he looses sight of the backer, no exceptions.

Just a couple tips, unfortunately, ones we have learned the hard way, but
ones that are good to know for us RV'ers backing them big rigs.

Phil & Kathy Sinewe
Curtis, Marcus & Asher (the Lab)
25' Airstream #2681
mailto:phil@sinewe.com
http://www.sinewe.com