Terrified

[bipolarcoder]

Leaving for our new site today and am completely terrified since backing into this site I hit a water line and bust it. It's like I have this block in me that is keeping me from being comfortable driving anymore. I keep having panic attacks thinking about getting the RV out of this site without hitting something or backing into the new site.

Please kind comments only, I don't need the extra stress of someone being negative.

[PolarisCobra]

Get someone to help guide you, and extra pair if eyes can make a big difference. As for hitting the water pipe, it's minor. I'm guessing you didn't do a lot of damage, and no one got hurt. We all make a mistake from time to time.

When you get back on the road, and travel for a bit, you will get comfortable again. Like the old saying - gotta get back on the horse.

[Don77]

How about a backup camera, if you do not have one maybe get one.
I do not have one but I have been thinking of getting one as the wife just had surgury on a foot and the Dr. is saying it will be a while before she is steady on her feet again.
just a thought and my 2c.

Don

[rhagfo]

Don’t ever be afraid to get out and look over our site and path in before start,. Then if you have any concerns get out and look while backing, if by yourself it works.

[bipolarcoder]

Thanks all, my wife is my guide but since we are new and it was at night she didn't see the tiny pole sticking out of the ground. It wasn't a large deal they fixed it that night but it still got to me and I can't get it out of my mind.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by PolarisCobra

Get someone to help guide you, and extra pair if eyes can make a big difference. As for hitting the water pipe, it's minor. I'm guessing you didn't do a lot of damage, and no one got hurt. We all make a mistake from time to time.

When you get back on the road, and travel for a bit, you will get comfortable again. Like the old saying - gotta get back on the horse.

Originally Posted by bipolarcoder

Thanks all, my wife is my guide but since we are new and it was at night she didn't see the tiny pole sticking out of the ground. It wasn't a large deal they fixed it that night but it still got to me and I can't get it out of my mind.

It may take a while to shake it off, but you most certainly will. We always try to travel only in daylight hours.

[wiredgeorge]

I was pulling around one of my favorite campground and found the owner (and friend) Miss Deb had planted a huge agave on the inside of the turn. She called me an agave killer. I felt bad and admit I can't pull a camper well but the agave jumped out and committed suicide in front of my wheel! Really.

[coastn]

A member of the "jumping cholla cactus" family.

[Gkri]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

It may take a while to shake it off, but you most certainly will. We always try to travel only in daylight hours.

Agree with the daylight ours. We will split long trips to avoid backing into a strange campsite in the dark. Anyone ever add back-up lights on a trailer?

[jsb5717]

Yep...This is a football...it's a game of repeated basics.

Basics:

• Daylight hours only
• Use a guide (spotter) to be your eyes to the rear
• Take your time to get out and look as often as you need to

I drove semi's when I was 20 and have been backing up large and small trailers ever since. I'm really good at it and have a lot of confidence. I still follow these basics.

We all make mistakes so don't let one knock you out of the game. Large empty parking lots make for good practice grounds. The more you do it the better you'll get, the more confidence you'll gain. Just keep following the basics. And don't get cocky or in a hurry...that's when you do something dumb.

[PolarisCobra]

Originally Posted by Gkri

Agree with the daylight ours. We will split long trips to avoid backing into a strange campsite in the dark. Anyone ever add back-up lights on a trailer?

The 7way plug that runs the trailer does not have a wire to backup lights. You would need to run a separate wire an some sort of switch. Forget to turn them off, and you will be looking at a dead battery if boondocking. Unless you are alone, a helper with a flashlight is probably all you need.

I will sometimes have my wife in the back, and call her in my phone. That way, she doesn't have to yell, I can hear her easily through the Bluetooth in the truck.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by PolarisCobra

The 7way plug that runs the trailer does not have a wire to backup lights. You would need to run a separate wire an some sort of switch. Forget to turn them off, and you will be looking at a dead battery if boondocking. Unless you are alone, a helper with a flashlight is probably all you need.

I will sometimes have my wife in the back, and call her in my phone. That way, she doesn't have to yell, I can hear her easily through the Bluetooth in the truck.

Yes it does. It’s the yellow wire and used on some trailers. Grand design toy haulers and winnebago trailers come from the factory with reverse lights.

[flybouy]

We can all look into the past with 20/20 vision. I recommend that ALL new camper owners practice backing up in an open parking lot. This also is for "seasoned" folks that buy a new camper. Every unit pulls, turns, and backs differently. It's best to learn this in an open space first.

The daylight arrival is sound advice for everyone. Arriving in the dark, especially after a long or stressful drive is a recipe for problems. Arriving in the dark adds to the stress of fatigue due to limited vision, the desire to be "finished" with the journey and often hunger. This can lead to tunnel vision at a rush to ignore everything other can "getting it over with".

If you can't get there before sunset, My advice is the following. When arriving at check in, get out and stretch your legs. Walk around and get the blood flowing and let your vision acclimate to the lower light levels. Stop in front of your site and walk the site WITH your spotter. Communicate where non-movable obstacles are. A low obstacle like a water spigot can be covered with a white cloth/rag to aid in seeing it. Finally, DON'T LET ANYONE RUSH YOU!

Remember, leaving the site is the easy part. You can make the arrival easy with preparation. Like anything in life, the better the preparation the better the results. Don't let one mistake define or defeat you. Turn that negative experience into a positive learning experience.

[PolarisCobra]

OK - lesson learned. I did not think there was a reverse wire there.

[flybouy]

One caveat about back up lights and cameras. They are great for seeing what's directly behind you. One past the bumper, the obstacle is not so easy to see. Having a long trailer an truck I can tell you that the arc the trailer takes backing in can still cause an impact with objects close by on the sides. I have identified rocks, poles, etc. before with placing a white rag over it or a white bucket over it to increase visibility. A few cgs I placed a lanter under a whit upside-down bucket at night just to make it more visible.

[NH_Bulldog]

Originally Posted by PolarisCobra

The 7way plug that runs the trailer does not have a wire to backup lights. You would need to run a separate wire an some sort of switch. Forget to turn them off, and you will be looking at a dead battery if boondocking. Unless you are alone, a helper with a flashlight is probably all you need.

I will sometimes have my wife in the back, and call her in my phone. That way, she doesn't have to yell, I can hear her easily through the Bluetooth in the truck.

Yes, the 7-way does have a circuit for reverse lights. On my prior trailer I had lights mounted mid-way back under the camper and under the rear bumper. I wired through a relay so the (center) yellow wire from the truck only had to switch a relay because the lights were incandescent (not LED in those days) and I wanted the load from the battery not through the wire from the truck. At that point in life, we couldn't leave for trips until after work so our campground arrivals were always at night and the light was a necessity.

On a related note, many of the 2023 and 2024 models are coming from the factory with reverse lights incorporated into the center of the LED tail lights

[notanlines]

Originally Posted by coastn

A member of the "jumping cholla cactus" family.

Did someone mention that Arizona beast that attacks Michelin tires?

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by notanlines

Did someone mention that Arizona beast that attacks Michelin tires?

That ain't agave... the agave is a tough bugger that can get real big and hides low enough where you can't see it until it is too late.

[bobbecky]

Originally Posted by PolarisCobra

The 7way plug that runs the trailer does not have a wire to backup lights. You would need to run a separate wire an some sort of switch. Forget to turn them off, and you will be looking at a dead battery if boondocking. Unless you are alone, a helper with a flashlight is probably all you need.

I will sometimes have my wife in the back, and call her in my phone. That way, she doesn't have to yell, I can hear her easily through the Bluetooth in the truck.

This will help.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

That ain't agave... the agave is a tough bugger that can get real big and hides low enough where you can't see it until it is too late.

There are several species of agave and they're all tough. I've walked many hundreds of miles in the Guadalupe Mountains of NM hunting. Those there are the Agave Lechuguilla - tough, painful and can go right through a sidewall.

Deer hunting one year I didn't pay attention to one. Walked into it and the spear went right through my hunting boot and the tip broke off in my ankle. Went back to camp to get it out but it was so deep that was a no go. Over the next 6 mos. it went from under the surface of the skin then just disappeared. I could feel it inside from time to time like some sort of "bite" inside my ankle but that was about it. After about 6 months I started getting a sore on my ankle. It kept getting worse and worse so finally dug into it; right under the surface was that spike. Pulled it out and it was still bright, shiny black and almost an inch long. Guess it went in, worked its way to the bone then worked its way out?? Anyway, don't walk/run/drive into them.