Terrified

[GlasNav]

An additional word of guidance regarding entering a site whether pull-thru or back-in; REMEMBER TO LOOK UP!!! That tree branch you didn't see will most likely cause much more chaos to you than a snapped off water line.

The guidance and pointers supplied by the others are all the things most of us have learned to do without thinking about the process, it will come to you as well.

IF these practices are overwhelming, I would recommend a couple of things.
1. With your partner, discuss, create and test an arrival check off list, once you're comfortable with the steps, use it all the time. Remember, when your spotter says stop, STOP; then discuss and review visually.
2. A real good flashlight for your spotter!

[bipolarcoder]

We made it. Backed into our site with a lil help from the campsite crew. Little crooked but she will do.

[sourdough]

I'm glad you made it in and safe. Some thoughts;

Practice makes perfect is an old saying and it does with some things. Backing and parking an RV into never seen sites in never seen before environments - it's hard to practice that so backing/parking technique should be honed as much as possible.

Stuff happens is another old saying - and it does...all the time; planned or unplanned. With an RV it happens more than some other activities - it's the nature of the beast. Recognize the error; correct the issue promptly; repair any damage to you/your stuff then...move on. Learn from those exact circumstances so you don't repeat it but don't dwell on it. You can't carry the last one around with you because you have to have brain space for the next one...because it will happen.

Don't park at night if possible. I plan my trips with a set number of hours driving, never to exceed 7 or so, and to arrive before dark..preferably by 4pm. I don't like driving after dark, what happens to some people after dark that then can affect me nor trying to complete my evening routines "late". If parking after dark (or day) either use your wife (I use my bluetooth phone in the truck) and let her guide you. I do that after I have completed a thorough walk around noting anything and everything with her. If you don't have bluetooth we used to use little 2 way walkie talkies (think I've got 3 sets sitting around in the closets ). GO SLOW! TAKE YOUR TIME! I get out at least twice even if it's a good shot to make sure we're not overlooking something. I am particular about clearances and spacing from various objects like power peds, sewer dumps etc. I want to see them as I go in. If dark make sure you have hand held lighting to assist you and DW.

Don't let the previous experience ruin it all for you - it happens and has happened to virtually all of us. Learn and move on. Take all precautions necessary not only for parking but hooking up, towing or simply using the appliances. It will work out fine. You have a great support group in this forum. RVing is a blast, headache, thrill, worry, fun, aggravating, sometimes scary....did I say fun? Concentrate on the basics, practice, don't fret and....have FUN.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by bipolarcoder

We made it. Backed into our site with a lil help from the campsite crew. Little crooked but she will do.

BAM, there you go!

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by NH_Bulldog

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

Bulldog, I did much the same, without the mid way lights, started with incandescent, and later switched to LED. I don’t usually arrive after dark, but would rather be prepared than not. Ours is a 5th wheel, and needed to fish a new wire from the pin box to front compartment. Used an existing wire to pull in two new ones.

[foldbak]

I learned early on (after hitting my house ) when backing in, slow, small moves. It's like falling off your bike the first time. You got this!

[dutchmensport]

I probably can't add anything else new to this thread, so I'll just...kind of repeat ...

Back in slow. Stop often when backing in. Get out and look. Get out and look again. Get out and look again. Do that as many times as you need to. Again, go slow. Make small moves, stop .. AND ... get out a check again.

When backing into your campsite, this is YOUR moment. The rest of the world comes to a screeching halt! Don't let anyone, or anything rush you. Don't let stopped traffic in the road intimidate you. Don't let the campground lookie-loo's intimidate you. This is your moment. Do what has to be done. Focus on the job to be done. Start backing in, and if you have to correct yourself by pulling forward and starting over, then do it. Again, go slow, look, look, and look some more. And you'll do just fine! (in other words .... don't let anyone or anything rush you!)

[LadyCPA]

hope your travel day was great and that you had no issues getting into the site.
It gets easier,

[JBM3M]

Originally Posted by PolarisCobra

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.

Yep, that works better than the yelling and I can't ever hear what she says and she mixes up left and right and screeches. Most embarassing. Backup cam does the trick.

[Mainer]

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?

Adding Backup lights is a cinch. First time I did it was in '75. Your 7 pin Umbilical has the wire, It's the center pin, wire color "should" be yellow. It's about the first thing I add to a trailer I cant see over. Current trailer has back facing lights on the side near the front so I can see where the wheels are going. Cheap (HF or Amazon) LED floods on the rear, small "convenience" LEDs on the sides. Wife doesn't look toward the trailer when she's guiding me in

[Cbrez]

Please understand that most of us have a battle scar from something that jumped out in front of us over the years. Don’t feel like it’s only you. You’ve simply joined the brotherhood of those who won’t do that again. You’re a more alert driver now. Relax, focus on what inspired you to join the RV lifestyle and hit the road with confidence.

[Wantoride]

I think we’ve all had a traumatic experience with our trailers at one time or another. Mine was Ohiopyle PA. Had to back into a narrow site in the evening during a severe storm. At the most in opportune time everyone’s tornado warning went off. Ended up swiping a tree on the front of the truck. Always take your time and make ‘‘em wait.

[Halcyon]

Absolutely! I was backing into a state park in Oregon. Had TWO spotters and a backup camera. Backed in slowly, carefully, then zzzzzip! None of us noticed the tree branch on the driver’s side. Pulled back out, more zzzzip. 10” rip in the roof membrane. Do what everyone says: get out, look EVERYWHERE for EVERYTHING, then start. BTW, I haven’t found the rear camera at all useful for backing, just for watching traffic behind me.

[rlh1957]

Don’t stress it.
Definitely have someone spotting you and watching your blind spots so you’re not worried about hitting something.
We use radio’s to communicate. I sit mine on console and listen. They talk you listen. You’ll develop your own lingo you both understand.
Radio’s are cheap. Cell Phones are subject to drop out or not have service everywhere.

Don’t stress about people watching either.
There are plenty of neighbors who will be happy to spot you and help you. Sometimes an outside set of eyes can help you know which way to turn your wheels or when to pull forward & then back up to align your rig better.

Now for the cherry on top… I’m not a good backer upper and have on more than one occasion ask if my neighbor spotter would back it in for you.
I accept there are folks that have the back in and park thing down.
You’ll meet some great new friends and get some helpful knowledge on improving confidence and skill.

[GlasNav]

Originally Posted by Halcyon

BTW, I haven’t found the rear camera at all useful for backing, just for watching traffic behind me.

I agree for the most part, mirrors for watching the trailer tires on when to start the swing and approach and while entering the site. But, I like the camera for getting to the back limit of a site since we have a generator enclosure on the back and don't want to push it into a tree or fence.

[JRTJH]

To use a "trucker's mantra" for a moment:

The GOAL is to safely back into the space. To achieve the GOAL, you must "follow the GOAL"... (GOAL = Get Out And Look)

I don't think any "pro trucker" will tell you (or even hint) that it's "beneath a pro" to GOAL. Maybe it seems "extreme" but a pro will GOAL as often as needed, sometimes every few feet if that's what it takes....

Just as it's the mantra of many of us that "You don't know what you don't know"... You simply don't know what's behind your trailer unless you "GOAL"...

So, if the GOAL is to safely park a trailer, then "The GOAL is GOAL"....

[GlasNav]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

To use a "trucker's mantra" for a moment:

The GOAL is to safely back into the space. To achieve the GOAL, you must "follow the GOAL"... (GOAL = Get Out And Look)

I don't think any "pro trucker" will tell you (or even hint) that it's "beneath a pro" to GOAL. Maybe it seems "extreme" but a pro will GOAL as often as needed, sometimes every few feet if that's what it takes....

Just as it's the mantra of many of us that "You don't know what you don't know"... You simply don't know what's behind your trailer unless you "GOAL"...

So, if the GOAL is to safely park a trailer, then "The GOAL is GOAL"....

John: We do it every time, including pull thru sites so I don't overshoot sewage drops, I much rather have a short lead that playing aqueduct engineer, especially in states that require the use of hose supports and an incline down to the sewage drop.
We check out the site together and agree on placement then fire up the cellphones for comms and reform the maneuver.

Had an optical illusion one night entering a campground that appeared to be a low branch from a large tree blocking access. My wife got out looked up and said there may have been a branch there at one time but it's all clear, I had to get out and see for may self, sure enough, nothing was there!

One of the important issues is making sure there is room for the slide outs to travel to full extension. Saw one gentleman in a state park actually using a tape measure to check clearances before extending their slides. He also measured front and back for his sewage connections since he had both forward and back dump valves. He had his wife make a mark where he wanted his tires and repositioned the rig ever so slightly to satisfy his "precision"!

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by GlasNav

John: We do it every time, including pull thru sites so I don't overshoot sewage drops, I much rather have a short lead that playing aqueduct engineer, especially in states that require the use of hose supports and an incline down to the sewage drop.
We check out the site together and agree on placement then fire up the cellphones for comms and reform the maneuver.

Had an optical illusion one night entering a campground that appeared to be a low branch from a large tree blocking access. My wife got out looked up and said there may have been a branch there at one time but it's all clear, I had to get out and see for may self, sure enough, nothing was there!

One of the important issues is making sure there is room for the slide outs to travel to full extension. Saw one gentleman in a state park actually using a tape measure to check clearances before extending their slides. He also measured front and back for his sewage connections since he had both forward and back dump valves. He had his wife make a mark where he wanted his tires and repositioned the rig ever so slightly to satisfy his "precision"!

Red highlight above; watched a fellow pull in to set up with 3 slides. As he was positioning the trailer he had "sticks" cut to length for each slide to make sure he got the clearance he wanted. I just eyeball mine but I've been really close a couple of times trying to get the right "fit" in the space.

[oldnjrver]

Just a couple of comments.

After having tagged a couple of bushes and backed into things, my DW and I have adopted the following proceedures.

It seems that backing up my 8 ft utility trailer, is good practice. Its so squirrely that slight turns of the wheel cause an exaggerated response.
Doing that seems to develop the right reflexes.
Backing up a 20+ ft trailer seems to be much simpler after that.

We also have a routine we use when backing into a site.
First, I get our TT lined up as best I can.
Second, I get out and survey the location
Third, My wife as a spotter has only one word to say and that is STOP!!!!
Hearing stop, I get out and re-survey the situation, re-align the TT and repeat the process until we're safely positioned in the site.

We have also used the yellow lego like leveling pads laid out on the ground as reference points for tire placement.

Not sure if any of this will help you, but it works for us and it might be worth a try.

Safe travels and all the best.

[flybouy]

When we bought our current trailer (35 1/2' long) I purchased a flourescent green rope with a yellow stripe. I measured the slide out extension and tied ropes at a 90° angle to represent their orientation. The trailer has 2 long slides on the driver side and an outdoor kitchen on the curb side. I would lay the rope on the ground and it it was a good visual aid for "parking" the unit. I only use it now if the site is extremely tight and I'm unfamiliar with the campground.

It only took a few times using my " visual aid" to learn how to back in to nearly any spot. Our SOP (standard operating procedures) now are as follows:

Upon arrival at cg, DW goes to office to register. I get out and walk the dog around the camper, go inside and turn on the LevelMate Pro and use the bathroom. By this time DW is back and we get in the truck and proceed to our site.

At the site we get out and survey the site. Typically I'll move the picnic table and tie the dog to it with a short tie out. Then I survey the site for obstructions including any screws, nails, etc. that could damage a tire. When I get in the truck the DW calls me on my cell and I proceed to park the unit.

This our SOP that works for us. Whatever you find that works for you will become your SOP.