Works great no yelling!!

[JohnD]

My wife also gets frustrated while I'm parking the trailer . . .

Not so much at campsites, but when I am parking it in our side yard (photo later)!

I've been hauling and backing camper trailers since I was 12 years old (now 53), but I have to squeeze the back end of the trailer between our garage and side yard fence, which is where I generally need a little assistance.

I've parked it and our old trailer in there many many times by myself . . . but that last 10 feet can be much quicker with someone giving directions.

We have a set of Uniden 2-way radios, but she never waits that one second after pushing the talk button and starts talking right away, which means I only get half of what she is telling me.

I've told (asked ) her about this . . . and even mentioned to just hold the button down the whole time I am backing up . . . to no avail.

Needless to say . . . I still end up getting out and checking my angles several times!

The other issue . . . getting her to agree to move those two rose bushes that are basically in the way!

 

[whp4262]

My wife and I pulled into a State park a couple weeks ago after dark. The trees hadn't been trimmed in a while and they had rocks along side an already narrow road to keep people from parking off the pavement. So I handed my wife a good flashlight and asked her to shine it on the side of side of the trailer so I could see it in the dark. Well it started out pretty good until she started giving directions. Every time she said something she would turn towards the truck and shine the flashlight right into the mirrors. Well it only took a couple times of getting the spotlight shined into my eyes before I was so blinded by the light that I couldn't see the dash let alone anything in the mirrors. Finally stopped the truck and walked around for a minute till the spots disappeared from my eyesight. I finally got it parked but decided right then that I'm going to buy and install a good backup camera system so I can see both sides and the back of the trailer.


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[whp4262]

JohnD, we have these two big cactus plants by one of our porches. Now I'm not a big fan of cactus and wanted to remove them but my wife wanted to keep them. Finally she agreed to let me trim them which I did one day with the backhoe while she was gone. She was only mad at me for a little while. Might work for you rose bushes.


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[JanAndBill]

My wife disappears behind the trailer where I can't see her and she can't direct me into a Wal-Mart parking lot. She yells and tells me where I need to be... she has no patients. She over directs me and don't realize it takes time to correct my approach. Now I make her stand where I can see her. (I should've left her behind the trailer). I have to tell her where to stand or I make it to the campground before she gets there and have no problem.

I had this problem also. I would tell my DW that if she can't see me in the mirrors then I couldn't see her. Finally learned that if she disappeared from the mirrors, I would put the truck in park, lean back and wait patiently. After awhile of not moving she would move out to see what was wrong and I would start backing again. Now she pretty much knows that if the trailer isn't moving it's because I can't see her. Problem solved, no yelling.

 

[JohnD]

JohnD, we have these two big cactus plants by one of our porches. Now I'm not a big fan of cactus and wanted to remove them but my wife wanted to keep them. Finally she agreed to let me trim them which I did one day with the backhoe while she was gone. She was only mad at me for a little while. Might work for you rose bushes.

I've thought about it . . . but unfortunately for me, I would never hear the end of it when it comes to the rose bushes.

She was going to move them to a different location in the yard this summer . . . but they are still there.

I'm guessing that fall is not the best time of year to move and replant them, so I'll probably have to wait until spring to get them moved.

Oh well . . . they've only been there for 15 years . . . what's another winter?

 

[caissiel]

My DW gets in the truck and I go back and guide her driving.

I point toward the direction she should steer the truck and that way I can place the trailer in a tight spot.

Took me 10 years to figure it out and works everytime. That way I can park and level in on operation.

In addition I know what to check and feel more secure. I usually can move around while making sure she can see me either in front or in the mirror.

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[Lukeduke]

We have tried radios but the delay on the PTT loses information. Hand signals are lost in blind spots. Telephone on speaker (in cab) works best. I am still using pre backup planning and mirrors along with directions from the better half.

Luke & Carol Owens
2011 Caliber 315REDS

 

[SGMilkman]

I only need someone to tell me if I'm going to hit something.....too stubborn and particular to listen to directions. It's a wonder she puts up with me.

 

[dbylinski]

I only need someone to tell me if I'm going to hit something.....too stubborn and particular to listen to directions. It's a wonder she puts up with me.

I agree with you! John does the backing and I usually allow him to go where he wants. The only time I interfere is when I see he is getting into trouble and then he will hear from me. Other than that he's free to make his own moves!

It helps to keep the peace for us and the neighbors!

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[Keyra]

We use our phones. I call my husband on his phone and he speaks to me through the blue tooth connected device in the truck. I have an earpiece in ear and my phone in my pocket. So, we are both hands free.

I just say right, left or straight depending on how I want him to move the rear of the trailer. We have become better with experience and can almost always pull in on the first try. I wanted to switch the other day and try driving and let him talk so we could see what the other person's job is like. But, we gave up and switched back when I almost backed it into the house.

 

[uncledon]

Yup, that's sounds real familiar. Do the same thing.

 

[SeattleLion]

We have a backup camera but don't use it for backing up. We use it as a rearview mirror on the road. Hand signals didn't work for us. It's hard to see each other in the mirror since our rig (trailer and truck) are over 50 ft long. So we use walkie talkies. We find the process is stress free and well worth the cost. At home we have to back up over 100 feet on our side lawn (hilly!) to get to the level spot for the trailer. Without the walkie talkies it was massive stress. Now it is simple.

As a native New Yorker, there is one hand signal I can't be without! <grin>

 

[JanAndBill]

As a native New Yorker, there is one hand signal I can't be without! <grin>

When we argue, the DW says that's her "you're still number 1" sign to let me know she still loves me.

 

[Wolk1995]

This is very common problem with parking job and before you move, you need to get it all to informed

 

[insidelady1112]

We have found that if I video call and stay within our rear camera, there is no yelling. He can see what I see, he can see me, he can see where the trailer needs to go. And we can calmly communicate through the video call.

 

[wdk450]

I am single and do most of my site backing in by myself. I occasionally get neighbor volunteers to help. For me the two most helpful things to remember/communicate are:
1. Spotter communicating "Trailer to the left" (truck driver's side), or "Trailer to the right" (truck passenger side) , or STOP!!! while I am backing.
2. Me (driver)ALONE translating these directional commands into steering wheel movements by steering with the BOTTOM HALF of the steering wheel.