Spouse goes out solo

Cosmik Debris · 10-09-2017, 06:06 PM

This last spring we had a planned trip of about 2 1/2 hours, to a dog agility event. Not long before heading out I had to fly to be with my mother while Dad had surgery. My wife knew her friend was planning on going and asked her if she wanted to go with her, first solo trip in our fifth wheel. We did some backing practice in our driveway, went over dumping tanks, the equivalent to a PDI.
The trip went fine. They left the truck connected, were hooked up to power, had to fill fresh water tank and dump at a nearby site.
Roll forward to last week, and the event was repeated. I was told that I could stay home and she and her friend could repeat the spring trip alone.
Again, all went well. My wife has gotten quite a boost in confidence from this easy, local, well known and familiar trip.
We head out in a few days for a 1000 mile trip, and she has offered to drive for a few hours each day to give me a break.
Anyone else have stories like this? May be incentive for some couples to give it a try.
PS She still won't let me do the dishes in the RV for fear I'd make a mess.

**Midnightmoon** · 10-09-2017, 06:27 PM

My wife has done everything with our RV's except attempt to tow them. Our last 2 trailers really needed a 3/4 ton and she refuses to drive mine since it is a manual transmission. So, she used that as her excuse. Our new trailer is definitely able to be pulled with her daily driver 1/2 ton, but she has no interest in trying. Maybe someday.

DanNJanice · 10-09-2017, 07:23 PM

My wife has taken our trailer out a couple of times by herself.
I made a checklist for her to follow. She was with other people who were experienced campers, so if she had any issues, they could help.
The only thing she was not comfortable with hitching/unhitching and backing.

Marcm157 · 10-09-2017, 07:26 PM

My wife refuses to even move the truck and trailer and I think we should all be thankful. She is a great wife / mother but driving is NOT one of her strong points...

Photo for illustrative purposes only...

pconroy · 10-09-2017, 10:55 PM

We have a Class C motorhome - but 32'. My Wife is willing to drive and tackle anything related to the RV. I've spent a lot of time showing her the mechanicals, and I've put together some Word docs with pictures.

I have no concerns letting her go solo.

wabirch · 10-10-2017, 05:42 AM

I suspect she would tow this one, years ago she pulled a King 6 DeLuxe with no problem. Going solo, doubt it, but she could tow in a pinch.

shrpshtr · 10-10-2017, 05:46 AM

You can count on one hand the number of times my wife has driven us anywhere in our 25+ years together. She would NEVER considering towing our boat or utility trailer until we got our Jayco. Only then it was out of necessity when we wanted to bring the golf cart along. She has towed the golf cart successfully a few times now and I'm proud of her for it. Maybe one day she'll get the confidence with the TT. Maybe...

shrp

**Mustang65** · 10-10-2017, 05:57 AM

DW was ok with the TrailManor trailer. No issues towing. Looks at the EAGLE and REFUSES to even attempt it. No problem, I drive for 4 hours and we park.

I have to work on the "Not doing dishes... " will attempt making a mess. Might work!

Don

My Registry

RVing with SOLAR

Tunce the traveler · 10-10-2017, 08:22 AM

My wife wants no part of it and I understand her concerns on the other hand my daughter wants her own TT and can even double park one! She learned with the hay wagon and no mirrors!

troutcamper · 10-10-2017, 09:44 AM

we have only had our 212QBW a little over a year. My wife has been helping and learning slowly. she backs up to hitch up (takes direction very well I might add) she pulls out of our campsite and to the dump station. the next trip we are going to put her behind the wheel a bit on some straight road( we go to the mountains a lot which she does not like to drive in period) she is an excellent driver and has always been cautious so I have no qualms about her learning to pull the TT.
Troutcamper

Cosmik Debris · 10-10-2017, 05:32 PM

Part of her wanting to take it out was knowing that she had a large, pull in and out, grassy parking space. The dump station was in a Lowes parking lot, no tricky maneuvers. Most of the time, as we all know, we are driving into the unknown and assess things as they show up.
Then again, she has several lady friends who drag trailers to these things all the time, so there is a support network.

Fr8Train · 10-10-2017, 10:01 PM

Some of the trips we take are fairly long drives. 7 hrs plus. I told her she needed to learn so that we didn’t have to make the drive in two stages and in case of emergency.

I still do 90% of the driving but she will drive to give me a break.

rockaw · 10-11-2017, 07:16 AM

Nope, I can't even get my wife to drive my Silverado 2500HD around town, "too big" much less with a trailer. she's content to set up the inside of the trailer when we stop, I have the outside (and hookups).

Bassdogs · 10-11-2017, 08:46 AM

DW has towed our TT 2x times. She is a good driver overall, but has a couple tendencies that drive me crazy. She is way to slow in starting the braking process and tends to continue in cruise mode even when brake lights come on out front. While she brakes in time she tends to use up contingency time to allow for wet pavement or a possible back up out ahead. One time while taking an interstate exit in the rain, she waited too long to get totally slowed and hit the brakes hard as she entered a final curve near the bottom of the ramp and almost jackknifed. She seems to resist my advice and my experience towing and I'm afraid to let her tow very much let alone go out on her own. I know I need to bite the bullet and let her have some wheel time under light traffic and good road conditions but tend to want to avoid arguments.

I already hinted and my 2nd concern, she doesn't like to read instructions or to take advice in particular from me. It makes it hard to learn when the potential for serious problems or damage while towing are just a slight mistake away. If I could get her to realize that doing everything in moderation, giving herself 4 times as much wiggle room when changing lanes and stopping, and THINKING AHEAD before driving into a problem like a fuel stop or getting stuck in the wrong lane. Thinking about letting her go out with a friend [fellow rver] for some training runs as she might tend to accept input from him where she resists me.

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