Driving lessons

[jessesrambler]

Okay...newbie here, would like to take some rv driving lessons to lessen the fear of getting behind the wheel of a 3010ds. Any recommendations in the NY, NH, MA areas?

[markb5900]

If you can't find actual lessons, go to a Walmart parking lot and just practice.
Put the better half outside with a walkie talkie in case you get close to something.
Have them stand somewhere and try to get the back end as close as possible to them so you can see what it look like in your mirrors etc...
Or go trial by fire and drive through downtown Atlanta at 4pm in the afternoon. LOL

[asquared]

Check out rvschool.com.

As suggested, go to a large parking lot and practice maneuvering forward and backward. Set some cones up and practice parking it.

[jessesrambler]

Ok..will do, but if this is all there is to it...why are there multi-day driving courses for the rver? What am I missing?

[markb5900]

Originally Posted by jessesrambler

Ok..will do, but if this is all there is to it...why are there multi-day driving courses for the rver? What am I missing?

Someone thought of way to make money, that is all.
There is nothing special to it, just learn what the back end look like in your mirrors when you are clear of something (passing a car) and the back end swing so you don't hit a gas pump.
There is no big secret.

[Santabobswife]

Originally Posted by markb5900

If you can't find actual lessons, go to a Walmart parking lot and just practice.
Put the better half outside with a walkie talkie in case you get close to something.
Have them stand somewhere and try to get the back end as close as possible to them so you can see what it look like in your mirrors etc...
Or go trial by fire and drive through downtown Atlanta at 4pm in the afternoon. LOL

Mark B.

As someone who travels through downtown Atlanta at 4pm in the afternoon on regular basis, that is definitely "trial by fire". I love your idea of Walmart parking lots or even a church parking lot during the week.

[asquared]

The schools will supposedly teach you what to do in an emergency situation (ie blow out), emergency stops etc. Most of this is common sense ie do not stand on the brakes for a blow out.

[Maxhise]

I hear a lot of new RV owners voice concerns about driving a big rig. I have one simple statement. "Who drives the school buses in your town?" 9 times out of 10 it's a little old lady maneuvering a 40 foot bus through traffic and side streets, etc... If Betty White can get through downtown Atlanta in rush hour, it can't be that difficult. Just go slow, get out and look anytime you are not sure. The one thing you need to do is learn about air brakes though. Spend 5 minutes on googling "using air brakes". That is the single biggest issue newbies have. IMHO.


2000 Ford F-250 7.3 Powerstroke
2015 Sierra Select 32QBBS
2015 nights camping = 22

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[hkreck]

Go sign on as a school bus driver, they'll train you to drive a big vehicle under a host of situations. I did.:-}

[F and E Damp]

Henry:

Before we got our 32-footer, I'd spent two post-Boeing retirement years as a coach operator for our county transit agency. After horsing a 35-foot coach through downtown Everett in rush-hour traffic, with passengers in every seat and a dozen or so standees, the RV was no trouble at all!

To the OP, you might want to contact your local transit agency to see if any of their drivers offer lessons, when off duty, to newbie RVers.

[oldgold]

Originally Posted by Santabobswife

Mark B.



As someone who travels through downtown Atlanta at 4pm in the afternoon on regular basis, that is definitely "trial by fire". I love your idea of Walmart parking lots or even a church parking lot during the week.

I have the same problem. I live near Mansfield just north of yall... I drive to 85 & Clairmont everyday.

[F.R.O.G.]

We're having a rep from rvdrivingschool.com at the FROG Rally this year for a classroom driving course as well as optional driver training in your own rig.

[hkreck]

X2 Frank, there may be someone out there willing to do it. I actually do some of the driver training for our for our school dist. and would consider doing it.

[jessesrambler]

Thanks all... I just gotta do it and often seems to be the answer... :-)

[asquared]

Originally Posted by F.R.O.G.

We're having a rep from rvdrivingschool.com at the FROG Rally this year for a classroom driving course as well as optional driver training in your own rig.

will this be a free seminar or will it cost?

[GL1800Rider]

You can also view the Lazy Days rv training video on youtube. I have looked at it and there are a lot of good basic pointers on there

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CeThR_A4VI