I need help backing up my trailer...NOT

[silver]

as others have stated I normally watch unless asked for assistance. Last summer a young couple came in accross from us with i year old twins. They had just learned to walk. Well one wandered out to the road unknown to the parents so I gathered him up and returned him. For the remainder of the week the father treated me like a child molester. So much for helping.

I guess he refered his son to be hit by a car.

[jar3316]

First of all, don't go to India you'll have 4 people telling you your doing it wrong before you can get the clutch out in reverse and that was just with a delivery truck.

Second, I use my son or no one its just easier that way.

I have never offered help anyone back up their own trailer. I have yelled to stop them from hitting something but that's as far as I go, without being asked. I figure they wont learn unless they do it themselves.

The exception to that rule was last month the building next door to mine is a racing go cart shop. And they borrowed a 30' goose neck 5er race trailer and truck to take all theirs and another guys stuff to Vegas for a race. When they brought it back the father and son were trying to back it in, Very long driveway with a 90 degree at the end and VERY tight to park even when the lot is empty. So after about 15 min I came out offer to move our cars to make it easier, he promptly got out and said "you have a trailer I've seen you put it in hear before here's the keys." I took the keys, nervously, and backed it in (it looked pretty good), and I never told him I've never backed up a 5er before.

[jar3316]

Originally Posted by silver

as others have stated I normally watch unless asked for assistance. Last summer a young couple came in accross from us with i year old twins. They had just learned to walk. Well one wandered out to the road unknown to the parents so I gathered him up and returned him. For the remainder of the week the father treated me like a child molester. So much for helping.

I guess he refered his son to be hit by a car.

Yep that definitely falls under the category of "no good deed goes unpunished"

You have my permission to scoop up, herd, or get after my kids if they are doing something wrong.

[cstover]

My wife was in the Coast Guard as well as me. She knows how to trailer and guide me in. We get to the site and survey it. I tell her where I want the trailer to sit and she guides me in. Don't even have to take most times. Just hand signals.

When we have friends help setup or breakdown it gets frustrating. They really only get in my way. Sometimes the setup takes twice as long because our friends helped by stowing things not in their right place. Ahhh....Friends.

[rattleNsmoke]

Originally Posted by fast murray

I have more trouble when friends or relatives want to help me get hooked up. It's easier for me if people stay out of the way and is something that I absolutely want to do everything myself. Usually I have my wife tell me when the slide will clear obstacles when I'm attempting to increase my area on the other side.

X2 My sentiments exactly. After years of camping and working out a system with wifey, If I crash into something the only one she'll be mad at is me.

Watching other campers set up their lawn chairs beers in hand as I back in, kinda reminds me of the desert dump station scene in Robin Williams movie.."RV".

[dfskinner]

I always survey the site first, especially if it's the first time at that camp ground and normally welcome any recommendations from the person running the camp ground. Every place I've been they always take you out and show you the site.

Back when we first started camping I always welcomed help. We've try to make it a point to always arrive prior to dark. We've even parked in a parking lot new the camp ground and slept for the night to wait for the following morning to be able to see the camp ground.

I've never turned away help, but most people don't offer.......

My wife and use our phones to help guide me in; small walkie-talkies might be something I'll get in the future.

[Terier]

Originally Posted by prairiecamper

I offer to help only when it's obvious they are having difficulties, I know that's debatable as well? Most times it's appreciated. As for ourselves DW and I use FRS radios when backing in, she's in my view at all times on driver side rear of trailer, she talks thru the whole procedure, I listen and carry out instructions, works all the time! We have done it enough times and she she is aware of branches, cord lengths, slide out space, etc. Merry Xmas all.

That works for me. Like many of us I usually can take care of everything myself and prefer it that way. But in the event I am still trying to back into a site an half hour later I would welcome an offer of help.

[Dennis and Julie]

When my husband and i go together, I guide him in. When I'm driving or go alone, I do it myself. Although I'm pretty sure some people are entertained cause it does take me awhile but I always get it where I want it.

[caper]

I have helped many trailer back in. The owners at our CG help back every trailer in to the site. I help with traffic control on long weekends. Part of my duties are to help back the trailers into the site. What is frustrating is when you back a trailer in tell the owners where the site borders are and leave. Only to have the driver move the unit back 2 to 3 feet (which means he is now on the next site) because his sewer hose is only 5' long and will not reach or his water hose is only 15' long.

[GASPEDDLER]

I camped next to a family in a pop up last summer. Monday morning we both packed up to head home, but the neighbors husband had already left the day before, leaving the hitching to the wife and two kids. While I was rolling up my hoses I noticed the three of them staring at the hitch and scratching their heads. Knowing that some folks take offense to the offer of help I kept to myself. After about ten minutes the mother came over and asked if I could check their hook-up. They had the coupler secured and locked with a pin....unfortunately the coupler was resting on top of the ball! The coupler was not wrapped/fastened around the ball. I hitched the pop up correctly for them and decided at that moment that in future similar situations I would take my chances and approach campers who appear to be having difficulties. I figure it's worth being run off for offering help in order to avoid some mishap on the road which could put people in harms way.

[Arn]

I find it most entertaining when the 4 different people giving you 4 different instructions all came out of your vehicle. I've seen that a time or 3 too many.

[mduff]

The part that concerns me are those that want to 'chat' while you're setting up or tearing down. We have our routine and once, while chatting, we left a storage compartment open.

[PopBeavers]

Originally Posted by mduff

The part that concerns me are those that want to 'chat' while you're setting up or tearing down. We have our routine and once, while chatting, we left a storage compartment open.

Once, while chatting, I forgot to chock the TT wheels. As I released the hitch the trailer rolled backwards. This provided verification that the pair of safety cables were in good working order and that the emergency breakaway switch was fully operational.

It immediately became one of my rules that the safety cables and the connection for the breakaway switch are not disconnected until after the hitch is release. This was accidentally true the one time that it was critical. I made sure that it was always true ever since this happened in 2005.

[Mark and Linda]

Been reading the different posts on this thread, I am the same way. I will back it in myself. We had a pop-up camper that was no problem backing into our drive way. I did most of the camping setups by myself, DW came after work. We traded for the Puma and I brought it home, DW was ready with her camera, ready for action. I backed it down the drive with no problem. I have a culvert on both sides of the drive, have to put the left tires just a few inches from one of them inorder to make the 90 degree turn or else the other side will drop off the drive. I have gotten used to backing up to the trailer to hook up by myself, takes a little practice. Most of the time when we go camping I head out in the morning, get to the campground and set up by myself. I have had a few onlookers when I arrive. This past summer I was backing in and the fellow next door looked over to see if I needed any help. I backed in and set up. I thanked him the next time I saw him, he said well, you looked like you had it and there was nothing I could do to help. I may get out, look all around, think, look for trees and limbs, and then start my back up. I may get out a few times to make sure I am not going back too far, etc. Just got in the habit of doing it myself and have my routine. Oh, one problem I do have is, our furry buddy starts barking and wanting out of the tv so I just get him out, let him do his thing and then tie him to a tree somewhere where he won't interfere.