Reversing

Jun 1, 2018
18
0
0
Visit site
Took my outfit to repair shop for rear damage, the work shop was at rear of premises and no way was I going to reverse up his drive and negotiate round to the workshop .So me being chicken he took it from the road reversed right into the workshop as if he was driving forward .Probably it does not sound all that hard but there were several twist and turns involved and not once did he stop .
 
Oct 12, 2013
3,037
4
0
Visit site
He probably does it a few times a day , that's where a mover also comes in handy to overcome those uncertainty manoeuvers .
I could have done it no bother though :p
 
May 24, 2014
3,687
763
20,935
Visit site
Its like riding a bike, once you have the knack it never leaves you.
In my time on artics I have had to make some ridiculous manoeuvers but they are far more forgiving yhan a caravan, and small camping trailers are a right pain in the posterior. Small corrections is the key and do all the hard work going forewards.

Some many years back, I was delivering to Currys/Dixons near to the winter gardens in Blackpool. One way street with two lanes, and had to reverse into a narrow side road double parked both sides. Maybe an inch clearance either side, and with a lamp post and canopy opposite. The job required a banksman, company rules, so this kid from Dixons gets plonked in the middle of the road with orders to stop the traffic. On getting his signal, I lift up my rear axle on the unit and start to reverse. On my blind side is Mr Pratt in the company Audi repmobile who cant wait, mounts the pavement to overtake the waiting cars until he reaches me and he is stuck. Unfortunately I can see him and as I reverse my lifted axles outer wheel mounts his bonnet pushing his nose into the floor and making a right tidy mess. Out jumps said worthy and threatens to kill me. Out jumps I and says your weclome to try or words to that effect, and he panics and screams for the police. I tell him hes welcome to that also, and they duly arrive and charge him for drivng without due care. A happy day all round.
 
May 7, 2012
8,491
1,753
30,935
Visit site
The caravan dealers and workshop staff do the manouvre daily so get very adept at it. I prefer to leave it to them and to be frank I think the staff would rather do it than have you take all day.
 

Parksy

Moderator
Nov 12, 2009
11,904
2,399
40,935
Visit site
Craigyoung said:
CustardAvenger said:
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN_AxxHFRU0[/video]

Easy !! :p
But wow !
Very impressive, but he driver in the footage has a few advantages over us normal everyday leisure caravanners.
The towcar is LHD so there's no blind side reversing.
The drawbar on the caravan in the footage is longer than drawbars fitted to most UK built caravans. This means that the unit is slower to turn, therefore it's more forgiving when reversing.
On the carefully laid out course there's nothing to hit which would cause significant damage to the drivers pride and joy.
In real life many of us arrive a bit stressed out after a long journey on crowded roads, with kids in the back of the car squabbling / being sick / needing the toilet, it's raining outside and Herself is standing where you can't really see her vaguely flapping her arms about and shouting unhelpful instructions even though she doesn't drive.
Meanwhile a queue of other units has built up behind you, the bloke on the pitch opposite is glaring at you from behind his wind break just daring you to put a tyre tread on 'his' bit of grass and the leccy bollard is too close and on your blind side.
As an ex HGV artic driver my advice would be, don't get flustered, reverse slowly with small steering inputs and don't be too proud to pull forward to have another go if things start to go wrong, no matter who is watching. ;)
 
Mar 8, 2017
391
13
1,685
wandering.me.uk
Parksy said:
Craigyoung said:
CustardAvenger said:
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN_AxxHFRU0[/video]

Easy !! :p
But wow !
Very impressive, but he driver in the footage has a few advantages over us normal everyday leisure caravanners.
The towcar is LHD so there's no blind side reversing.
The drawbar on the caravan in the footage is longer than drawbars fitted to most UK built caravans. This means that the unit is slower to turn, therefore it's more forgiving when reversing.
On the carefully laid out course there's nothing to hit which would cause significant damage to the drivers pride and joy.
In real life many of us arrive a bit stressed out after a long journey on crowded roads, with kids in the back of the car squabbling / being sick / needing the toilet, it's raining outside and Herself is standing where you can't really see her vaguely flapping her arms about and shouting unhelpful instructions even though she doesn't drive.
Meanwhile a queue of other units has built up behind you, the bloke on the pitch opposite is glaring at you from behind his wind break just daring you to put a tyre tread on 'his' bit of grass and the leccy bollard is too close and on your blind side.
As an ex HGV artic driver my advice would be, don't get flustered, reverse slowly with small steering inputs and don't be too proud to pull forward to have another go if things start to go wrong, no matter who is watching. ;)

Sound advice.

I particularly like you description of "herself" for I wasn't aware that you had ever met my wife.
 
Dec 6, 2013
200
3
18,585
Visit site
Great words from Craigyoung.

On our visit to Switzerland a couple of years ago, the site warden directed me to turn left through a narrow opening to get to our pitch, before realising that the caravan was not going to make it without scraping against a big rock. He then invited me to reverse out, drive further up a steep hill, perform a 3-point turn next to a chalet and then turn right into the opening, which was at a more favourable angle. His words on completion (in a heavy Swiss German accent) were "you're a good driver. That normally ends in catastrophe".

Mine were "what the **** have you done to my clutch ... "
 
Oct 17, 2010
1,212
443
19,435
Visit site
Dodger524 said:
Parksy said:
Craigyoung said:
CustardAvenger said:
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN_AxxHFRU0[/video]

Easy !! :p
But wow !
Very impressive, but he driver in the footage has a few advantages over us normal everyday leisure caravanners.
The towcar is LHD so there's no blind side reversing.
The drawbar on the caravan in the footage is longer than drawbars fitted to most UK built caravans. This means that the unit is slower to turn, therefore it's more forgiving when reversing.
On the carefully laid out course there's nothing to hit which would cause significant damage to the drivers pride and joy.
In real life many of us arrive a bit stressed out after a long journey on crowded roads, with kids in the back of the car squabbling / being sick / needing the toilet, it's raining outside and Herself is standing where you can't really see her vaguely flapping her arms about and shouting unhelpful instructions even though she doesn't drive.
Meanwhile a queue of other units has built up behind you, the bloke on the pitch opposite is glaring at you from behind his wind break just daring you to put a tyre tread on 'his' bit of grass and the leccy bollard is too close and on your blind side.
As an ex HGV artic driver my advice would be, don't get flustered, reverse slowly with small steering inputs and don't be too proud to pull forward to have another go if things start to go wrong, no matter who is watching. ;)

Sound advice.

I particularly like you description of "herself" for I wasn't aware that you had ever met my wife.

Seems to be a universal description, That. :lol: :lol:
 
Mar 24, 2014
356
76
18,735
Visit site
SamandRose said:
Great words from Craigyoung.

On our visit to Switzerland a couple of years ago, the site warden directed me to turn left through a narrow opening to get to our pitch, before realising that the caravan was not going to make it without scraping against a big rock. He then invited me to reverse out, drive further up a steep hill, perform a 3-point turn next to a chalet and then turn right into the opening, which was at a more favourable angle. His words on completion (in a heavy Swiss German accent) were "you're a good driver. That normally ends in catastrophe".

Mine were "what the **** have you done to my clutch ... "

While I have done the CAMC Caravan Manoeuvring Course, I tend to leave any tricky reversing to the Motor Mover. However, on a recent visit to Hillhead, while trying to find a vacant pitch (having been given a vague "there may be some over there......." on check-in) I found myself at the bottom of one of their cul de sacs. The sound of me putting the car into reverse seemed to bring everyone out to watch. Uphill in reverse with a tight turn at the top with a tree stump on one side and a car on the other. Just about made it, mind you it took a few hours for the smell of baking clutch to fade away............
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts