Driver Training

[rrstory]

I'm a new owner of a 2003 Land Yacht and interested in a school for driving an RV motor coach. Help in Nashville, TN

[SteveSueMac]

Congrats!


Look for local CDL (commercial drivers license) training facilities. Many have safe RV driver classes on the weekends.

My wife and I did this the first weekend we had our trailer. Best money we ever spent!

Good luck!

[HowieE]

The most important thing to remember is not to start turning the wheel till your butt has pasted the curb line of the road you are turning on to.

This may sound quite but find a large parking lot put a cone, to be the curb and try it.

[Msmoto]

Having put 50,000 miles on a 44 foot Allegro Bus, I can attest to some of the mistakes many of us make....like hitting the mailbox coming out of a long driveway....$500....

They do not stop, especially with a towed....double or more stopping distances compared to a car, even worse in wet conditions.


Drive looking 12 seconds down the road, know everything within 4 seconds and never get closer than 2 seconds.....

If two turn lanes exist, use the outer, wider turn one.

Stand at a busy corner and watch the semi-trailer drivers as they negotiate a corner Then, in a huge parking lot place some cones and practice the techniques you have observed

It is not difficult but requires the same level of concentration as pulling a trailer safely. Two hands on the wheel, avoid distractions, i.e., telephone or other.

Turning requires driving straight into the intersection until your rear wheels will clear the apex of the curve.

Good luck

Oh, yes, pass the CDL test for vehicles over 26,000 lbs and you should be proficient in driving this unit.

[rrstory]

Good advice!!

[DaveFL]

I like the idea of cones, much easier than walls or vehicles.
If you are filling up with gas, make sure you don't turn left leaving the pump if you have a passenger side fillup.

If you can get a very tall cone or put in a post you can watch how your rear end swings in the opposite direction of your turn, that 10 ft overhanging rear is much worse than the length or width of the unit.

[cwf]

Folding chairs can be used instead of cones. Just don't flatten them

[wheelygoode]

Depending on where you might be traveling, Lazy Days near Tampa, FL has (or at least had) a free drivers confidence course - I took it several years ago and it was worth the time spent. Only took one day, morning was classroom teaching(and I still remember a lot of the tips) and then the afternoon was an actual drive of one of their motorhomes, each class participant taking a turn. Not as good as a full truck driving course, but enough to get you going with enough knowledge to keep you out of trouble. I have noticed several parts of the classroom segment on YouTube which you might like to check out.
An empty parking lot is a good place to practice.
I took the course because it makes sense for both husband and wife to be able to drive the rig.