**Little Boo Boo's**

[Silvertwinky]

I was backing into a parking spot with our first A/S. The tow vehicle was a Ford 150 P/U.

While concentrating intently on backing and looking over my shoulder I failed to watch the front side of the truck. I had turned the wheel sharp while backing and when I looked back around I saw a tree next to the fender. I had bumped the tree with the tire on the tread without scrapping the fender. The tree was only about 1-2 inches from the fender. I was certainly glad that it missed!

[53flyingcloud]

I think we can all say that~ "it was awfully close~!

When moving my A/S the other day, I almost forgot to see the "cute" little flag that my neighbor had stuck out on the border of her property~!! It was sticking out over onto my lot's space and, it will be mention the next time I see her..(They should know better.)

At least in your case, the tire took it~And, your unit didn't suffer any damages~!!..

ciao

[canny_banjo_man]

Hi Guys...
...Say '53... does it not state that if a fruit tree is in the next yard, but the fruit hangs over into Yr yard...then the fruit becomes YOURS...now how I look at it is this...TOUCH yr neighbours flag, an she will no doubt be after Yr butt...lol .
so U wanna make a pie with the fruit, but U don't have enough, well what U do is wait 'till they out and back up yr sub, into the fruit tree, an a few hopefully will drop off 4 U...or pray 4a gale...or jus b plain grateful 4 what U got... .
Jus a quickie, whilst on our first trip 2 Fl:, we called at Old Town...so I tried 2 reverse the Van into a slot, I kn I had nothing b'hind me, so off I went abt it, ...soon stopped when I hit this wooden post, OOOps....we all piled out, I went back to look at the post, onto which was a 15 inch sq notice...RESERVED 4 SHERRIFF parking only...all others will b towed...O double GOSH...I had 2 park ages away...kinda wondered why it was left vacant....well what do U expect...I are from ENGLAND U kn... .
U Guys doin OK...GOOD...Chris.....

[Pahaska]

i seldom put the stabilizing jacks down when I am alone in the trailer. On one 4-day rally, because so many folks wanted to see the new trailer, I decided that I would drop them anyway. Then I forgot them completely.

Time to leave, I jacked up the tongue and hitched up. Did my pre-departure walkaround and there were the stabilizers down. They were jammed into the ground so tight that I was unable to retract them. I finally used my truck jack to take off enough pressure to crank them up.

[jcanavera]

Originally posted by Silvertwinky
I was backing into a parking spot with our first A/S. The tow vehicle was a Ford 150 P/U.

While concentrating intently on backing and looking over my shoulder I failed to watch the front side of the truck.

I was parking at a local rally and had "too much help". My wife was standing at the rear of the trailer on the curb side with the 2 way. I was listening to a fellow member telling me where to go on the drivers side. I had the van turned sharply to the left and was backing.

Unfortunately I paid to much attention to the member, my wife thought I saw the tree on the right and the next thing I hear was her yelling "STOP!" in the two way. At the same moment I hear a light crunch. I look to my right only to find the tree firmly against the passenger door.

It only left a small dent, no paint lost, thankfully the trailer wasn't involved. This was the first time in 25+ years of towing I have ever hit anything. I advise folks to not help me back in. Let my wife and I do it. Any more help just adds to the confusion.

Jack

[thenewkid64]

I don't remember hitting anything when backing into a site, but we had a couple of situations where good intentioned older Rv'ers would come to help us get backed in. This was while we were full timing at the tender age of 32 and moving once a week or traveling. Edie and I had already agreed on how we would handle it since pulling into a campground always brought out the help and the gawkers. We were towing a 31 foot 77 Airstream behind a gray F350 crew cab dually diesel, with 2 great Danes and bikes on the roof rack.

While all of the "helpers" stood around the rig and gave me different advice on how far etc. Edie just stood where she always did and used her normal hand signals down low, but where I could still see them. I ignored the verbal advice because I knew what Edie knew based on her signals. Once we got parked we always thanked them for the help! Is that wrong??

[gwsullivan]

I had a similar experience at the international rally. There were three gentlemen attempting to guide me back into a space. One was talking to me through the window and the other two were in back of the trailer using hand signals and flags. One of them actually had his back to me so he had no idea where I was headed. After three unsuccesful attempts my wife got out of the truck, stood in the space where she wanted my left rear bumper to end up and said "aim for me" at which time the three gentlemen thanked her and went on their way.

[Safari Tim]

The first one was backing in our yard between the chain link fence gate.

I could not see the passenger side at all and had my 12 year old guiding me in. All of sudden I hear a big scrape!

Got out to see I hit the post and was right up against it. Instead of calmly figuring it out. I simply pulled forward which did even more damage. Big deep scratch in the door and forward panel. And ripped the entry handle out of the side and bent it out 90 degrees away from the trailer.

I was really bummed. I was able to fix the handle after I calmed down you can't tell anything happened to it. The scratches add character

The second one was our first time out this year. I jacked knifed while I was backing in and brushed the rear of my truck into the front of the trailer. No trailer damage that I can tell (I think that dent was already there ;-)), but scratched my truck tail lights. Much to the amusement of the camping neighboors.

[Davydd]

Having never pulled anything other than my recently purchased Airstream a grand total of 8 miles I am sure my time will come. I know because I have smashed two tail lights on two separate occasions against trees on my vehicles at camp sites.

I have 1.5 acres but it is all woods with little manuevering room. When I got my Airstream home my experienced trailering neighbor helped me back it into its current resting location. It took nearly a half hour. We missed a large boulder on the right side with just a tire rub and a large 12 ft high x 3 ft diameter dead tree stump on the left side by about an inch.

The following week I lassoed that stump, pulled it down and out with my Trailblazer, chopped out the roots and filled the hole. This weekend I am going to tackle that boulder I originally placed to protect a newly planted Maple tree 20 years ago. The tree no longer needs that protection but it will probably be lying in prey waiting for my Airstream. :-(

[Silvertwinky]

I've had my share of close calls!

Not long after we bought our current Excella I was in Pigeon Forge, TN. We had gone there on a short notice and all we could find for parking was in a newer campground with what they called an “overflow area.”

When we went to leave we had to back into another spot (which had not been available for parking at our arrival) just to dump the waste water.

We had to back in turning on the passenger side. I despise having to back in somewhere when it’s like that. Well my wife was watching in the back, I couldn’t see her, and she was yelling STOP! STOP! STOP! As you have probably surmised by now, I couldn’t hear her either. I had gotten over a little too far on the passenger side and backed into a picnic table sitting on a slab. I shoved the table back about two or three feet before I came to a stop. Since I couldn’t hear I got out and walked back and I was informed of the dilemma I had created! Fortunately the table had come to a rest in the grass about a couple of feet before it took out a water spigot.

Lucky me, because of where the table was sitting it slid easily and didn’t do any damage to the back of the trailer.

I think I will try and start using some walkie-talkies; and to think we’ve had them all along, lying out of site in the back of a cabinet in our house.

[Silvertwinky]

I was parking at a local rally and had "too much help".

Jack,

I can certainly appreciate all of the help you are speaking of.

On one occasion we were again in Pigeon Forge, TN and when arriving after dark; several of the neighbors came out to help us park! Everyone wants to help; with good intentions of course, although I think they enjoy watching the show as well!

As I’m sure you’ve probably heard; too many cooks spoil the broth! It can be somewhat challenging just trying to park!

[DMAYRES]

When my wife and I brought our '71 Ambassador, it was the first time I had towed anything over fifteen feet. I was nervous has heck... terrified that I was going to hit something, or put a dent on "The Boop".

Sure enough, less than 4 miles from the Airstream Dealership, I had to put gas into the tow vehicle. A pickup truck pulled in ahead of me and blocked most of the lane. I tried to go around him, and misjudged my distance to the steel pole protecting the pump. Ouch - my first scratch.

Four hours later - and my second gas fillup towing, I had no choice - it was a tiny gas station in a small town, middle of the night, and the tank was real low.

Again, I misjudged - those darned steel poles. This time I got wedged. I tried to keep my calm (ie: whimpering very quietly), and just stared amd troed to figure out how to unwedge myself.

I did it, but not without adding a four foot scrape along the curb side. I felt so bad because this poor trailer had 31 years dent free, until it met me.

Fortunately I've since learned patience, and always gas up on the OUTSIDE lane - no matter how long I have to wait.

[Silvertwinky]

Another Boo-Boo,

I wasn’t quite as lucky this time! And I wasn't in Pigeon Forge either!

The silvertwinky was parked in its little cozy drive way beside our house. I had the main awning open for some shade and had left it open for a few days. In order to access the inside of our screened in porch, I had to lift the end of the awning higher than the last notch on the support arm in order for the main roller to clear the screen door. I would support it with a long board. I’ve done this several times in the past but somehow the arm had separated from the arm sleeve it rests in and the arm fell striking the side of the trailer.

It left its scar as a permanent little dent. If it was on our vehicle I would call it a “courtesy dent.”

I’m sure we’ve all had our little Boo Boo’s; let us hear about them!

[jcanavera]

While we are on the topic of boo boos, for those of you who are new to the forum, you may enjoy an older thread appropriately named dump station follies.

http://www.airforums.com/forum...hlight=follies

Jack

[canny_banjo_man]

HI Guys....
Not quite up 2 Yr standards by a long way...but a few years ago I bought a dump-it trailer from a friend up the road, it was a caravan chassis, abt 8x4.5x4foot high, it was a monster, real heavy, the chances of me reversing it 2a 90 degree angle into the drive were NIL...so I used to unhook it, and wrestle it down our steep drive, usualy I enlisted help from " inside "...but as it was too much trouble 4 them sometimes, I mastered it alone, so 2 stop it, I placed a row of bricks where I needed them, well on this one day, my D/D had moved the bricks away 2 sweep the yard, well I done my wrestling trick, and to my amazement, the trailer kept on goin, an goin...so with NO brick-brakes, the trailer crunched into the garden shed, thus smashing my brand new light bar assembly...I was realy impressed with my handy work, but as half as I was with my D/Ds neat 'n tidy yard...GRrrr.
Word Is said that one has had NO experience until one has had a BOO-BOO...
Love Yr stories...MORE please...Chris.....

[joe hall]

this thread. I now know I am not alone in making mistakes, and I have a gouge about ten inches long to memorialize one event. I park the trailer next to a renovated barn, under a roofed over-hang. Positioning the trailer correctly has become easier, but not without cost. I once maneuvered too closely and ended up putting a ding in the right rear quarter-panel - the first blemish on a 17 year-old skin. Right of passage, perhaps, but irritating. I have nightmares about snugging the trailer so close to the barn I have to tear the barn down to free up the trailer!

[Silvertwinky]

Luckily, nothing happened. I was trying to back our 5er in our drive and park it yesterday; the problem was I tried to do it without a spotter. "DON"T TRY IT" It's just asking for a problem. If anyone has had any experience with a 5th wheels you may know what I'm talking about. In all of my years of towing I found they are a lot harder than a trailer to back up. I may do better when I get more used to it though. Anyway, while backing into our drive I had it turned into a position where I simply couldn't see anything on the passenger side of the camper. I started having doubts and thought I had better stop. I did, got out and looked and I was only a few inches from clipping the corner of our eave on the house. Had I kept backing up I would have certainly done some damage.


As a normal practice we use a small pair of walkie-talkies. My wife will watch for the blind spots. This has been the easiest and best way we have found to avoid trouble while backing or parking. The walkie-talkies work great, I highly recommend using them.

[soldiermedic]

When we got our caravanner home from Michigan it was time to attemp our first back up. Even with Amy in back on the two way it wasn't the easiest thing since I had never done it. I was hinged so much the my tail light and Airstream had a brief relationship. I teenie tiny crack in the tail lens, and nothing on the stream. The panel just popped back out like nothing ever happened. I wiped the sweat off, and let out a sigh.

Unlike Jack, I always welcome someone helping us back in since we are not proficient at it yet.

Steve

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by soldiermedic

When we got our caravanner home from Michigan it was time to attemp our first back up. Even with Amy in back on the two way it wasn't the easiest thing since I had never done it. I was hinged so much the my tail light and Airstream had a brief relationship. I teenie tiny crack in the tail lens, and nothing on the stream. The panel just popped back out like nothing ever happened. I wiped the sweat off, and let out a sigh.

Unlike Jack, I always welcome someone helping us back in since we are not proficient at it yet.

Steve

Back up cameras help backing up..

They also help keeping a relationship intact.

Andy

[soldiermedic]

This relationship wasn't good....I was connected to the trailer at the time and a backup light wouldn't likely have prevented what happened.

Steve