Women Drivers

[05ModPod]

Originally Posted by clemdogmom

Please see me on You Tube - "Martha's Airstream".

YOU GO GIRL An inspiration to all the silver sisters out there

May you always keep her between the ditches and the Shinny side up

[wheel interested]

Originally Posted by clemdogmom

Please see me on You Tube - "Martha's Airstream".

That was super! Go Martha!! Nice video and was a cute surprise ending. Makes me wish I was on the road now. Thanks for posting.

We take turns driving. I am not a good passenger unless I am napping or picking out yet another place to stop again. I would rather be driving. I also tow solo like many of the others who have commented. Good posts.

[LawChick]

I can tow our 29', no problem. Only thing is, it tows so well I forget its back there and yank it a little too fast on occasion. I could back it up, too, if he let me. Okay, so there was this curb on a tight turn in Hattiesburg. But no harm done except to my pride! And Mister has curbed it, too!

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by eubank

My wife won't pull the Airstream because she won't drive the truck. The problem, as unlikely as it may seem, is that she really doesn't like an automatic transmission. Argh. And our truck is the very first automatic-transmission vehicle we've ever owned! Guess I should have ordered a manual.

Lynn

I like your wife already.

[DKB_SATX]

So, never minding the "he" vs. "she" distinction, my partner has no problem driving the truck/trailer combination in either direction. He's driven big ambulances (forward and back) at least as many miles as I've towed trailers, but in general he's pretty happy to let me drive while we're hitched up. I think it may have something to do with the conversation I have with the truck. He knows the truck and I are close, or hope that's the case and I'm not just crazy.

[kds]

Originally Posted by clemdogmom

Please see me on You Tube - "Martha's Airstream".

MARTHA---YOU ARE MY HERO ( OR HEROINE)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love the video! Go girl, I am so proud of you.

kds

[kds]

Originally Posted by GT1963

Ha ha I resemble this post although I did not have kids (not my choice) I did spend 30 years looking after a 6'.2" kid

Did the career thing, did the american (come Canadian) Dream thing - saved all the money, did what we were supposed to do. Married young, prepared for a family, got the house the dog and the family car and two great jobs. You know follow the society rules, the parents aspirations, all the education teachings - life was set - yeah right. Only to have it all taken away in a matter of a few years just when you are about to retire.

On top of that add anomalies and twists in your life journey you never expect, or wanted - but have no choice but to accept, stand back up brush yourself off - and hit the road in your airstream best medicine in the world!!!

Life is BIG but never too LARGE is my motto.

I hope you get out there streamrollin - if simply not for peace of mind as a back up driver in case of injury or under the weather...I guarantee you will have fun and after the initial learning curve and butterflies you will say to yourself why on earth was I ever worried about towing...

Oh what a wise one your are. Thanks for sharing------

kds

[StreamRollin]

I have a new found confidence thanks to all the posts! You ladies & gents rock it! And so will I ... Wendy

[silverwoman]

I did "it" for the 1st time a few weeks ago because I had no choice & I was determined. No one could even come along for the ride which is just as well. My back seat driver son would have made me very nervous. My 1st tow was almost 80 miles with an "as is" '70 Streamline '23 that had been sitting for 6 years exposed to all the elements including snow. In addition, this is a trailer had seen some miles going back & forth from AZ to Alaska every year.

With no brake controller and the advise and encouragement of many folks here, I made it home calmly with a big smile on my face, feeling empowered, knowing that if I could do that, I could tow it anywhere only next time it will be road worthy.

I'll need a lot more practice backing in. After 30 minutes trying to back it into my space from a narrow road, I almost jackknifed it until my son showed up to help me. It's kinda like, I don't need a man until I can't open the jar of pickles.

Just do it I say. It's an amazing experience. As a city girl, I love hearing from all the capable women who know how to tow a trailer. It's not something I ever thought I'd be doing until I fell in love with trailers. Happy Trailer-ing everyone!

[Gene]

Silver', congratulations. Necessity overcomes fear if you want to do something.

When we bought the trailer, all I had towed were a couple of small U-Haul trailers, although I had driven busses and large box trucks in the past. Barb was glad to leave the initial learning to me and as I learned things, I explained what I learned to her. First I learned from books and the Forum, and then the scary exit from the dealership, having to go around corners in a busy city, and then park it in a campground (pull through fortunately) a couple of miles away. After some short trips, we decided to go to Arizona and the Mojave Desert as it was getting late in November. Out in the middle of nowhere in the desert on an easy flat paved road, Barb got behind the wheel for the 1st time. I decided that rather than following on foot behind her, I would get in the truck and she did fine. She drove more each day, finally mastering the dreaded interstate as well as deserted highways in the intermountain west and pulled into a gas station without hitting anything. It took her a little more driving to pull out of a station. She doesn't like driving anything in unfamiliar cities, but I set her up by figuring out how to have her driving when we came to crazy interstate interchanges in places like Kansas City at rush hour. She did fine. My goal is to have her tow in NYC, but I think we will have live 1,000 years to get that done (I don't want to do it either). She has backed up, but no more than 5'. I'm working on that too.

Barb is fine with long boring stretches of interstate or secondary roads across the flatlands. I don't like them, but I like mountains, curves, switchbacks, gravel (sometimes) and crazy cities. So we share and get better at this as we go on. If I learn something here, I tell her and we try to commit it to memory so it is automatic in an emergency.

Last time I looked, about 2/3 of the poll responses were that women drive. It would be higher if men could answer the poll question. My impression was that it would be lower based on who I see driving RV's in general. Maybe Airstreamers are more into equality. Barb grew up in a time when women didn't take any chances, were taught to be afraid of the everything and never exercised. I am always glad to see her go beyond that teaching because I want a full partner.

Gene

[robert claus]

When I told Becky that over 60% of respondents to this poll indicated that the women also drive, her response was "Well then, I guess I better step up!" This is good.

[robert claus]

Just watched Martha's Airstream on YouTube - beautiful, and an inspiration.

[casa3805]

Skye could not wait to drive when we bought ours. I have been towing things my whole driving life so it is second nature I guess to me. She started slow, straight roads, big roads, and then took us thru Austin at rush hour. WHEW! She did great. But now that she has done it, back to the cell phone and FaceBook or whatever else she is doing on that little electronic thing for the whole trip...

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by casa3805

Skye could not wait to drive when we bought ours. I have been towing things my whole driving life so it is second nature I guess to me. She started slow, straight roads, big roads, and then took us thru Austin at rush hour. WHEW! She did great. But now that she has done it, back to the cell phone and FaceBook or whatever else she is doing on that little electronic thing for the whole trip...

Good for her! If there's ANY way to avoid it, I don't drive through Austin near rush hour in the CAR, much less towing the Argosy. That toll bypass is worth even the amount they gouge for the extra 2 axles.

[judybug]

I do all the driving, that includes the Airstream. Husband can no longer drive since a TBI in 2006. We, mostly me, wanted to camp so I pushed to overcome the fear of pulling the trailer. Hooking up and unhooking takes me twice as long as most people, but I get it done in my time. Everything seems to be getting heavier as the months go by, or maybe I'm getting weaker. I must admit though that backing is still a challenge for me, but I was able to back into our covered rental unit by sitting orange cones up to warn me if I veered off. Still not very good at backing up and turning into a site yet, but practice will help. I like to back straight into spots and do research before requesting a particular slot at a resort or better yet request a pull through if available. I have pulled from San Antonio to Corpus Christi (Port Aransas) and then from there to San Saba. Planning a trip to Arkansas in the near future to check out some camping spots we went to as children. I'm over the mid 60's mark and hope to keep pulling thru the mid 70's if my family will allow it. Love the Airstream people we've met and totally proud of myself for getting out there and doing it. Stream ON!!

[pidget]

When my husband gets tired, I take over the wheel and after a few minutes of nerves, do relax and drive. Never having towed anything (car, boat, utility trailer...) I found it easier than I thought it would be. As others have said, practice in the mall parking lot on Sunday morning. We did that and brought boxes to go around, back up into and it was really great way to learn, even if a tad frustrating at times.

I help hitch up every time, give the hand signal backing up directions to DH and we are so good now, it only takes up about 15 minutes to do it all. Not bad since we only got our airstream last December!

I encourage you to learn to hitch up, drive, so you know what to do in an emergency and just to have fun too. Gets boring sitting in the passenger seat sometimes.

[Air Cruiser]

This isn't exactly following the thread, but I'm certain it will be of help to all who are contemplating their first pull...................

My fears, and does anyone have any tips on how to do them:

1) Making a 90 degree turn at a stop light.

2) Changing lanes on freeways/interstates (I know to watch the mirrors, but I still worry about blind spots).

3) Driving through a narrow place.

Thanks so much in advance.

Deb

[Stefrobrts]

Originally Posted by Air Cruiser

My fears, and does anyone have any tips on how to do them:

1) Making a 90 degree turn at a stop light.

2) Changing lanes on freeways/interstates (I know to watch the mirrors, but I still worry about blind spots).

3) Driving through a narrow place.

Well, our trailer is only 17ft, so I don't know if it changes much as you get longer trailers, but our trailer tracks perfectly behind the van. Where the van goes - it goes. So we do not have to worry about swinging wider than usual going around corners, or anything like that. If the van can make it, the trailer can make it.

As for changing lanes, you'll quickly get a feel for how long your rig is, and those wide angle stick-on mirrors will help you get a good view down your side so you know you're clear.

We haven't encountered many narrow places, though we've scratched it up with branches a few times on roads heading into campgrounds. I wouldn't worry about it until you encountered them. Most places you're going to be driving were made for vehicles larger than your AS to pass through!

Don't let it hold you back. The first two can be conquered with practice and confidence in your abilities. The third is only rarely going to come up anyway

[Diesel1]

Originally Posted by Air Cruiser

This isn't exactly following the thread, but I'm certain it will be of help to all who are contemplating their first pull...................

My fears, and does anyone have any tips on how to do them:

1) Making a 90 degree turn at a stop light.

Thanks so much in advance.

Deb

Plan ahead,stay to the left side of your lane,get to the far side of the lane you are turning into before you start to turn you wheel. As has been mentioned practice this in a empty parking lot.

[redwoodguy]

I wanted to be sure my wife could hook and tow. For two people traveling I did not ever want to be in a situation where we couldn't move if the primary driver got sick. My wife learned to tow our rig easily, and she has a proper check list, and can hitch it alone too. I have complete confidence in her. But normally I do most of the driving. She always helps with her half on the hitch, and she is the absolute best at silent hand signal only backing of the trailer. She is also a navigator par excellence.