othertonka
Stockton, CA
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Joined: 11/15/2003
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There are two schools of thought on this. The one that is being touted in this post and this one. If you know in your heart that your spouse is not a good driver or you think she will not be able to handle the driving of a big rig, why in the world would you insist that she learn to drive and put her in a position that she could possibly panic and loose control and crash and injure/kill/maime all of you and/or any other people who happen to be in another vehicle that could become involved. So use your best judgement when deciding to teach the DW to drive. You know if you should or not. There are insurance policy's that can provide a qualified driver to return your MH back to your residence in the event you become incapacitated. Just another opinion and offered as food for thought.
Othertonka
2004 Southwind 32VS
2002 CRV Toad
U. S. Gear Unified brake system
Retired Fire Captain, SFD
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Briteskys
Mesa, AZ
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Joined: 09/21/2006
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othertonka wrote:There are two schools of thought on this. The one that is being touted in this post and this one. If you know in your heart that your spouse is not a good driver or you think she will not be able to handle the driving of a big rig, why in the world would you insist that she learn to drive and put her in a position that she could possibly panic and loose control and crash and injure/kill/maime all of you and/or any other people who happen to be in another vehicle that could become involved. So use your best judgement when deciding to teach the DW to drive. You know if you should or not. There are insurance policy's that can provide a qualified driver to return your MH back to your residence in the event you become incapacitated. Just another opinion and offered as food for thought. Very well stated.
Its almost like the problem we may face when a parent or loved one is too old or infirmed to drive again.
'02 Beaver 40' Patriot Thunder
CAT C12 455hp
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Ron & Jane 2007 - 08
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StanleyandIris
Louisiana
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Joined: 06/17/2007
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I was terrified to get behind the wheel. One our first trip, we came to a long stretch of flat, straight Interstate. DH did what others have suggested and I took over and drove for about 100 miles. When the road got more congested, we switched.
DH said, 'you only have to drive it 5 miles and go as slow as you want'. Within about 2 minutes of back and forth and crossing the center line and hitting the yellow lines a few times, I had a basic feel for the steering at 45 mph. I stepped up in slight increments. There was no traffic and lots of room for error. I even pulled off into a service station.
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campercajun
Central Texas Hill Country
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Joined: 08/09/2007
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My wife's sister will also drive anything with wheels, but my wife won't even try pulling our TT. I wish she would. As chowchowone says, you never know when I might be incapacitated, and then what would we do?
2003 GMC Sierra Crew HD; 6.0L; Prodigy
2006 Thor Tundra 30RL-DSL; Reese Strait-Line & Dual-cam HP
2001 Honda Elite Scooter
Jim & Gayle Bryant
Murphy's Law: "Anything that CAN happen, WILL."
Bryant's Law: "31 years of RVing? Probably already HAS."
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tomlang
Los Angeles area
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Joined: 06/11/2007
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Not everyone really wants to drive these things.
Our first motorhome was a 25' Revcon. My wife never drove it.
Our second was (is) a 32' Winnebago gasser. My wife has driven it on occasion, only on the Interstate with easy entrance/exit points.
Out third is a new-to-us 38' Foretravel. We've only had it two months now, and she shows no signs of wanting to drive it. 38' looks awfully big to her right now. I'm hopeful she will want to get behind the wheel at some point after she sees how easy it is to drive.
By the way, I was told the previous owner of out 38' Foretravel is an 80 year old single lady who sold it to buy a new Foretravel (her fourth in succession, an new one abut every five years). She did take a women's RV driving course, and drives her big diesels everywhere.
Tom and Lynne
Tom is an Electronics Engineer, Lynne a retired teacher.
old rig is a 1988 Winnebago Superchief, just back from being on tour with the Blue Turtle Seduction (band)
new (our dream rig) is a 2003 Foretravel 38' U295
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bsinmich
Holland, MI
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Joined: 11/18/2000
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One time many years ago I got sick and my wife drove the car & TT to her folks home. Her father had her pull in next to the step and up to the garage. TTs don't back up in the same track as when they were pulled in straight so I had one devil of a time to get it out of there. I am scared stiff to ride in the PT with my wife driving so I am happy she doesn't want to drive the MH.
2003 Newmar Mountain Aire, Workhorse W22, & 2002 PT Cruiser w/Remco lube pump, Falcon 5250, & US Gear Unified Tow Brake
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btilfan
springfield NE
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Joined: 05/25/2007
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After much encouragement I got the DW to drive a small stretch of road and she did OK. Just as she was deciding to give it another shot we had a front blowout (with me behind the wheel). That was it. Now she won't even think about driving it. I have to admit It's going to take me awhile to get truly comfortable behind the wheel after that also.
1990 Cobra Malibu
My new hobby.
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Bumpyroad
Virginia
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Joined: 12/01/2005
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what I did with my first motorhome was on trips out west, find two rest stops on the interstate about 60 miles apart with absolutely nothing between them to let her practice.
bumpy
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beaverthunder
Prince George,BC, Canada
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Joined: 09/19/2007
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My wife drove ours before I did.
2004 Beaver Patriot Thunder Quad slide 505 Cat
No Toad yet
Full timing soon,I hope
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djevans
Tennessee
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Joined: 03/24/2002
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My wife simply wouldn't drive our 40footer for the longest. Finally, I took her out on the Interstate and got her to drove for a while. Then called a professional driver training school. (CDL school for OTR drivers) I finally convinced a driver trainer (threw lots of money at him) to give her "up to" 36 hours of "on the road" training.
I knew we were "good" when she came home and told me in stunned voice, that he made her parallel park the RV. I asked her how she did. She told me she got it right in there. Now she will drive if I would let her, but I don't. She's actually OK with that, but she definitely can drive it now.
I simply told her I could be sick, injured, or suffer some kind of dis-abling "attack." If we were out of cell phone coverage area she would have to drive or bury me. I'm thrilled she chose "learning to drive" over the alternative.
* This post was
edited 08/22/08 05:52am by djevans *
Don . . . near 36.171N 086.784W, TN near here
WA4ZFN
2003 Fleetwood Revolution 40C - Saturn VUE
350hp Cummins ISC
- - - P i c t u r e s - - -
I'm confused, WAIT! Maybe I'm not!
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