True Wind Navigator
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The Motorhome Experience - From A New Driver's Perspective
"There's nothing to it," those with experience told me. "You just have to watch your back end when you turn a corner," they added. While these things are true, I felt there must be a whole lot more that they had failed to mention. What about the width, the height, the lack of visibility, and my nervousness?
As I climbed behind the wheel for the first time, I looked in the side mirror and was convinced the motorhome was closer to 100 feet long rather than the 28 feet they told us it was when we bought it. Shifting into gear, I inched away from our house while I kept my eyes on all of the mirrors. "Don't worry about the rear-view mirror," I was told.
I drove slowly and block by block slowly began to gain confidence. An hour later I was comfortable enough to drive into a garage for gas. And with two hours of experience under my belt, we headed for the open highway on our first trip with me as the driver.
We traveled on what is considered to be one of the most difficult roads in the province of British Columbia. I was told when we set off, "don't worry and don't look down". I believe they thought those were words to instill confidence in my first-time effort to navigate this highway.
I began to realize as I drove that 'voices of experience' are so comfortable that they forget to tell all they learned as new drivers of a motorhome. There were several things I learned in those first few hours that those experienced drivers didn't think to tell me.
- In spite of what I was told, the rear-view mirror was a big help. When vehicles traveled too close behind me, I was able to see the tops of their roofs in the rear-view mirror even if I wasn't able to see them in my side mirrors.
- I found it was very important to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel when traveling where big rigs are sharing the road with you. I was surprised to discover that the wind they made as they passed rocked the motorhome. Also, when traveling in open spaces, there is a strong likelihood there will be gusts of wind across the highway and the motorhome could shift quite significantly.
- Steer wide when making right-hand turns.
- Stay at a speed that is comfortable for you. I felt 90 km/h was a good speed to begin with. (When traveling at a consistent speed, gas consumption is also reduced).
- The small round mirrors on the side mirrors can save your life; they are the ones that will let you know if someone is in your blind spot. Make good use of them.
- Try to angle the vehicle when pulling into traffic in order to get the best view possible of the approaching traffic.
- Stay in the slow lane and don't feel pressured to go faster than you are comfortable with.
After several trips, I now feel very comfortable driving our RV and would have no qualms about driving anywhere.
About the Author
Sylvia Behnish has published her first non-fiction book entitled "Roller Coaster Ride With Brain Injury (For Loved Ones)" which tells the story of the first year following her partner's brain injury. Her first fiction book, a three generation family saga, entitled "His Sins" will be out in late Fall. She has also had numerous articles published in newspapers and magazines in both Canada and the United States.
To order "Roller Coaster Ride With Brain Injury (For Loved Ones)" go to: orders@trafford.com
Blog: http://www.progressofabraininjury.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.talesbysylvia.com
Glenn Miller - In The Mood 78 rpm on my Victrola!
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