Women that drive RVs

[itself]

Well, I am wondering, as we are just back from the National Parks, men always seem to be driving.

So raise your hand if you are a woman that drives the RV!  And do you even manage to drive the huge Class A motorhomes!  Where did you learn to drive it? 

Thanks!

Lisa

 

[Iron Horse]

I am a woman and I do most of the driving of our Class A motorhome. I drove a school bus for 34 years and there is not much difference in the driving except that I don't have 72 screaming kids behind me. You can take a driving class because you never know when you will be put in a position that requires you to drive.
Alyse (wife of IronHorse)

 

[crosscountry]

My wife took the driving course at Winnebago's rally.  It was taught by women and only for women.  She enjoyed the class, both lecture and actual driving in town.  She drives around campgrounds, parks, backs (not happily).  Puts it in and takes it out of the garage.  She has driven it on the Interstate and back country roads.

We have a 36' class A and tow a vehicle.

Unfortunately due to several back surgeries her legs go numb after driving for an hour.  However, she has the confidence and ability to drive us safely off the road if necessary.

I see quite a few women driving as we travel around this country.  Some are by themselves and some are driving because their spouse can or will not drive.  I met one husband and wife team, the wife drove because the husband is blind.

Many rallies offer driving classes.  If you have concerns find an empty parking lot and practice.  I taught my mother how to park, backup and stay between the lines in a school parking lot.  She had a Chevy Suburban with a 28' TT.  She knew how to hook up, unhook, level, and take care of the tanks from many years of camping with Dad.

We know 3 women in a club we belong to that drive 36' Class A's by themselves to our monthly campouts.


Enjoy and don't forget to wave, it is not just a country thing.
Russ

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

We have several lady drivers here - Lorna Reiter, Chris Jones, Sam Ruward, and Ardra Fitzgerald come quickly to mind and I know there are several more I'm not thinking of offhand. And I'm talking 40 foot rigs too.

 

[Jim Godward]

Lisa,

My wife, Pat,does most of the driving, parking etc.  I am perfectly capable of doing it but she prefers to drive and to be honest long hours at the wheel bother my hands, arthritis.  She drives when we head south in the winter on the snow and ice, if present, with no problems.  She took the class offered by the RV Driving school. 

 

[Marsha/CA]

I drive our 36' diesel pusher pulling a tow car.  I've driven all over the country and also in Canada; through downtown city areas, windy steep grades and over bridges.  I love it.  My husband and I trade off driving.  I must be pretty good, because he always falls asleep when I drive.

For me, I love the fact that I can get us out of any situation that may occur.  One year we were camped in Tuscon and lived in San Diego.  My husband was pretty sick (walking pneumonia) and we didn't want to go to a hospital in AZ; so I unhooked everything, pulled out of the campsite, hooked up the tow car and drove all the way to San Diego non-stop.  I would have been a basket case if I had not been capable of handling everything. 

If you do a lot of traveling, you'll begin to see quite a few women drivers. 

Marsha~

 

[zukIzzy]

My 16 year old, now 19 insisted that I teach her to drive the motorhome on a trip to Utah from Ca about 3 months after getting her license. I pulled over and gave up my seat, with a bit of coaching she drove from Glendale to Mesquite, on the way home she did Parowan to st George. She does as much driving as I do now if she comes along and pulls and backs the trailer and boat. she is about 5'2 and 100 lbs but a strong minded thing.

It is not a muscle or strength thing I think it is just a confidence thng. You can do it, take a class and start with a small trip then go a little farther every time. soon you'll be driving cross the country.

My wife refuses to drive the motorhome unless it is a dire need. she can do it but does not like to.

Wayne

 

[ferfer]

I also share driving with my husband and, yes he does nap while I am driving.  We have a 35' motorhome towing a truck for 58' caravan.  I have not taken an RV Driving class but I may in the future.  Never hurts to polish driving skills and discover the error of my ways  :  I still must concentrate to make wide turns in gas stations, etc.  DH says they are still not wide enough.  But in my defense, I make a transition from a Vette (very low) to the motorhome (very high and sitting above the wheels).  So I am working on moving forward more before making the turn.  I enjoy driving streets and highways, backing up using the camera and walkie talkies.  I know I need more practice mountain driving, not hard but controlling speed downhill without excessive braking takes a little thought and practice. 

As Wayne said, CONFIDENCE which you will get with practice.  I think a driving class is a good ideal but not absolutely necessary.  Also, we drive around 60 mph (gas mileage) so almost everyone is passing us.  Slow down and enjoy the drive. 

Jennifer

 

[BritChris]

I drive our 34 foot towing a car.  I still do not park it in a campground or back up with it.  Usually turn it over to my husband for that.  Several years ago we drove to Honduras and back twice so I have also driven a 37 foot motorhome not only in the States and Canada but in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.  Having said that I am still not as proficient as I would like to be.  It seems it was a whole lot easier when I was younger!

 

[tedonaldsn]

My wife tows our 33' fiver (17,500 lbs fully loaded). She learned to drive it comfortably in about a half hour of practice at Milford State Park near Junction City, KS, including backing into a site. Then we started the trip from Junction City, KS, to Brookings, OR. I got sick, and she ended up driving well over half of that trip.

Our agreement before we ever went on the road was that she would do half the driving. She pretty much did throughout the three and a half years we fulltimed, and still does on the occasional trip we still take.

Kay is rather small. We took pains to get a truck with adjustable pedals and lots of seat adjustment (Ford F550). She still used a booster cushion, but was quite comfortable. She has a bit of a lead foot; sometimes *I* was not so comfortable in the passenger seat.

 

[RoyM]

I need to caution lead foot occasionally. Karen wanted to drive our first trip out with the 5er, she had limited highway experience and had never pulled a trailer. Other than misjudging traffic speed when merging from the rest stop (that made me nervous) she handled it very well although she will not back it as she has poor peripheral vision and depth perception.
A couple of you made a very good point. If I get sick or hurt, I am glad to know she can take over.

 

[LindaH]

Why is it that some people seem to think driving/towing an RV is gender-specific and that women aren't capable of doing so just because they are women?

Yes, I know how to tow our fifth wheel and have done so on numerous occasions, even though I am not the main driver (mainly because we rarely go over 100 miles per day).  However, I am capable of doing everything needed should the occasion arise that I have to do it alone.

 

[Tom]

Good question Linda! My wife does 95% of the driving of our 38' coach towing a Suburban, and a similar percentage of the driving of our boat (which develops 4X the horsepower of our coach).

 

[ArdraF]

Why is it that some people seem to think driving/towing an RV is gender-specific and that women aren't capable of doing so just because they are women?

Linda, there are some women who are quite terrified of driving a motorhome.  I get after them all the time because women NEED to know how to get out in a hurry if their husbands can't (think heart attack in a remote area and there's no one else around and no cell service).  Also there are husbands who don't want their wives to drive.  I get after them too - but for entirely different reasons. 

Lisa, there are a lot of us women who do at least half or more of the driving.  I love driving our motorhome and would be happy driving all the time but then Jerry wants to drive too so that doesn't work...  50-50 seems like a good compromise in our case.  I do everything including backing into campsites and driving into our garage.

EVERY woman should know how to drive their RV and do necessary hooking and unhooking.  We both took the RV Driving School even though we had been driving RVs for years and we BOTH learned new stuff.  It was worth every penny!

ArdraF

 

[itself]

And in our case, as it is my best friend Laurie, it will be two women driving!  As we were seeing the Class As on the road, they looked so intimidating!  But both of us are so adventurous that nothing will stop us.

RV show, test drive and then buy!  Perhaps we may even rent as we are presently going to one National Park a year.  The rentals are darn expensive, but will give us a great flavor of what we like/dislike. 

Thanks for sharing, it's sooo nice to know that so many women are "womening" the wheel!

Lisa

 

[sparkling_gal]

Hi - I haven't driven an RV yet but I'm used to driving a large van (think you call them that in the US - not sure) with a heap of heavy stuff in it.  I guess it's the same as driving a Class C.  I really do think the A's look easier to drive than a C.  The visibility is a whole lot better for a start.  And when you're pulling into another lane, you just allow plenty of time and you're fine.  Folk tend to keep well back when you're manoevering into another lane, as you're in a larger vehicle.

 

[mrschwarz]

I have been working on my wife for a few years to get her to drive. When we got the new coach, I finally talked her into trying. She pulled it out of the campsite. Set the parking brake and said, 'I'm done'.

Fortunately, I enjoy driving.

 

[Pierat]

My wife, Mary-Wales, does more than half of the driving for us. When we bought our motorhome this spring, we immediately took the two-day class with Dick Reed's RV Driving School. Best thing we could have done. We have a Class A, 42' diesel motorhome (GVWR 23 tons) pulling a Honda CR-V. BTW, she's a lot better than I am at backing the coach (unhooked, of course). And she likes driving better than I do.  We have traveled over 6,000 miles so far this year (yikes!).

ArdraF makes an excellent point. Those who travel regularly in the coach would be well advised to learn to handle all of the regular chores, including driving, and practice them.

If you look around at who is driving school buses and shuttle buses, for example, don't be surprised to see lots of women drivers. This could be good and bad. Glad they do it well, but unfortunately some of the jobs probably don't pay a whole lot. I think I saw school bus drivers advertised under $8.00 per hour in Arizona. Not sure what over-the-road truckers make, but I have seen a fair number of women doing that as well.

- John

 

[Roy]

I almost never see Men My Wife won't drive but that is Her.
I always pick out a rig and tell her look who is driving I bet 65% of the time I see Women and I like it.
I only wish my wife will try when I ask She will say O    He#$  no.
They always look like they are having FUN.

lol

 

[maddog348]

Learned to drive the ClassA last March(RV Driving School- think it was 1st time instructor ever had one-eyed student) passed ok - not too scarey.  Did it just to be sure I could if need arose.  ;D  Defer most  driving to Maddog - she is younger and has 2 eyes.  But I know I can - and will.    K (One-Eyed-Old-Lady)