New and experienced RV drivers alike can have challenges knowing where their back tires are tracking. Lazydays senior driving instructor Barney Alexander has taught over 35,000 students his simple method, guaranteed to help you avoid running over curbs and damaging your tires…

When people come to the Lazydays RV Driver Confidence Course, many of them feel like they won’t ever get the hang of driving a motorhome. I tell them all it takes is a few simple tricks and they’ll never run over the curb again.

The key is to remember that when you drive a car, you’re basically sitting in the center of the vehicle. In an RV, the driver and steering wheel are right on top of the front tires. It’s the equivalent of trying to drive your car while sitting on the front bumper. This changes everything.

With the front and back tires so far apart on an RV, the back tires need to take a short cut to catch up when you turn. They don’t follow the same path as the front tires. We call this “off tracking,” and it means your back tires could be off four to seven feet from where your front tires traveled. This is why making a turn without hitting anything with the back tires can be so hard.  

After nine years of teaching, I’ve developed a system that’s easy to learn and will have you driving like a pro in no time.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Two white paper cups
• A sheet of 1/4" colored adhesive dots like the ones used in offices
• A marking pen
• A partner to help
• Before you get started, make sure your convex mirrors are adjusted correctly. For tips on how to do this, you can watch my first video by clicking here.

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Once your convex mirrors are adjusted, go to the driver’s side of the motorhome. At the back tire, place one of the white cups on the ground six inches to a foot out from the center of the tire. Then repeat the same step on the passenger’s side. Be sure to place it at your “drive” tires, not the tag axel.

Go inside your RV and sit in the driver’s seat. You should see the cups in the convex mirrors. That’s where your back tires are sitting on the ground.

Ask your partner, who is still outside, to take the end of a pen and place it on the driver’s side mirror over the image of the cup. Make sure you’re sitting in your driving position. When you give the go ahead, have your partner place one of the colored adhesive dots on that exact spot. Repeat the same process on the passenger’s side mirror. Most dots work for anyone who drives the RV, but if there is someone else who drives regularly, ask him or her to sit in the driver’s seat to be sure.

Now every time you make a turn or encounter a sharp curve, there’s no need to guess where the back tires are tracking. Just look in the convex mirror; if the dot is clearing, the back tires are clearing. You can also use the dot method when backing into and leaving campsites, rest areas and parking lots.  

Once in a while, even the best drivers make a bad turn, but there’s no need to panic. All you need to do is stop, straighten your front tires, pull forward until the dot gets past the object you want to clear and then safely complete your turn.

Be sure to keep a sheet of dots on hand because you’ll need to replace them once a month or so as they fade. The RV Driver Confidence Course is free to all Lazydays customers as well as Lazydays RV Campground motorhome guests. The class is filled with tips that empower you to be more self-assured and knowledgeable behind the wheel. For more information, e-mail me at balex@lazydays.com.

Seeing Spots

Avery® Color Coding Removable

Round Labels – 1/4" Diameter
Available at office supply stores www.officedepot.com
$6-9 for 1,000

These inexpensive dots will save you hours of aggravation when used with Lazydays Senior Driving Instructor Barney Alexander’s “Back Tire Tracking” method. You’ll never run out with a thousand in
each pack.

Wide Angle Lens

www.campingworld.com  
$11.10 (Club Members $9.99)

Invented by 19th century physicist Augustin Jean Fresnel, this thin lens attaches to your passenger side window allowing you to view your blind spot. Flat on one side and ridged on the others, the Fresnel Lens was first used to focus the beam in lighthouse lamps. The quality of the image is not as good as a regular mirror, but it allows you to see where your mirrors can't.


Watch more lessons and build your confidence. BRV