Tips for first-time RVers

So you're going to do it – you're going to drive a vehicle the size of your first apartment to some cool part of the country, maybe with kids in tow, and there's a chance you're a little bit nervous about that. And understandably so...RVs are large, a bit more complicated than your car and come with a lot of bells and whistles.

Here are a few handy hints that may help the first time out.

Rent the right RV for your trip type and group size Talk with the folks at the place where you’re renting about how many people you are taking, what you plan to do on the trip (such as whether you’ll be hauling bikes or other toys) and where you’re headed (for instance, will you be driving on a lot of narrow roads?).
Try to avoid the common pitfall of renting too large an RV for your needs. It’s fun to have space, but the truth is, you don’t spend as much time moving around in it as you think – when you’re driving, you’re sitting, and when you’re parked, you’re sleeping the majority of the time. Slide-outs are the big must-have if you can get them; they add space when you’re sitting still.

Know your dimensions at all times They’re usually posted somewhere so the driver can reference it, but if not, put it on a Post-it. But also be checking before every bridge, tunnel, gas station overhang to see if you will fit. It’s easy to get so used to driving that you forget.

Have someone spot you when you park Make sure they’re well out of the way and you can see them (being able to hear them is nice, too) and agree on hand signals ahead. RV parks are famous for friendly folks who are willing to help, as well.

Side mirrors rule Because you can’t see out the back (except when you use the rear-vision camera, if your vehicle has one), your side mirrors are indispensible. Check them daily to make sure they are where you need them to be. While you’re driving, not only will they show you where other traffic is positioned, but they will keep you in the lanes, because if you can see the painted lines, you’re good. The camera is nice to check periodically, too, by the way, to see if anyone is all up in your backside.

Speaking of your backside…It swings way out when you turn, requiring a bit of a pull forward first. It’s nice if you can practice that a couple of times before pulling out of the lot.

And the best advice I ever received: Don’t drive down any road, alley or parking lot where you don’t know that there’s a way out. A friend of mine once had to unhitch a Jeep and drive backward an entire mile in a 31-foot motorhome after accidentally going down what turned out to be an unmarked no-exit alley.

The roadtripster is the handle of a longtime Coloradan who travels the country by any means possible, sometimes in an RV, sometimes car camping or in the backcountry, with kids and without.