Which Caravan Reversing Partnership are you?
Watching couples back a caravan together is one of my all-time favourite pastimes. You know it’s going well when the driver uses 5000rpm to move the rig three metres! So I’ve come up with a few different models for Caravan Partnership Reversing…which one are you, or maybe another?
- Remote Control – the spotter directs everything the driver does. Speed, steering wheel…the driver doesn’t need to think (and is not allowed to) and just has to follow instructions exactly, and precisely.
- Directional – the spotter says where the caravan should go, and the driver works out the control inputs required to comply.
- Crash Avoider – the spotter is there only to warn of any impending impacts.
- Solo – the spotter is sacked and the driver does it all, alone. ‘Solo’ can follow after failure of one of the previous models.
Personally if I’m driving I prefer Crash Avoider, and also default to that when I’m spotting. What about you? And who does the spotting and who does the driving? And for spotting, what terms do you use…has to be a better way that “left a bit right a bit” ?
1 Comment
by cat
Hi Robert,
Glad to have been a source of amusement, to you and others….next time introduce yourself, lol. There is obviously a demand for marriage (or any other relationship) guidance counselling combined with reversing lessons. Perhaps some entrepreneur will start up franchise aka Jim’s mowing, putting up noticeboards in likely camping spots. The problem is with the mismatch between the driver and the spotter. Many drivers would like to be in the remote control position and told exactly what to do, which can be problematic with a spotter who wishes to be a ‘ crash avoider’ but is thrust into the position of ‘directional’. And in the end it will inevitably be 2 metres from where you wanted it to be. However, opening a cold beer and sitting down before the next argument over putting the tent or camper trailer up is the best advice I can give.
signed…crash avoider looking for solo.