If you are a newcomer to RVing this article by James Perdue should give you some good hints for safely driving your motorhome around the country.

<--The first hint: don't tow a boat and a car behind your RV without expecting trouble! These were swaying all over the road.

Driving a large or even medium sized motorhome is different from driving your car. It's not really difficult, but it does provide several risks and different skills than driving your car. The main difference comes from it's size and weight. Your attention must be greater to driving and you should plan your trip in advance to make sure the roads and stopping places are adequate and legal for your rig. Several states now are begininng to require additional licenses or training for driving a big rig usually based on gross weight. Some have restrictions for length of RV (like the 45 foot restrictions in California.)

The main things to get used to in driving a large motorhome include:

• check-list: make yourself a checklist before starting out that lists all the things you want to make sure have been done after packing up at home or at the RV Park, including things like: antenna down, utilities put away, doors shut inside, items tied down, mats put away, oil levels OK, air pressure in all tires OK, etc. Each coach and situation differs so make one of your own and USE IT.
• wind: you can literally be blown out of your lane, so slow down when the wind picks up. Headwinds dramatically affect the fuel mileage too!
• semi-trucks: they create their own wind. I usually keep an eye on the rear view mirror so I'm not surprised. I usually steer towards them just as they pass to keep from being blown off the road.
• stopping distance: it takes a lot longer to stop a 20,000 to 30,000 lb vehicle, so I keep my distance behind everything, usually 100 feet or more if possible, depending on the speed. I use a Brake Buddy when I can to help slow the car, and I often disconnect the car when going down steep hills, just to have more margin of safety.
• staying in your lane: it takes some time to figure out where your 8 feet wide vehicle should be in relation to your drivers seat and the lines on the highway. Everyone develops a system of alignment. They even sell a device to help you. I think I've got it pretty good now. Not that I don't take my share of the center line when things are tight on the passenger side.
• turn radius: these things require a lot of room to turn, and especially to turn around. Making a right turn requires you to take more than your share out of the other guys lane to avoid the fire hydrant on the sidewalk. Often you'll be looking at the guy in the left turn lane in front of you with eyes begging him to back up so you can complete your turn. They usually get the idea as they see you heading for them with your massive vehicle. Also, you don't do U-TURNS as easily as you would in a car. We usually look for a block to circle rather than do a U-TURN. It also means you have to quickly think ahead about turning into a parking lot or other commercial area. We have had to stop, disconnect our tow vehicle (you don't back up with it) and carefully back out of tight situations that we didn't see coming. That slows down your trip a bit.
• rear clearance: the distance from the rear tires to the end of the RV (which on my RV is 13 feet but can be up to 20 or more feet on some RVs) provide a challenge to your safe driving record. The RV pivots around the tires and the rest of the RV goes out into traffic, or into stationary objects on the side of the road. You have to get used to this and start your turns when the rear tires are properly positioned for the turn. Many people have leveled gas pumps, electrical stands in RV parks, iron poles, etc using the rear of their RV.
• backing up: most RVs have TV cameras with accompanying screen for the driver to see the back as you put the rig into reverse. However... things appear differently thanks to the wide angle camera and you need to stop, get out and look when things get tight. Also, often you can't see above the camera (it's pointed down) and you have to be aware of trees that can do a lot of damage to your roof.
• parking: this takes on a totally new dimension when driving a 40 foot motorhome. You can't usually park along the street or in a normal parking lot. Often, especially in small towns, you want to park out of town and drive or walk back to the center of town. You will rarely want to parallel park (it's possible, but you'll need a lot of experience in judging where all the parts of your vehicle are.) You need to find a place with lots of room. Large parking lots with free space near the side or back is best in commercial settings. Look for places that Semi-trucks park. Only park on a street that has plenty of room for two lanes to still pass, and try to stay away from corners. Your big rig will block the view of other traffic if parked on the corner. Driving in parking lots requires a lot of care because the clearances are narrow and cars usually do not mind the proper direction of travel. Many cities have ordinances about where you can park a large rig. Look for the signs. Use common sense about where to park. If it looks silly, or dangerous, don't do it.
• height clearance (Our motorhome is 12 foot 6 inches high with all the attachments on top. They make bridges in towns that are only 11 feet high. There is a mis-match in numbers that must be taken into account if you are to survive as an RV driver. You start to be VERY aware of signs that say 13' clearance ahead. With only 6" to spare, you often wonder how much the guy that measured that distance really got paid. We once saw a sign that said 10 foot clearance ahead. We pulled off into a parking lot and looked at a map that showed a 100 mile bypass. I got out and found a guy who knew the territory. He said, "Aw, it's really 13' in the center, just get into the center of the road, wait for traffic to stop on the other side and go through slowly. We did and it worked. The other danger is in RV Parks, or country roads. Trees grow without permission from the street departments and RV park owners like to have their tree coverage for good lucks, so trimming branches to accommodate a large rig is not a high priority. It's RV driver--- beware!! I once got stuck under a limb, close to tearing my roof. One old timer came up and said, just let the air out of your rig's air bags and you'll slink under it. It worked!)
• power and speed You'll be tempted to go fast if you have a powerful engine, but you'll need to remember your stopping distance is much greater. Also, you'll need to keep the RPM high when climbing, esp. in the summer to keep the engine from overheating. Also, if you are driving fast, and have to swerve, your handling characteristics will be much worse, and have the chance of tipping the rig over or losing control. You'll have to get used to the slow lane for climbing, esp. if you are at full weight and are driving a 40 foot motorhome. You can expect from 25 to 45 mph tops on the steep grades.
• fuel economy Driving fast reduces your fuel economy signficantly, especially at $3 to $5 per gallon. Most studies of motorhome engines show that keeping it between 55 and 62 mph is best for fuel economy. In my experience that's a good speed to drive it safely also. Keep your transmission in the highest gear on the road, but at the minimum speed for that gear. Check with others that have the same engine for the best speed to drive your own motorhome.
• descending mountain grades (the motorhome or large fifth wheel can get away from you if you let it. Keep the speed about the same as you would climbing the same mountain, say 35 to 45. I use my retard function to keep the motorhome from going too fast, and I touch the brakes when necessary to keep it there. For my Alfa motorhome, I need to keep it about 2200 rpm both ascending and descending. Once you've reached 75 mph going downhill, you'll be in trouble if you have to slow down quickly. If you use your brakes to slow down you might find that they get too hot to stop you. That's scary! I often plan my trips to avoid a lot of steep ascents and descents. It's better on the nerves that way.
• fuel - 100 to 150 gallon fuel tanks, 7 to 10 mpg. Get used to paying $300 to $400 each time you stop at the truck stop (yes, you'll find those much more big rig friendly than the neighborhood gas station). Most large motorhomes use diesel. I use the internet to search for the best prices BEFORE I LEAVE ON A TRIP. It's usually a Flying J Truck stop that has the best deal, but not always. I use Flying J to see what a good price is and if I see a lower one while driving I might fill up if the access is acceptable. Flying J has good access for large rigs, and they have a free discount card that allows use of credit cards as good as cash (a $.03 to $.04 per gallon savings), plus a $.01 per gallon discount (it adds up). Remember that a difference in price of $.30 per gallon (very common) can translate into from $20 to $35 savings every time you stop if you shop for the cheapest fuel. Be very careful in the fueling stations. Often low clearances of rain shelters, close ranks of gas pumps, other traffic, slow fuel pumps, confusing or mal-functioning self-pay pumps, slow-thinking employees, jealous or prejudiced truckers, and more can make a stop at a fuel station a real challenge for the big-rig driver, to say the least.
• tires . You might have been used to changing your own tires on the road, like I was. Large motorhome tires are often extremely heavy and most large rigs do NOT have a place to carry a spare. Unless you are foolhardy and/or very experienced, don't plan on jacking up your 30,000 lb motorhome on the roadside and changing your own tire. You should plan on keeping a roadside assistance policy current (We use COACHNET) and plan on some delay when your tires need repair. Luckily they are pretty sturdy if taken care of and don't fail often. I cover mine with wheel covers for any stay of more than a day or two just to keep the UV rays from destroying the rubber. If they start to get a bunch of cracks in the sidewalls, or become short on the tread, do NOT choose your tires as a place to save money. Replace them. I also find that my towed car tires wear a lot faster when being towed... so budget for that expense. Keeping the tires to the correct pressure helps both the tire wear and the safety of your driving experience. You can weigh the rig at most truck stops. They weight of the motorhome on each axle will be a guide to how much pressure you should put in the tires. There are some "remote tire pressure sensors" that you can buy ($$$) that will alert you to failing pressure in all tires (including your tow car), but it could be too late once that sensor rings! Also, tires that are over 7 years old, regardless of their wear might be candidates for replacement to avoid the chemical fatigue that occurs in these tires over time.
• navigation/trip planning: When driving a big rig, navigation takes on a new meaning. Getting lost at 8 mpg, and having to navigate tiny streets, weak bridges, low overhangs, pot holes, dead-ends, steep climbs, blind curves, etc is your prize for ignoring good trip planning and lack of attention. It pays to use all the tools and information at your disposal when planning your next trip or segment of a trip. I use Delorme Streets program on my laptop but there are others, esp. the self-contained Garmin GPS units that are becoming available at reasonable prices ($120 and above). I also own a Rand McNalley Motor Carriers Road Atlas which shows all the TRUCK ROUTES in yellow and lists low clearances and shows all the truck stops, rest stops, etc. A great investment for the money. Always check the computer recommended route against the TRUCK ROUTES if you don't know the road yourself. The computer maps are often wrong or mis-leading, esp. as regards roads appropriate for RVers. One of my trips was planned by the Delorme Street Atlas program using one 8 mile segment over a jeep trail in the mountains. Sorry... can't do that. Join an on-line (Yahoo?) discussion groups that features your specific brand of motorhome or join RV.net or other similar groups and ask questions of experienced members before you set out for the totally unknown. Their help is often invaluable. Don't forget the list of road closures and traffic information available from the government over the internet. I just learned about the new nationwide network of traveler's telephone assistance services reached by dialing 511. I haven't used it yet and it isn't available everywhere.

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