Reversing Skills.

[varaizian]

Yesterday I was not paying enough attention and found myself driving into a French village and heading into the very old part. By the time I cottoned-on I was in a one-way narrow lane with houses right on the road. I did see the sign that said “less than 8 metres” but by then it was almost too late. I had to reverse back with cars behind in sheeting rain between lamposts and little near-invisible bollards for about 100m. The moron immediately behind kept blasting on his hooter until I got out and explained it was not helping etc etc.
But I am fortunate that just leaving our house requires reversing skills that I have practiced over the years. How many of you have restricted access and egress like this? To get to that point I have had to reverse round a 90 degree turn and line it up between the walls. I have kissed the wall once but not too badly. To get out successfully the passenger mirror (LHD) hangs over that low wall!

 

[Mr B]

I had to remove the mirror on our LHD A class to get in and out of our drive. We have a coachbuilt Rapido now. No need to remove the mirrors, just pull them in tight!!!!
The wife has to watch me reverse in though !!!!

 

[Lenny HB]

I'm and expert at reversing out of Spanish & French villages but when it comes to reversing into a pitch on an Aire it's a 50% chance I'll cock it up.

 

[pappajohn]

. I did see the sign that said “less than 8 metres” but by then it was almost too late.

You weren't sliding in sideways by any chance!

 

[Dorwyn]

That's amazing. One of my worst nightmares. I've had similar but with much smaller vans. I guess the other aspect is that with that class of van you can see clearly along the sides and have a clear sense of direction. Congrats

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[Dorwyn]

Ps, my wife is no help in such a situation, she panics even more than me and would need persuading to even get out the van. Mind you one occasion that was not possible!

 

[varaizian]

View attachment 827288
I had to remove the mirror on our LHD A class to get in and out of our drive. We have a coachbuilt Rapido now. No need to remove the mirrors, just pull them in tight!!!!
The wife has to watch me reverse in though !!!!

But no mirrors though! I do at least keep my mirrors with about 50mm clearance for the driver’s.

 

[varaizian]

You weren't sliding in sideways by any chance!

We are only 6m but the width was the killer!

 

[varaizian]

That's amazing. One of my worst nightmares. I've had similar but with much smaller vans. I guess the other aspect is that with that class of van you can see clearly along the sides and have a clear sense of direction. Congrats

That is true but, in reverse, you have to watch the front carefully because it is wider and limits how much you can change direction.

 

[varaizian]

Ps, my wife is no help in such a situation, she panics even more than me and would need persuading to even get out the van. Mind you one occasion that was not possible!

I can mostly suppress my panic while the situation is on-going but mine goes into verbalisation mode and keeps offering “helpful” advice even though she has never been there. We have been together over 52 years so we handle each other’s reactions automatically!

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[varaizian]

So

I'm and expert at reversing out of Spanish & French villages but when it comes to reversing into a pitch on an Aire it's a 50% chance I'll cock it up.

So long as you can do it when it matters the easy ones don’t count!

 

[varaizian]

Ps, my wife is no help in such a situation, she panics even more than me and would need persuading to even get out the van. Mind you one occasion that was not possible!

PS. We lived in Carlton Mews for 2 years before moving to France but decided we were not old enough!

 

[Mr B]

But no mirrors though! I do at least keep my mirrors with about 50mm clearance for the driver’s.

A class mirrors don’t like to go in… so I had to replace the inserts for the 3 screws, and plug and play for the electrical connections. When we 1st got the van( imported from France), I drove into our back garden….. then I wasn’t happy about reversing back out… so I did a 98 point turn, so I could drive back out.. lol. Then came up with the idea of removing the drivers mirror. It did make life a lot easier. Then when we swopped the van, it’s 0.5 meters longer… so I had to rethink my approach to our drive. It’s all fine now…. Until some tw..t parks dead opposite our gates

 

[steve69]

Thanks to the famous Rouen tunnels (my fault, I know), I had to reverse about 100 metres in order to correct my error. Took about half an hour with the aid of my mate waving the oncoming cars around me.

 

[Dorwyn]

I bet they were pleased with you! Many a cheerful wave ?

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[Lenny HB]

I can mostly suppress my panic while the situation is on-going

Me to but then panic at the site of every narrow road for the rest of the trip.

 

[Howard B]

View attachment 827288
I had to remove the mirror on our LHD A class to get in and out of our drive. We have a coachbuilt Rapido now. No need to remove the mirrors, just pull them in tight!!!!
The wife has to watch me reverse in though !!!!

Missed a width sign in a village in Germany last month which took me down a street as narrow as that. Had to pull the mirrors in to do the last few yards.
Co-pilot spotted the sign, but didn't say anything until we were near the end if the street.

 

[IRHP]

I'm and expert at reversing out of Spanish & French villages but when it comes to reversing into a pitch on an Aire it's a 50% chance I'll cock it up.

Why you do it towing a boat then you can say you are an expert.

 

[steve69]

I bet they were pleased with you! Many a cheerful wave ?

Surprisingly tolerant I thought. There seemed to be an air of "oh, another one" about the French drivers - some tried to be helpful. Most just tutted and raised eyebrows.

 

[Speve]

I once had to reverse with a car trailer on the back in Spain we were looking for an aire which was badly signed and missed a turning leaving us on a road without anywhere to turn and a deep drainage ditch each side and a mud track at the end I ended up reversing for about half a mile,
glad I had reversing cameras on and made it without incident ( lesson learned)

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[pappajohn]

We are only 6m but the width was the killer!

The comment was tounge in cheek.
You said ......

I did see the sign that said “less than 8 metres” but by then it was almost too late.

 

[varaizian]

I once had to reverse with a car trailer on the back in Spain we were looking for an aire which was badly signed and missed a turning leaving us on a road without anywhere to turn and a deep drainage ditch each side and a mud track at the end I ended up reversing for about half a mile,
glad I had reversing cameras on and made it without incident ( lesson learned)

I am so poor at reversing a trailer and keep having to pull forward again I would have run out of road.

 

[varaizian]

Me to but then panic at the site of every narrow road for the rest of the trip.

Any “Centro Historico” signs do that to me.

 

[Speve]

I am so poor at reversing a trailer and keep having to pull forward again I would have run out of road.

The secret is slowly but surely do everything in slow motion which gives time to correct a wrong move as you go and practice makes nearly perfect

 

[Nanniemate]

Missed a width sign in a village in Germany last month which took me down a street as narrow as that. Had to pull the mirrors in to do the last few yards.
Co-pilot spotted the sign, but didn't say anything until we were near the end if the street.

Like her style keeping the mystery in a relationship