Vacation Silvanaparedes

Driving an RV on the open road can be a challenge even to the best drivers, as the sheer size and bulk of your rolling home will present difficulties that would not be encountered in most cars or trucks. And of course, as you go you have to try to blend in with vehicles that are much smaller and more agile on the highway. So good road etiquette and planning is needed to insure as safe a trip as possible. Here are some of the top rving tips for staying safe on the open road:

* Take it easy. Being in a rush in a motorhome or RV is one of the worst ideas possible. They just don’t lend themselves to being driven aggressively and fast. If you think about it, you are taking your home, putting it on wheels and driving it down the highway, so don’t expect more from it than you really should as you travel. This can be tough for impatient travelers, but you have to get into the RV mindset and stop pushing so hard. Very often a safe driving speed that still covers a good deal of ground is one that is about 10 miles per hour under the speed limit. It’s not usually slow enough to create any major problems for those who wish to go faster, and yet it still gets the job done in reasonable time.

* Plan your trips in advance so that you can avoid most of the possible problems that could be encountered on the road. For instance, if possible try to stay off interstates and highways that are known for high speed traffic, especially while going through large cities at rush hour. Just look for alternate routes that may afford you better scenery anyway.

* If bad weather comes up, get off the road as quickly as you can. Large RVs and motorhomes don’t take to bad weather and especially high winds very well, so don’t try to push it. It’s better to live and travel another day than try to force a risky situation.

* Avoid steep grades both uphill and downhill as much as possible. Of course, there are some spots in the country where it’s almost impossible to completely avoid them, but do your best to take alternate routs if possible even if they take you out of your way. Steep uphill climbs and downhill traverses can put a lot of stress on a motorhome and if you tow another vehicle behind, it can be even more problematic. If you do decide to drive the hills anyway, take it slow, ignore all the other folks passing you and pull over frequently to rest and calm your nerves often.

* Never back up a motorhome while the towing vehicle is still attached. Unless you are a very experienced trucker you will most likely have way too much to worry about. Instead, unhook your tow vehicle and park it safely to the side, then be sure to have someone help guide you as you back up to make sure that you do so safely.

Driving an RV is like anything else, the more you do it the better you will get at it. But new RVers need to pay attention to these rving tips on road and driving safety as they learn their rig and get more used to this wonderful way of travel.

Planning your first RV road trip might seem easy at first. You bought your motorhome, you have it all outfitted and ready to go, you know where you’re headed and you have all of your maps. What else do you need?

You want to be sure that you plan carefully for every contingency. Even the best dealerships do not have a service station in every city or every state. You will not have family or friends surrounding you everywhere you go, and you need to be prepared, just in case.

As with any travel trip, you want to be sure that you have your identification, insurance cards, prescriptions, and physician information in a safe place. But there are many other lists you need to make as well. Get online or talk to your local RV dealer to obtain a list of RV service stations along your route and at your destination. Write down the name of the service location or dealership, the phone number, and the address. You may even want to mark these on your map ahead of time. This way you know just who to call if you break down or have an accident.

Have the phone number and paperwork for your warranty, as well as the name and phone number of your dealer handy, also. Make sure that you have the call center or customer service number for the dealership, not just the guy that sold you your camper. You want to be sure that you get the right person on the first try if you need to order parts in a hurry. Your RV dealer should have the ability to order parts for you and have them shipped anywhere, including campgrounds.

Do not forget to call your RV insurance agent, let them know you are preparing to leave town, and make sure you are covered under every possible issue or accident. Know what your policy covers, and have your insurance cards and contact information in the motorhome with you at all times. If there is a national call center for your insurance company you should have that too, as well as the address and phone number of any locations available on your route. You never know when you might need this information.

If you are on a schedule, you may want to consider RV Rentals as well. Prepare a list of dealerships on your route that will rent motorhomes. This way you will be prepared to not only repair your own vehicle, but to continue on your trip as scheduled in any event.

In the end, preparing for your first RV road trip could be a bit daunting. But once you get through the first steps and have all of the information in place, you will find that the planning gets easier for each trip. And, if you are ever in an accident, find yourself stranded on the side of the road, or simply need the pump to your bathroom repaired; you will be prepared and know just where to go!