RV Misadventures - Episode 2- Learning to Drive a Motorhome One Deep Breath at a Time
- Lee Burbank
- Jan 28
- 6 min read
Updated: Jan 28
Mark had always been a careful driver.
Not slow. Just deliberate. The kind of person who planned lane changes early and parked a little farther away if it meant less stress. Susan liked to joke that Mark didn’t enjoy driving so much as successfully completing driving.
Susan, on the other hand, trusted momentum. She waved people through intersections, talked to strangers in grocery lines, and believed most things worked out if you didn’t fight them too hard.
Between them, they figured they’d balance out.
The motorhome challenged that theory immediately.
It was a 2018 Class A gas motorhome, a little over thirty-four feet long, tall enough that Susan could see over traffic lights and wide enough that Mark kept mentally subtracting inches from every lane. Yesterday, when it sat neatly in the dealer’s lot, it looked reasonable. Purpose-built. Confident.
Now it looked like a small office building that expected Mark to make decisions.
Susan stood behind him on the entry steps, coffee in hand, quietly observing.
“This feels higher than the house,” Mark said.
Susan peered out the windshield. “I can see the future. It’s traffic.”
That didn’t help.
The First Minutes: When Confidence Goes Missing
Mark adjusted the seat. Then adjusted it again. His feet felt too far from the pedals, and the windshield felt so large it made the outside world look slightly unreal.
He leaned forward instinctively.
Susan noticed immediately. “You don’t need to lean.”
“I need to see.”
“You’re sitting higher than every vehicle around us.”
Mark leaned back, reluctantly.
And immediately, everything changed.
The road opened up. He could see farther ahead than he ever had in a car. Over traffic. Over signs. Over problems.
Sit back in the seat. Motorhomes are designed to be driven upright, not hunched forward.
You’ll see farther when you stop crowding the windshield.
Susan smiled. “See? You look calmer already.”
“I do not.”
But he kind of did.
Mark adjusted the mirrors next, angling them so a thin slice of the RV was visible on the inside edge.
Susan sipped her coffee. “Those mirrors getting a lot of attention.”
“They’re how I know where the RV actually is,” Mark said.
He was right.
Your mirrors are not accessories. They are your primary awareness tool. Check them constantly.
Mark started the engine. It came to life smoothly, without urgency, as if it trusted the process more than he did.
He released the brake.
The RV rolled forward immediately.
Mark tightened his grip.
Susan glanced at his hands. “You’re gripping that like it owes you money.”
Relax your grip on the steering wheel. Motorhomes respond better to small, calm inputs.
White-knuckle steering causes wandering.
Mark loosened his hands.
The RV steadied.
The Turn That Teaches You Respect
The exit required a right turn.
Mark slowed and turned when the front reached the corner, exactly like he’d done for decades.
The front cleared beautifully.
The back came dangerously close to a light pole.
Susan leaned forward. “You’re turning too soon.”
Mark stopped. “How far do I go?”
Susan paused, measuring the moment. “Until it feels wrong.”
Mark pulled forward.
And forward.
Then a little more.
Then he turned.
The back cleared easily.
Mark blinked. “That feels completely backward.”
Susan shrugged. “So does this entire thing.”
Dont Ignore the front of the RV but the rear wheels determine the turn.
For right turns, wait until the corner passes the back of the driver’s seat before turning.
If you think you’ve gone far enough forward, go another six feet.
Merging: Confidence Without Bravado
The on-ramp approached.
Mark slowed instinctively.
Susan put a hand on the dash. “You need speed to merge.”
Mark nodded and accelerated steadily.
The RV didn’t lurch. It didn’t protest. It simply gathered speed and joined traffic.
Use the full length of the on-ramp to build speed.
Motorhomes merge best when they match traffic flow, not when they creep in.
Susan smiled. “That was smooth.”
Mark exhaled. “I meant to do that.”
Picking the Right Lane and Staying There
Mark settled into the right lane and stayed there.
Susan noticed. “You’re not weaving.”
“I don’t want to,” Mark said. “There’s nothing to win.”
On multi-lane highways, the right lane is usually best for motorhomes.
It simplifies exits, reduces pressure, and keeps faster traffic passing you instead of rushing you. Sometimes the middle lane is best when there are lots of exits and other vehicles are constantly leaving the freeway around you.
Traffic flowed around them.
Nothing bad happened.
Following Distance: Space Equals Calm
A car cut in front of them.
Mark lifted off the accelerator without comment.
Susan nodded. “Nice.”
Following distance is critical in a motorhome.
Leave more space than you think you need — then add a little more.
The RV slowed smoothly.
Mark felt his shoulders drop.
Exiting Without Apologies
Their exit approached.
Mark signaled early. Very early.
Susan smiled. “You’re giving them a heads-up.”
“That’s the idea.”
Signal early and clearly. Motorhomes need time, and so does everyone else.
Slow on the exit ramp, not on the highway itself.
They exited cleanly.
No horns. No stress.
Fuel Stops and Public Performance Anxiety
They stopped for fuel.
Mark immediately regretted it.
Too many cars. Too many angles. Too many people watching.
He slowed to walking speed.
Which turned out to be exactly right.
Parking lots are practice fields. Go as slow as you need.
Anyone waiting can wait. You cannot rush thirty-four feet.
They parked cleanly.
Susan clapped once. “That looked intentional.”
Mark shut the engine off like he’d landed a plane.
Adding the Tow Vehicle (and Losing Reverse)
The next morning, they hooked up the tow vehicle.
Mark double-checked everything. Susan watched, offering commentary.
“Lights?”
“Checked.”
“Cables?”
“Crossed.”
Mark pulled forward and felt the extra weight immediately.
When towing, acceleration slows and braking distances increase.
Plan earlier. Brake earlier. Turn wider.
Susan watched the mirrors. “The car looks relaxed.”
“That’s because I’m driving like it matters.”
They did not back up.
Because you can’t.
Never back up with a tow vehicle attached.
Tow bars aren’t designed for compression. Steering geometry locks. Damage happens fast. Tow vehicles will jack knife in a matter of seconds.
If you need to reverse, disconnect first. Always.
Cameras: Useful, Not Magical
Later, Mark discovered the camera screen.
“Where was this yesterday?” he asked.
Susan smiled. “Helpful. Not magic.”
Use mirrors first. Use cameras to confirm.
Cameras help with blind spots but distort depth.
Together, they worked as a system.
One Last Thing They Didn’t Expect
That night, Susan said, “You know, some people take professional RV driving lessons.”
Mark thought about it.
And didn’t dismiss it.
Professional instruction can build confidence quickly.
There’s no prize for learning everything the hard way.
The Real Lesson
Driving a motorhome isn’t about courage.
It’s about:
Space
Time
Clear communication
Calm decisions
Mark looked back at the RV before heading inside.
“I think,” he said, “I’m starting to trust it.”
Susan smiled. “It’s been waiting for that.”
Driving Tips Covered in This Story
Sit back and relax your grip
Use mirrors constantly
Turn based on rear wheels, not the front
Merge at speed using the full ramp
Stay primarily in the right lane
Maintain extra following distance
Signal early and clearly
Slow on exit ramps, not the highway
Never back up with a tow vehicle attached
Use cameras as helpers, not replacements
Consider professional instruction
Disclaimer: This story is fictional, but the experience is very real and commonly shared by RVers.
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