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quotePOLL NOW CLOSED – Thanks to everyone who voted – SEE OUR RESULTS HERE
Reversing your caravan on site or at home can be a tricky manoeuvre and can often draw in the crowds when arriving at your pitch!
To prevent those nasty scratches and scrapes on your pride and joy, it’s best to invest in some help from a friend when reversing your tourer or to use a built-in device, such as a reversing sensor or camera. You might also get a small discount on your caravan insurance with a caravan reversing aid.
We know reversing cameras and sensors in caravans are nowhere near as popular as they are on cars and motorhomes but perhaps you’re one of the few who has invested in a retrofit caravan reversing system or even a buyer of a tourer with a reversing aid already installed.
In this month’s community poll, we’d like to know if you use a caravan reversing camera or sensor or if you’re happy that you can back up your caravan without such gadgets?
We’ll report back the results in June.
Gary Cunningham is right; you need practice, preferably lots of it!. Those coming late to towing may find it daunting, but it’s an essential skill, and must be acquired by those not already having a B+E licence. I learnt to reverse a tow 50 years ago, and the skill remains, though a motor mover has some real advantages, however you can’t use that if you get stuck meeting traffic in a narrow lane. If you aren’t confident, just take the time to learn and practice; your travels will be so much more relaxing when you know you can cope.
I reverse if I can onto locations or/then use the mover to fine tune
As a PCV and LGV driver I find many of the skills and techniques I use on a daily basis can be applied to caravan manoeuvring. Of course not everyone does my job so may not have developed a similar skill set but a large car park, a willing and able assistant and plenty of practice will go a long way. Spacial awareness, observation and good hand/eye coordination are key. Some are more predisposed to these skills than others but practice certainly helps. Incidentally, reversing a 40ft goods trailer is easier than a 14ft caravan. This is simply because it reacts slower to steering inputs so, small steering inputs are key. Remember….. what lock you put on you have to take off. Practice and enjoy!
Thanks for the advice Gary 🙂
I use an aid called the wife. Its not always possible to get things spot on first time so I use the wife to get me as near as possible then use the motor mover if needed. Must ensure the wife does not put herself in a position where I cannot see her or directly behind the caravan.
I have a rear camera that is on all the time, so that I know who’s behind and safe to over take or pulling over if thier’s a few car’s behind me, plus it gives the wife some thing to look at.
I am able to reverse onto most pitches, but virtually every time I ‘fine tune’ the caravans position with the motor movers, especially if the van needs side to side levelling. On some pitches however the access is so tight or awkward that I simply unhitch and use the motor movers for the job they were intended. After a long journey its quicker, easier and ultimately gives us less stress, we always remember that we are there to enjoy ourselves, not prove to the rest of the site what macho reverser’s we are just for the sake of it
It’s all very well asking for someone to watch you back, but if you’re on youre own you have to rely on strangers. One well meaning stranger helping me allowed me to reverse into a post!
I’ve retrofitted a camera and it’s invaluable as an ‘extra pair of eyes’.
I retrofitted a camera as I caravan on my own and after some well meaning stranger helped watch me reverse (3 point turn in a tight spot) allowed me to hit a gate post damaging the corner. I decided it’s not worth trusting strangers and needed the extra ‘pair of eyes’. Absolutely invaluable. And despite other comments, as a lone female caravanner for over 10 years and 10s of thousands of miles in UK and Europe, yes I CAN reverse. But some lanes and dead ends are tight to turn around in or reverse out of!
A driver should be competent in reversing a trailer before being allowed to tow at all. Any other vehicle can not be driven without passing a test including reversing. How do these “can’t reverse drivers” cope in such situations on the highway?
I use a mover for my home, a steep drive with a 6″ margin for error. I have done it without the motor mover but it doesn’t do my clutch any good. My passenger can’t help, she has very limited mobility so doesn’t leave the car. On sites I reverse onto the pitch and if I’m more than 6 ” out again I use the motor mover. Of course when all of us reverse we do use an aid, a mirror. I don’t have a reversing camera or sensors on the caravan, this isn’t to say that some would find these things useful and as I’ve not personally tried them I personally don’t know just how effective or useful they are. I suppose if you have gone to the trouble and cost of having these fitted to use them you would have convinced yourself before a purchase that they would help.
Although now have motor mover on my van, I still reverse/ site with it hitched sometimes only really to have a practice and keep my eye in. You never know when a situation may arise that the van has to stay attached to do your manoeuvre! I find the reserving camera on my car very useful and this suggests that likewise if there was one on my van it would also be a useful aid- Again, in a situation where the passenger ( if you have one) could not or cannot get out of the car to be able to verbally instruct and guide for hazards.
Reversing is a art some people can but some people can’t if you need help please ask someone to watch you back I think trying to watch a camara could cause more problems if you nervous about reversing.
Always use the mover to pitch, it is then inch perfect especially when having to fit Al-Ko secure, and when moving to storage area at home.
If you can not reverse without an aid , you con not reverse.