Communication while reversing

Kendo · Senior Member

Communication while reversing

Radar · Guru

Kendo hi, as you say why did I not think of that.

Few years back we brought a couple of hand held radios but everytime we go to use them there flat, the one in the car is fixed in but that portable one.

We are both on phone plans that the call would not add to our bills. Yep I don't really need her when I am backing so much, but it would be good when you are looking for that little extra.

Once again thank you for that usable tip. Radar.

madaboutled · Guru

Beats smoke signals....

Camps and Vans · Member

We installed a reversing camera on the caravan, which had an inbuilt microphone, this worked very well for me to hear my wife, but I couldn't communicate with her. I could see her even when directly behind the caravan through the monitor.
Also a hand held cb on the same channel as your car cb works well also.

Cheers Greg

PeterS · Veteran Member

We have been using this method for the past three years ever since we bought our van. We have a relatively difficult park at home for the van & mobile phones really work a treat for us!

Cupie · Guru

When I am reversing onto a CP site SWMBO goes off to check on the facilities for such vital information as .. do the washing machines take $1 or $2 coins? She first stands on the edge of the slab & raises her hand to let me know when the rear of the van passes the slab so that I can start the reversing process.

While I set up the van she makes a cuppa and opens the windows.

Works for us.

Wombat 280 · Guru

Couple of cheap hand help CB's from Tricky Dickies does it for us I listen she talks so no need to two way conversation just have to have faith in her driving skills as she does in mine. I find the CB has the added feature of letting one of us to walk into a potential site to make sure we can get out in a hurry if need be or to check the road surface ahead Phones will do it but until they improve the service in remote areas they have draw backs like the time lag and no service in hilly terrain

Tomcat · Senior Member

Hello Kendo

We use the mobile phones I think they work better than cb radios which only allow one at a time. I saw a couple once parking thier van and the wife drove and the husband gave the instructions they did a good job that way too.

Santa · Guru

Phones are fine as long as you have a signal, out in the sticks! not so much.

We have an 80 channel GME UHF in our vehicle and a GME hand held for reversing etc, also handy if one of us decides to walk the dog or similar and want's to stay in contact. smile

Happy Camper · Senior Member

Clear instructions are required when backing.

My wife is excellent at backing so I give the instructions via hand held uhf and she takes over the wheel.

Seems to work for us & we remain best mates.

Cheers, John

Keep going.jpg

Tomcat · Senior Member

That bollard joke is funny Weneed more humour ; )

Cupie · Guru

Happy Camper wrote:
Clear instructions are required when backing.
My wife is excellent at backing so I give the instructions via hand held uhf and she takes over the wheel.
Seems to work for us & we remain best mates.
Cheers, John

Love it.

Looks like a true life situation to me.

On a recent trip I was reversing on to a spot (at Chinchilla) under instructions from SWMBO & was guided to miss the services pole but ran into the hedge protecting the building at the rear. My fault of course.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

confuse cry hmm like all the other solo's, I just do what needs to be done and reverse into the spot I want.

No need for hand-held CBs/mobiles/hand signals/yelling at someone(anyone) ... just do it. cry

I (and I am sure like all the other solo's do) just seem to cope quite adequately.

I think those who travel as couple's are either spoiled or simply need to practice a bit more so they don't need a "sighter".

cheers - John

Santa · Guru

rockylizard wrote:
Gday...
like all the other solo's, I just do what needs to be done and reverse into the spot I want.
No need for hand-held CBs/mobiles/hand signals/yelling at someone(anyone) ... just do it.
I (and I am sure like all the other solo's do) just seem to cope quite adequately.
I think those who travel as couple's are either spoiled or simply need to practice a bit more so they don't need a "sighter".
cheers - John

Yep I can manage just fine on my own, but why bark when you've got a dog.

Probably spoiled John, and I wouldn't have it any other way. biggrin

David and Donna · Member

Reversing is driving me nuts.

No amount of "you must have your head directly over the coupling arrangement and looking straight down on it when you are giving me alignment instructions" seems to work. I am always an inch out or more sideways.

Or she gives me the "keep coming", so I reverse at a snails pace, then I hear "clunk" as the caravan coupling misses the towbar and strikes the Prado's bumper bar, then a second later I hear "STOP".

Or she gives me no sideways instructions until I am 2 feet away from the caravan coupling, then I get frantic hand movements telling me to move the back of the prado 2 feet sideways.

I have tried the 3 texta mark trick (one on the central mirror, one on the back door window, and 1 on the centre of the van, but when she drives, she adjusts the internal mirror grrrr.), and then because I am not listening to her obviously wrong instructions, she becomes afraid of being crushed between the prado and the caravan, and so steps diagonally away, and goes silent or is then unable to tell me when to stop.

I can never figure it out. Get a bloke to give instructions, and there is never a trauma. Get the wife to give instructions, and it ends in tears. She does improve after a week of doing it though, but then when we go caravanning again, its as though she has never done it before..... Sometimes its just easier to do it all yourself.

-- Edited by David and Donna on Tuesday 29th of December 2015 12:09:31 PM

-- Edited by David and Donna on Tuesday 29th of December 2015 12:12:12 PM

Santa · Guru

David and Donna wrote:
Reversing is driving me nuts.

No amount of "you must have your head directly over the coupling arrangement and looking straight down on it when you are giving me alignment instructions" seems to work. I am always an inch out or more sideways.

Or she gives me the "keep coming", so I reverse at a snails pace, then I hear "clunk" as the caravan coupling misses the towbar and strikes the Prado's bumper bar, then a second later I hear "STOP".

Or she gives me no sideways instructions until I am 2 feet away from the caravan coupling, then I get frantic hand movements telling me to move the back of the prado 2 feet sideways.

I have tried the 3 texta mark trick (one on the central mirror, one on the back door window, and 1 on the centre of the van, but when she drives, she adjusts the internal mirror grrrr.), and then because I am not listening to her obviously wrong instructions, she becomes afraid of being crushed between the prado and the caravan, and so steps diagonally away, and goes silent or is then unable to tell me when to stop.

I can never figure it out. Get a bloke to give instructions, and there is never a trauma. Get the wife to give instructions, and it ends in tears. She does improve after a week of doing it though, but then when we go caravanning again, its as though she has never done it before..... Sometimes its just easier to do it all yourself.

-- Edited by David and Donna on Tuesday 29th of December 2015 12:09:31 PM

-- Edited by David and Donna on Tuesday 29th of December 2015 12:12:12 PM

G'day David, I feel for you mate, particularly the "frantic hand movements telling me to move the back of the prado 2 feet sideways." biggrin frustrating ain't it?

Something I used to do in my early days of towing was to prop a broom, garden stake or whatever vertically directly behind the coupling, so that it is easily visible through the rear window, then take a point on the window that lines up directly with your broom or whatever, being correctly lined up is 90% of the battle, all she needs to do then is tell you to stop when directly over the coupling.

Used this method when hooking up solo for years, works well, good luck. smile

03_Troopy · Guru

David and Donna wrote:
Reversing is driving me nuts.

No amount of "you must have your head directly over the coupling arrangement and looking straight down on it when you are giving me alignment instructions" seems to work. I am always an inch out or more sideways.

Or she gives me the "keep coming", so I reverse at a snails pace, then I hear "clunk" as the caravan coupling misses the towbar and strikes the Prado's bumper bar, then a second later I hear "STOP".

Or she gives me no sideways instructions until I am 2 feet away from the caravan coupling, then I get frantic hand movements telling me to move the back of the prado 2 feet sideways.

I have tried the 3 texta mark trick (one on the central mirror, one on the back door window, and 1 on the centre of the van, but when she drives, she adjusts the internal mirror grrrr.), and then because I am not listening to her obviously wrong instructions, she becomes afraid of being crushed between the prado and the caravan, and so steps diagonally away, and goes silent or is then unable to tell me when to stop.

I can never figure it out. Get a bloke to give instructions, and there is never a trauma. Get the wife to give instructions, and it ends in tears. She does improve after a week of doing it though, but then when we go caravanning again, its as though she has never done it before..... Sometimes its just easier to do it all yourself.

-- Edited by David and Donna on Tuesday 29th of December 2015 12:09:31 PM

-- Edited by David and Donna on Tuesday 29th of December 2015 12:12:12 PM

Get a reversing camera fitted, then you can see for yourself and don't need instructions. Works for me wink