Reversing

Before reversing onto  a pitch I always get out and check how far from where I need to be I am. It is very easy to stop short and you do need to get the starting point right.

I agree that reversing onto a pitch on your right is easiest but unfortunately this is not always possible.

Wow, you surprise me.

All you can do then is practice. A large supermarket car park on a Sunday afternoon might be of some use..

Don't know about your area, but our's are alway packed with shopper's cars on a Sunday.

We have been practicing reversing in a local business park on a Sunday when it's quite. I can reverse in a straight line now and what I found was if I used the car mirrors and not the towing ones I got on a lot better.......... I hope this post doesn't start another row.

Why should it? You found a method that works for you. That's good.

I recently did the CC Practical Caravanning course.  I got on OK doing the straight line reversing but, without the instructor telling me what to do, found the curved reverse difficult (too many different things to get my head round).  Last week I had my first proper experience of towing and parking the caravan in our storage site in an offside space.  We were taught to pull forward past a pitch, then reverse in a straight line until the back of the caravan is level with where you want to park.  When you get to this point, stop and turn the steering wheel onto a full left hand down lock.  Reverse into the pitch, looking out of the driver's window at the caravan wheel.  Stop when the wheel stops moving, then change to full right hand down lock and reverse allowing the car to follow the caravan.  The caravan will start to move round too far, but don't be tempted to change the lock until the rear of the car & caravan are almost touching. At this point, stop and straighten the steering wheel so it's straight, then pull forward. This will correct the position of the caravan on the pitch. You then only have to reverse straight as far as you need to go.  This technique worked first time for me.  Admittedly reversing into a nearside space is not as easy, but having a banksman (or is that a banksperson?) should help.  My husband grudgingly agreed I'd done well.

Why should it? You found a method that works for you. That's good.

 Please see wink.

That sounds OK if you have enough room for your car and van to be in a straight line whilst still a few feet from the back of the pitch. This is seldom the case. In the real world it usually involves having to have the rig at a bit of an angle to avoid the pitches opposite.

Wow, you surprise me.

All you can do then is practice. A large supermarket car park on a Sunday afternoon might be of some use..

Don't know about your area, but our's are alway packed with shopper's cars on a Sunday.

Which is why I suggested Sunday afternoon because they close at 16.00

Why should it? You found a method that works for you. That's good.

 Please see wink.

I did but suspected others might not. 

Hence the elaboration and the cool

Did anyone else learn the basics as a child with toy cars, trailers and articulated lorries with working steering? The principles are identical,  even if road conditions aren't.