Am I the only stupid one???

[BirdbyBird]

I blunder into most of my "mush brain" moments when I have driven too many miles or am in too much of a hurry and am distracted because of it. So far none of them have been earth shattering or expensive. It doesn serve to keep us humble and try to keep us vigilant On any given day.....

[Queen]

So happy to see this thread! We're getting closer to our camper purchase and maybe I can learn enough here to miss out on a couple of biggies.

[JudyJB]

Sorry, ladies who are new to RVing and learning. The problem with trying to learn from the mistakes that the rest of us have made is that there are SO MANY other possible and unimagined mistakes out there! You will end up discovering some unique and creative mistakes of your own, such as the mail chute through the side of the RV. (Congratulations, Martha!)

One thing I do is pack up and put away as much stuff as possible the night before I travel so I don't have so much to do in the morning. I think it helps to not have to remember so much at the last moment. Do a last minute inside and outside walk around, scanning up and down as you go. I have caught several things that way.

Anyway, none of our mistakes have been fatal, and we have all recovered and had fun!

[monik7]

OK, Birdie may think I'm disciplined, but this almost disaster, I'm sure, made my late rocket-scientist father cringe. On my most recent trip, I was getting everything put away, slides pulled in, etc. in order to leave for my next destination. I was a little annoyed because the sprinklers on the lawn next to my rig were on and getting it wet. So I wanted to get out of there quickly. Finally "everything" was done and I jumped in the driver's seat, turned on the engine and was set to pull away when THANKFULLY I looked in my driver side mirror and saw I was still connected to the electric!!! I run my electric cord through a trap door in the storage so the surge protector can't be stolen. Had I pulled away, it would have caused MAJOR damage. Should have done JudyJB's walk around.
Sandi

[Bethers]

My last rig with a slide didn't have a lock, either. But it couldn't be moved with the engine running - either way - so maybe that was the lock?

I've made plenty of mistakes. Offhand can't think of any that are as funny as all those posted. But we've all done things we might not be proud of.

[MelissaD]

Walk around is a very important "tool". We are trained to do them in the "big truck" although many drivers seem to skip them. When I get to the point I think I'm ready to leave with the camper, I do one last walk around checking lights, doors, cargo doors, antennae (important to look up), power cord etc.... and double check the hitch that everything is locked correctly and connected correctly.

As Judy said putting most things away the night before is a big help too. Just makes leaving that much easier in the morning. Less stress less chance of mistakes.

[Bethers]

Ah, yes, I always walk around. Somehow, even doing that, I managed to leave the exercise step I use outside my door finally. I guess I'm so used to it being there ...

As to notes - when I started towing a car, I was used to being able to back up - which I can't do, towing. I had a paper taped in the car to remind myself to put it in neutral, but put a very colorful one in the rig say "NO REVERSE". Well, I knew that only meant when towing, but I had the rig in for service, and this young man came running to me "Can your rig really not go in reverse? Cuz you parked where we can't move it!" I laughed and said, he was fine - no car attached. I doubt he knew I couldn't use reverse towing ... and probably still talks about the crazy lady with the crazy sign.

[monik7]

My last rig with a slide didn't have a lock, either. But it couldn't be moved with the engine running - either way - so maybe that was the lock?.

That sure is different from mine. Directions say to have the engine running when working the slides so as not to run down the battery. But then again, mine has the key on the lock bar to work the slides.
Sandi

[Acadianmom]

When I pull out I stop and get out to see if I see anything that looks familiar. I have left several door mats. I lost a pressure regulator once because someone was helping me unhook and didn't know the regulator was mine and not part of the faucet. It really is a good idea to not talk to people when they are setting up or unhooking. If I don't do something myself it will bug me until I check it.

Martha

[gingerK]

Ahhhh, not stupid at all. Here's my contribution: first truck camper, first time out. Backing into campsite. Friend says, shall I spot you? No, I said. Wrong. Tree vs. bumper. Thank goodness I wasn't over about 2 more feet because that tc had a window ac unit that hung out over the bumper. Had I hit it instead..... I like to do a walk around before leaving too. I've caught myself not gathering everything up to stow away a couple times.

[Pooker]

Ah, the walkaround: Awhile back I thought of how flight attendants ALWAYS do one more walk down the aisle checking cabinets, seat belts, etc. on airplanes. I started that routine and I'm amazed how often I thwart a fridge door from flying open, a pantry's shelves from zipping across the aisle, or an overhead cabinet letting my toaster go airborne across the rig. Especially when you travel alone you need to check and recheck everything, and even then you still will hear those mysterious thunks when you go around a corner. It's a good idea outside, too, to discover that cabinet door you forgot to close (or lock), etc.

Pooker

[monik7]

Ah, the walkaround: Awhile back I thought of how flight attendants ALWAYS do one more walk down the aisle checking cabinets, seat belts, etc. on airplanes.
Pooker

This made me laugh because I was a flight attendant for several years after graduating from college. Guess it's been too long since then because I didn't do a walk around in the incident I mentioned in my post above. Guess I should go back for some retraining.
Sandi

[Acadianmom]

We live about 1/4 mile from the highway and there aren't many times I get as far as the highway without having to stop to lock something. When a drawer comes flying out and jumps the track it can really make a mess. The last time I dropped my sister off the refrigerator didn't get locked. I had one of the big bottles of wine fall out and break. Talk about a mess.

I met someone pulling a 5th wheel with the bedroom slide out. It was only out about a foot and a half so don't know if he was having trouble with it or forgot it. At least it was up high so there wasn't a lot of danger of hitting someone with it.

Martha

[JudyJB]

Big Confession!

I hit a tree this afternoon backing up. Not a little tree. A big, big one.

It had been sitting there all along minding its own business. No one had slipped it in when I was not looking. I just hit it. And several other camping families saw me hit it.

The bad news is that I bent my bike rack. I don't think I bent the bike, but it was getting dark so I peeked under the cover and will look at it in more detail when I get to my next campsite tomorrow. I think I can take the bike off and remove the bar that was bent and have someone with a sledge hammer bend it back the way it had been. Better than breaking my bike or damaging my rig. Lesson learned is to not be so over-confident and in the future to Get Out And Look!

[chalet05]

Oh, Judy, I know the feeling! I backed the SS off the trailer crooked and bent a tie down bracket - again! At least I can fix it myself.