Getting my dander (gender?) up ...

[Getupngo]

Okay, I'm being a bad girl right now. We've got one of those RV.net threads going with some guys ragging on why they won't "let" their wives drive THEIR RVs. Now, those of you who know me here remember that I can get a bit, well, uppity. Click in about 1/2 the way down this page. I weigh in with my considered opinion ( ). It then starts being fun.

[OregonLuvr]

[size=150]OMG Janice I was reading that thread and getting more and more irritated by the minute by some of the responses haha I just had to reply to them too. Then I bop over here and find that YOU have posted also hee hee

It just bugs me that men think they are the only ones that can learn to drive (at least most of them). There were a couple on there that seemed pretty darned decent.

So guess I am being BAD too

Karen

[retiredhappy]

LOL---- you had better be careful. Guess who moderates that forum? RVA Dave. He kicked me off a forum for voicing my opinion. That is the forum I was referring to when I said I had been on a forum that the men were pretty snotty. Soooooo glad we have our supportive womens' forum.

[OregonLuvr]

Well those BIG BAD MEN dont scare me HA HA HA

Karen

[Bethers]

LOLOL

But, Karen - that forum is NOT moderated by RVA Dave - he is not part of rv.net, thank God - and I've yet to see anyone banned from rv.net - just occasionally moderated - even when some get to be way out-of-hand.

[Getupngo]

Karen, I agree some of the guys were really sweet. That's why I qualified my comments about "some" of the fellas there. To be fair, a lot of those RV.net guys have been really helpful to me when I have some mechanical questions about my rig.

[Redetotry]

Ok, I'm going to stick my neck out here & respectively disagree. I didn't read anything that got my dander up at all, he states
"My wife is a competent, smart, professional woman who is a good driver. Still, she refuses to try driving our MH, saying it is "just too big for her". I'd really like her to learn if only for emergencies such as if I stroke out or break both arms, etc"

My take on it is, SHE refused to try. I thought most of the men gave very good considerate reasons for the DW not driving, actually many sounded like real gentlemen, you know the ones that will still open a door for a lady. Did you think maybe the ladies don't want to drive because they feel it's their time to take a rest. Maybe the wife is the one who when they park, does the rest of the work. Seems like the men had a lot of good suggestions on how to get the women interested but were ok with them saying 'no way I don't want to drive.' Also, men kid a lot. I think that is something perhaps younger women misinterpret, maybe it's like a generation thing.

Oregonluvr I wondered the same thing too whether it was mostly women who say you are Brave, although you do say you get the remark from both. Maybe you don't think it is brave or unusual but there are still women out there that haven't driven that much or else have always had a small car and just really admire a woman who does.

I liked Mrs Gasmans reply to the thread.

[retiredhappy]

Oops, my mistake. I thought I had seen RVDave on that forum. Some of the guys are really sweet and there are a lot of women out there, my friend was one, who just didn't want to learn or drive, EVER. That job was her husband's and she had no interest altho it worried her husband no end. He wanted her to learn in case of an emergency and she absolutely refused. She occasionally travels with me (her husband is deceased) and she still has no desire to drive. Probably just as well, I'm not a good passenger. To each their own.

[Getupngo]

Oh, there were LOTS of nice, respectful guys on that thread. It's the (expletive deleted)s that get my gender dander up. I think it's their gleeful tales about their wives' incompetence that gets me going. LOL!

[OregonLuvr]

I guess the part that gets me irritated by "some" men is the when they say they wont LET the woman drive. The original poster was not that person..in fact he was trying to encourage his wife to drive. Now I dont think everyone should drive....especially if they dont want to..but they should have the opportunity if they choose to learn. I still stand on my PRO Choice idea..... its the men that belittle and put down their women that just rankles me.

I too find RV Net very helpful in many cases. I have solved many a problem on there from just reading the posts. I dont even post much over there, BUT every once in a while something just jumps out at ya LOL

Karen

[SeeyaGal]

The men need to pay attention because I HAVE seen gals driving into my park in 5th wheels, motorhomes, TT & Class C's!! Two gals pulled in the other day, they had their own Class C's. One was a Lazy Daze....that seems to be a popular one and hard to find a used one because they are made so well people hang onto them! They better be nice because I know lots of gals who are doing the driving now because their hubbys can't .

I CAN but I like to choose when I want to

[Getupngo]

This might be a good way to wrap this thread up. I loved this post by "Squadleader" from Richmond, VA, on women driving big MHs.

My wife put driving a coach in better perspective than had ever occurred to me.

She said if Mrs. Schwartz (our kids 70 year old bus driver) could drive her school bus on all the tiny twisty roads in our rural area including the backing necessary to turn around in cul de sacs, then she (my wife) could certainly drive our coach.

After I thought about that, I realized there are probably many more women driving bus, coach or coach like vehicles in America than men. Most school buses are 36 to 39 feet long, the same length as all but the longest coaches.

When we first got our 40 foot coach, my wife was intimidated by its size and didn't want to drive it.

She was finally willing to try it on a straight stretch of interstate and did fine.

After that, while I was driving in towns, I would point out how I was going straight as long as possible before turning the wheel hard in turns, to keep the rear wheels from hitting curbs and to remember to watch the butt of the coach since it swings in the opposite direction of any turn she's making.

She began driving it in town and now is comfortable driving it anywhere.

Her realization, after driving our coach on the interstate, that most most school buses are driven by women, gave her lots of confidence and also challenged her to develop the skills necessary to do it herself.


I offer this as encouragement for any of our forum sisters who are reluctant to climb into the captain's chair.