Like you, Jim, I always take a good look first. I’m concerned about a child running behind the trailer just as I put the car into reverse after I’ve completed my walk-around .
Backing into a car is simply an insurance issue. Not so with a child.
I will not backup without knowing for certain what’s behind me.
Like you, I’ve never run over anyone yet. Don’t we both wish that meant that we never will?
A camera or a spotter but never in the blind. Never.
I never reverse into a camping spot, or just about anywhere, at anything but a slow speed, whether there is a spotter or not. And if reversing into a manoeuvrable spot alone, despite being able to do it with no problem, I do get out and check as often as needed. I bet I spend more time checking than I do reversing.
Even the reverse camera on my truck I use with extreme caution as I just don't like the view other than connecting to a trailer hitch, and will very often there physically check out the spot first. I do really enjoy using the towing mirrors on my truck as they provide excellent coverage of what's behind me.
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
sometimes, especially when I'm kinda tired, it takes me a bunch of tries to backup my trailer into the exact right spot. I'll always end up there. turning the rig around in my driveway is quite the challenge, too.
but I'm compromised by having a longbed (8 foot) F250 extended cab that has a 62 foot turning circle. if I am backing up the E21 at a tight radius, I cant' steer out of the turn, I have to pull forward a few feet to straighten the rig out, then resume backing up. the combined rig, F250 + E21 + bicycles hanging out back, is probably 42 feet long.
The camera is great. I highly recommend it. Great peace of mind when passing. When I see the front of the vehicle I passed I know it is safe to pull over.
When traveling, we suction-cup-mount a rear-view wireless camera inside the rear window of our 21' looking out the window rearward, and my wife uses it to monitor any traffic directly behind us. We never use it for backing the camper, don't need it for that, but we find it to be very informative while travelling down the road.
This is pretty much how we use it. Side mirrors are the main info window while driving but the rear camera allows me to see the cars climbing up close behind so I find it was worth getting for that but its not an earth shattering help. I don't like watching the bikes shaking on the 1-UP the entire trip though.
The only time we use it for backing is sometimes my wife will stand in the middle of the line where she wants the trailer to end up, so I use her for alignment. Most of the time though backing into a site I never look at it.
Linear Mode
