Instead, jack-knife it within reason, and
then turn the wheel in the opposite direction
as needed to reduce the severity of the van’s
approach angle. And don’t be afraid
to nudge forward to straighten up a little –
this will hopefully give you an easier angle
of approach.
Also, when turning a van left or right, it’s
important to keep an eye on the front of the
vehicle, too. Remember: if you’re reversing
sharply to the left, the right-side-front of the
vehicle will ‘jut out’ in the other direction.
” AS
WITH
ALL THINGS,
REVERSING
THE VAN
WILL BECOME
EASIER WITH
PRACTISE. ”
Don't jack-knife the rig too tightly, if possible, as this
could damage your vehicle and make it difficult to
recover your angle of approach.
26 \
As with all things, it will become easier
with practise. The most important things to
remember: don’t jack-knife so tightly that you
damage your vehicle, remember to spin the
wheel in the opposite direction as needed, go
slowly, keep an eye on the front of the vehicle,
and drive forward to straighten up if things
start to go pear-shaped.
Another tip: use a spotter to help you avoid
fence posts, tree branches, pedestrians, etc.
Agree on some hand signals or, better yet,
use UHF radio.
MY FAVOURITE TIP
The most severe pressure point when it comes
to reversing a van is the need to turn the
wheel in the opposite direction to which you
want the van to travel. Left to go right, right
to go left. In the heat of battle, it can confuse
even the sharpest mind.
Some caravanners overcome this by focussing
on their mirrors (which is always a good idea
when reversing). Essentially, if they want to
reverse the caravan to the right, they will turn
the wheel away from that mirror.