Educate your spotters!

[demodriver]

Usually I dont use a spotter except for in tight spots or in public places with alot of people.

My first "experience" with my wife as my spotter was in the dark while turning around. My wife let me jack knife and run my trailer winch plate into the bus rear bumper.  Not happy but atleast it was all my equipment that got tore up.

Today while at Doons State park in IN I had to have my wife help me turn around in a parking lot that should of had a no outlet sign on it.  After several attempts I was loosing my patients. In the end my wife let me back into a toyota car and push it about 5 ft sideways with the back of my trailer.

Usually my wife does very well with this kind of stuff. But due to my lack of communication with her and me not letting her know what I needed of her I now have a insurance claim.  The officer (conservation officer) took measurement of the length of my bus with trailer. I sure hope nothing comes of that. It measured 58' according to him. He is a little over tho.

[desi arnaz]

I say get rid of the wife and grt a back up camera twenty five bucks from walmart.com

[Jeremy]

I have a reversing camera on my car which fits into the receptacle for the removable tow hitch. When the tow hitch is in place the reversing camera is unplugged from the car and re-fitted to the rear end of the trailer.

I've not yet reversed the bus into anything, but while reversing it once I did hit a wall with the corner of the front bumper (concentrating on the mirrors and forgetting the exaggerated way the front end swings sideways on a bus). I've now bought a cheap ultrasonic parking sensor set to fit to all the corners of the bus - hopefully they will give some warning of similar scrapes in the future.

Jeremy

[Len Silva]

How are you communicating?  With today's technology, hand signals are out.  Radios or, even better, hands free cell phones are the way to go.

When I find myself in that situation, I tell my spotter that the only instruction I want to hear is "STOP".  Don't try to tell me which way to turn or anything else, just don't let me hit anything.

The second problem is when you say you were losing patience.  It is so easy to make mistakes when we get that way.  When you feel that feeling coming up, it's the time to hit the park brake and walk around the bus a couple of times.  Even if you are blocking traffic and people are screaming at you, do whatever you have to to regain your cool.

I have done some really stupid $hit when I gotten that way, and in my old age, I try very hard to just stop everything until it passes.

[JackConrad]

When you have someone spotting for for you, remind them to also watch above for tree branches.  Don't ask LOL   Jack

[robertglines1]

I think she and YOU are educated now! just work on the communications. 2 cell phones even if one is a pay as you use for this use only.  I like the stop word use suggested. at least 4 ft before needed.  keep the wife-will be much more expensive if she leaves than the physical damage. I met you both; this is a growing moment!  I just tell Judy if she can't see my face in the mirior I can't see her!  Still married 42 years and 30 yrs Rv ing.   Bob

[Busted Knuckle]

The small $25 walkie talkies from Walmart are perfect for this right here.
And I agree that unless the spotter is real good and can tell you exactly what you need to do for example: trailer needs to come to the right 5' and back 20', or you got 5' and need to cut it hard left.
Then they don't need to say anything except STOP when you get 4' from ANYTHING!      
 BK  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

[belfert]

I like to back up without any help when I have no trailer.  The person trying to help just gets in the way.  I have to back my bus through a nine and a half foot wide space next to my house and I've done it enough times to do it with just the mirrors.

[demodriver]

My wife pulls a trailer and can back one up just fine.  She just didnt stay where I could see and I sure couldnt hear her.  A camera is in the works already.

[luvrbus]

I always used a spotter and a camera that way you have 2 that you can blame for the screw up lol my shop door was removed with 2 spotters,driver and a camera

good luck

[trucktramp]

A good rule to follow when backing and using a spotter is to stop if you cannot see the spotter.  Tell the spotter before you start backing that you will stop and wait if you can't see the spotter and that he/she needs to move so that they can see you in the mirror.  It's just as easy to run over your spotter as a car if you can't see.

[AndyG]

I got one of the PEAK wireless cameras for my birthday.  It is pretty inexpensive with a 3.5" screen.  I mounted it just below the clearance lights on the back of the coach.  This this is great it really makes backing into the barn possible without a spotter.  There are much $nicer$ cameras out there but you can get one that does the job without a bunch of money or trouble. 
Hint: 
I wanted to temporarily power the camera with a battery charger so that I could find the best mounting position.  The charger fried the camera and it had to be replaced.  If you are going to temp power the electronics use a 12V battery. 

[thomasinnv]

My wife finally learned that if she can't see my eyes in the mirror, I can't see her. She pretty much tells me when to stop, and the rest is on me. She used to try to tell me "this way" or "that way" but I found that I had to usually re-maneuver once or twice. Now she just lets me do my thing and says "stop".

[bobofthenorth]

There's been a lot of comment in this thread that tends to cast some of the blame on the spotter.  If you run into something its 100% your fault - no excuses.  You've got the wheel, accelerator and brakes under your control.  If you don't know what's beside you, behind you or in front of you then its time to stop, get out and have a look around.  Doesn't matter how inconvenient or awkward it may be.  I've run into things with and without spotters but its been my fault every time. 

As far as radios go for communication with your spotter they are useless unless they are handsfree.  In 30+ years of RVing I can remember exactly 2 spotters whose judgement I will trust completely - one of those is my oldest son and he was that way from about 10 years on.  Everyone else, including my dear wife, is just another opinion which leaves all the responsibility on me. 

[Len Silva]

I agree with Bob, but I don't think anyone said otherwise.  It's always the driver's responsibility, no matter what the situation might be.

Usually, instead of "Stop", my wife says "You should have stopped"