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Narrow Streets ---- Righthand turns

Yahoo Message Number: 10773
Am I the only one having problems making righthand turns on urban streets where the street I'm turning onto has a left turn lane? My coach is only 38' how do you folks in the 40+ footers handle this? Larry

'99 Affinity

Narrow Streets ---- Righthand turns

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10774
Nope Larry, you are not alone. I'm only in my 2nd year of our 36 ft Intrigue. I've come to the realization that it takes more street space than the Highway department allows for four wheel passenger cars. I usually crowd the left stripe of the right hand lane and even use as much of the oncoming lane around the corner as I can get away with. Like a 18 wheel driver suggested to me. Turn late and turn sharp...... It works. Don't know what the Monster 42/45 ft folks do...........
Lee in Portland............

Re: Narrow Streets ---- Righthand turns

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10778
From: "tbeer45" beerlt@...>

Quote
Am I the only one having problems making righthand turns on urban
streets where the street I'm turning onto has a left turn lane? My coach is only 38' how do you folks in the 40+ footers handle this? Funny you should ask. That situation exists at the access road onto the US Navy campground in Key West ... a right turn onto the road, which has a left turn lane. And it's not set back, as it should be, 'cause right-turning traffic has to deal with a utility pole close to the corner.
Some RVers who've been to the campground previously turn left before they get to that intersection, then make two right turns where it's easier to do so, so they approach the subject intersection straight on. That may not help you, but it shows what some folks will do to avoid that situation. In fact, we're gonna try it next winter .
Along the same lines, to avoid a right turn problem, sometimes you can go a block or two past the intersection and make a left turn, then two more lefts ... and go straight through the problem intersection. Where there's a will, etc ...

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
'98 36' Intrigue #10571
Mfd: 11/97

Re: Narrow Streets ---- Righthand turns

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10782
Dick, your plan is a good one when one can plan the route, I have been banging the hell out of my right rear outside dual on the curb as of late due to some construction that I came up on or by some 'nimrod' that is unable or unwilling to stop and hold short at the setback. All part of the 'adventure' I guess but I sure hate rolling over the curb with my new tires, I know it is not good for them.
Larry '99 Affinity

Re: Narrow Streets ---- Righthand turns

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10785
It's not in my nature to be brazen, but there are times when I have to act that way. Tight turns in the city with my 40' coach require me to stare down people who crowd me in the left turn lane. I have found most drivers to be courteous and recognizing my problem back up or move over if they can. At times you just have to wait, thereby holding up traffic, until some kind citizen lets you complete the turn.
BTW, you also have to watch the rear end sweep when you make a sharp turn and remember to lift the tag.

Walt Rothermel
03Allure30811

Re: Narrow Streets ---- Righthand turns

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10786
I asked the same question when I took my CDL training classes for 3 months before getting my coach. My instructor has been teaching professional truck drivers for more than 20 years. Here is what he told me...
1. Stay in the center or left-of-center of your lane, but be sure to allow enough room on the drivers side for tail swing (on my coach, that over 3 feet of tail swing)
2. Do NOT turn left into on-coming traffic to swing wider into the righthand turn as this can position your vehicle for a head-on crash
3. Proceed far enough into the intersection to allow for your rear wheels and toad to pass around the turn without going over the curb
4. Turn as sharply as your coach can turn
5. Sit and wait for the on-coming traffic in the turning lane to clear out - it may take a while and your heart may be pounding because of the stress in tieing up the intersection, but they eventually will clear out of your way
6. Complete your turn

Big rig drivers do this all the time and it doesn't bother them a bit to tie up an intersection while the cars get out of their way.
He suggested that this was the safest way to make the turn. What he told me is consistent with the instructions in the CDL drivers training manual published by the government.

Bob

2003 Intrigue 40'

Quote from: tbeer45

Re: Narrow Streets ---- Righthand turns

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10795
just like the trucks I take up both lanes being sure to keep the space on the right side too narrow for someone to try to pass.

Re: Narrow Streets ---- Righthand turns

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10801
I used to drive MC-8 passenger buses....in Los Angeles. I was taught to drive straight into the turn and then begin my turn when the front wheels are even with the right edge of the street that I am turning onto and then cut it hard. So far....that simple method has never let me down. We were in Sault St. Marie, MI, last year and my wife was following me. Traffic everywhere. We had just purchased this coach. I made that right turn in town to head down to the Soo Locks RV Park. No problem. She instantly jumped on the radio and shouts "You did that just like a pro". The method never fails.

Hope that helps.
Mike

'95 Intrigue 10061

Quote from: rvrobert2003
> I asked the same question when I took my CDL training classes for

3

Quote
months before getting my coach. My instructor has been teaching > professional truck drivers for more than 20 years. Here is what

he

Quote
told me...

1. Stay in the center or left-of-center of your lane, but be

sure

Quote
to allow enough room on the drivers side for tail swing (on my > coach, that over 3 feet of tail swing) > 2. Do NOT turn left into on-coming traffic to swing wider into

the

Quote
righthand turn as this can position your vehicle for a head-on

crash

Quote
3. Proceed far enough into the intersection to allow for your

rear

Quote
wheels and toad to pass around the turn without going over the curb > 4. Turn as sharply as your coach can turn > 5. Sit and wait for the on-coming traffic in the turning lane to > clear out - it may take a while and your heart may be pounding > because of the stress in tieing up the intersection, but they > eventually will clear out of your way > 6. Complete your turn

Big rig drivers do this all the time and it doesn't bother them a > bit to tie up an intersection while the cars get out of their

way.

Quote
He suggested that this was the safest way to make the turn. What

he

Quote
told me is consistent with the instructions in the CDL drivers > training manual published by the government.

Bob

2003 Intrigue 40'

Quote from: tbeer45"[/quote
Quote
>]
> Am I the only one having problems making righthand turns on

urban

Quote
streets where the street I'm turning onto has a left turn lane?

My

Quote
coach is only 38' how do you folks in the 40+ footers handle

this?

Re: Narrow Streets ---- Righthand turns

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10803
Making the Right Turn, in a 40' is "Life on the Edge" It is the most rewarding feeling to clear the car and not scrubb the rear tire on the curb. I use the same method Mike discussed. Knowing when to start your turn is unique to your coach. You will need to pratice that in a parking lot on Sunday mornings. I must admit IFS does help.
Paul

01' Inrigue

Quote from: faa_engineer
> I used to drive MC-8 passenger buses....in Los Angeles. I was > taught to drive straight into the turn and then begin my turn when > the front wheels are even with the right edge of the street that I > am turning onto and then cut it hard. So far....that simple

method

Quote
has never let me down. We were in Sault St. Marie, MI, last year > and my wife was following me. Traffic everywhere. We had just > purchased this coach. I made that right turn in town to head down > to the Soo Locks RV Park. No problem. She instantly jumped on

the

Quote
radio and shouts "You did that just like a pro". The method never > fails.

Hope that helps.

Mike

'95 Intrigue 10061

[quote author=rvrobert2003"

> I asked the same question when I took my CDL training classes

for

Quote
3

> months before getting my coach. My instructor has been teaching > > professional truck drivers for more than 20 years. Here is what > he

> told me...
>

> 1. Stay in the center or left-of-center of your lane, but be > sure

> to allow enough room on the drivers side for tail swing (on my > > coach, that over 3 feet of tail swing) > > 2. Do NOT turn left into on-coming traffic to swing wider into > the

> righthand turn as this can position your vehicle for a head-on > crash

> 3. Proceed far enough into the intersection to allow for your > rear

> wheels and toad to pass around the turn without going over the

curb

Quote
4. Turn as sharply as your coach can turn > > 5. Sit and wait for the on-coming traffic in the turning lane

to

Quote
clear out - it may take a while and your heart may be pounding > > because of the stress in tieing up the intersection, but they > > eventually will clear out of your way > > 6. Complete your turn
>

> Big rig drivers do this all the time and it doesn't bother them

a

Quote
bit to tie up an intersection while the cars get out of their > way.

> He suggested that this was the safest way to make the turn.

What

Quote
he

> told me is consistent with the instructions in the CDL drivers > > training manual published by the government.
>
> Bob

> 2003 Intrigue 40'
>
>
>

[quote author=tbeer45"

>]
> > Am I the only one having problems making righthand turns on > urban

> > streets where the street I'm turning onto has a left turn

lane?

Re: Narrow Streets ---- Righthand turns

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10806
An instructor once told me that sometimes 3 left turns make the best right turn. Also he taught us this: Drive as far to the left as is safe (not so far that other vehicles can pass you on the right) and straight ahead into the intersection. Watch the street you are turning onto and start your right turn when your hip is even with where you want your right rear tires to be when the turn is completed. Make it a real sharp turn and, if necessary wait for those in the way to move on. The key is that you are looking 90 degrees to the right and right down the road in line with your desired right side position when you start your turn.

Seems to work.
Andy

2002 36' Allure / 2000 Subaru Forester

Quote from: tbeer45

Re: Narrow Streets ---- Righthand turns

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10808
Andy, Lee, Bob, Bill, Mike, Paul, Skip, hope I didn't miss someone.
I have been using the method you all suggest with one very big exception, I have not had the nerve to stop and wait for the left turn lane to clear. That is going to change! I hate to give RVs in general a bad name but some of these fools in their small imports yak'n on the phone really make life hard sometimes.
I took a driving class [no hands on] at Life on Wheels earlier this month, just a great week, and the instructor told us the same method as you all suggest, he did however omit the part about stopping until the car[obstacle] is clear.
I have been doing the 3 left turn trick for awhile and will continue but sometimes you just get trapped.

Thanks to you all, Larry
'99 Affinity

Re: Narrow Streets ---- Righthand turns

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10872
IFS makes all the difference in the world. My 42' Intrigue turns inside my old 36' Allure with I beam suspension. As I remember there is a stop than can be checked for min. turning radius. Look back through the e-mails for a better answer. TWI 11731 2004 Intrigue
 

Re: Narrow Streets ---- Righthand turns

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10878
I do have IFS on my coach and I'm unsure what the wheel cut is, 50 I would guess since it is 5 yr.. old. It does turn well its just the 'Honyouks' in the left turn lane that will not obey the stop line or just to damn obstinate to move that is really giving me problems. Nice to have these problems I guess.
Thanks, Larry
'99 Affinity