The best part of having a R.V. is all the great places you can park and camp. Parking isn’t always at the campground, sometimes you might want to spend your day at a ballgame, picnic, outdoor museum, festival or any other event where you might want all the capabilities your R.V. has to offer. So take your R.V. everywhere all summer and use the lawn chairs, grill, fridge, bathroom and seating for seven to your advantage. Here are some tricks and tips I’ve learned from R.V.ing and professional truck driving. Small parking lots present some problems. Plan and look ahead if possible. Watch your inside when going around a corner, the R.V. has a much longer wheel base than a car, watch the inside of your corner for curbs and posts. Be very aware of the swing of the rear of the R.V. The swing is when the rear of the R.V. behind the tires swings in the opposite direction of the turn. Many R.V.s are damaged in the rear from the swing. In parallel parking lots, like a grocery store, pull ahead straight through two spaces so you don’t take up too much room. In extreme cases going wrong way down the driving lanes makes cutting the corners around the cars at the ends much easier. Try not to do this because its rude and not entirely legal but it does work in emergencies. Plan ahead on how you are going to exit the lot even if more cars arrive after you. Parking a 28 foot R.V. in a single parking spot. This is a great trick and makes parking much easier but you will probably want someone to help guide you. Find a parking spot with nothing behind, signs, trees, etc. for when you back in. Then back in all the way until the rear tires are touching the curb allowing the rear end behind the tires to hang over the grass. Have the person guiding you watch for objects behind you, posts and trees will not be visible in your mirrors. Also your guide person needs to look under the rear to check for clearance there as well. Pay special attention to the exhaust and plumbing that hang under the R.V. Be careful curbs may also different heights and may be higher the under hang of the R.V. Also be sure that R.V.’s rear is not impeding pedestrian traffic. The R.V. is wider than a car but still should fit between the lines in a regular parking spot. If you park in the back corner of a lot you sometimes have a grassy area right outside your door. At the ballgame try to park with space outside the side-door. This makes it easier to tailgate right outside the door and maybe even use the awning. At major sporting events go on-line or call about special parking conditions for your R.V. At Miller Park in Milwaukee I need to get a parking pass ahead of time to park. With the reasonably priced pass I get a great, close spot with room to tailgate. If I don’t get a parking pass ahead of time the price goes from twice to five times the price of a car. The parking pass is available on-line along with the regular game tickets. Have a great summer, and have as much fun with your R.V. as possible. Category:Home › Autos • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 2 • You should never use after-market auto parts when maintaining or fixing your car • Should a new car be rust-proofed? • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 1 • Five safest cars in North America • How to ensure your teen drives safely after getting a license • Pros and cons of using an hydrogen generator for your car • DIY automotive maintenance: How to change the oil