RV time out

Dear RV Shrink:
Like most couples, my wife and I have occasional disagreements. At home we can go to different parts of the house to calm down, but it's more difficult in our trailer. When we get into a heated argument, she storms off to the bathroom and stays there for an hour or so. She has a little electronic game in there and plays draw poker. I can hear it beeping, which drives me nuts. On a nice day, I just leave the RV and take a walk, but in the winter when it's cold or rainy I have nowhere to go. Do you think this is a good way for her to let off steam? Am I overreacting?
--Jim in Buffalo, New York

Dear Jim:
I guess it depends on the size of your rig. If you travel with a Casita there could be a problem trying to take a time out in your separate corners. In a bigger rig it could be convenient. Everyone needs a little time alone. I’m a long distance backpacker. My wife said to me last year, “There are things I love about you that you never do anymore.” I said, “Like what?” She said, “Like being gone.” Living long term in a small space can challenge the best of relationships. Having your own space can be a bonus many people do not think of when deciding on rig size. Having separate interests can be a good thing. Arguments are nothing uncommon. Everyone handles them differently. If this is your spouse's way of cooling off, get a pair of earphones or plugs and wait it out. A twenty-five pound backpack works pretty well too.
--Keep Smilin', Dr. R.V. Shrink

##RVT849

Back off

Dear RV Shrink:
My husband is a terrible driver. He tailgates so close that I am always nervous. He says he's comfortable driving close and gets  perturbed when I tell him to back away. I especially get nervous when he's close to a big truck. He has joked that he's "drafting" off it to get better gas mileage. I don't laugh and tell him he's putting us in serious danger, but he either doesn't respond or gets mad. I know how to drive our motorhome but he will hardly ever let me do it. I love my husband, he's a wonderful man, but I'm scared to death to ride with him. Do you have any idea what I might say to him to get him to back off?
--Susan, Carson City, Nevada

Dear Susan:
If you are convinced your husband's driving is putting you at serious risk, don’t get in the passenger seat. Either drive or refuse to ride. The drafting joke is funny to a point. If he wants to be a NASCAR driver, have him get a sponsor and drive alone at the track. If he wants to save gas have him get his foot out of the carburetor and back-off. Tailgating will only assure that you are the first one to the accident. It’s funny that I received this question today. I just read a blog I have followed for two years about a couple RVing full-time. I was shocked to see a photo of their truck and trailer upside down in the median on an interstate. A trailer in front of them spewed metal wheel parts that they could not avoid. It blew their right rear tire and somehow set their trailer brake. The trailer tipped over first, eventually flipping the truck on its side. It then skidded across the median and ended up facing the opposite direction upside down. It is not just a sudden stop that can get you into trouble when tailgating. Most RVs do not stop on a dime, are not quick to maneuver, and are not designed to do either. Your husband is putting more people in danger than just his wife. I think he needs an attitude adjustment and I think you should be the one to administer it. Good luck.
--Keep Smilin', Dr. R.V. Shrink

##RVT848

RV foreign affairs

Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
I don’t think you have heard this one before. I read about a lot of women questioning their husband's actions after retiring. Since we've started RVing, my husband is a nut in a good way. Yet sometimes I also wonder if he is going off the deep end. His newest hobby is pretending to be a foreigner. It’s his opinion that foreigners get better treatment at the state and national parks we visit. When things get dicey and we may not be able to get a campsite, he becomes a Frenchman. He can’t speak French he just makes up his own words with a French accent. After babbling on and acting confused, the ranger usually just finds someplace for us to park and we have to be French for a few days or not speak to anyone. This week we are German. I talked to him about his behavior and he did stop for awhile. Then one day my computer went haywire and he called for tech help. He couldn’t understand a word they were saying. He hung up, called back and began to stutter. Now they couldn’t understand him. Immediately they transferred him to an English speaking tech rep who solved our problem. Other than this theatrical flare for getting his way, he’s a funny, friendly guy. I’m just not sure what nationality we are going to be when we pull up to a park gate.
-- RV UN ambassador

Dear Ambassador:
I think I have heard it all and then your email shows up. Now every time I run into a foreigner in a campground I’m going to be suspect. It is getting harder every season to get into popular parks. Maybe your husband is on to something. Perhaps only the dramatically challenged will be left spaceless or in overflow. I have never noticed foreign campers getting preferential treatment. He should be careful because park service employees are often bilingual and he just may get called out one of these times. You aren’t in Nevada are you? I just camped near a couple from Alberta with an Aussie accent. I don’t think that put them any further ahead in the queue for a campsite, but who knows. Since you are partners in verbal disguise, I think you should have a say in what nationality you are going to be at each stay. I think the perfect situation would be to secure a position at a park that needs volunteers for historical reenactment. They would provide you with a site and you could be someone else. Life is full of possibilities. They say you can be whatever you want. I guess your husband is proof of that.
--Keep Smilin', Dr. R.V. Shrink