Ever wondered the real meaning of some of the common RV phrases and lingo? If so, you need to read the Lug_Nut Whacky Glossary for Recreational Vehicles. It isn’t quite the “RV Language for Dummies”, but should help you in understanding the real meanings of some of the more common words and phases associated with RVing.
A
Air Brakes: Useful if awnings deploy during high speed travel. (See Awnings)
Air Horns: Used late at night in campgrounds by Air Heads.
Allison Tranny: The girl that works the RV show information booth that is married to Joe Tranny.
Awnings: Wing like appendages that can deploy at high speeds in heavy wind to add lift and reduce vehicle weight. (Also see Air Brakes)
B
Back Up Camera: Always a good idea. Your Canon single lens reflex could crap out.
Batteries: Black square things that are capable of lighting your coach for about 15 minutes when it is not plugged in.
Blown Fuse: A fuse located in an unaccessable secret location that powers everything.
Boondocking: Being unable to figure out how to plug the RV in to an electrical outlet.
C
Campsite Power Pedestal: A place to anchor your RV using wires and hoses. Also acts as a bumper if you drive too far off the pad. Sometimes seen dragging behind a departing RV.
Charger: A small piece of plastic that that is frequently used to fix stuff on your RV that breaks, also called Visa.
Clearance Lights: Electrical light bulbs on sale.
D
Departure Angle: A scheme to skip camp before your new found friend, Cousin Eddy, wakes up.
Diesel Engine: Sounding like a herd of knock kneed cattle, it serves as a sign of departing camp within the next hour or two.
Diesel Pusher: A class “A” motor home with a diesel engine mounted in the rear, thereby pushing it.
Diesel Puller: A tow truck or wrecker attached to the front of a class “A” motor home.
Dipstick: A 5 foot metal device invented by a urologist.
Discount RV Resort: Walmart. (Note: At this time there are no class “A” only Walmarts)
Docking Lights: Handy for RVing after dark in flood prone regions.
Dump Station: A bad place to wear thongs.
F
Fantastic Fan: Any electric table fan you can find if your air conditioning breaks down.
Fifth Wheel: Your mother-in-law on an otherwise, nice camping weekend.
Full Body Paint: Great for Halloween, but hard to wash off.
G
GPS Navigation: A video game that is legal to play while driving.
H
Halogen Ceiling Lights: Good lighting that can illuminate an RV for about 2 hours before the bulb burns out.
Head: Also referred to as “The John”, “The Great White Thrown”, “The Thunder Bowl”
I
In-Motion Dish: A round like salad bowl with rubber on the bottom to prevent sliding while moving. Great for popcorn. Also a name for a dish left on the counter during a panic stop event.
Inner Dual: Always the first tire to go flat. Also stores uniflated tires.
J
Jake Brake: Similar to a smoke break but Jake is usually smoked in a pipe.
K
K.O.A.: Kertainly a great plake to kamp. You kan usually rely on konsisent kamping servikes. They kan be found in the U.S. and Kanada.
L
Leveling Jacks: A camping board game played with a level bubble and a dice. If a player breaks the windshield the other players win by default.
Level Campsite: A campsite that the vehicle does not tip over on.
M
Mouse: Usually accompanied by other ones, thereby better described as mice. These normally occupy the little inhabited RV basement.
N
No Address Found: Standard response to any location entered in the GPS navigating. Usually followed by “Make A U-Turn If Possible”.
O
Outdoor Entertainment Center: Grey screen that provides hours of entertainment trying to determine what’s on during a normal bright sunny day.
P
Pop-Up: An annoying page that pops up while on your computer.
R
RV Refrigerator: An enclosure that is sometime slightly cooler than hot capable of holding 2 beers.
S
Sewer Hose: Colorful leaky hose, much like a soaker hose, but smellier.
Shower (RV Shower): It is difficult to express the showering experience felt in an entry level RV, but, perhaps it could be best described as standing naked in a closet with a wet dog.
Service (RV Service): A mythical belief which its existence is yet to be confirmed. Much like the Abominable Snowman.
Slide Out: Great for meeting new people while getting leaks and malfunctions fixed in service shops.
Spring Park Brake: Actually pronounced “Spring Break Park”, a gathering place for spring breakers near Fort Lauderdale.
T
Tag Axle: An axle on sale at a dealer usually associated with a red tag special.
Trailer Hitch Ball: Wild wedding party in a trailer park.
W
Warranty: This is a period of time after which the vehicle self destructs.
Wet Hubs: Found on the front axle. Most common cause is a large male dog.
Well, learn anything? If you have some to add to this, let’s hear them in the comments section at the bottom.
As It Appears To Me – Lug_Nut – Peter Mercer