Ever Notice?

highlife4me · 10-18-2015, 05:31 PM

Have you ever noticed how "unlevel" many rigs are at a campground? My wife often likes to point them out to me because she has a fit if the oven in our camper isn't level. One rig that was around 28' had at least a 2' difference front to back and 8" side to side. My wife even took a picture but it didn't show how bad it really was. It would seem that many folks never use a level of any type, just back in, chock the wheels, unhook and call it good enough. Wish it was always that easy.

THE MEEKER · 10-18-2015, 07:14 PM

I think its just some folks don't know any better. Columbus Day weekend we stayed at a shady campsite. Of course its Fall and many leaves, acorns and such are falling off trees onto our slide-out and awning. I watched the camper next door to me bring in his slide without sweeping the roof off. As he was pulling away, you could see leaves and small twigs wedged between the slide out trim and seal. What a knucklehead!

Murff · 10-18-2015, 09:21 PM

Last year we noticed a guy a couple of sites from ours with about a 32+ foot trailer still hitched to his truck with no stabilizing jacks down and two large slides extended, on the same side of the trailer. It had quite a lean!

Murff

gypsmjim · 10-20-2015, 10:24 AM

What I learned on this site is how smart and caring RVers actually are. If you want to see REAL idiots go to a launch ramp and watch how people handle and take care of their boats.

Camper_bob · 10-20-2015, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gypsmjim

What I learned on this site is how smart and caring RVers actually are. If you want to see REAL idiots go to a launch ramp and watch how people handle and take care of their boats.

And don't forget your popcorn!!

glsimms · 10-20-2015, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

And don't forget your popcorn!!

And favorite beverage!!

DocBrown · 10-20-2015, 12:53 PM

Trouble is that very few CGs I have been to have level terrain around the sites. This can make a perfectly level camper appear unlevel. We have levels attached to the front and side of the trailer, yet its very rare for the trailer to actually look like it's level.

spoon059 · 10-27-2015, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gypsmjim

What I learned on this site is how smart and caring RVers actually are. If you want to see REAL idiots go to a launch ramp and watch how people handle and take care of their boats.

We go to Raystown (PA) Lake at least once or twice a season. Last year we had a spot near the main boat launch. What fun that was! I pulled the hammock down and just sat with my toddler daughter and watched the morons at play!

NC Roamer · 10-27-2015, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spoon059

We go to Raystown (PA) Lake at least once or twice a season. Last year we had a spot near the main boat launch. What fun that was! I pulled the hammock down and just sat with my toddler daughter and watched the morons at play!

But it ceases to be fun when you are in line with your boat to use that ramp.

I have offered launching/loading assistance before. Sometimes I was gruffly rebuffed but others gratefully accepted.

Camper_bob · 10-27-2015, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NC Roamer

But it ceases to be fun when you are in line with your boat to use that ramp.

I have offered launching/loading assistance before. Sometimes I was gruffly rebuffed but others gratefully accepted.

That's the truth! Back when we had our boat, we seriously thought about starting a business where we would offer a 1, 2, or 3 hour orientation for new boat owners. The dealers seemed unwilling or unable to take the time to cover even the most basic processes and features. Then new boat owners get out there and "figure it out" themselves. These people are seriously dangerous out there on the ramps and on the water, and the majority of it has to do with simple negligence; they just don't know because they were never taught. Granted, in TX we're supposed to take a boater safety course if we're born after 1993, but the biggest lesson most boaters get is during a water safety inspection from law enforcement, and those guys aren't so polite as we would have been, and probably more expensive too!

I guess this is somewhat true in the RV world as well... The difference in the RV world, IMO, is the culture is a bit more receptive. Most of the boat owners I saw out there who needed help were unlikely to be very receptive to the advice of those more experienced.

gypsmjim · 10-27-2015, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

I guess this is somewhat true in the RV world as well... The difference in the RV world, IMO, is the culture is a bit more receptive. Most of the boat owners I saw out there who needed help were unlikely to be very receptive to the advice of those more experienced.

Years ago it had just started raining and only 1 dock was available at the ramp we were at. Ahead of me was an old codger that was doing everything wrong and holding us up in the rain. My kids were getting antsy.

I told the old guy what to do. He said he owned that boat for 20 years and that's the way he always did it. His wife told him to shut up and let me help. I pulled the car ahead about 10 feet, so he didn't have to stand in the water to his knees, and then I winched the boat on. It was easy to do and it was on perfectly straight and took 3 minutes. The wife commented on what a good job it was. He grumbled.

A few weeks later I saw them at the ramp again. He reverted to his old technique, backed in and out 4 times to get the boat straight, and took 30 minutes to get it on.

You CAN teach stupid - you can't fix arrogant.

Camper_bob · 10-27-2015, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gypsmjim

Years ago it had just started raining and only 1 dock was available at the ramp we were at. Ahead of me was an old codger that was doing everything wrong and holding us up in the rain. My kids were getting antsy.

I told the old guy what to do. He said he owned that boat for 20 years and that's the way he always did it. His wife told him to shut up and let me help. I pulled the car ahead about 10 feet, so he didn't have to stand in the water to his knees, and then I winched the boat on. It was easy to do and it was on perfectly straight and took 3 minutes. The wife commented on what a good job it was. He grumbled.

A few weeks later I saw them at the ramp again. He reverted to his old technique, backed in and out 4 times to get the boat straight, and took 30 minutes to get it on.

You CAN teach stupid - you can't fix arrogant.

That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. I've had to winch my boat on the trailer several times. Usually I use the motor and just drive it up on the trailer, but sometimes the motor doesn't work, or the conditions are bad, or whatever. Run the winch strap out and pull the boat up on the trailer. Simple. EVERY boat owner should know how to do that, and it would have been covered in my orientation.

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