campground etiquette

[Jagiven]

Bear Spray could be your friend when encountering an unfriendly dog. ~CA

Regular self defense pepper spray works good on most animals and is easier to carry.

 

[Murff]

If someone is stupid enough to put up warning signs and a perimeter because their dog is dangerous, they are helping anyone that should need to file a lawsuit if the get bit by the dog.

All of that warning is just a big invite for a lawsuit and losing it.

Murff

 

[2021JayFlight28BHS]

If someone is stupid enough to put up warning signs and a perimeter because their dog is dangerous, they are helping anyone that should need to file a lawsuit if the get bit by the dog.

All of that warning is just a big invite for a lawsuit and losing it.

Murff

Judge Judy would have a field day…. Lol

 

[mark.nowak]

If someone is stupid enough to put up warning signs and a perimeter because their dog is dangerous, they are helping anyone that should need to file a lawsuit if the get bit by the dog.

All of that warning is just a big invite for a lawsuit and losing it.

Murff

Or maybe they are just smarter than us…great way to keep other out of their campsite! It would be great if they didn’t even have a dog [emoji23]

 

[Marine71-76]

Most definitely. In Scouts the boys were taught to ask permission before entering anyone's site. In family camping, we encouraged our boys to continue to ask permission before entering. We also do it and make sure we are loud enough for others to hear us - lead by example!

We were camping last year with our friends. We have a Great Dane - she was less than 2 years old & she was leashed, laying on her "cot". 5 or 6 young ladies started through our site & DW was NOT quiet. She told the girls to stop & they looked at her like who do you think you are. She told the girls there was a dog laying there and would jump up/trip them. Did that stop them? Absolutely not. DW was loud enough to let the parents know about the bad behavior. And no, DW didn't make any friends.

Back in the late '90's we had 2 Dalmatians and the dogs were walking & I stopped with them, making them sit while we talked to another camper. A 7 year old ran up behind one of them & grabbed him. And a dog does what a dog - he bit at her. The parents wanted to sue us because how dare we allow our dog to bite her, not control him, etc. The good thing, the other camper, a witness to the entire episode, who wrote a letter exonerating the dog.

 

[THE MEEKER]

I’ve come to expect that I will be camping near wingnuts and knuckleheads when I go to a public campground.

Just this past July 4th weekend, we camped at a New York State Park. We had obnoxious campers across the lane with two constantly barking dogs, 4 cars (there is a limit of two per campsite) and a lot of clutter. As I am trying to enjoy a nice cold barley pop, the park ranger stops in front of my campsite. I thought to myself, “Alright, the Ranger is going to get these folks to shut up their dogs and move their cars! Hurray!” No, he approaches me and tells me to get my portable grill off the picnic table because it’s a fire hazard. No problem, I will comply. Then I asked him if he was going to do anything about my neighbor’s barking dogs and 4 cars on the campsite. He shrugged his shoulders, got back into his patrol car and took off.

It’s really not fun anymore. I just think to myself “Pins and needles, needles & pins, it’s the happy man that grins.” Ralph Kramden.

 

[travelingjw]

We have noticed it and this is only our 4th year. Seems that Covid has affected basic manners. Camped near Mt. Rainier and 3 families moved into next two campsites. Dogs were not well behaved (and we are dog lovers). Families constantly yelled at the dogs and kids to behave. They got up at 6:30 A.M. to cook breakfast, banged pots and yelled across the two camps at each other. That night one of the dogs (who they kept in a crate in the back of their pick-up escaped. Was crying, whimpering, barking to get into the trailer. I got out and went to secure the dog when they finally opened the door. Not one word of apology. We love dogs and we are family people! But this was just too much. Thankfully we were leaving the next day. Was very disappointed that the camp host did nothing. When we notified management they were very apologetic, owner had an emergency that night and was not on site.

 

[deepsea5]

I’ve come to expect that I will be camping near wingnuts and knuckleheads when I go to a public campground.

Just this past July 4th weekend, we camped at a New York State Park. We had obnoxious campers across the lane with two constantly barking dogs, 4 cars (there is a limit of two per campsite) and a lot of clutter. As I am trying to enjoy a nice cold barley pop, the park ranger stops in front of my campsite. I thought to myself, “Alright, the Ranger is going to get these folks to shut up their dogs and move their cars! Hurray!” No, he approaches me and tells me to get my portable grill off the picnic table because it’s a fire hazard. No problem, I will comply. Then I asked him if he was going to do anything about my neighbor’s barking dogs and 4 cars on the campsite. He shrugged his shoulders, got back into his patrol car and took off.

It’s really not fun anymore. I just think to myself “Pins and needles, needles & pins, it’s the happy man that grins.” Ralph Kramden.

Sounds like the Ranger would be OK with me showing up with my black powder cannon and firing a 7,000 grain reveille at 2AM?

 

[LuckyDuck]

Dunno if it’s just this summer, but it seems every time we go, there is a site with a pack of kids that turn the park into their personal bike track, soccer pitch and baseball field. I sort of get it in a KOA or public campground, but it really wrecks a stay in a private park that caters to a quiet clientele. These parents are clueless, just turning their brood loose with no control. Too bad they can’t a nice Walmart parking lot to camp in.

 

[txloser]

We like a place in NM that’s pretty spendy and as a result was always quiet with an older/quieter clientele. We were in the minority with a 10 year old. Last stay there were more kids/families out enjoying themselves. At times loud, riding bikes, hoverboards etc. Just having fun. With the all the state parks so full these days I think people are utilizing the private campground more because there’s nowhere else to go.

After last year, I’m glad to see people enjoying themselves out in the world…So long as they do so quietly in the later hours.

 

[muckinfuss]

What we've encountered this year, so far, is way off the chart worse than ever. We even had a few conversations about ending the whole camping thing if it doesn't improve.

The number one rule of camping is to stay off another’s campsite.
Then:
1 Keep a clean campsite.
2 Respect the campground quiet hours.
3 Stick to the check-in and check-out on time.
4 Pick up after your pup.
5 Put out your fire before going to bed.
6 Keep your dog on a leash and supervised.
7 Be considerate in first-come, first-served campsites.
8 Respect your neighbor's privacy.
9 Don't do your dishes in the common bathroom house sinks.
10 Keep lights at a minimum.
11 Be friendly.
12 Respect that no one cares about your politics. They only care about their own.

One through twelve were handed to me upon check in...over 40 years ago.

 

[pconroy]

We were in the minority with a 10 year old. Last stay there were more kids/families out enjoying themselves. At times loud, riding bikes, hoverboards etc. Just having fun.

I'm glad to see families out, being together. We need that. We need more of that.
If that means a bit more noise, as a result of kids having fun, I'm good with that.


I'd rather be around happy kids screaming as they have fun, than peers my age discussing politics, aches and pains, the weather, the high price of gas...

 

[videoarizona]

Manners. They have disappeared over the years. Rv manners are worse this past year than ever.
I have thick skin, but it's getting harder to keep my mouth shut!

So yes. Etiquette is getting scarce in society. Easily seen in campgrounds.

 

[LuckyDuck]

Here’s one that is a sign of the times...It’s after quiet time and we are sitting around a campfire. One of the 30-somethings at the other end of the park is pacing around the vacant camp site next to us yakking loudly on his cell phone. Does this in the dark for well over an hour, of course the rest of the park is dead silent. I guess he didn’t want to disturb the folks in his quarter-million-dollar motor home. Sorry, just rude.

 

[Froggyman]

I guess, from my experience, we're just seeing more people that have never been camping in their lives. I find it quite entertaining some Fridays to watch the "Weekend Warriors" fumble around trying to get it up and running. That said, no tolerance for ignorance. "Get off my lawn" rules apply everywhere!

 

[Maried]

Big Groups

What we’ve noticed is huge groups staying in each space - very noisy until late at night - no inclination to quiet down at 10pm or so. Several vehicles and motorcycles. Maybe that’s a downfall of RV camping vs tent camping. Also, we avoid independent RV parks due to all the permanent residents - more like trailer parks. Sometimes it hardly seems like camping.

 

[Rubber Man]

When we were camping at Pinecrest Lake California last summer, no camp fires allowed because of the many forest fires at the time. After dark you could see there were camp fires in several campsites. It really bugged me there was no enforcement.

 

[Dgibbster]

All kinds of newbie campers out there and there is a certain type people that act like they entitled to fo whatever they want. So many times we have had kids from other campsites not even close to ours in any way come right through our campsite and puposely aggrevate our dog. One instance we had a group of three walk through our camp three times and even though they saw how our dog was very gaurding they decided to walk right up to our camp again with a young poodle and of course our dog lunged at it and the dog scrambled away without ever getting close enough for our dog to touch it. But yet in 2 minutes the mother came to our rv door barely able to speak english trying to tell me their dog had blood on apparently from flipping over backwards to flee it cut it’s foot. I laughed and let our dog bark at her and close the door in her face. No respect to other campers anymore and that goes both ways that all best stay out of my campsite unless invited or might just bring out the huckleberry side in me

 

[stenan]

Cleaning up the previous campers mess, fire and bbq pit mainly. Trucks and cars parked in street in front of our spot making a back in almost impossible. Those two I’ve noticed an increase in. I can deal with the kids, maybe because I love to ask for a two dollar toll !

 

[Hollander Mutthaulers]

6 0f 7 camps were good - one was ok.

Next to our door side was a huge messy trailer with two large dogs on very long leads - one barked but not too bad, other was a pit bull but did not act aggressively. We we told the owner to keep their dogs in check, off our lot, and w kept a tight reign on our site, dog, grandson - and put a large marker where neighbor didn't pick up 10' from our fire ring. They got the hint.

Messy and a little rough around the edges but basically decent is okay with me, but in my opinion all pit bulls should be destroyed. Parks state that pit bulls and other breeds are not allowed but I've never seen a park enforce that rule. Their warning sets them up for a an open and shut law suit it anything happens.