Campground Etiquette

[reetired]

There is no reason or excuse for being ignorant! If folks would just be respectful...that would solve all the incidents.

Seems like folks lose their "manners" as soon as they venture off camping. We live in the Adirondacks on a lake. Campers are so disrespectful when it comes to nature or their behavior while here. They have no problems cutting through our property to get from point a to b instead of using the road. Dogs run off leash and they never pick up their poop on their walks. Vulgar obnoxious language used as adjectives and verbs in every sentence.

They would have a cow if this was done in the city. Oh hi, don't mind me..I'm jumping backyard fences..cutting through...it's a shortcut! Nice lawn you have...yep that's my dog winding up...oh he forgets his name when he's off leash...he'll be done in a minute...damn I forgot to bring a poop bag!

Etiquette is just common decency....which is obviously a characteristic that some don't possess!

Okay then.....done with my rant!

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

Last week at the Chisos Basin campground (in Big Bend National Park) I had a double hit - a couple of hikers walked through my site, one of which was wearing a extremely loud & annoying music player. Loud enough that you could hear them coming from 50' away. The only excuse for the music might have been to keep the bears & mountain lions away while on their hike, but the thought of all that noise while hiking the trails in the park set me on edge.

I had a similar experience last year at the beach . We pay for sites that are marked and you are parked facing the ocean shows on my avatar . Early morning under my awning , outside ,I am cooking breakfast and a couple with their dog walk right in my campsite to go to the next space in front of me and look in their window of their little trailer in front of me . I couldn't believe it , I just stared and they never said excuse me . They could of done the same walking on the path outside my trailer .Pat

[PGDriver]

You should see the look on people's faces of when you see they're about to cut through your campsite and you walk in front of them stop and ask if you can help them. Most of them get it sadly some don't.

Cheers
Doug

[steve dunham]

We were camping at a State Park and the party camped behind us kept cutting through our campsite on their way to the beach and the bathroom. They would cross at all hours of the day . I finally had enough and asked them to walk on the provided walk ways and not enter our campsite . The father of the family and in front of his sons proceeded to inform me that a state park is public property and he could walk any where he saw fit. At that point I could see I was wasting my time. I would venture to say that his children will grow up with the same lousy attitude !!

[sturski]

If find that people are much more considerate when I'm hanging onto a 130# Newfoundland.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

We were camping at a State Park and the party camped behind us kept cutting through our campsite on their way to the beach and the bathroom. They would cross at all hours of the day . I finally had enough and asked them to walk on the provided walk ways and not enter our campsite . The father of the family and in front of his sons proceeded to inform me that a state park is public property and he could walk any where he saw fit. At that point I could see I was wasting my time. I would venture to say that his children will grow up with the same lousy attitude !!

You got that right . His children will grow up without manners and respect because Dad taught them well . Pat

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

We were camping at a State Park and the party camped behind us kept cutting through our campsite on their way to the beach and the bathroom. They would cross at all hours of the day . I finally had enough and asked them to walk on the provided walk ways and not enter our campsite . The father of the family and in front of his sons proceeded to inform me that a state park is public property and he could walk any where he saw fit. At that point I could see I was wasting my time. I would venture to say that his children will grow up with the same lousy attitude !!

He is correct that a state park is public property. However, most state parks I have been to have signs at the entrance to the camping area that typically say "registered campers only." That would imply that there are restrictions on certain members of the "public." The White House is public property but you cannot just stroll in the front door. And the literature provided when you register typically sets quiet hours and often mentions to stay out of other's campsites. In reality, if you pay a fee for a campsite, you are leasing a small piece of property from the State just as if you were to rent a house from a private individual. Any campsite that has been rented (technically it is a contract between the person occupying the campsite and the State) ceases to be "free range" public property for the duration of the lease. I believe one of the park's rangers, if asked, should have addressed the situation. I overnighted in a State Park in Tennessee a few years ago. Shortly after pulling in I heard one of the park rangers tell an individual two campsites away from mine that if there were another complaint about his children running through someone else's campsite, they would be told to vacate the park.

[cpaharley2008]

Exactly, it is public property UNTIL it is leased, thereupon which it becomes private property.

[Jill]

These all seem like common sense to me. It's sad that we need to even discuss any of these items. Sadly these things can happen anywhere. My neighbor loves to blast his outdoor music even when he's not outside, so loud that I can hear from the far end of my house when all my windows are closed. Politely raising the issue a couple of times hasn't helped.

Maybe "Kindness and Common Courtesy and Why it's Important" needs to be a class taught in school!!!

[Zardoz]

Originally Posted by Jill

These all seem like common sense to me. It's sad that we need to even discuss any of these items. Sadly these things can happen anywhere. My neighbor loves to blast his outdoor music even when he's not outside, so loud that I can hear from the far end of my house when all my windows are closed. Politely raising the issue a couple of times hasn't helped.

Maybe "Kindness and Common Courtesy and Why it's Important" needs to be a class taught in school!!!

You could always write a note on his lawn using Roundup (all capital letters of course). The reminder would last long enough to get the message across

[KarenH]

I still would like to think well of my recent new-to-camping neighbors and that they just didn't know some camping etiquette (excepting the dog issues, of course). I know there are new campers on this forum and if one's parents didn't teach them how to camp, how are they to learn unless someone tells them? Hence this thread.

But, as everywhere else in life, there are those out there who are selfish and only think about themselves and everyone else be damned.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Zardoz

You could always write a note on his lawn using Roundup (all capital letters of course). The reminder would last long enough to get the message across

A very wise man once told me "when you get down in the mud with the pigs, you become a pig yourself." While it might be tempting/satisfying to send a message in such a way, unfortunately it would be getting down in the mud with the pigs.

[rbryan4]

I think society has become more crass, rude and socially inept - so it only stands to reason that campers are getting less polite too. Having said that, I also think that campers are generally more friendly and polite than most people.

[gabeck]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

I think society has become more crass, rude and socially inept - so it only stands to reason that campers are getting less polite too. Having said that, I also think that campers are generally more friendly and polite than most people.

This probably true , and very unfortunate as it is the small niceties and considerations that make us who we are ......


Also would like to add to # 8 ...fires with wet wood ......

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by Zardoz

You could always write a note on his lawn using Roundup (all capital letters of course). The reminder would last long enough to get the message across

Gasoline is cheaper and works faster. Just don't smoke while applying........

[tractors1]

I carry a 100 ft clothesline on a reel for extension cords that comes in quite handy. Sometimes we actually hang clothes on it; other times it's quite handy for a waist-high marker between trees that's just inconvenient enough that people will go around instead of cutting through. I spoke with a park host who said if it's not nailed/attached to the trees he had no problem with that.

[Loren & Cathy]

Originally Posted by gabeck

This probably true , and very unfortunate as it is the small niceties and considerations that make us who we are ......


Also would like to add to # 8 ...fires with wet wood ......

I don't know if the campers several spaces down were burning wet wood one night, but the smoke was pretty bad. We couldn't even open the trailer for some fresh air. I really like the looks of some of those gas firepits that some campers have. Loren

[Ruthe]

Probably most of our camping days the strangers next door are fine -- but when it's NOT fine it's harder to get away from them than it would be at home.. I'm always a little apprehensive when the new people pull in, even when we had a summer of no problems at all.

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by tractors1

I carry a 100 ft clothesline on a reel for extension cords that comes in quite handy. Sometimes we actually hang clothes on it; other times it's quite handy for a waist-high marker between trees that's just inconvenient enough that people will go around instead of cutting through. I spoke with a park host who said if it's not nailed/attached to the trees he had no problem with that.

You might want to hang some ratty socks, reflective flags or some such on it. (Oooo, now you have a new use for your beer cans!) I know, PITA. But I could see someone stumbling into it, falling down, taking a face plant and breaking their nose and then suing you for massive amounts of money just because they were being stupid and inconsiderate.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Ruthe

I'm always a little apprehensive when the new people pull in, even when we had a summer of no problems at all.

Especially when they roll in, park, leave both their doors open, music blasting while they start to set up camp. You know it's going to be a long night.

Ron