BC's Provincial Camp Grounds Rip-off

[gbaglo]

No.
When the reservations open for the week ahead of the holiday, people book two weeks, which covers the holiday. Then a few days later, they cancel the early part of their booking.

[shrncnddck]

Another ripoff, in my opinion, in some BC and AB parks is a charge for the sani-dump.

As I see it, if I'm using the sani-dump I have probably not used the public washrooms. The washrooms need to be cleaned and maintained and that is included in the camping charge. I am being charged extra for NOT using the facilities. Go figure....

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by shrncnddck

As I see it, if I'm using the sani-dump I have probably not used the public washrooms. The washrooms need to be cleaned and maintained and that is included in the camping charge. I am being charged extra for NOT using the facilities. Go figure....

Perhaps. Or you could have been using your trailer's washroom while away from serviced facilities, and now are using the campgrounds washrooms and dumping a week's worth of waste in the sani-dump.

It's just not possible to accurately anticipate the use of facilities. For instance, should fully-serviced site be cheaper because those users will not use the campground's washrooms?

Whatever the logic, I do find it surprising that a separate sani-dump fee is charged for someone who has paid for a site. I haven't seen that yet, and it seems like more work for the campground operators to administer it. It's good to know that it's a possibility, just as it is good to know that reservations may be required, and are likely to incur a fee.

[amirie]

In BC there is a money machine right by the sani dump that you have to pay before you can use them. I don't think the caps will open or water turn on with out the fee.... (but I can't be sure)I think it should be included in your camp fees--if you have just paid three nights and then go use it before home, fine---It could be done by typing in your license plate number---(but then we all know how expensive that computer thing would be!!!)

I dunno--we just chalk it up to the whole holiday expense....

[captmath]

Love service plazas work kind of like that. I paid inside and got a code. Punched that in and the cap unlocked.

[gbaglo]

Note that the sani-dump at the rest stop just west of Abbotsford is now free ( last I looked ). Seems that they couldn't keep up with the vandals and thieves breaking into the coin box.

[amirie]

I'll remember that Glenn---thanks..

[gbaglo]

Line up at the end of a long weekend can back up to the highway though.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Line up at the end of a long weekend can back up to the highway though.

The same with some of the free ones around here. Hit them midday during the week, no problem, but the end of a weekend, especially a long one, and the lines are crazy.

Thank goodness for lots of fields around here.

[LarryandLiz]

This came up on my Facebook feed. Tour Operators Booking Campsites in BC Parks : BC Parks Community Blog

POSTED BY BCPARKS ON JUNE - 30 - 2016
Tour Operators Booking Campsites in BC Parks
There has been some recent media regarding the ability for commercial operators, specifically Recreational Vehicle (RV) rental companies, booking BC Parks camping sites on the Discover Camping Reservation system. BC Parks has always been aware that RV companies have booked reservations for their clients. Commercial operators do not receive preferential treatment to reserve campsites and are not allowed to book blocks of sites. All park users (including commercial operators) have to follow our policies and procedures when booking reservations.
In 2015, the total number of reservations made by commercial operators is believed to be less than half of one percent of the total reservations made.
BC Parks takes allegations of unfair camping reservation practices by tour companies very seriously, at this time, we do not believe this is a common practice but take this possibility very seriously. BC Parks has launched an investigation to gather the facts about this matter.
CATEGORIES: DISCOVER CAMPING

[LarryandLiz]

A few weeks ago Liz and I were up at Wells Grey Provincial Park.

We noticed a great many rental RVs and were told at the Clearwater Visitors Centre that many visitors from Europe made Wells Grey part of their tour itinerary. We noted a few foreign languages being spoken at the water fall viewing areas. Liz and I actually commented on how difficult it must be for anyone from Europe without English trying to book a BC park site via the computer system.

So it sounds like some of the corporate RV companies are figuring out ways to manipulate the system. FYI We had no difficulty getting a site since it was midJune but the prime view sites by the River were all taken.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by LarryandLiz

We noticed a great many rental RVs and were told at the Clearwater Visitors Centre that many visitors from Europe made Wells Grey part of their tour itinerary. We noted a few foreign languages being spoken at the water fall viewing areas. Liz and I actually commented on how difficult it must be for anyone from Europe without English trying to book a BC park site via the computer system.

Although those tourists would presumably converse in their native language between themselves, and many may not be comfortable in English in conversation, my guess is that very few would have any difficulty using a web site in English. Most North Americans are unilingual, and knowing more than two languages is seen as exceptional, but it's pretty normal in much of the world.

If I were travelling to another continent and booking an expensive ($400/day) RV for the trip, I think I would try to book campsites well in advance, too. If the RV rental agency were do this for me - as an individual booking specifically for me at the time I reserved the RV months ahead of my trip and even in my name - I think that would be reasonable.

[gbaglo]

I don't think they'd be too happy if they had to stay in a Walmart parking lot.
They spend a ton of money to experience Bears Gone Wild.

[LarryandLiz]

Golden Ears CG is fully booked today - Canada Day. Maple Ridge News ran an article Campsites all booked up - Maple Ridge News Golden Ears is one of the busiest cg in BC. Living just north of the main access to the CG we encounter all kinds of traffic through the summer.

The article mentions some of the problems of the reservation system. Here is some hopeful news .....

-----------------------copied from the article

B.C. Parks is going to be reviewing its reservation system, and spokesperson David Karn acknowledged there are loopholes in the system.

“We’re working to close a lot of those.”

But he said there will always be competition for sites in Golden Ears, one of the province’s busiest parks.

“It’s in the bedroom of the Lower Mainland, and there’s extreme demand for it on a long weekend.”

The demand has created a market for selling reservations, much like ticket scalpers.

Karn said the practice is rare, and contrary to a provincial policy prohibiting reservation transfers.

“In the last five years, less than a dozen incidents of people trying to resell their reservations via social media has come to B.C. Parks’ attention,” he said. “We have not received any verified reports to date that people are trying to resell their reservations at the side of the road.”

There have been 115,000 reservations made so far this year across the province – a 10 per cent increase over last year. The majority, 73 per cent, come from B.C. residents, while 6.6 per cent are from overseas and 3.6 per cent from the U.S."

[blue_bullet]

Originally Posted by NW Cat Owner

Holy Cow!
And I agree with one comment, if you're not there the first day, your entire reservation gets cancelled and your fees should not be refunded.

Dang!

So what happens when your TV breaks down, you have a flat or flats, and you are out of cell phone range? A day late, a $ short, and you lose the rest of the week. I would call that punitive.

[Greg A]

Originally Posted by LarryandLiz

We noticed a great many rental RVs and were told at the Clearwater Visitors Centre that many visitors from Europe made Wells Grey part of their tour itinerary. We noted a few foreign languages being spoken at the water fall viewing areas.

A few years back America was on sale with a very depressed position to the Euro. Our national parks were full of Rental RV's with all kinds of languages. The kids had to play with other kids with no language in common and was quite interesting to watch.
I imagine with the depressed Loonie, Canada is now on sale to European visitors like we had been.

[gbaglo]

Actually, it's not that the Canadian dollar is down, the U.S. dollar is up. I think you'll generally find that the Euro and Canadian dollar go up and down together against the U.S. dollar, because the U.S. dollar is going up.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Actually, it's not that the Canadian dollar is down, the U.S. dollar is up. I think you'll generally find that the Euro and Canadian dollar go up and down together against the U.S. dollar, because the U.S. dollar is going up.

When one is up, that means in relation to the other. So the other is down.

I used to trade currency almost full time, and I still dabble in it. During the peak of my trading activity a few years ago, I typically traded the CAD against the Euro because the CAD often moved against the Euro. What you want is volatility. That makes money in either direction.


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[Marry]

The main reason more European people are flocking our beautiful campgrounds is with everything going on in Southern Europe. For instance Turkey was always a hot destination, but this has since changed. Travel agents are trying to "imitate" the so popular all-inclusive south by offering pre-booked arrangements to safer countries like Canada and USA.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by blue_bullet

So what happens when your TV breaks down, you have a flat or flats, and you are out of cell phone range? A day late, a $ short, and you lose the rest of the week. I would call that punitive.

You cancel, so it doesn't cost you for the reservation or the campsite. The idea is to discourage those who deliberately ditch the first day.

What do you do for the rest of the week? Stuff happens, and for the rare instances in which stuff takes exactly one day to fix, well that's life. I suggest carrying a spare and a jack; anything beyond a flat is unlikely to be fixed in one day.