Wal-mart parking entrance hazard

[18CrewDually]

Reading the post and what I have seen, I'd assume the height clearance beam is to warn you so you don't pull under the canopy for fuel and knock it down killing people. The original post mentioned gas pumps a couple of times. I bet that's why they have them. Mostly all the drive thrus in Jersey have some kind of beam or post with the height restriction on it.

Here's a little video, enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtiI7GyrHuw

[Oakman]

I didn’t see this mentioned since everyone is blaming WalMart for not allowing big rigs to overnight at some of their stores. There are quite a few cities that have an ordinance banning overnight parking on commercial lots. If there is a WalMart in that city then the store, in compliance with the law, doesn’t allow overnighting.

[cpaulsen]

Have seen a lot of barriers at a lot of different places....not just WM. You just have to pay attention to what is going on.

And I know a few people who work at WM and have for quite some time....they are very happy there.

[RKR]

Originally Posted by 05CrewDually

Reading the post and what I have seen, I'd assume the height clearance beam is to warn you so you don't pull under the canopy for fuel and knock it down killing people. The original post mentioned gas pumps a couple of times. I bet that's why they have them. Mostly all the drive thrus in Jersey have some kind of beam or post with the height restriction on it.

Here's a little video, enjoy!

This is one of the reasons I top off prior to hooking up the 5r for a trip and I only fuel at truck stops using the big truck fuel island when on the road. Stress free fueling is one of the benefits of having an oil burner. The first upgrade for the new TV is a auxiliary tank/tool box combo. I hope Santa reads this.
Fuel is a little higher at truck stops but it's worth it to me to be able to zip in and out most of the time.
I try to fuel up again if possible before we head out or head home from the campsite.



Sent from my high tech gadget

[MeepMeep]

Originally Posted by Oakman

I didn’t see this mentioned since everyone is blaming WalMart for not allowing big rigs to overnight at some of their stores. There are quite a few cities that have an ordinance banning overnight parking on commercial lots. If there is a WalMart in that city then the store, in compliance with the law, doesn’t allow overnighting.

I agree with the "no overnight parking ordinance compliance", but to shut off access to all RV's, all the time, with the barriers doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense. In those communities, the company could simply post signs that disallow overnight parking - and we all know that Wal-Mart already has 24hr security -and they could enforce the ban......

[KyDan]

We're all GUESSING why WM has the height barrier. Has anyone actually
talked to a store manager and asked about one??
Probably need to talk to the manager not just a shift manager....

[jtownstumpjumper]

Just traded bumper pull for a 2014 Silverback 33RL with delivery Monday, Oct 13....2 feet more height to get accustomed to.....sure don't want to learn the hard way!!!!

[mud yapster]

Sorry to hear about your damage from hitting the barrier that's a heart breaking bummer. We are still getting used to our 5er also. Before we took delivery of ours we had to get the pole saw and trim all the tree limbs down over our rode to our gate. Took us 2 days of trimming but we didn't hit a tree limb. We even had to trim alot of trees on our place since our driveway is almost 1/2 mile long.
You just have to be careful and watch all your moves and keep the insurance policy current.
You might also want to invest in a Butch's 5th wheel safety latch as many of us have on our 5er's.
Hope your next trip goes smoother than this one did.

[DKRITTER]

I would think the barrier is more for the Semi-trucks making deliveries, in-order to keep them from driving across the main parking lot. Probably a safety thing.

At the WM's where I've seen the barrier there is another entrance w/o one nearby that heads to the delivery/dock area.

[wmtire]

The site team is going to temporarily lock this thread, as it may need some off-topic clean up. What started out as a legitimate warning for others to watch out for, has many off-topic posts that are taking away from the intention.

EDIT 1: We took the off-topic posts and replies out of this thread. Please try to stay on topic.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

[Oakman]

Originally Posted by DKRITTER

I would think the barrier is more for the Semi-trucks making deliveries, in-order to keep them from driving across the main parking lot. Probably a safety thing.

At the WM's where I've seen the barrier there is another entrance w/o one nearby that heads to the delivery/dock area.

I agree with you. As RIP learned, his travel trailer fit under the barrier but his cousin’s fifth wheel didn’t. Unfortunately most of today’s fifth wheels are as tall as 18 wheelers. My Silverback is 13 feet tall so being height aware is imperative.

[CAT-RN]

One of the first things I do when I purchase a new RV is measure it's height.

I know my exact height. I would even consider going under something unless I had 6" extra clearance. A little bit of angle or a bump & you lose an AC.

Russell

[Oakman]

Even campground roads can present a hazard to fifth wheels. Here’s a pic of a tree in Meramec State Park that has a 12 foot clearance. Can you see the yellow ribbon hanging from the tree? Newbees to this state park usually don’t either. There is a small hand lettered two foot high sign that warns of the clearance this is easily missed too.
The tree is a 300 year old Oak. Oakman tried to pressure the DNR to cut that huge limb…to no avail. Click on the picture to make it larger.

[mud yapster]

Will they let you drive around it

[fire1266]

I live in Shreveport and that is the only walmart in town that has them. The other three don't. The one you are talking about is right on the interstate and has the to keep the 18 wheelers from filling up the parking lot. There are four ways to get into the parking lot and one way by the fuel pumps doesn't have the height barriers.

[Platokidd]

The wm here in town they have no height beam. But what they do have is curbs that are too tight to drive around with a truck or camper.
But if you drive into the front of the store area first you can then reach the outer parking lot for truck n rv parking.
Personalty, I would not even go thru the hassle to park there with my rig.

Oakman, we stop going to one of favorite cg because of low trees. I too tried to get the dnr to cut the trees , but had no luck.

I did have good luck with my local township as I requested they cut the low hanging trees. It was getting hard to navigate the low branches.

[cbconway]

Originally Posted by rip

Walmart is usually RV friendly, that's why we like to load up on supplies there on our trips.

Had a chance to sleep on this. When I went to local Walmart today, I decided to use a pro-active approach... I asked to speak to the store manager and thanked him for being RV friendly unlike the WM in Sheveport which used entrance barriers that could damage an RV. Think I'll do the same when I visit Target, Sams Club, Costco, Kroger, HEB... and mention fuel access too.

Good approach! What do you think would happen if we all gave store managers this kind of positive feedback? Givin' strokes makes for cooperative folks.

[MeepMeep]

Originally Posted by cbconway

Good approach! What do you think would happen if we all gave store managers this kind of positive feedback? Givin' strokes makes for cooperative folks.

Absolutely right!

Dad always told me that you can attract a lot more flies with honey than vinegar.....'nuff said

[Arefbee]

There is a parking garage near hear that has a height restriction that keeps some SUVs from getting in. They have taken the proactive approach to hang 6 inch wide by 8 foot long PVC pipes painted yellow at the maximum height from chains right at the entrance. I can tell you they sound like a base drum when hit. Don't ask how I know.

I am pretty happy they have not needed to put those devices at our Wally. I would expect it is for safety reasons since it seems pretty silly to turn away someone who wants to go shopping with a WHOLE TRAILER to fill!

Camp on!

[Big Paul]

Every walmart i have been in the South has plenty of clearance at fuel pumps but most are curbed around where you will probably ruin a tire. I like Walmart except when pulling the TT they are very user unfriendly to trailers over maybe 20' long