Survey; Lost camping spot to rude camper

[Poppy94]

I'd be more than a thorn in the thief's side & the cg host side. They'd be hearing a lot from me especially if $ & reservations were involved. I ain't "rolling over" for anybody!

[rockfordroo]

NoviBill:

You said "The decline I see is that many boomer and later parents don't think rules apply." The youngest boomers are 51 and the oldest are 69. That doesn't leave too many left to think that rules DO apply.

Maybe you meant GenX (oldest are 50, youngest are early 30's) and later?

[Still Kickin]

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

NoviBill:



You said "The decline I see is that many boomer and later parents don't think rules apply." The youngest boomers are 51 and the oldest are 69. That doesn't leave too many left to think that rules DO apply.



Maybe you meant GenX (oldest are 50, youngest are early 30's) and later?

He was a Gen Xer. For the record the greatest generation, the WWII guys, would never even think of doing something like this guy pulled. Just sayin'

[Zolin]

For the most part, overall experiences are still positive with campers, most try to be respectful. It's that low percentage self absorbed, entitled, rude, campers that can ruin an entire outing, especially if you are camping nearby. For the loud ones who yell, let their dogs constantly bark unattended, or insist on consistently loud music I want to pull into their site and just lay on my horn constantly, but that would spoil it for the others.

[siskom]

Wow! I guess I'm just to old school if I reserved the site and have a registration ticket the folks in my spot they are moving! Its like many people today they think rules are for the other people, we the normal campers must take a stand. (As calmly as possible)

[NoviBill]

I said boomers and I meant it. The Gen-Xers and later are our children and our responsibility (I'm the tail end of the boomers). Society is what we make of it (we reap what we sow).

[mud yapster]

We have reserved a spot months in advance, get there and check in with CH then proceed to our spot only to show up with people in our spot. let them know we reserved the spot for a full week but they didn't care and were not moving. Returned to speak to the CG only to find out we had been moved to a totally different area from our reservation. We declined and had them give our money back and we went to a different lake and got a good spot on the water even cheeper with a lot better sight. Turned out to be one of our favorite sights still today. We came to find out that CG host was fired after we spoke to the owner because this wasn't his first go round with them letting their relatives come and go as they please taking the choice spots without paying or reserving. We've never returned and won't. Sad
This has only happened to me twice in over 30 yrs but it's twice to much when other mess with your vacation plans. What's up with the ones that take short cuts thru your camp also. Rude people are everywhere. I like TEXAS

[PNWTraveler]

We had an interesting experience in a small, first-come first served, campground in a N.P. We figured the small c.g. was full but drive through and 'just see'. We paused at an empty site and checked the tag on the post and the date indicated it was reserved. But, the occupants of the two neighboring sites came over and told us they were pretty sure the people had left. Nothing, not so much as a spoon, was left behind. They told us several people had done as we did, get out, check the post, and drive on. We decided to pull in, but not set anything up, so, if someone came back, we could pull out and move on quickly and politely. The assumption all round, was that they had written the incorrect date on the reservation ticket. We waited and finally paid the fee. No one came to claim the site.


However, not too long after we pulled in, we heard a bunch of yahoo-shouting from another nearby site. A carload of young people thought they had scored an empty site. (This is a popular campground with only about a dozen spaces.) In that case, the neighbors were pretty sure the site had not been vacated. The RVers had left a bucket or dishpan on the picnic table but no more. Not much later-- fortunately the youngsters had not put up their tents -- the site occupants returned and explained it was their site. The young people were sad and disappointed, but departed politely.


One more thing that happened. In that same c.g. apparently check-out time is 10 am. We didn't realize this. (Our mistake to not carefully read the rules.) Starting quite early cars began circling the campground. Vacated sites were claimed instantly. In our case a young couple approached us. they had checked our tag date and -- nicely -- let us know that 10 was checkout time. They waited for us to pack up and leave.


My conclusions: leave something obvious, but not valuable, in the site. Make sure it is easily visible from the road. And, something I don't think most people think to do; remove the tag from the post when you leave.

[aquaholic3]

We had a confirmed and paid reservation at Fairhaven State Park in CNY. The site was a very nice site we had stayed on many times and tried to reserve that one whenever we could. The next site to it was is terrible spot that was usually empty except when the park is full.
Well we arrived at our site and there's this guy and his family all set up on our site with more crap than I've ever seen any camper have. His wife and several children there too. I was surely surprised and had to double check my registration tag I had just gotten at the park's office. Sure enough he was on our site. I got out of my TV and right in front of him walked up to the site marker signs with my registration in hand. He jumped up and ran right inside his camper. I went right up and knock and announced that he was on the wrong site. He finally came out and said I realized after I set up I was on the wrong site. Sorry but I'm all set up, go set up on the one next door......GRRRR so I asked was that supposed to be your site?? After lot's of hemming and hawing he said yes. So I said move your camper, I want my site. (which was right next to my brother and we'd reserved them side by side) He still gave me some grief about having to pick up all his stuff and move and he said "what's the big deal about you just taking the other site?"
I said OK no problem, I'll tell you what, I'll go get the park police and let them sort it out. I started to get into my truck and his wife yelled out to me, "Don't worry he's going to move" and I heard her say to him "see I told you'
He moved.
We once had campers from the other side of the campground bring lawn chairs and cooler and set right down on our waterfront site. I asked what they were doing and was told that it's a public campground and they had as much right to sit on the waterfront as me! The park staff had quite the time getting them to move and eventually had them removed from the park completely.
Nothing surprises me anymore.

[hotzfamily]

We've actually gone to a site that was reserved for us where someone HAD left a tablecloth on the table (from the previous users)! We've always left a few chairs... and at one place, our teenager to guard the spot . I'd chock it up to "one of those things".

[ColoradoRick]

Wow, isn't it sad when people are just all about them?

One thing I really like about our Colorado State Parks is that the section managers print out and post reservations on each site, so there's no confusion, we've never had any problems.


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[Still Kickin]

Originally Posted by NoviBill

I said boomers and I meant it. The Gen-Xers and later are our children and our responsibility (I'm the tail end of the boomers). Society is what we make of it (we reap what we sow).

I totally agree. We are responsible for the way we raise our children. The conflict occurs when you are the product of how you were raised, yet you are ultimately responsible for your own actions in the end. The thing is, he is the responsible person, but I can't blame his mother and father, even though they had a part in the ultimate outcome. Just sayin'

[Sandiegodoug]

California state parks same deal,
Problem is all the great sites gone at 8am , 6 months before you plan to camp. We've never had an issue.


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[smithhike]

While its funny (and also kind of irritating) to read all these mishaps with random idiots we have never had any problems with people invading our campsite or wanting to give us much trouble while we are in our spot. Of course it could have something to do with my 120lb+ rottweiler and cane corso mastiff staring at them silently from their kennel area around the trailer.They are voice and hand signal trained and will stay silent if told,they are super good dogs and truly non aggressive(mostly lol)-our girls regularly jump on top of them along with our cats. Hell, the mastiff adopted our chickens when we got a few baby chicks haha. I guess that the idiots usually don't wait around long enough for them to be introduced to mack and bear

[Johntgif]

Sorry to hear the horror stories but here in Alabama, almost everyone here respects your site, your privacy, and your property. I agree that there are some that don't play by the rules, but we are there to enjoy the sights, sounds, and other campers that share our values. As a Viet Nam veteran, I have learned to appreciate what I have and respect what you have. We just need to carefully teach the younger crowd that same respect, one at a time. My Thoughts.

[Johntgif]

I forgot to mention that God travels with us, I hope you will invite him to travel with you.

[madmaxmutt]

I have been to some state parks in Texas where showing up after hours can be a shot in the dark. The sites are first come first serve after hours, but you had to have a paid reservation (just not specified site).


I don't agree with holding sites with a tent or otherwise when you are not going to show up until the next day, but in the OP's case it seems they were there, just not on site. I also think it is rude when I see a bunch of empty reserved sites on Thursday nights that no one enters until Friday night. That is worse on holiday weekends.


I am glad the OP got the site back, because it really sounds like the guy was just trying to work the system and hope the OP would just find another spot. Might not even be the first time he has pulled the stunt.

[Gaberdeen]

On the reverse end there are some truly wonderful people you meet camping. I made the mistake of setting up a little to far over on the site next to me. I wasn't too worried until a truck pulled into that site and began to set up. I immediately went out and apologized and offered to move my trailer but the gentleman insisted it was no bother. Ended up making a new friend and sharing the weekend with some good company.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by CNYCamper

What ticks me off in recent years are people who think its OK to stroll and take shortcuts thru my site. Have these people never watched an old western? Even bad guys know enough to not ride into a camp without asking.

^THIS. 1000X this. We have a permanent site right next to the playground at our CG. On the opposite side there is a short foot bridge that goes over into an area that a lot of weekend campers use. I can't count the number of times people would step off the bridge and then head straight for the playground instead of walking around on road like any decent person would do.

Many times we were sitting right outside at our picnic table or around or fire pit eating lunch/dinner.

Yet if either of our dogs who are both properly tagged and leashed on our site bites one of these people walking through, it's somehow our fault.

[HomeOnWheels]

We have only had positive camping experience so far. However, we saw an interesting group of people at campground this past weekend. Their behavior was neither good nor particularly bad. A dozen or so men gathered at a campsite not far from us, a leader was 'preaching' and others were following in chanting, in a foreign language, also accompanied by loud instruments. This lasted hours into night, ended before quiet time, and resumed in the morning. They were so loud that we could hear them from anywhere in the campground. Although we would rather have enjoyed a total peace, we didn't make a complaint to the ranger. I'm not sure what ranger can do about it either. Anyone had a similar experience?