Camping Etiquette - Lights On? Lights Off?

[Camper_Dan]

Just wondering if there is a camping etiquette when it comes to outdoor lighting when you retire for the night?
Do you turn ALL your outdoor lights off so its completely pitch black? Or is it ok to leave a "night" light on (ie door light, or a rope light)?

Thanks for the input!

Camper_Dan
Nashville TN

[baysalr]

All lightd off for me!

[Seasonal]

We turn our lights out but we have never had a problem with another camper leaving their lights on.

[Black]

I usually just leave the stairs light on,everything else turned off

[davel1971]

I put a dimmer switch inside since mine plug into a switched receptacle, and turn it all the way down when we go in. VERY dim glow

[crunchman12001]

I leave the LED lights "on" for the awning and stairs. The stairs are blue and I will set the awning lights to blue for the night with the brightness turned to lowest setting. Gives a nice glow without being too bright.
crunchman

[mark0224]

All off only turn them back on if we have to go out to walk the dog or something out of the ordinary. I look at it this way if my lights shine in some ones bedroom window and keep them awake if I was them I wouldn't like it and some of the cg's you stay at if you sneeze the next door neighbors curtains move.

[Davidceder]

X2 as mark0224 states. Exactly........

[asquared]

Lights out.... we have had neighbors with extremely bright lights that light our trailer thru the night shades and I'm far from sensitive to light. I also think lights out says to others we have gone to bed, please keep a little quieter passing our site. Lights on, we are up don't worry about your conversation while walking by.

[B and B]

X2 Lights out here. We camp in the forest usually and I like the stars and moon to light the way.

[Mr. Dan]

We turn off all outside lights long before we retire.

... and I venture to say that, judging from the above responses, most people who camp where I camp are NOT members of this forum. I've seen enough lights on campsites near me that I'm sure pilots approaching the DFW airport are tempted to land in our CGs. I've seen those 5 gallon bucket lights on the next site - one hanging 10 feet above a MH on a rope and 1 sitting immediately under the MH such that the MH's occupants couldn't see them directly but every other person in the CG had scalded eyeballs even with all shades down.
Now, where is my Daisy Red Rider?

[merrykalia]

I like to a small amount of light outside, but I use a couple of the cheap ($.97) solar lights that you purchase at Walmart near the steps and picnic table. These put out a small amount of light for the surrounding 3 feet of area around them.

That's it. I don't even like to turn our lights on around our EZup in the early evening if we are camping near someone.

[Kaadk]

Like everyone else, I kill the awning lights, outdoor lights, marker lights, etc... The only ones we leave on are a string of Christmas lights shaped like old fashioned lanterns we have strung on the front window. They only glow a dull red and don't really shine more than 3 feet away.



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[asquared]

Mr Dan- I've seen bright LED spotlight tripods pointed into the campground road blinding all who walk or drive by but providing little light to the actual campsite. What is the point of that other than annoying others? This weekend our neighbors had homemade awning lights with each one having what must've been a 100 watt bulb. They lit up all the way under my trailer and into my site. But they did have the common courtesy to turn them out for the night.

[mcnabbwr]

Originally Posted by merrykalia

I like to a small amount of light outside, but I use a couple of the cheap ($.97) solar lights that you purchase at Walmart near the steps and picnic table. These put out a small amount of light for the surrounding 3 feet of area around

Same here, only want enough light to illuminate the steps and ground in the immediate area.

[Uncle Buck]

Nothing more pleasant than a dark quiet night at a country camp ground

[OldCoot]

Awning is always out with sun screen usually installed and the led lights are on dimmest. They light nothing but under the awning and don't shine on or in anyone's camper. Light on flag in the front shines toward our camper and upwards on the flag and it is shielded on the front and sides. Both the led awning light and the flag light are on dusk to dawn sensors. We never shut them off even parked at home.

[Terier]

Ditto on turning off the lights and thinking of others.

I wouldn't mind camping with this group!

[Exiled Bohemians]

Lights off! All of them. If we need to get up to walk the dogs, we will turn them on. It's hard to know if your light is impacting another camper, and so I err on the side of caution. Another reason to keep them all off is if the lights draw flying insects that use light for navigation.


Traveling 9/1/2014 - 11/1/2014
2015 Vibe 6504 • 2005 BMW X5
http://instagram.com/bohemians_in_exile

[ChooChooMan74]

I usually dim my LED strip all the way down on orange or shut them off. I had a neighbor keep his scare lights on all night. Annoyingly bright!