How should a request for commercial repair service in a state park be handled

[RitaB]

To my thinking, a local repair service should know local rules for campground and local parks before they send out a unit. You should not be expected to know every local rule/law for the place you happened to pick. Saying this, is might be prudent to contact the office to see if they only allow a certain license repair service.

[sfsgm]

The truck wasn't marked. That was the problem. Had it been marked as a tow vehicle or repair truck, I seriously doubt anything would have been said.

I had a lockout two weeks ago at a state park in the state of Washington. The damned upper lock of my fifth wheel door sometimes does that and I didn't have my spare key available as my wife had taken it to make another one. I had to use the Ranger's telephone to call AAA. Nothing was said about having to have a mirror hanger.

And, there isn't an issue of liability that the state park would have simply by the truck being in there as it is open to the general public.

[Rugman1952]

I was a mobile service technician for a number of years. (appliances). I had calls to go to State camp grounds maybe a dozen times, for RV washers and dryers. I just stopped at the gate, told them why I was there, and was given a FREE day pass. That's it! The appliance got fixed, everybody was happy, and I went on my way.

PS. I drove a well marked van with commercial plates.

[BandJCarm]

Some of y'all need to get out of the city some.

Bubba's Wreckers doesn't always have shiny new wreckers, with custom paint jobs, and no, sometimes he ain't even got a license plate on all of 'em. The campsites here are in middle of nowhere (we are all nowhere here, campsites are in middle), not in middle of Dallas or Chicago! Unmarked wrecker? I don't even know what that means. How unmarked? Beat up old jalopy? Or nice but without a sign on the side?

And in this state, almost every COE campground has to be driven through the middle of, to get to the boat launching ramp. If you are NOT camping and just want to fish on a PUBLIC lake, you drive through the campground area, or at least off to the side of it........but at a minimum you MUST go through the park. You either have an annual pass or you pay $3.00 at the ramp to launch. No way you have to check in with some Park Ranger to launch a boat. THUS, you don't have to have a sticker to drive into the park.

Maybe life is different other places. I guess it is.........

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by wmtire

I am going to play a little devils advocate here. as I can kinda see the parks point....and from a liability standpoint. Without the car tag, then tow truck driver is not a guest of the park... and most likely would not be covered by any general liability policy covering park guests....for damage suffered or caused by same tow truck driver doing whatever he may do.

You then would think that the tow trucks insurance would kick in to handle damages suffered or caused by the driver while in the park, but here again this could be tricky, and may be why the park would require pre-authorization for commercial business conducted on their property. A prudent property manager would verify the commercial business had insurance and would cover any damages suffered or caused by same........ since the propertys liability insurance most likely has a disclaimer against commercial business activities on site.

It's really not a whole lot different than you having a party at your house, and one of your guests decides to change his oil in your driveway. He hires a mobile oil change guy, who then accidently spills the oil which contaminates your yard and then it also runs down into the storm drain contaminating the water. You allowed the guest on your property, but not necessarily the oil change guy, who you just found out forgot to pay his last months insurance and it got canceled. Now they are all kind of fines, as well as damage to your yard. Your homeowners insurance company won't pay, as they say their policy doesn't cover commercial businesses on your property. See the mess that can be just beginning here.

Many people here, may have also never been involved with what happens when a roofer you hire, hurts himself on your roof, then you find out his boss didn't have workers comp. This guy can come back on you, and many many court cases have went against the homeowner...who is liable for all lawful activity on his property.

The parks are no different, and are liable for all lawful activity occurring on their property. if they determine that they need to approve all commercial business done on their property, or even require that all guest are properly tagged with their vehicle...so that they are covered insurance wise...then I wouldn't really get upset. I would actually expect such.

You can now throw all the rocks you feel at me.

It's a state park. I doubt they have any insurance.

[pmsherman]

Some years ago I was staying at a Michigan state park and discovered that I had no propane in my class A motor home even though the tank was full. The staff at the entrance booth directed me to an RV repair shop that was only 10 minutes away. Unfortunately, while it took only two days to get the repair parts, I couldn't get the rig into the repair center for at least two weeks.

The park rangers had no problems with the repair center sending a technician to my site to do the simple repair there. I also don't recall seeing a hang tag on the repair truck.

Phil

[OldBob]

My Goodness. We've had to call AAA twice while at a state park here in Florida and in each case the rangers and camp hosts were kind to the point of wanting to help. Normally when a camper is in trouble the staff is happy to help in whatever way they can. I just can't understand why it happened like it did.

[larrysteimel]

Originally Posted by DreiHunde

X2!

x3
I don't need anybody protecting me!

[ShermanD]

Is the average RVer never happy or content. Why the rant in the first place? This Park ranger went out out of their way to accommidate the camper and to CHOA, yet the camper still felt the need to complain about the Rangers actions on this forum.

Then another batch of RVers have to put their two cents in on how they would handle the situation. Some even inferring that this camper should have complained to the park rangers superiors just because the ranger took the time to explain to the camper that the state park they were in had certain regulations.
Regulations that were most likely listed in the state parks visitor manual, had the camper taken the time to read it.

If this is an example of how the average RVer acts in real life. maybe Murelene and I should just keep to ourselves and steer clear of other campers when we visit state park campgrounds.

I guess some people are never happy unless they have something to complain about

Opinions are like butt holes, everyone has one and none are the same.

just my two cents worth

[Katja]

I like the idea of checking with the ranger/camp host/management if I need repairs again for a number of reasons that were suggested. Someday I (a female with a GSD) may get good enough at this to travel on my own and safety will be at the top of my list. There was some irony to this event. We were three rigs traveling for six weeks (I'm the newbie.) One of my mentors had a jack, etc., but not the socket that fit my lug nuts (too long/short, wide/narrow, black/chrome or some such - which I promptly bought the next day) which is why we decided to call my road hazard service. Secondly, while I was on the phone with road hazard, the camp hosts came by and chatted with my travel mates quite awhile without mentioning commercial company rules. I believe in following rules even when I sign them without reading them and am very grateful to the ranger (and hosts) for their kindness and also for their finesse in controlling a rather rowdy group of about 20 individuals camped in nearby sites. It was a very quiet, lovely evening after 10PM. There is an observatory on the grounds and a number of well marked, short trails and the dog and I had a great time exploring on just an overnight stay. There are concrete pads and a covered picnic table at each site (in cactus patch loop anyway) If we go out west again, I would stay there (Leasburg Dam SP) on astronomy nights, but I'll check first to be clear about the commercial business rules. Thanks everyone for all your ideas!

[ChooChooMan74]

Looking at the rules (Chapter Contents), I think this ranger may be digging too deep into the concession area of the rules. But, I would send an email out to get clarification on this.

[dcheatwood]

Originally Posted by Oakman

I would send a letter (email) of complaint to whoever is in charge of the state parks. Missouri state parks aren't like this.

Missouri parks are great!

[Maron]

In Illinois, I can tell you that we would stop the tow/ repair vehicle as they were coming into the park to 1. Verify their mission, 2. Get some proper ID, and then 3. Give them a map to the site.

There are no regs about outside service vehicles requiring a permit but for the protection of our other campers we would want to know who they are and who they are coming in to service. Then we would give them all the help they need to solve our campers problem.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by Maron

In Illinois, I can tell you that we would stop the tow/ repair vehicle as they were coming into the park to 1. Verify their mission, 2. Get some proper ID, and then 3. Give them a map to the site.

There are no regs about outside service vehicles requiring a permit but for the protection of our other campers we would want to know who they are and who they are coming in to service. Then we would give them all the help they need to solve our campers problem.

The OP did say the camp host came down and was apprised of the situation. While I think this situation was blown out of proportion by all involved I do wonder why the ranger felt the need to assert his authority when the camp host was already involved. I live about 10 miles from this cg and was shocked there was a ranger there at all. Must of been his yearly visit and he had to make it worth his while?

[sfsgm]

Originally Posted by ShermanD

Is the average RVer never happy or content. Why the rant in the first place? This Park ranger went out out of their way to accommidate the camper and to CHOA, yet the camper still felt the need to complain about the Rangers actions on this forum.

Then another batch of RVers have to put their two cents in on how they would handle the situation. Some even inferring that this camper should have complained to the park rangers superiors just because the ranger took the time to explain to the camper that the state park they were in had certain regulations.
Regulations that were most likely listed in the state parks visitor manual, had the camper taken the time to read it.

If this is an example of how the average RVer acts in real life. maybe Murelene and I should just keep to ourselves and steer clear of other campers when we visit state park campgrounds.

I guess some people are never happy unless they have something to complain about

Opinions are like butt holes, everyone has one and none are the same.

just my two cents worth

Gee, it seems to me that this forum is about campers helping campers. I don't get the part about the other campers putting in their two cents as seemingly being some sort of problem.

[Chpusmc]

Originally Posted by youroo

I hope these "Hang Tag Rules" do Not apply for "Fire and Rescue Trucks"! Youroo!!

Well, since Fire and Rescue Trucks are classified as "Emregency Vehicles", not "Commercial" vehicles then no, the hang tag rules don't apply.

In California tow trucks are not allowed to drive around and solicit services to anyone. Most states have this rule. This is to protect people from being gouged by cons.

It appears that after reading some of the new Mexico state campground rules that it seems simple enough that the commercial driver (tow truck/tire dude) needed to stop and get a no fee day use pass. This is for a specific event (repairing a tire at B56 and then leaving the campground). It says specifically that the commercial/contractors are not allowed uses of any other facilities on the grounds (lake, etc) without paying fees. It sounds like to me they may have had a problem with free loaders driving their work trucks into the parks and not paying the fees. Seems pretty legit to me.


(And this is not directed to youroo) but there seem to be a lot of people on this forum that have thin skin and have their feelings hurt for no reason. Rules are rules. They are posted either o a board, in a pamphlet, or online. If people choose to ignore the posted rules, get called out on it, plead ignorance, and then whine to their friends about their mistreatment because THEY cant understand or follow the rules is plain silly. (And that wasn't directed to the OP either).

I got yelled at for driving 8 MPH in a park when the posted speed limit was 5 MPH. I said sorry and adjusted my speed accordingly. When I was at another park operated by the same company, there were people passing me at 30 MPH, unsafely, with no one enforcing the 5MPH limit. I actually missed that lady that yelled at me at the first park. Wished she was at that one.

Enjoy camping people!