Campground Etiquette

[Pilotdaddy1]

I have had just the opposite happen. My family and I got stuck in Atlanta traffic for 3 hours, which put us getting to Vogel State Park well after dark and close to 10 (quiet hours). That is a very narrow campground, and steep hills getting in and out. NOT FUN w/ a 35' TT. If not for the very large family of campers (3 of whom came over to assist) I would have never gotten into the spot, let alone set up. I'm very thankful for some very helpful (and courteous) people at campgrounds.

[trudinator]

Originally Posted by lindy

We have found though that the best solution to NOISY people at night is a good set of
EAR PLUGS, does wonders to quiet things down real quick

Have to agree with you. My DH snores like a mack truck, so I've become accustomed to wearing earplugs 95% of the time. I hear almost nothing at night. If I can't hear it, it can't bother me.

[Smokyroo]

That is rude for sure. However, it was just 11ish or so as you say. Many years ago while I was in grad school at FSU we went down to St. Joe Peninsula State Park and we were tent camping on a loop with my wife and my parents. There were some folks from south of the border and they had a complete maraichie (sp) band. it was fine as it made the campground kind of festive. It was festive past 10 pm quiet hours and it was festive past 11, past 12 and finally at about 1 am I have had enough and got in my car and invited the park ranger in residence to join the Mexican fiesta along everyone else on the loop. He was not happy to be awaken from his summer slumber and I am not sure he wanted to join the festivities either. I went back to our tent, heard his truck go around the loop and then about 79 seconds later the music stopped.

Part of me says we are camping and folks are having a good time and let it be. Part of me says folks are rude everywhere and it is what it is. The less creature comforts a campground has the less of this kind of behavior goes on. I now sleep with ear plugs at busy campgrounds but the down side to it is I miss having the song birds greet me in the morning as dawn breaks. I tend to think the northeastern US has more rude people per capita than anywhere else in the US followed closely by south Florida which is now largely populated from folks in the northeast (lol)...

[Timex]

Oh Smokeyroo, I hope you haven't riled up some folks by classifying certain directional people as being rude.
I realize that when a large number of people are accommodated in close proximity to each other(rv park), personal space can be at a premium. But when the brake lights of the offending party are only, literally, 5 feet from my bedroom wall....well I hope you understand. Some people are just inherently loud. Their noise is not noise to them so why would it bother anyone else? Now, I don't claim to be an expert in the art of backing my TT into a site, but on more than one occasion, people say they were amazed at the ease I displayed when backing in. They might not notice my wife standing in back speaking to me through a walkie-talkie. I didn't come up with this idea, but it sure helps with speeding up the process of setting up and settling down the campground.
It doesn't matter the reason for this person's late arrival; the point I was trying to make is some things need to be avoided out of respect for your neighbors. Even though I was the closest site, I am sure others were not amused either.

[Idle_Idylist]

Originally Posted by Pilotdaddy1

I have had just the opposite happen. My family and I got stuck in Atlanta traffic for 3 hours, which put us getting to Vogel State Park well after dark and close to 10 (quiet hours). That is a very narrow campground, and steep hills getting in and out. NOT FUN w/ a 35' TT. If not for the very large family of campers (3 of whom came over to assist) I would have never gotten into the spot, let alone set up. I'm very thankful for some very helpful (and courteous) people at campgrounds.

this was my point exactly! you never know when it will be you.

[lindy]

You're right you never know sometimes when you'll arrive at a campsite sometimes. But if you're going around/thru a MAJOR city in your area on a Friday night then you KNOW that you'll be stuck in the every Friday night traffic jam for 1-4 hours, and should adjust you're arrival time accordingly. I mean if you arrive so late Friday night as to prevent really setting up, to me it'd make sence to leave EARLY Saturday moring and arrive at 8AM and thus save a nights fees that were for just parking basically.

[rawlus]

It would be nice if everyone just did what I wanted them to do instead of what they wanted to do. Then I wouldn't have to do any compromising myself. /sarcasm

[essness]

Originally Posted by rawlus

It would be nice if everyone just did what I wanted them to do instead of what they wanted to do. Then I wouldn't have to do any compromising myself. /sarcasm

I agree! Everyone should be more normal, like, me

[Pilotdaddy1]

lindy...hind sight is as they say 20/20, but leaving early was NOT an option as I had to wait for my daughter to get home from school. We were going to be early enough to beat the rush, but a wreck 20 miles prior to Atlanta caused us to hit Atlanta right at rush hour(no, I was not going to turn around and start over, either). I have lived in Georgia most of my adult life and know how to deal with large city traffic, but sometimes...
***** Happens. The point I originally was making was that a large group was not only quiet and courteous, but also very helpful.

[Terier]

Originally Posted by lindy

You're right you never know sometimes when you'll arrive at a campsite sometimes. But if you're going around/thru a MAJOR city in your area on a Friday night then you KNOW that you'll be stuck in the every Friday night traffic jam for 1-4 hours, and should adjust you're arrival time accordingly. I mean if you arrive so late Friday night as to prevent really setting up, to me it'd make sence to leave EARLY Saturday moring and arrive at 8AM and thus save a nights fees that were for just parking basically.

I don't see the problem so much as arriving after dark but rather not be considerate of others at any given time & especially later in the evening or early am hours.

In my area it's almost impossible to arrive early at 8am unless you have paid reservations from the day before.

With the above said I do try to avoid arriving late or after dark but someday it might happen. If & when it happens I will be as quiet as possible, set up as little as possible and call it a night & finish up in the daylight.

You have some valid points but sometimes life just happens.

[Big Dawg]

We are able to get out of town early most times, but we have friends who get stuck way late in the evening before they can leave. They have arrived late at night, and try to be quiet. I know they just want to get there and enjoy the weekend camping, and relax. I understand the noise of the muffler, but sometimes its hard to get there during the "idea" times. We all have the same goal in mind, to enjoy our time with friends, camping, and relaxing.

[RubenZ]

I'm guilty My Diesel is a straight through exhaust no CAT and no Muffler. WHY because it drops my EGT's dramatically when towing. however, I never arrive after 10 at a campsite. It's more annoying when people own these big trailers and don't know how to back them up! Thats MORE ANNOYING. We were at Lake Catherine S.P in Arkansas last week and I swear some guy took 30 min to get his 5th wheel in his spot. Thats because there was the bathroom parking lot directly in front giving him way more than enough room to straighten out and backup. They should start to require a training before people buy ANY TYPE of RV.

[ittle dew]

We camp mainly in state campgrounds. They are close and easy, that means less travel, less cost, and more camping. We like camping more that traveling.

With that being said, we have found a direct relation of price to rude people. The cheaper the camp, the louder and more rowdy. Party people want cheap and easy too.

If we want peace and quiet, usually you need to pass the $50 a night point. After that point, people don't want to risk losing their money if they get kicked out, so it weeds out a lot of people who don't obey the rules.

So we get to choose, cheap and easy and take people as they are, and sometimes you find some great people, or, spend more for peace and usually more rules which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It keeps things quit and clean.

Pay your money and pick your poison.

And yes, sometimes we are ALL the ones irritating our neighbors. It's unavoidable, people are different. It just depends on which side of the fence you're looking from.

And as Jeff Foxworthy said, if your house has wheels, you may be a redneck. 😄

I know I am and I have lived in the north my whole life. Northern born, Southern raised.

Just my 2 cents
Happy camping

[Labzy]

I am being considerate of you in understanding that ***** happens and we all are late sometimes, now it is up to you to be considerate of me, and try to keep the noise/interuptions caused by your lateness to a minimum.

[BigDTx]

Originally Posted by RubenZ

I'm guilty My Diesel is a straight through exhaust no CAT and no Muffler. WHY because it drops my EGT's dramatically when towing. however, I never arrive after 10 at a campsite. It's more annoying when people own these big trailers and don't know how to back them up! Thats MORE ANNOYING. We were at Lake Catherine S.P in Arkansas last week and I swear some guy took 30 min to get his 5th wheel in his spot. Thats because there was the bathroom parking lot directly in front giving him way more than enough room to straighten out and backup. They should start to require a training before people buy ANY TYPE of RV.

How do you pass the state inspection here in Texas with no emissions and no factory installed equip, is it different for Diesels than it is for Gas?

[MilCop4523]

lol when I was taking my 6 month policing course I had a room mate who would come in at about 2am to 3 am on a regular basis and polish his boots, listen to his head banger music and study for the next days exams.
When I asked him one morning about 3 weeks after his unthoughtfullness, what he though the was doing he said "just roll over old man and put a pillow over your head."
The next time he did it I let him get to sleep at about 330 am and I got up starting to iron my uniform, play music and do my boots, make my bed, etc.
Did that for about a week having slept from about 930 pm until when he came in.
PT was a killer at 5 am for him with .5 hours of sleep every day.
Fighting fire with fire since 2000.

[cheryl7337]

It all sounds petty to me. Don't sweat the small stuff and be happy you are able to go anywhere at all. Lots of people aren't as lucky.

Guess you're not interested in camping during a NASCAR event or motorcycle rally...

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by cheryl7337

It all sounds petty to me. Don't sweat the small stuff and be happy you are able to go anywhere at all. Lots of people aren't as lucky.

Guess you're not interested in camping during a NASCAR event or motorcycle rally...

Are there quiet hours at a NASCAR event?

[BigDTx]

one would expect loud noise at a rally or race, but not at a CG after 10pm. I have camped at MC rallies before and it is expected to have loud noise all night but at a CG I would like some quiet time also.

[sherdep]

I consider myself a Redneck - I work outside and my neck gets burned on a regular basis, I own a 4 wheel drive with Headers and now semi loud pipe.

I try not to enter the campground after quiet hours but since I work during the week sometimes it is hard to get my last minute packing (Cold Items) in the camper and drive in time to enter the camp ground before quiet hours - one thing I can say is the headers and semi louder exhaust helps my gas mileage - I do try to minimize my foot on the gas so it doesnt roar thru the park and as long as I keep my foot out of it - the exhaust noise is kept to a minumum.

I do have to agree with the part about hook up the water and electrical and wait till morning to finish up and unhook from the truck - I have done that a few times when I arrive at night because I usually get put next to a Hybrid camper