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Lantley's avatar
Lantley
Nomad
Oct 09, 2017

Got gamed Westmoreland State Park in Va- reservation rant!

Those familiar with VA state parks know that you can reserve a site online but in may VA state parks it is not a site specific reservation.
You actually get to choose your site once you arrive on a first come first serve basis.
In short VA state parks guarantees you a spot but not a specific numbered spot.
When I arrived there were several unoccupied sites that I wanted to take however they had name tags designating them as taken or occupied however there was no one actually occupying the site. THe sites were all tagged with the same name
Turns out one member of a large group had arrived and tagged 8 other sites as occupied even though those people had not arrived yet.
As it turns out 2 of those sites were still unoccupied the next morning.
It would seem if sites are distributed on first come first save basis than all parties need to be present to claim/occupy a site.
I ended up with a lesser site even though I arrived a full day earlier.
I have never had a problem with the VA system until now.
I do know VA state parks sometimes monitors RV.net site.
If you're listening, I think there is a flaw in your policy.
How can one reserve/hold a site for someone not present if site are 1st come 1st serve?
I can agree holding one site is OK but to holding 7 is a bit much.
Why did I have to settle for a lesser site, when I was present and ready vs. someone not there.
The 1st come 1st serve policy works as long as no one is allowed to game/cheat the system. Rant Over!
  • bukhrn's avatar
    bukhrn
    Explorer III
    DiskDoctr wrote:
    What changes in the reservation system do you think would solve your problem?
    They could go the route of many of the Fed parks, the person who makes the reservation Must physically occupy the site, simply placing a folding chair on a site, is NOT occupying it. And I don't believe one person can physically occupy 8 sites at once.
  • Welcome to the world of RV Park logistics. No matter what the policy was/is there will be upset people. It's hard enough to get multiple families to make time and agree to meet at the same place. Obviously, they usually want to be next to each other. With a strict first come/first served policy, that probably isn't going to happen. The end result would either be the park loses those 8 reservations (they will go someplace that will let them be together) or they will all arrive and be upset. Waiver at all on first come/first served and you get upset people like the OP.
    If someone has a solution that will work for everyone, all the time, I will be glad to steal it and claim it as my own.
  • What changes in the reservation system do you think would solve your problem?
  • ken56 wrote:
    Why not just occupy one? Let the ranger straighten things out later. Rules are rules aren't they?

    Someone in the CG office handed out 8 tags when there were not 8 groups of people present.(Which is the root of the problem)
    I don't know that it is my place to ignore the tagged sites and just set up!.
  • JaxDad wrote:
    Lantley wrote:

    Turns out one member of a large group had arrived and tagged 8 other sites as occupied even though those people had not arrived yet.

    As it turns out 2 of those sites were still unoccupied the next morning.



    I doubt they’d let someone ‘claim’ a site without paying for it. Did you ask staff about the situation?

    A reservation was paid for. In other words someone reserved 8 sites.
    One person from the group arrived and tagged 8 sites even though 7 families had not arrived yet. 2 of the sites were still vacant the next morning.
    Sites are distributed on first come first served basis. Those in the party of 8 that arrived later than me should have been left with the lesser sites vs. having them held by their friend/group leader)
    The tag is supposed to designate the site as occupied. tearing off the tag and occupying the site myself is sort of a back door solution but still not proper.
    The volunteer camp host stated that holding sites until everyone arrived was allowed. Honestly I hope that is just his interpretation but not actually the policy.
  • Most parks have (or should have) a 'no saving sites' policy.
  • Why not just occupy one? Let the ranger straighten things out later. Rules are rules aren't they?
  • JaxDad's avatar
    JaxDad
    Explorer III
    Lantley wrote:

    Turns out one member of a large group had arrived and tagged 8 other sites as occupied even though those people had not arrived yet.

    As it turns out 2 of those sites were still unoccupied the next morning.



    I doubt they’d let someone ‘claim’ a site without paying for it. Did you ask staff about the situation?
  • I would think ranting on here does little but let off steam. If you want to accomplish anything you need to be contacting Virginia State Parks with specifics of your visit, including site numbers involved and dates. Some campers, and especially groups, will game the system if allowed.

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