So here is the deal. I check in at the office of a big name camp ground. After getting all my info they send a camp host over to show me to my spot. He is in front of me in a golf cart and pulls through the spot I am going to and gets off the cart and stands in front of me. The site to the right of my spot had a "tailgater" sat dish sitting on the ground very close to my site. I know its going to be a tight squeeze getting in as I swing into the spot. But the host is standing in front of me telling me to pull forward. I cant see the tailgater at this point, but still the park host is standing at the front of my site looking at the front of my coach guiding me in.. And crunch!!! Right front corner of my coach hits the tailgater and breaks the top cover of it. At this point the host comes over and tells me "oh I tried to tell you to stop".. No you didn't!! So now the camper who's satellite I've just broke starts raising hell with me about replacing it. The camp host and his manager tell me it is completely my fault, not their problem. So at 5PM on Friday evening I make a mad dash through rush hour traffic in a large metro city to shell out 500 bucks to buy this "camper" his new dish from a store that closes at 6... I was going to be leaving my coach unattended for the weekend parked next to this guy and figured $500 was good insurance that maybe he wouldn't tear up anything on my unit while I was away.. Although it didn't help in getting him to remove the pitbull that was chained to the tree right out my front door.. So yea I guess I should have got out and moved the dish.. But I thought the point of this host guiding me in was to help prevent stuff like that from happening.. What say you?? Totally my fault?

Unfortunately, you are in the driver's seat. As such, you're responsible if you hit anything. No one but my wife guides me into a site. Your insurance should cover your loss.On another note, please let us know the name of this campground. I would like to avoid it for two reasons. 1. Sounds like they should have stepped up and at least offered some help with the cost of the loss and 2. What campground allows pitbulls/??/// thank....Dennis

We've had 'guides' nearly run us into a tree. I don't trust them (no offense to any out there) so I go out and direct DH into our spot. It sometimes annoys 'the pros' but our rig is our house and we pay the insurance.

Tough call. When they take charge of you, including driving the cart exactly where they want you to go (such as pulling over to the left before you turn right, etc...), then I think they bear some responsibility. If you had had a passenger who could have helped with guiding you into the site, It would have been good to follow that person, rather than the campground host. That is our policy, although we try to make it look like we are also paying attention to the host! I think you handled the resulting damage extremely well, even though no one else, including the campground, did.

Irrespective of what CG employee directs me, I pay NO attention.Dianne is the ONLY guide I follow. We have been doing this for decades-- she knows our coach (wheelbase, turning radius, etc) far better than any CG employee.This has never been a problem with any CG employee. They may stand next to her and "give her directions", but the only directions I follow are hers.Another point-- there is really no "universal" signals for parking coaches, so while perfectly valid, if they are different than you are used to, they can get you in trouble.And, if solo, I get out and look over the site. May have to do that a couple of times in a tight situation.

Question about being guided into a site. | Good Sam Community

rgatijnet1
Explorer III
Jan 18, 2016
bigred1cav wrote:
You were directed to the spot by the campground professional it is the campground professional fault.

Seek remedy in Small Claims Court in the county you were in in the state you were in. Or file with your insurance company and ask them to subrogate against the campground.

Owning an RV park or being hired by an RV park hardly makes you a "professional" at directing any type of RV driven by a total stranger.
bigred1cav
Explorer
Jan 18, 2016
You were directed to the spot by the campground professional it is the campground professional fault.

Seek remedy in Small Claims Court in the county you were in in the state you were in. Or file with your insurance company and ask them to subrogate against the campground.
OH48Lt
Explorer
Jan 18, 2016
You had control of the rig. Whatever you hit did not jump out in your path. Spotter or not, you are responsible. Consider the $500 the price for a Life Lesson. All the talk about getting an attorney is not realistic. Any decent attorney would tell you its not worth the fight. If you ran over a person, or hit a tree and it came down on top of your neighbors $300K coach, that would be a different story.

Once I saw that pit bull out there, I'd have been gone. Wouldn't have even driven into the spot. Tell the "spotter" to get me another spot.
rgatijnet1
Explorer III
Jan 18, 2016
JetAonly wrote:
Georgew48 wrote:
I taught aircraft marshaling for many many years and I can tell you that even thought marshallers are required by all airlines it is the Captain that will have the black mark on his record if the aircraft hits something. Yes the marshaller will also be in trouble but the ultimate responsibility is with the Captain. I always told my students that if the Captain is not following your direction then stop the aircraft and hook up your headset and talk to the Captain. Likewise if the Captain has a question about what the marshaller wants him to do, he will stop the aircraft and have a conversation. Should be no different with driving a motorhome.

This is correct. I have had many discussions about who is operating the A/C. If you are in the left seat, it is your Jet. If you sign for it, you own it, from the moment you step on it till the moment you step off. You are given absolute authority and with it comes absolute responsibility.

Exactly, and that includes instructions from an air traffic controller. He cannot see what you can see and if you don't feel that his directions are safe, it is up to you to deviate from his directions. Of course you will have to explain your decision to not follow ATC but it is your aircraft and your ultimate responsibility.
JetAonly
Explorer
Jan 18, 2016
Georgew48 wrote:
I taught aircraft marshaling for many many years and I can tell you that even thought marshallers are required by all airlines it is the Captain that will have the black mark on his record if the aircraft hits something. Yes the marshaller will also be in trouble but the ultimate responsibility is with the Captain. I always told my students that if the Captain is not following your direction then stop the aircraft and hook up your headset and talk to the Captain. Likewise if the Captain has a question about what the marshaller wants him to do, he will stop the aircraft and have a conversation. Should be no different with driving a motorhome.

This is correct. I have had many discussions about who is operating the A/C. If you are in the left seat, it is your Jet. If you sign for it, you own it, from the moment you step on it till the moment you step off. You are given absolute authority and with it comes absolute responsibility.
Lantley
Nomad
Jan 18, 2016
dcbrewer wrote:
I never let anyone guide me, I look at spot an move anything that is left in the way, when backing in I use my mirrors. His box must have been on your site, or you we way over further than you should have been.

Doesn't matter if the object was in the middle of his site. The OP should have been more careful. He noticed the dish sitting there.
At this point I think the OP realizes his mistake and is sort of mad at himself for allowing it to happen.
I applaud the OP for sharing so that we may all learn from his miscue
dcbrewer
Explorer
Jan 18, 2016
I never let anyone guide me, I look at spot an move anything that is left in the way, when backing in I use my mirrors. His box must have been on your site, or you we way over further than you should have been.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Jan 18, 2016
jtad: Sorry you ran into a tough crowd here. :) Chalk it up as another of those 'learning experiences'.
windinmyface2
Explorer
Jan 18, 2016
Love all the people who are so self rightous and have to "SHOULD" on someone.
jtad
Explorer
Jan 18, 2016
Yea Mark it was the only place I could find. The Ft Worth stockshow and rodeo is going on the next few weeks so everything is booked up. I have had great luck with Cow Town RV but they didn't have anything. It is what it is, just trying to make the best of it.. Just put that out there so everyone can learn from my mistake.. Im one of those guys that never takes anyones word for it, do it myself... But didn't have the wife with me, I thought it was ok and turns out it wasn't you just cant be too careful. Before I was a firefighter and some though out this career I was a tour bus driver for bands. I have been behind the wheel of million + dollar coaches and have never put a scratch on one or anyone else's property.. Live and learn..

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