camping site

Dutchmen Sport - had the camphost explained BEFORE guiding you in WHY he was doing so, you probably wouldn't have been irritated but rather grateful.

One of the reasons I prefer state and national park campgrounds over private ones is that they do not pack the sites as close together because they are not trying to maximize revenues on limited acreage.

When people are fighting over a few square feet, it sounds like your sites are too small.

DutchmenSport wrote:
Sites were already small, and when the big rig pulled in forward it was really awkward ever time they went in and out of the rig as we sat there 5 feet from their door, as that is where the fire ring was located.

I finally asked them why they parked forward. They said because they can have the view out the front window of the river behind us instead of the view of an asphalt road the other way. Then he made the comment, you folks in travel trailers have windows in the back, so you don't see the ugly views of the road.

Didn't you have a large supply of green, wet firewood to burn 24/7?

Dutchmensport

Your explanation makes sense, but we have been RV camping since 1999 and for the life of me I do not remember ever being escorted to a campsite. We like state parks better but use KOA and Goodsam sometimes.

An escort would have been nice a few times.

"Making people move their rigs after they have set up is definitely in the top ten things a park can do to upset their guests. "

Agree. Absolute no one like having rules and then being told they are wrong when they think they are the exception doesn't win any popularity favors. But what's next? Let them get away with loud music, start shoot guns? Simple infractions need to be corrected as much as the big ones.

We were at a private campground last week-end and they had some pretty stiff rules. But you know, it was one of the better experiences we had.

"Apparently the park in question does not have well defined parking pads."

Unless you build a brick wall between each camp site, there is always going to be someone intruding on the neighboring site. Motor homes that pull in forward and then the entry door is on the neighbor's side is one of the worst examples, and I see this happening a lot. We had this happen to us a few years ago. Sites were already small, and when the big rig pulled in forward it was really awkward ever time they went in and out of the rig as we sat there 5 feet from their door, as that is where the fire ring was located.

I finally asked them why they parked forward. They said because they can have the view out the front window of the river behind us instead of the view of an asphalt road the other way. Then he made the comment, you folks in travel trailers have windows in the back, so you don't see the ugly views of the road. You only see the nice view from behind. I asked him to step around the back side of my travel trailer and take a look. There were NO windows in the back. It had a small granney room garage area about 2.5 feet deep with another wall completely separating this storage area from the main living area. He just looked and walked back to his motor home. He never spoke another word to me the rest of the time we were there.

"A handout isn't the answer, the answer is to either take steps to define those pads or escort the guests and show them the parking area. Otherwise, live with it because wishing people will somehow park where you want them to park is a fool's errand."

With is I agree completely. You can't expect people to be mind readers, and everyone seems to have an idea of what they think is right, because after all, in this world we live in, "it's all about me!"

Last week end the campground owner escorted us to our site and guided me into the camp site. I must admit it was weird. He insisted I pull forward, even though the gravel pad ended. He had me back up, pull forward, move over, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. I was completely miffed until he said, "perfect!" I thought .... "FINALLY!"

Well, when I got out of the truck I then realized why he was so picky. The passenger side trailer tires were right on the edge of the beginning a slope downward, but the trailer was perfectly level left-right. And to the driver side, there were 3 sewer connections hidden in the tall grass and he was attempting to keep me from running over them. I questioned getting the truck out of the spot, since I had very little room to move forward because of a fence. He said, don't worry about the grass, you can get out. I did.

He said, when we get ready to leave to call the office and he'd guide me out of the spot.

Irritated me to no end? Yes? But after getting in the spot, I certainly understood why. He said he's replaced the sewer connections (all 3 of them) several times on that spot because of people driving over them. I suggested he paint them orange. He said that didn't work because people STILL drove over them and busted them up. So he just escorts people on the spots now.

So, there IS your answer! And I couldn't agree more. Do "rules" make me mad? Absolutely. But ENFORCING rules makes it better for everyone! So, in the end, if the campground management is expecting their guests to do it the want, then management better show them what they want.

Every KOA campground we've been to, we have an escort to the campsite, and the escort always stays until the camper is in place. And almost always, they will guide you, saying you are too far one way or the other, our you need to pull forward more or go backwards more. And they stay until you get positioned.

If they do it, then maybe THIS campground the OP works at should start doing the same thing. Then the problem is solved. Will it pi$$ people off? Absolutely. But they will adjust! And others will appreciate it even more who take no offense in being told to follow rules!

I always set mine up so the slide isn't in the next persons area. I agree some people just don't have a clue! But to help out if there is a tree and its in the way of putting out the awning then the site is useless to me. maybe its good for a small trailer or a PuP, that would need to be known to the campground owner so they don't give the site to someone in a large RV that cant use all there equipment.

DutchmenSport wrote:
Why don't you print off a bunch of informational fliers that is given to each camper at time of check-in with a picture drawing of a camper with slides out inside the lines. This is non intrusive. Later, walk around the campground and tell offenders they need to move inside the lines. It's your campground. If they don't follow the guidelines, it's on you. You are the manager. Insist they move their camper when you see that.

Making people move their rigs after they have set up is definitely in the top ten things a park can do to upset their guests. Apparently the park in question does not have well defined parking pads. A handout isn't the answer, the answer is to either take steps to define those pads or escort the guests and show them the parking area. Otherwise, live with it because wishing people will somehow park where you want them to park is a fool's errand.

We park close on the drivers side near the utilities to give us enough room on the awning side for outdoor living area, and sometimes we would have to, to be able to even put the awning out. Depends on how close the sites are. Also, sometimes that is the flattest area to park to be level. I should add however, that our slide would not normally stick out past the utilities into the next lot.

Why don't you print off a bunch of informational fliers that is given to each camper at time of check-in with a picture drawing of a camper with slides out inside the lines. This is non intrusive. Later, walk around the campground and tell offenders they need to move inside the lines. It's your campground. If they don't follow the guidelines, it's on you. You are the manager. Insist they move their camper when you see that.