Seems every early morning at many RV parks there are a few people who wish to get on the road early. I'm often one of those. But why do so many have to idle their loud diesels for extended periods of time while they pack up etc? Others are still trying to sleep!If I know I'm leaving early AM I hitch up the night before and have nearly everything packed up ahead of time. I wake up, pull the slides in and go and try hard not to make much noise at early hours.

I always thought those were guys going to work at 5am.

When I had the diesel pickup and trailer I used to scout out the campground area when pulling in that afternoon. Looking for a way to warm up truck without annoying people. As long as I could drive slowly on the cold engine I didn't feel any need to warm up the engine. But I didn't want to slug the cold engine with a tough freeway grade or high speeds. I'd look for a 25 zone where I could drive around for a few minutes. A parking lot or a remote area of the campground. But I wouldn't subject fellow campers to warm up noise and smell in my campsite.

On Hilton Head Island, SC at Arrow Road Outdoor Resorts we were awakened by garbage trucks at 4AM doing the commercial dumpsters where they bang them to get the stuck garbage out. That was worse, except we did not have to inhale the diesel fumes as they were in the commercial strips which backed up to the RV Resort. Even the City said they were allowed to do the pickups at that hour as they could not be done when business were open and traffic on the roads. Needles to say, we sold our site.

We have a neighbor here at the house that warms up his truck for 20-30 mins at 6:30 am every morning without fail. He got a newer one and I thought he wouldn't need to anymore or at least not as long. Nope, every morning without fail. I can make it to work in the time it takes him to warm up.

Diesels require a warm up period, slides have to come in, jacks up, air bags filled, light checks, etc. These are some reasons it takes longer to get a diesel on the road. Gas engines it just a short warm up period, no air bags so they are faster to get on the road.Keep in mind that you are in a rv park, campground whatever you call it and sites are usually close together. Sounds do travel.On the other hand, my diesel generator is almost soundless and the old gas motorhome had a loud gas generator. Trade offs.Have fun out there and don't sweat the small stuff.BTW: We don't leave the campsite before 9:00 am at the earliest and aren't up at 5:00 am.

Don't idle your loud diesel at 5am for so long!!

trop-a-cal
Explorer
Oct 27, 2014
On Hilton Head Island, SC at Arrow Road Outdoor Resorts we were awakened by garbage trucks at 4AM doing the commercial dumpsters where they bang them to get the stuck garbage out. That was worse, except we did not have to inhale the diesel fumes as they were in the commercial strips which backed up to the RV Resort. Even the City said they were allowed to do the pickups at that hour as they could not be done when business were open and traffic on the roads. Needles to say, we sold our site.
tpi
Explorer
Oct 27, 2014
When I had the diesel pickup and trailer I used to scout out the campground area when pulling in that afternoon. Looking for a way to warm up truck without annoying people.

As long as I could drive slowly on the cold engine I didn't feel any need to warm up the engine. But I didn't want to slug the cold engine with a tough freeway grade or high speeds. I'd look for a 25 zone where I could drive around for a few minutes. A parking lot or a remote area of the campground. But I wouldn't subject fellow campers to warm up noise and smell in my campsite.
2oldman
Explorer II
Oct 27, 2014
I always thought those were guys going to work at 5am.

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Don't idle your loud diesel at 5am for so long!!

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