Last weekend my partner and I camped at our local KOA just for a getaway from the house. We hAave camped there several times, alone and with friends and we love the peacefulness of this particular KOA. This past weekend my partner and I drove up separately, they comming ahead of me and setting up the camper. When I arrived I noticed a man sitting in my chair talking to my partner. When I approached I realized it was the same guy who last time we camped invaded our campsite, hung around and wouldnt leave. Apparently he travels with his elderly parents which were camping this weekend and he is Mentally disabled to a degree. Last time we and our friends tried to be nice to him but he just wouldnt leave our campsite, except to go to his parents rv to eat ect. This weekend he again made his presence unwelcomed and I was almost to the point of approaching management about it or his parents. He I am guessing is about late twenties, early thirties. He would take my chair when I got up to go into the camper for something and just sat there as I stood (and Im disabled). He is not incapable of understanding what you say or follow a conversation but seems like he has trouble with social skills. What do you do in this situation when you want to have privacy when your camping and someone wanders into your campsite and wont seem to leave?

well, I think you have to treat this young man like a 10 or 12 year old kid.when he takes your chair and doesn't give it back, you must tell him that your legs or feet or whatever hurts when you stand too long and he needs to get up and let you sit down again. when he overstays his welcome, you must simply tell him that it's time for him to leave now... but he can come back tomorrow or day after tomorrow or whatever. If courteous but direct talk doesn't sink in, you will have to tell his parents.. and after that, the park manager. It isn't fair to you or your friends to be expected to entertain a stranger just because the stranger doesn't understand socially polite rules of behavior.

that is one of the reason's we always bring a few extra chairs.

TexasShadow wrote:well, I think you have to treat this young man like a 10 or 12 year old kid.when he takes your chair and doesn't give it back, you must tell him that your legs or feet or whatever hurts when you stand too long and he needs to get up and let you sit down again. when he overstays his welcome, you must simply tell him that it's time for him to leave now... but he can come back tomorrow or day after tomorrow or whatever. If courteous but direct talk doesn't sink in, you will have to tell his parents.. and after that, the park manager. It isn't fair to you or your friends to be expected to entertain a stranger just because the stranger doesn't understand socially polite rules of behavior.That is a exactly what you need to do.......well said.Some folks just need 'direct' instructions/requestsOver the past 6 yrs. traveling we have only encountered two situations with 'uninvited' guest.First time we were sitting out with our dog under awning slipping drinks when a guy with a small ankle biter just walked up and sat down at table.His dog snarled and ours approached.....knowing no good was going to come from this I got between them and his dog bit me.Time to go and no you are not welcome back.Other event occurred at 11pm in a COE CG when somebody knocked on the window of the roadside slide out.Out the door I and dog went........no body to be found :H15 mins. later a knock on door.Opened door with dog in lead.......dude jumped back and in a stutter asked "Do you know what time it is?"Yep......my dogs bedtime. He left.

TexasShadow wrote:well, I think you have to treat this young man like a 10 or 12 year old kid.when he takes your chair and doesn't give it back, you must tell him that your legs or feet or whatever hurts when you stand too long and he needs to get up and let you sit down again. when he overstays his welcome, you must simply tell him that it's time for him to leave now... but he can come back tomorrow or day after tomorrow or whatever. If courteous but direct talk doesn't sink in, you will have to tell his parents.. and after that, the park manager. It isn't fair to you or your friends to be expected to entertain a stranger just because the stranger doesn't understand socially polite rules of behavior.Nicely stated. It's unfortunate and can be unpleasant to have to be direct and blunt (at least for me, it is), but there are times that it's required.

Unwanted guests, lets hear your story.... | Good Sam Community

28 Replies

RetSgt7114
Explorer
May 15, 2013
TexasShadow wrote:
well, I think you have to treat this young man like a 10 or 12 year old kid.
when he takes your chair and doesn't give it back, you must tell him that your legs or feet or whatever hurts when you stand too long and he needs to get up and let you sit down again.
when he overstays his welcome, you must simply tell him that it's time for him to leave now... but he can come back tomorrow or day after tomorrow or whatever.
If courteous but direct talk doesn't sink in, you will have to tell his parents.. and after that, the park manager.
It isn't fair to you or your friends to be expected to entertain a stranger just because the stranger doesn't understand socially polite rules of behavior.

Yuuuppp
gbopp
Explorer
May 15, 2013
TexasShadow wrote:
well, I think you have to treat this young man like a 10 or 12 year old kid.
when he takes your chair and doesn't give it back, you must tell him that your legs or feet or whatever hurts when you stand too long and he needs to get up and let you sit down again.
when he overstays his welcome, you must simply tell him that it's time for him to leave now... but he can come back tomorrow or day after tomorrow or whatever.
If courteous but direct talk doesn't sink in, you will have to tell his parents.. and after that, the park manager.
It isn't fair to you or your friends to be expected to entertain a stranger just because the stranger doesn't understand socially polite rules of behavior.

x3. Well said. He is not your responsibility to baby sit or entertain.
mockturtle
Explorer II
May 15, 2013
One reason I don't make reservations, as I want to be able to leave on short notice if necessary. That's not always practical for most folks. I would have spoken with his parents. Surely they realize he is annoying people. At any rate, I would not put up with it.

One time the 'manager' of a small campground insinuated himself into our company and it became obvious he had some serious mental problems, like paranoid schizophrenia, for example. We would not have risked upsetting him but we took off early in the morning.
ependydad
Explorer
May 15, 2013
TexasShadow wrote:
well, I think you have to treat this young man like a 10 or 12 year old kid.
when he takes your chair and doesn't give it back, you must tell him that your legs or feet or whatever hurts when you stand too long and he needs to get up and let you sit down again.
when he overstays his welcome, you must simply tell him that it's time for him to leave now... but he can come back tomorrow or day after tomorrow or whatever.
If courteous but direct talk doesn't sink in, you will have to tell his parents.. and after that, the park manager.
It isn't fair to you or your friends to be expected to entertain a stranger just because the stranger doesn't understand socially polite rules of behavior.

Nicely stated. It's unfortunate and can be unpleasant to have to be direct and blunt (at least for me, it is), but there are times that it's required.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
May 15, 2013
TexasShadow wrote:
well, I think you have to treat this young man like a 10 or 12 year old kid.
when he takes your chair and doesn't give it back, you must tell him that your legs or feet or whatever hurts when you stand too long and he needs to get up and let you sit down again.
when he overstays his welcome, you must simply tell him that it's time for him to leave now... but he can come back tomorrow or day after tomorrow or whatever.
If courteous but direct talk doesn't sink in, you will have to tell his parents.. and after that, the park manager.
It isn't fair to you or your friends to be expected to entertain a stranger just because the stranger doesn't understand socially polite rules of behavior.

That is a exactly what you need to do.......well said.
Some folks just need 'direct' instructions/requests

Over the past 6 yrs. traveling we have only encountered two situations with 'uninvited' guest.
First time we were sitting out with our dog under awning slipping drinks when a guy with a small ankle biter just walked up and sat down at table.
His dog snarled and ours approached.....knowing no good was going to come from this I got between them and his dog bit me.
Time to go and no you are not welcome back.

Other event occurred at 11pm in a COE CG when somebody knocked on the window of the roadside slide out.
Out the door I and dog went........no body to be found :H
15 mins. later a knock on door.
Opened door with dog in lead.......dude jumped back and in a stutter asked "Do you know what time it is?"
Yep......my dogs bedtime. He left.
korbe
Explorer
May 15, 2013
that is one of the reason's we always bring a few extra chairs.
TexasShadow
Explorer II
May 15, 2013
well, I think you have to treat this young man like a 10 or 12 year old kid.
when he takes your chair and doesn't give it back, you must tell him that your legs or feet or whatever hurts when you stand too long and he needs to get up and let you sit down again.
when he overstays his welcome, you must simply tell him that it's time for him to leave now... but he can come back tomorrow or day after tomorrow or whatever.
If courteous but direct talk doesn't sink in, you will have to tell his parents.. and after that, the park manager.
It isn't fair to you or your friends to be expected to entertain a stranger just because the stranger doesn't understand socially polite rules of behavior.
ChooChooMan74
Explorer
May 15, 2013

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Unwanted guests, lets hear your story....

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