A rant about common courtesy to your neighboring campers

[runner_one]

I lurk here more than I post, but sitting here this morning I just need to vent. Sorry, but I am grumpy this morning and you will see why.

If you drive a big diesel pusher class A, or have a tow vehicle that idles louder than a bulldozer please don't get up at the crack of dawn and leave your engine idling for an hour and a half while you break camp.

There are some of use who came to the campground for peace and quiet and want to sleep later than the chickens. Others are on vacation and need the rest. But before the sun is even over the mountain tops your big diesel cranks up and wakes the whole campground.

Now that is ok, if you want to get an early start, we do understand that vehicles make noise.

But don't leave it setting idling for half the morning, that is not necessary and just serves to annoy your neighbors. Crank it up and drive away and leave the rest of us in peace.

[westernrvparkow]

mowermech wrote:
I wonder how many of the complainers have actually timed the "excessive idling".
Personally, I have found that many times what I thought was half an hour of noise was actually only 5 or 10 minutes.
Time sure moves slowly when one allows oneself to become overly annoyed!

This is the best answer in this entire thread.

[JaxDad]

Since somewhere back there I was asked to quote the Cummins info on NOT idling, either for warm-up or to cool down.

Here it is;

"Engine Warm-up

Idling the engine for warm-up is not necessary. Operate
with a light throttle and limited RPM until coolant temperature
reaches approximately 150ºF.


Engine Cooldown

Prior to shutdown, an engine should be idled 3-5 minutes
after extended full throttle or high power operation. However,
under normal driving conditions, such as exiting a highway,
engine operation is generally lighter in nature and thereby,
the 3-5 minute cooldown is not necessary."

Which comes from this Cummins Publication.


As was stated previously, at idle (700 rpm, not 'fast idle' of 1200 rpm plus exhaust choke) diesels make no useful heat, so driving off gently makes far more heat, and far faster, which is why that is what the manufacturers recommend drivers do.

For those with air suspension, and who use it to let the motorhome 'stoop' when parking, unlike OTR trucks, it's a simple plumbing job to reconfigure the dump valve and add an extra tank or two so that it's ONLY the air bags themselves that empty, NOT the entire system.

I did this on my Freightliner, now I have 120 psi when I start up and charging the air bags only drops the system pressure to about 50 to 60 psi, I'm back up to 120 psi in just a few minutes.

It also means I have a lot of air at 120 psi if I need to add air to a tire before I even start up.

[2oldman]

blownstang01 wrote:
EDIT: I will add that the male owner of the DP mentioned to me in the am that "this place is pricey". So, I believe he was annoyed at the price just for them to stay the night while passing through.At that point he probably didn't care about disturbing anyone. LOL

Yeah, couple hundred thousand on the MH but complain about the park prices.

[DiskDoctr]

blownstang01 wrote:
Ultimately it wasn't a big deal, just had to close our windows on that side due to the exhaust.

While making a lunch pitstop at Walmart, a tractor trailer pulled in and parked next to us and let it idle. We could smell the exhaust and always worry about the toxic fumes and stuff.

So we cracked a few windows opposite the truck and reversed our ceiling vent fans to draw in fresh air from above and force it out the windows. Worked a treat!

We've only had to overnight in a parking lot once, but if we do again, we'll surely do the same thing. A little white noise never hurts, either :C

[DiskDoctr]

mowermech wrote:
I wonder how many of the complainers have actually timed the "excessive idling".
Personally, I have found that many times what I thought was half an hour of noise was actually only 5 or 10 minutes.
Time sure moves slowly when one allows oneself to become overly annoyed!

Isn't that the truth 😉

It would be difficult to never be annoyed, but a little patience goes a long ways. Like the saying goes, "If you're complaining, you're not camping" :C

Now mosquitoes....THERE's something we can all agree are annoying! 🙂

[blownstang01]

Interestingly enough we ran into a similar situation while in Nashville this summer. Couple came in late, like 9:30 pm and let their DP idle for 20 min. It wasn't so much the noise as the fumes that bother me, so yes, I was slightly annoyed but so be it. The next morning they were leaving at around 8:00 am and the wife of the couple came over and warned me that they would be warming up their rig to leave. I thought that was a nice gesture, ironically they actually just fired up and left. I am quite mechanical and know a lot about diesels and the need to let them cool down, however if it were mine I would have either let it cool down in a parking lot next to the CG or out by the check-in being that it was that late in the evening. Ultimately it wasn't a big deal, just had to close our windows on that side due to the exhaust. Definitely only a tiny blip on our vacation, didn't let it ruin a good time.

EDIT: I will add that the male owner of the DP mentioned to me in the am that "this place is pricey". So, I believe he was annoyed at the price just for them to stay the night while passing through.At that point he probably didn't care about disturbing anyone. LOL

[mowermech]

I wonder how many of the complainers have actually timed the "excessive idling".
Personally, I have found that many times what I thought was half an hour of noise was actually only 5 or 10 minutes.
Time sure moves slowly when one allows oneself to become overly annoyed!

[rockhillmanor]

Everyone has the right to camp/RV in whatever type of RV they choose.

Who is anyone to say that a certain type of RV should not pull in next to 'you' because you are annoyed by them? :R

If you want total silence just for 'you' in CG's where one 'knows' the campsites are very close together, perhaps STOP staying at CG's. :C

[TomG2]

et2 wrote:
There's way more "noise" pollution, distraction,annoyance, etc., from other than a diesel engine idle in camp grounds. Many many hours on end. Personally I'd wager most people have never experienced this idling.

To believe many people are hung up on "this" isn't realistic.

You got that right. Why do "They" think that "We" will enjoy their music for instance? It is the cumulative effect that irritates. Not just the dogs, diesels, or disco.

[et2]

There's way more "noise" pollution, distraction,annoyance, etc., from other than a diesel engine idle in camp grounds. Many many hours on end. Personally I'd wager most people have never experienced this idling.

To believe many people are hung up on "this" isn't realistic.

[Ralph_Cramden]

I've noticed a marked increase in lack of camping etiquette over the last couple of years and I seldom get my panties knotted up over what others are doing but I've had some recent experiences that really hit a nerve.


Earlier this year a guy a few sites down at a PA state park had the largest bug zapper I have ever seen. He left that thing on 24/7, and this was in a wooded mountain campground about 1/4 mile from a lake, so there was no shortage of bug fuel and it was a constant zap that could be heard over the entire loop. I had thought of making a 3AM raid with a pair of wire cutters but someone must have turned him in to the ranger for disturbing the peace, as when I came back one day he had bugged out 3 days earlier than his reservation tag showed.

The same trip a couple in a brand new Airstream who never left it, just had to leave their aircraft landing light caliber LED porch light on from dusk to dawn, which was in a pull through and faced our site across the road. It literally made our site and the ones to each side like daytime all night long. When politely asked if he could please shut it off when not needed he went into a profanity laced rant about it being a free country and he could do whatever he pleased. Probably a good thing they left the next morning as a few open cans of sardines may have been advertantly placed under his rig, for the local skunk and coon population to feast upon.

Last year there was a group of Yahoo's on 2 sites with half a dozen tents, who had a full size fridge which they placed next to the power pedestal. I guess that's not a rule violation so it lasted a few days until they had the huge drunken argument and family fight at 2 AM. One of the women was passed out drunk on the floor of the shower house lol. The entire group was made to pack up and get out by the rangers which took until 6AM.

[valhalla360]

mike-s wrote:
Gas or diesel, any need for warm up is completely satisfied as you slowly drive through the campground on the way out. It's not like you're cold starting and then immediately going full throttle accelerating onto a freeway.

Exactly. Sure if you are parked on a 15% incline and you firewall the throttle to get out of the site, it's a problem but 99% of the time, you can slowly idle out of the park and by the time you reach the road, it's fine to gently accelerate up to speed.

If you have air brakes/bags, if it's taking more than 5 min, there is probably something wrong that should be fixed. My guess is a lot of buyers never had these systems before so as long as it eventually gets up to pressure, they don't know any different.

[toedtoes]

Let's back off on the arguments please. The issue in the Op isn't about basic idling, it's about excessive idling. Running it for 5 to 10 minutes to warm it up, get the cab warm, extend/retract slides, etc., isn't a big deal. Leaving it run while you put away the flamingoes, gnomes, name signs, 400 lights, and so on is rude.

[DiskDoctr]

mike-s wrote:
Gas or diesel, any need for warm up is completely satisfied as you slowly drive through the campground on the way out. It's not like you're cold starting and then immediately going full throttle accelerating onto a freeway.

Yes and no. 😉

Yes, it isn't the same, I agree.

No, the implication that it isn't a stressful load isn't always the case. If someone is towing heavy and pulls out to an immediate upwards grade, it is certainly better to have your engine warmed up.

Sticking with the complaint in this thread, I am also not saying it takes a LONG time (someone said 40 mins?) for this warmup, either.

When the sun isn't shining, I certainly agree any warmup times should be kept to a minimum 😉

[mike-s]

Gas or diesel, any need for warm up is completely satisfied as you slowly drive through the campground on the way out. It's not like you're cold starting and then immediately going full throttle accelerating onto a freeway.