After camping 60+ years, finally ran into the ultimate ....

[DutchmenSport]

...most inconsiderate, rude, belligerent, pig-headed, camper ... ever ... in 60 years! Really.

This week-end ... Potato Creek State Park, near South Bend, Indiana....

Great week-end. We arrived Thursday night, left Sunday about Noon.

Everything went well ... until Sunday morning.... Rain, lots of rain. Maybe this put everyone in bad spirits, I'm not sure.

Everything was fine until leaving the park. Got up to the dump station ... oops ... I'm the 5th camper back. Each camper is taking approximately 10 minutes. Slow progress, but still ... progress.

There are 2 dumps at the station, and you enter from opposite end. So one can turn right in, the other has to make a U-turn to get in.

People are nice and polite. 2 camper in line, facing each direction. Everyone waiting their turn to decide if they should go "right" or make the U-turn and come in that way. AND, quite obvious everyone being polite not to block anyone in by being 3rd in line on one side or the other.

So actually, we were 5th in line on the road, but 4 more at the actual dump.

45 minutes later, we finally make it up to the dump. Still everyone VERY happy. Everyone VERY civil, everyone VERY polite ... in spite of the damp weather.

And oh, by now, the line on the road is about 20 camper deep. I couldn't see the end any more, it snaked down the road.

I'm happy dumping, thanking myself (and the man upstairs) for getting me off the camp site when I did, so I would not have been caught too far back in that line. Everyone still happy, I'm dumping away ... maybe having my own private church service in my heart or something .... like I said ... really great weekend, very happy!

Then all of a sudden someone on the road starts yelling, then someone else comes running up to the camper behind up, then the camper behind us starts backing up, then going forward, then came in behind us, then another camper behind them follow (3 deep now and we're on the U-turn side) ... People yelling and screaming, and my wife says, ... that guy behind us and the guy behind him cut the line and everyone is going ballastic! My wife grabbed the phone and started recording, expecting fists to start flying. I continued dumping, hoping to just get out of there. I finally finished, started putting sewer hoses up, when the guy behind us is now being confrontational with my wife. Not sure how that got fired up, but tempers were not very pleasant.

Well ... no one messes with these things in a mans life ... his food, his house, his dog, his shot gun, and his WIFE!

So, that's when I gave the guy my 2 cents worth. OK, I wasn't very kind, but I did experess my self pretty clear about what I thought of him jumping ahead of about 20 other camper who had also been waiting in line for a good hour! It's quite obvious to say... my "religion" disappeared at that moment, and my actually calmed the situation down. By now, there were several people who had marched to the campground gate entrance and made their voices heard loud and clear.

Nothing exploded into violence, but this guy was ready to reach for a fight, calling everyone around him wrong, he was right, no one knew the proper procedures for entering the dump station, he had the right to pass everyone else because they weren't moving, and "WE" cut in front of him???? hum????

We'd been 2nd in line at the actual dump when he pulled in behind when we moved forward to dump.

That blew my socks off ... I'll call a liar a liar, and I thought he was going for something loaded with ammunition! Really!

Well, we successfully got loaded back up and moved out of there. The campers facing the other direction looked horrified, like ... OMG... I'll be dumping right beside this guy! People on the road still yelling and screaming at each other.

When we pulled out, I stopped at the gate house (which was right there) and raised my concern too. The situation was anything but pleasant. Leaving the park, we saw several DNR trucks heading to the campground!

I will say, I've been camping all my life. My parents were campers, I grew up with it, and this is by far the absolute worst fellow-camper I've ever seen, and definitely the most hair raising experience I've ever encountered!

Well, I've heard of "Road Rage" before. But I really think this is the first time I've ever experienced "Dump Rage!"

Be patient folks. Don't you all know the dump station is part of the camping experience. If you can't build time into your schedule to dump, take your order in line, and be polite about it, I think you've got the wrong hobby!

[Tvov]

Sorry to hear about that! I've encountered a few people like that - they just go and take what they want, and act surprised when they are called on it. Sometimes they back down, sometimes they get riled up - embarrassed maybe? - and get into an angry rant. Then, when they "win", they brag about it later. I tend to not associate with those people.

[lgarcia]

We are fortunate in that we live off I77. Two exits near us have rest stops with dump stations (Mineral Wells and Williamstown near the Ohio border). We prefer to drive out of the campgrounds with full tanks and dump there, instead.

[rhagfo]

Wow, likely would have maybe been in that line maybe not, CW about 4 miles from our storage lot has a dump station.

Once towed home from Bend, OR to Portland over Santiam Pass to Portland, with full tanks as the nearest dump station was 20 miles further east.
We have also come home over the Coast Range with full tanks, as the weather was flat nasty to dump, wind and heavy rain going sideways.

[bukhrn]

WOW, never seen anything like that, but then i've never seen a line that long at a dump station either. That's why we're never in a hurry to leave.

[kellyandpatti]

That's one reason I don't mind paying a little extra at storage yard for dump station. Hate waiting in that line.

[Bumpyroad]

just another reason that every third night I get a FHU site so I can do these chores at my convenience.
bumpy

[Ski_Pro_3]

Walaby wrote:

skipro3 wrote:
Being all 'in-your-face' with recording didn't help matters, so perhaps your wife brought on his wrath herself.

I didn't see anywhere where Dutchmen said his was was all 'in his face' recording. From what I read, she appeared to be recording from the spot where they were dumping and he confronted her.

Mike

I don't think it's smart to leave your vehicle to film some guy raging around where I'm at. I also think it's even worse when you are well beyond defending yourself, seeing the OP said it's been over 60+ years of experience with camping and dumping. OP said the wife expected fists to start flying. The smart thing to do is get out, not pull out the camera and make yourself a target of his rage.

I didn't say she didn't have a right to be there, just that she was in his face, as far as the guy she was filming was concerned, or he wouldn't have lit in on her for it.

People that unstable, the smart thing is to get away from them.

[Old-Biscuit]

When he came at 'wife'

That is when I would have pulled my dump hose and sprayed him down.
Worth the extra clean up.

I don't do stupid..he was stupid.

[mgirardo]

Crazy story, glad it didn't get any more out of control. Sounds like it could have gotten ugly. I would never wait that long to dump my tanks. If there are two people already at the dump station, I'm driving right by. Life's too short to sit and wait more than few minutes to empty tanks.

-Michael

[TBammer]

I had "Dump Rage" once, but it was from too spicy Mexican food.

But seriously, don't let the a$$holes get the better of you. Remember, never fight with a pig, they love the mud and you just get dragged into the sty.

[Walaby]

skipro3 wrote:
Being all 'in-your-face' with recording didn't help matters, so perhaps your wife brought on his wrath herself.

I didn't see anywhere where Dutchmen said his was was all 'in his face' recording. From what I read, she appeared to be recording from the spot where they were dumping and he confronted her.

Mike

[Ski_Pro_3]

Dumping isn't THAT important, that I wouldn't just have left. I have CCW and can protect myself if attacked. But I also know when I can walk away and prevent a conflict too.

Being all 'in-your-face' with recording didn't help matters, so perhaps your wife brought on his wrath herself. My wife would have immediately gone back to the safety of the RV and maybe filmed from there. Sure as shootin' she would not have stay out side if there's some asshat screaming and running around and especially would not have gone toe-to-toe if he had confronted her.

Final opinion;
Back off when someone looses it. Life is too short to get mad, angry or hurt by those who do get mad and angry.

[RGar974417]

This is why I hate to camp on weekends. Too many people who all want to leave at the same time. We try to go in on a Sunday when most people leave and camp until Wednesday or Thursday. Much nicer,quiter and peaceful.

[TucsonJim]

JnJnKatiebug wrote:
Only problem I have ever had at a dump station was at an Oklahoma rest area. (Yes Oklahoma has RV dump stations at a lot of their rest areas). A trailer was sitting at the dump station with his water hose attached to the outlet and the slides out. After waiting about 30 minutes I walked up and ask how much longer he would be. He said his kids had finished their shower and his wife was in now so it should not be much longer.. What?????? I just walked away. I could not think of a response to that one.

That's one of the funniest stories I've ever read on this forum! I even had to have the DW read it. We both chuckled.

Jim

[JnJnKatiebug]

Only problem I have ever had at a dump station was at an Oklahoma rest area. (Yes Oklahoma has RV dump stations at a lot of their rest areas). A trailer was sitting at the dump station with his water hose attached to the outlet and the slides out. After waiting about 30 minutes I walked up and ask how much longer he would be. He said his kids had finished their shower and his wife was in now so it should not be much longer.. What?????? I just walked away. I could not think of a response to that one.