Camping etiquette

[leggy]

We stayed this weekend at Allentown KOA. This is not a bad little campground except for almost all of the sites face each other. I understand the logistical end of doing this since it does give a bigger space between them. However, there is no privacy.
Even worse if the people across from you decide to have at least 30 people come to dinner. They moved 2 tables from other sites. We had people try to sit at our fire, in our chairs, a kid try to play with our sons toys on our table and even some lady ask me why I was sitting at my table. Apparently, she thought I was her husband.
After complaining, the owner did talk to them and they said they would be done in a half hour. An hour or so later it was down to ten or so.
Truly losing common sense and basic camping etiquette. Done ranting.

[Veebyes]

Never had anything close to that. Pick your times & CGs I guess. I would not expect anything close to solitude at a KOA. Solitude is what we had last night. We had a county CG all to ourselves. Silence except for a very occasional sound of a distant train. One light on at the bathroom for the whole CG.

[am1958]

Last weekend I was camping in a Michigan State Park which has fairly secluded sites, (Pontiac Lake State Park), and mine was one - I could only really see the two neighbors across the road so I was happy.

There was a three pair group of nice folks in their late twenties across the road and we'd chatted and introduced dogs to each other. They were quiet and nice but on Monday morning at 0230 I'm woken by just loud enough drunken chit chat to wake me. That level of chit chat is impossible to get back to sleep to and about 45 minutes later they started imitating electric guitars...

I opened the trailer door and in my best ex-military SNCO voice I simply yelled "Gentlemen, Quiet Please!"

Silence came immediately and in the morning I quietly packed up and left before all but one girl who's dog needed a pee woke up...

Not everyone who act senselessly are senseless - sometimes they are just unaware they are causing a problem. Had we both been there another day or more I'm sure we'd have shared a beverage or two and apologies from both sides would have been exchanged.

[Powertour]

For those of you that think people are overly sensitive to others being in their site… would you be ok if you were at say some beach resort hotel & people came onto your room’s deck, took chairs/tables/grill &/or used some property you had on your deck?

On the one hand, boisterous neighbors can be a way to meet new friends, but on the other & IMO far more frequent from my experience it ends up being a rude unpleasant stay for the person being encroached on. The sad part is all of it could normally be avoided if the offending neighbor would just talk to you about their plans/activity before it kicked off.

The bigger ‘rub’ IMO is the attitude of these kind of people that they can do whatever the hell they want & you can kiss their rear end if you don’t like it. 20-30 people in a single RV site is asinine & supremely disrespectful of anyone else. Those kind of #s should necessitate them having to get a “Group” site somewhere that has group areas.

When you pay money for a camp site you’re renting the use of that square footage. To barge into space that someone else is paying for is rude, arrogant behavior. A little respect & common courtesy goes a long long way but too many people choose to not show it to others.

[Acampingwewillg]

BadgerMcAdams wrote:
Knock on wood (tapping the side of my head) I have not had a camping experience ruined by other campers...Now, Mother Nature and the lovely wildlife (the skunk that wandered into the camp the last time we went camping) are another thing.

I'm with you on this....or maybe my tolerance level is not on High alert when in the Great outdoors. The person who can't seem to ever find a location void of any distractions is soon discovered to be the issue themselves? maybe?

As previously stated, we all have our ideal situation in mind when we arrive at a campground/campsite yet that ideal is seldom found cause we all have different styles and expectations.

[BadgerMcAdams]

Knock on wood (tapping the side of my head) I have not had a camping experience ruined by other campers...Now, Mother Nature and the lovely wildlife (the skunk that wandered into the camp the last time we went camping) are another thing.

[Crowe]

"So what? If hungry enough, and don't have milk for cereal, there is room at my table"

We had a similar experience years ago when we were tent camping in Fundy National Park, when it was just the hubby and me. It was raining (as usual) and we had a tarp set up (as usual). There was a dad in the site next to us with no tarp and he asked if he could stay under our tarp just long enough to eat. Of course we said yes. We noticed they were eating dry cereal and asked if they wanted some milk to which they gladly said yes. Their milk had gone bad. We chatted for quite a while, until they had to pack up and leave.

We were also in a situation many moons ago (tent camping still) when we were surrounded by a huge family who had booked sites all around us, long after we had booked ours. After they arrived and set up they apologized to us because we were stuck in the middle. We just said no worries. They had set up a volleyball net and immediately invited us to join them, including their cookout lunch. We accepted and had a great time. Large groups aren't always bad.

[JRscooby]

Deb and Ed M wrote:

RobWNY wrote:
One way to solve that kind of problem is to bring a chair over and sit down right in the middle of their party. When they take issue with it, tell them they took over part of your site so you're doing the same LOL.

If you do that when MY family is camping together, you'll get handed a beer, a roasting fork and your choice of marshmallows or hotdogs. We tend to "adopt" anyone in the vicinity. Seriously, at our last family bash, we drew in a Grandma/Mom/daughter who were camping next to us and got drawn into the vortex of our family - the Grandma gave me her name and number and said "Call me when you come back so we can be here, too"

LOL. One morning of a family reunion, I was fixing breakfast. A couple of early teenage boys walking and passing a box of Cheerios back and forth eating by handful. I handed each a plate with a biscuit and gravy. Aunt that keeps track told me they where not in our family. "So what? If hungry enough, and don't have milk for cereal, there is room at my table"

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

DutchmenSport wrote:


When camping, things are always going to happen contrary to our own expectations. Be the bobber and just float along with all the manifold changes occurring around you. Add them to your experiences, and laugh about it when you are sitting in that nursing home some day.

I love your attitude!! And as campers - if we encounter a situation that truly makes us crazy - we can MOVE.

In 15 years of RVing, I can truly say I can't remember any "awful" experiences - but sure can remember countless wonderful/beautiful/fun times!

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

RobWNY wrote:
One way to solve that kind of problem is to bring a chair over and sit down right in the middle of their party. When they take issue with it, tell them they took over part of your site so you're doing the same LOL.

If you do that when MY family is camping together, you'll get handed a beer, a roasting fork and your choice of marshmallows or hotdogs. We tend to "adopt" anyone in the vicinity. Seriously, at our last family bash, we drew in a Grandma/Mom/daughter who were camping next to us and got drawn into the vortex of our family - the Grandma gave me her name and number and said "Call me when you come back so we can be here, too"

[mdcamping]

Not to go to far off topic

We have never had a issue with people being disrespectful at a KOA, the one we stayed at this past summer I was already aware the sites were to be on the small side and there would be probably a lot of younger camping families. When I called early to make my reservation, I explained our situation and they gave us a site on a outside perimeter loop road, worked out well. For the most part I try to look at the glass half full. :C

Mike

[JimK-NY]

I just cannot understand why anyone would want to "camp" at a KOA or similar RV park. I have stayed at a couple of them while visiting urban areas or attending weddings or other events. In every case, the sites were small. The view is likely to be nothing more than RVs in all directions. Noise is often an issue with kids running around all day and often parties at night. Some people seem determined to have campfires even on warm summer evenings. You can often find campfire stench and smoke just a few feet from your campsite with a breeze blowing it into your face. Let's not forget to mix in barking dogs, outdoor speakers and alcohol.

Maybe 30 people next door is unusual but the rest of what I mentioned is common. I guess some people like this and consider it to be "social".

I cannot imagine why anyone would go to these places and then complain they do not like them. Personally I avoid them. That is why I stop at Cabelas when driving through the area. Even if I were visiting the area to see the sights such as Amish country, or Lancaster archery or whatever, I would stay at Cabelas. It is not about the cost but more about the convenience of a quiet area with water and a dump station. No kids, no dogs, no music, no fires, no crowding, no people hanging around drinking.... priceless.

[JRscooby]

mdcamping wrote:

JRscooby wrote:
Campground? When I see "KOA" I think "RV park"

For me at least I don't look at KOA's as RV Parks, I look at them as a possible place to stay. I research them, and if the reviews are good and if the park fits our needs we will book it just like any other place. :C

Mike

Did I say they where bad? Not to use? To me, they are more geared to people that are using their RV as a motel room while traveling or seeing sites, doing other things in the area.

leggy wrote:
OP here.
Our biggest fear was it was going to be an all night thing and we wouldn't have the owners support at that late time.

So mostly crying before you where hurt?

Also, these were all campers at the campground, no visitors. They were either tenting, rving or had a cabin elsewhere on the campground.

Well, in that case, I would say your only witch was they did not invite you and yours.

[leggy]

OP here.
The campground was designed to be facing each other. The shared space was getting smaller and smaller on our side. There was no communication from the other site that they were just going to eat and disperse, if so it would have been a bit more tolerable. The first night the campground was very relaxed and we didn't hear much from anywhere else.
This KOA was not a resort, very basic amenities and I did try some mom and pop places nearby but all were full.
We teach our son and his cousins that camp with us to be respectful of other campers sites, never cut through, keep noise level down and play with other kids in the campground in the common areas unless invited by the kid into their site. He was sitting there watching in disbelief of the others actions.
Our biggest fear was it was going to be an all night thing and we wouldn't have the owners support at that late time.
Also, these were all campers at the campground, no visitors. They were either tenting, rving or had a cabin elsewhere on the campground.

[Range_Maggot_Bo]

JRscooby wrote:

leggy wrote:
We stayed this weekend at Allentown KOA. This is not a bad little campground except for almost all of the sites face each other. I understand the logistical end of doing this since it does give a bigger space between them. However, there is no privacy.

Their privacy is based on you looking the other way, just like any other time people share a area.

Even worse if the people across from you decide to have at least 30 people come to dinner. They moved 2 tables from other sites.

Couple times a year my family meets up for a meal. And I have seen many others do it. 30 around for supper, and clean up is normally not the problem a half dozen for drinks can be. If the tables where put back, what is the problem?

We had people try to sit at our fire, in our chairs, a kid try to play with our sons toys on our table and even some lady ask me why I was sitting at my table. Apparently, she thought I was her husband.

You and more likely your son missed a chance to make friends. Let the kids play. Instead of complaining to management, or asking them to leave, turn evangelist, or .....

Truly losing common sense and basic camping etiquette. Done ranting.

And our ability to accept others.

edbehnke wrote:
it forces you to drink more.

the campground should have never allowed that many people to be on one site...oh well, it is over.

Campground? When I see "KOA" I think "RV park"

You hit the nail on the head. A KOA is NOT a campground, despite the moniker. Sounds like your neighbors had a blast. Were they raising hell past quiet hour? Did they take one of your tables? Not seeing a problem here myself. Maybe they should have invited you for dinner...