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Lights on?

brirene
Explorer
Explorer
A serious question, with no judgements, to people who leave their porch or other outside lights on all night while camping: why do you? This past weekend, and many other times I've noticed folks who do this. Is it safety? Keep critters away? Just forget? Something else?
Jayco Designer 30 RKS Medallion pkg, Trail Air pin
'05 F350 6.0 PSD CC 4x4 DRW LB B&W Companion, Edge Insight

โ€œCertainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." Miriam Beard
127 REPLIES 127

westend
Explorer
Explorer
mikensallyt wrote:
wow, ok!!! Went out and camped this week and people are right. The outside lights (mine are small bulbs) are indeed bright. I need to change them out. Any recommendations? tks in advance.

I used a 36-3528 LED panel faced downward on my porch light. It emits enough light to illuminate the entry and little more.
'03 F-250 4x4 CC
'71 Starcraft Wanderstar -- The Cowboy/Hilton

mikensallyt
Explorer
Explorer
wow, ok!!! Went out and camped this week and people are right. The outside lights (mine are small bulbs) are indeed bright. I need to change them out. Any recommendations? tks in advance.
Retired USN 1996, RMCS(SW/AW)
Traveling solo in my 2015 Thor Challenger since my wife of 25 years went solo to the Lord
Seems like every trip out there's a warranty repair on it afterwards
F/T in two years from now. Last child to graduate first.

bid_time
Nomad
Nomad
You go to a campground with 150 - 600 sites all packed in next to each other and expect it to be totally dark. Maybe it's not your neighbors that's the problem, maybe it's your expectations.

mbrower
Explorer
Explorer
noplace2 wrote:
mbrower wrote:


I do tend to seek out family oriented campgrounds and try to stay away from RV parks with a lot of seasonal residents.


This is really all that is being asked. (by me anyway)

If you should mistakenly find yourself in a camping situation wherein after 6P it is quiet and lighted minimally, if at all, do everyone (yourself most of all) a favor and adapt to your surroundings for one night then move on to better pastures tomorrow.


I usually book my sites well in advance and do my due diligence in researching Un familiar campgrounds so chances of that happening are rare. Having said that, if that was to happen and I have paid my money, then I will enjoy my vacation as I see fit as long as I was not violating any of the owners rules or local laws. If those around me are not tolerant to low level lighting or sounds of the living, than I would suggest buying their own land and doing with it as they please.
2001 Chevy 3500 Big Dooley 8.1L (496 Cubes)Allison 5sp 4:10
2008 KZ Montego Bay 37RLB-4

noplace2
Explorer
Explorer
mbrower wrote:


I do tend to seek out family oriented campgrounds and try to stay away from RV parks with a lot of seasonal residents.


This is really all that is being asked. (by me anyway)

If you should mistakenly find yourself in a camping situation wherein after 6P it is quiet and lighted minimally, if at all, do everyone (yourself most of all) a favor and adapt to your surroundings for one night then move on to better pastures tomorrow.
โ€˜Love is whatโ€™s in the room with you if you stop opening presents and listen.โ€™ - Elain - age 8

mbrower
Explorer
Explorer
noplace2 wrote:
mbrower wrote:

I live in the country,away from town lights and most people so if I want to star gaze in peace and quiet I need to travel no further than my back yard. I don't camp/RV to be alone with my thoughts and be in harmony with nature


Simply remember that you are not an entity of one.

We lived in exactly the kind of circumstance that you describe for years before we got on the fulltime road 14 years ago. We still seek out those places. Just be respectful of those who seek out and wish to remain in that environment and if you find yourself in one, remind yourself of what you appreciate about your home, but move elsewhere to find what you seek differently.

Thanks

The point of this part of my post is that while stargazing is important to some, it is not my priority when I vacation. I am very aware of my surroundings and try to camp accordingly. I use low wattage orange light outside my camper and try to remember to shut them off when I go to bed. They will be on if I'm ever outside my camper at night. I also like to socialize with family members and play cards so there will be the occasional lantern on my table at night. It sounds like to some that even this amount of light is annoying.

You say I must be respectful to "those who wish to remain in that environment" and I'm assuming you mean in the dark, but how do those people return me the same courtesy?

I do tend to seek out family oriented campgrounds and try to stay away from RV parks with a lot of seasonal residents.
2001 Chevy 3500 Big Dooley 8.1L (496 Cubes)Allison 5sp 4:10
2008 KZ Montego Bay 37RLB-4

noplace2
Explorer
Explorer
mbrower wrote:

I live in the country,away from town lights and most people so if I want to star gaze in peace and quiet I need to travel no further than my back yard. I don't camp/RV to be alone with my thoughts and be in harmony with nature


Simply remember that you are not an entity of one.

We lived in exactly the kind of circumstance that you describe for years before we got on the fulltime road 14 years ago. We still seek out those places. Just be respectful of those who seek out and wish to remain in that environment and if you find yourself in one, remind yourself of what you appreciate about your home, but move elsewhere to find what you seek differently.

Thanks
โ€˜Love is whatโ€™s in the room with you if you stop opening presents and listen.โ€™ - Elain - age 8

noplace2
Explorer
Explorer
Again, it really is simple: Go where your mindset fits in or go somewhere else. It really is not complicated! And your choices are nearly boundless. You don't go where you don't fit in and neither will we. Problem solved.
โ€˜Love is whatโ€™s in the room with you if you stop opening presents and listen.โ€™ - Elain - age 8

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Explorer III
mbrower wrote:
After reading 8 pages of post, I had no idea that so many people was bothered by night time, low light illumination. One thing I have learn through the years is there are a vast number of campers with different life styles that may or may not align with mine. To be a "happy camper" I had to learn to be tolerant of campers who enjoys life a little different than I and in return I expect campers to be a little tolerant with my camping habits.

I live in the country,away from town lights and most people so if I want to star gaze in peace and quiet I need to travel no further than my back yard. I don't camp/RV to be alone with my thoughts and be in harmony with nature but to enjoy fanilies, freinds and especially children celebtating life and having fun day or night. I see so many post about things "we don't like" I am amazed people actually enjoy themselves when camping.


You (like me) can just walk outside and enjoy the night sky.

Others live in cities, towns with street lights, noise, traffic, light pollution so when they go camping they want to get away from that so any light can be intrusive.

Like you stated........" different life styles that may or may not align with mine."
Is it time for your medication or mine?


2007 DODGE 3500 QC SRW 5.9L CTD In-Bed 'quiet gen'
2007 HitchHiker II 32.5 UKTG 2000W Xantex Inverter
US NAVY------USS Decatur DDG31

mikensallyt
Explorer
Explorer
mbrower wrote:
After reading 8 pages of post, I had no idea that so many people was bothered by night time, low light illumination. One thing I have learn through the years is there are a vast number of campers with different life styles that may or may not align with mine. To be a "happy camper" I had to learn to be tolerant of campers who enjoys life a little different than I and in return I expect campers to be a little tolerant with my camping habits.

I live in the country,away from town lights and most people so if I want to star gaze in peace and quiet I need to travel no further than my back yard. I don't camp/RV to be alone with my thoughts and be in harmony with nature but to enjoy fanilies, freinds and especially children celebtating life and having fun day or night. I see so many post about things "we don't like" I am amazed people actually enjoy themselves when camping.



X2
Retired USN 1996, RMCS(SW/AW)
Traveling solo in my 2015 Thor Challenger since my wife of 25 years went solo to the Lord
Seems like every trip out there's a warranty repair on it afterwards
F/T in two years from now. Last child to graduate first.

Ron3rd
Explorer
Explorer
We turn all exterior lights off when we turn in.
2016 6.7 CTD 2500 BIG HORN MEGA CAB
2013 Forest River 3001W Windjammer
Equilizer Hitch
Honda EU2000

"I have this plan to live forever; so far my plan is working"

mbrower
Explorer
Explorer
After reading 8 pages of post, I had no idea that so many people was bothered by night time, low light illumination. One thing I have learn through the years is there are a vast number of campers with different life styles that may or may not align with mine. To be a "happy camper" I had to learn to be tolerant of campers who enjoys life a little different than I and in return I expect campers to be a little tolerant with my camping habits.

I live in the country,away from town lights and most people so if I want to star gaze in peace and quiet I need to travel no further than my back yard. I don't camp/RV to be alone with my thoughts and be in harmony with nature but to enjoy fanilies, freinds and especially children celebtating life and having fun day or night. I see so many post about things "we don't like" I am amazed people actually enjoy themselves when camping.
2001 Chevy 3500 Big Dooley 8.1L (496 Cubes)Allison 5sp 4:10
2008 KZ Montego Bay 37RLB-4

brirene
Explorer
Explorer
Bobbo wrote:
OK, everybody beat up on me. I have a porch light with a motion sensor (and an electric eye to turn it off in the daytime). I leave it on 24/7 when camped. When someone walks up to the RV's door, the light comes on.


And presumedly goes off after a short period of time. Seems reasonable to me. Now, if it has a flood light bulb, maybe not so much...
Jayco Designer 30 RKS Medallion pkg, Trail Air pin
'05 F350 6.0 PSD CC 4x4 DRW LB B&W Companion, Edge Insight

โ€œCertainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." Miriam Beard

Anmacc2
Explorer
Explorer
X2! Wifey has vision problems... I want light when she approaches.
Me & Her since 1977
TV 2014 Ford E350 Superduty
TT 2015 keystone Passport Elite 23RB
Boat 20' TriumphDC

Bobbo
Explorer II
Explorer II
OK, everybody beat up on me. I have a porch light with a motion sensor (and an electric eye to turn it off in the daytime). I leave it on 24/7 when camped. When someone walks up to the RV's door, the light comes on.
Bobbo and Lin
2017 F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab w/Max Tow Package 3.5l EcoBoost V6
2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB