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Medford Oregon Parking Ban

floridaguy
Explorer
Explorer
Every year or two a local community, sometimes at the urging of a campground owner takes issue with RVers overnighting at Wal-Mart. I was reading Nick Russell's Gypsy Journal blog and he reported Medford, Oregon is enforcing a parking ban at their local Wal-Mart. Nick has added Medford on his RV Unfriendly Cities list. He posted the City Manager's email for anyone that wanted to contact them. CMO@cityofmedford.org You may recall a few years ago Lake City, Florida also banned RV parking and a massive amount of emails and press coverage resulted in a change. I emailed and received a reply that because of undesireables, and acts of lawlessness, including shop lifting, that Medford at the urging of the Wal-Mart manager enacted the parking ban. We all know that the "one percenters" abuse all rules including respectful parking at Wal-Mart, but I find it hard to believe this was instigated by Wal-Mart.
45 REPLIES 45

leeper
Explorer
Explorer
Oregon campgrounds have NO problems filling up. They do not need to go after people getting free camping at Walmart. They really don't care nor do they want those campers.

down_home
Explorer II
Explorer II
There are some Retired and other RVers that do stay a night at a Wal Mart or Truck Stops. They have nice RVs but it helps to balance their books. Guess what: they spend money for groceries, etc and even fuel at some, of them.
No way we can address those who have been kicked out of their jobs and homes etc and now use their RV, only thing left, to live. Very unfortunate. Remember the great things free trade has done.
When we stop at a WalMart we usually end up spending several hundred dollars, on supplies, even fuel for coach and towed, at the few we can get in.
I spend an hour or two or three at the coach while she shops. Like at Deming New Mexico. One acceptable campground up the road but don't believe the rates etc. The sign remained unchanged for years.
Didn't know it and were too tired, at that point, so we, with the blessing of security, and directed, to one area, of lot, set up for the night. Unhooked towed and went to find a place to eat. Turned out Border Patrol and Military ate there.Mexican Food was blech and desert simply terrible but they had Mexican Coca Colas, a memorable taste but still half flat.Got the oil changed from were Freighliner,in Tn overfilled our coach by thirty quarts,and ruined our dipstick and it greased the rear of the Mh and probably the road from there through Miss, La, Tx and New Mexico and Az.
There have been several planned stops for supplies and to eat someone else's food ruined when we turned toward a Wal Mart and a big piece of pipe hanging over the entrance, in Jackson, Tn, in La and some others. They didn't get the few hundred dollars we probably would have spent. The Cities didn't get our sales taxes either or fuel sales, or restaurant revenues either. Why would I seek out a run down RV park in these places that thing RVers should be forced to provide them a retirement. That attitude will come through at their Parks as they generally too cheap to hire good people and or run it themselves.They are miserabl people and make others miserable.

1L243
Explorer II
Explorer II
How is Walmart suposed to control/enforce a Traveling Rver who wants to get off the road for a night and a homeless person looking for a place to squat for a week or two?.... With the recent shootings at Walmart I don't blame them for banning overnight stay.
2017 Coleman 300tq by Dutchman Toy Hauler. 34.5 feet long and under 10k Gross. 500 watt Solar 2000 watt Inverter, 1999 Ford F250 2WD 7.3 4R100 DP Tuner, S&B Cold Air Intake, Gauges, 6.0 Trans Cooler, Air Bags.

Me_Again
Explorer II
Explorer II
Cloud Dancer wrote:


I see homeless people, and a thought comes to my mind, "......there go I...". I just wish we could implement some solutions.


Go hand out flyers with the addresses of the 1 percent'ers in the area. If they can sneak in while the gate is still open, then they will have a much more secure place to hang out. The Pool house should have a nice shower for them! Booze in the pool side frig also!

Chris
2021 F150 2.7 Ecoboost - Summer Home 2017 Bighorn 3575el. Can Am Spyder RT-L Chrome, Kawasaki KRX1000. Retired and enjoying it! RIP DW 07-05-2021

Cloud_Dancer
Explorer II
Explorer II
MitchF150 wrote:
Cloud Dancer, Yes, another WM thread, but the bans are probably not because of the traveling RVer spending the night and moving on the next day.. It's the squatters that stay there for days, weeks, months at a time that is causing the bans..

Even if they don't cause any harm or do anything wrong, they are still basically homeless and taking advantage of a deal that was never intended to be a thing that lasts more than a day, yet we have homeless folks all over the place these days, so I guess if I was homeless and only had my RV, I'd park it where I could until told otherwise too.. If I lost my job now, I'd probably be in that same situation myself after a year or so!

Mitch


You're kinda "preaching to the choir". I already know all of that. However, there's many here on the forum who do not. Thanks

I see homeless people, and a thought comes to my mind, "......there go I...". I just wish we could implement some solutions.
Willie & Betty Sue
Miko & Sparky
2003 41 ft Dutch Star Diesel Pusher/Spartan
Floorplan 4010
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Dog_Folks
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Explorer
These towns are missing the boat with not allowing new RV parks.

Florida is raking in the profits with them.
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"I did not get to this advanced age because I am stupid."

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Atlee
Explorer II
Explorer II
Last year we took an RV trip from Virginia to LA. After leaving home, our first stop of interest was in Vicksburg. That meant we stopped 2 over night to get some sleep. Why in heck would I want to spend all that money for a campground site when I didn't need to use their bathrooms, their electricity, their swimming pools, etc, etc.

I just wanted a few hours sleep, so I could get on the road again. Those 1st two nights on the road would have been a huge waste of money.

Now, when we arrived in Vicksburg, MS, we stayed in a RV park obviously, because that made sense.
Erroll, Mary
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Atlee
Explorer II
Explorer II
Why should I waste money, and time finding a campground when all I want to do is sleep for 4 to 6 hours and then get back on the road again.

When at a distination, I always use camp grounds. Makes sense then, but it makes no sense to play for bathrooms, electricity, laundromat, swimming pools and all the other amenities when they are not needed.
Erroll, Mary
2021 Coachmen Freedom Express 20SE
2014 F150 Supercab 4x4 w/ 8' box, Ecoboost & HD Pkg
Equal-i-zer Hitch

MitchF150
Explorer III
Explorer III
Cloud Dancer, Yes, another WM thread, but the bans are probably not because of the traveling RVer spending the night and moving on the next day.. It's the squatters that stay there for days, weeks, months at a time that is causing the bans..

Even if they don't cause any harm or do anything wrong, they are still basically homeless and taking advantage of a deal that was never intended to be a thing that lasts more than a day, yet we have homeless folks all over the place these days, so I guess if I was homeless and only had my RV, I'd park it where I could until told otherwise too.. If I lost my job now, I'd probably be in that same situation myself after a year or so!

Mitch
2013 F150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab Max Tow Egoboost 3.73 gears #7700 GVWR #1920 payload. 2019 Rockwood Mini Lite 2511S.

Cloud_Dancer
Explorer II
Explorer II
Oh boy, finally, another Walmart thread. It's true, I was able to write a check for a special-ordered Dutch Star, therefore I should be able to afford to stay at an RV park. Except, I'm a cheapskate and prefer to enjoy the convenience of overnighting at a Walmart (whenever I'm enroute to a RVing destination). I would explain all the reasons why doing this is so much more convenient than the other options, except that I'd be wasting my time.
Willie & Betty Sue
Miko & Sparky
2003 41 ft Dutch Star Diesel Pusher/Spartan
Floorplan 4010
Blazer toad & Ranger bassboat

MitchF150
Explorer III
Explorer III
I saw the same 3-4 RV's staying in our local WM parking lot for a solid year.. Yes, a YEAR... They would move all over the parking lot, but they were the same RV's, no question..

I give our WM some credit for letting them stay that long.. They must not have caused any "problems" as such, since they didn't kick them out sooner, but I have noticed that I don't see the same RV's parked for more than a week now... but, they are still letting them squat for a week now..

Anyway, there is a huge difference in an RV'er crashing for the night and heading on their way the next day to the RV'er that is living in their RV and staying there for days, weeks, months at a time.

Just what I have actually observed and not judging anything..

Mitch
2013 F150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab Max Tow Egoboost 3.73 gears #7700 GVWR #1920 payload. 2019 Rockwood Mini Lite 2511S.

Naio
Explorer II
Explorer II
Dang, I thought this forum had lots of folks who spend occasional overnights at walmart when on the road. Here is where I learned it was possible.

I have done it twice in my life. Both were times when campgrounds were not practical. Both were one night only, gone in the morning. Neither time did I see any squatters.
3/4 timing in a DIY van conversion. Backroads, mountains, boondocking, sometimes big cities for a change of pace.

Ranger431
Explorer
Explorer
I guess I just never understood why we wouldn't want to support campgrounds? Seems like the more we use them vs. a Walley World parking lot, the more and nicer campgrounds there would be, but that's just my .02...
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2011 Ford F-350

MitchF150
Explorer III
Explorer III
I think the 'bans' are more for those folks that spend days, weeks, months in a parking lot... I see the same cars, trucks, RVs parked in our local Walmart and other large parking lots for weeks at a time! I go to the same WM at least once a week and I notice them parked there... They do 'move' around from spot to spot and are not "camping" by any means.. They are "living" there...

But, they are not doing stuff that makes the national news either.. They are just squatting there until they get enough notice and are asked to leave.. We had one such car in our office parking lot and after a week, we finally had to ask them to leave, as they were using the office buildings restrooms for their bath house and laundry room..

Anyway, I feel for those that are in a situation that requires one to have to do that, but it can't be taken advantage of either..

Mitch
2013 F150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab Max Tow Egoboost 3.73 gears #7700 GVWR #1920 payload. 2019 Rockwood Mini Lite 2511S.

Pogoil
Explorer
Explorer
There are thousands of campgrounds in Oregon. I for one am glad Medford enforces this and any other town in Oregon.

Good for Nick, wonder if he understands that we are such a small group as RV. people.

Medford is not an RV unfriendly community.