RV Manners Matter

[magnusfide]

Feel free to contribute to this thread on tips for manners while you're traveling.

New RVers and seasoned RVers are getting back out there to enjoy the camping life after a year of shut-downs and quarantine. Thought it was time to go over some basic courtesies we should remember while we're guests in places where other folks live. We've covered it before on this forum but this is a new year and a new normal.

Some of these have been mentioned repeatedly in the past by forum members. Just in case we're suffering from quarantine amnesia here are some tips for being a good guest in someone else's community of residence.

-Check your toad connections - nothing is more aggravating then having a rig with its toad pull over into your lane with no warning. Cardiac events are not fun. Turn signals need to work on your toad too.

Loud Campers
-Keep your music quiet or turned off in the campsites - most folks don't go camping for their ears to start bleeding. Not everyone likes your music.
-Remember that loud parties and laughter are irritating after 9 pm when people start going to bed.
-Remember that generators make noise too. Try to avoid running them at night when people want to sleep.

-When visiting towns don't park where you take up more than one parking spot with your rig. If your rig is longer than a car go park in a designated RV area or Walmart. Locals like to report RVs that take up two or more parking spots and you're likely to find a ticket on your windshield.

-Pull out those old words called "please" and "thank you" and use them often. Rude tourists and visitors are not appreciated by locals and they will be less likely to encourage RVers to visit their community. Don't be that guy or gal.

-Some places still require masks and have other restrictions. Locals don't want to hear about how you don't have to (whatever fill in the blank) where you live. They don't care. They're just trying to follow the rules in their community. Be nice and comply without complaining. If you can't then remember your RV has wheels and move on to a place that has rules you like.

Experienced RVers - Feel free to contribute more courtesy tips in this thread.

[toedtoes]

Desert Captain wrote:
A "pet peeve" of mine {pun intended} are those stupid extendable dog leashes. Folks, what part of keep your dog on a 6' leash do you not comprehend? On more than one occasion our dog was minding her own business on her bed, attached to a 6' leash, in our site when some fools dog 30' out in front of them comes charging our dog.

Those that have these leashes should do a little research on line as these are one of the most dangerous consumer items you will ever encounter. Injuries ranging from broken bones to fingers being severed are fairly common. You cannot control any dog that is 10, 20 or 30' out in front of you and anything beyond 6' is no longer in compliance with the CG rules.

Rant off... for now but yes, as a matter of fact I do feel better for having vented.

:E

Oh I hate those stupid leashes! If the dog is running out, there is no way to pull them back in.

[wguss]

ferndaleflyer wrote:
WGUSS you would be in trouble leaving some of these race tracks I go to where there are 500+ RVs and only 1 dump station. Not only is it a long wait but that is one messy dump. I just go on home where I have a connection into the public sewer, its easier there.

That would be a mess, especially if all 500 RV's took 45 minutes each. Our trip was 26 days. It would take mighty big holding tanks to last that long!

[Desert_Captain]

A "pet peeve" of mine {pun intended} are those stupid extendable dog leashes. Folks, what part of keep your dog on a 6' leash do you not comprehend? On more than one occasion our dog was minding her own business on her bed, attached to a 6' leash, in our site when some fools dog 30' out in front of them comes charging our dog.

Those that have these leashes should do a little research on line as these are one of the most dangerous consumer items you will ever encounter. Injuries ranging from broken bones to fingers being severed are fairly common. You cannot control any dog that is 10, 20 or 30' out in front of you and anything beyond 6' is no longer in compliance with the CG rules.

Rant off... for now but yes, as a matter of fact I do feel better for having vented.

:E

[ferndaleflyer]

WGUSS you would be in trouble leaving some of these race tracks I go to where there are 500+ RVs and only 1 dump station. Not only is it a long wait but that is one messy dump. I just go on home where I have a connection into the public sewer, its easier there.

[2oldman]

A1ARealtorRick wrote:
Sure, take your time and enjoy the drive, but if 50 - 55 (or even less) is your thing, please keep it off the interstate.

Probably a good idea, but on secondary roads driving the speed limit of 55 can be even more of a hazard.

I avoid Sunday afternoons, when the weekend warriors are towing home toy haulers with their jacked up pickups at 70mph and tailgate you unmercifully.

[RetiredRealtorR]

Let's remember that RV manners are not confined to a campsite, but apply on the road as well.

Please don't be the guy that insists on driving 50 - 55 on an interstate where the flow of traffic is at 70. You are a hazard in doing so. That's what our beautiful U.S. highways and state roads are made for.

Sure, take your time and enjoy the drive, but if 50 - 55 (or even less) is your thing, please keep it off the interstate.

[toedtoes]

Walaby wrote:
Agree with ferndaleflyer that I don't care what you do on your site, as long as it doesn't directly impact me or what I want to do on my site.

Mike

That's how I have always handled things. MYOB. If it doesn't create a problem that I can't work around, then I will say something.

Any problems I've ever encountered have been shortlived and I was able to enjoy my trip well beyond the disgression.

[wguss]

When dumping and refilling your tanks, please get it done in a timely manner. I had an instance on our last trip in a national park campground when the user took over 45 minutes. It appeared they were flushing their tanks. They had a hose from the fresh water station running all the way back to the trailer while they were still hooked up to the dump station. He looked up at me after more than 40 minutes, smiled and flashed me the peace sign. I could only glare back as I had much better things to do with my afternoon.

[chops1sc]

I was the offender here, but I do not know if there is a way to avoid it.

When starting charcoal for the grill, try to avoid blowing smoke on the neighbors.

Again, I don't know how this could have been avoided. We were packed in pretty close and I couldn't go to another site to start my charcoal. I could hear them loudly coughing and getting annoyed. I apologized. After the coals caught the smoke died down but I was still embarrassed.

[Walaby]

Agree with ferndaleflyer that I don't care what you do on your site, as long as it doesn't directly impact me or what I want to do on my site.

I get that some people don't like the yard art, and that's fine. My wife enjoys a little decoration around our site when we are there for more than a day or two. As far as Im concerned, it adds to her RVing enjoyment, so Im cool with it. I can't imagine having yard art on your site (or not) is a MANNERS issue. I'd rather be out enjoying myself than worrying if someone does or does not have yard art.. or too much yard art.

Really like the assists schlep. Kudo's to you.

I don't know if I have a high tolerance level or what, but I rarely run into what I would consider issues with my neighboring RVers. I think I could count on one hand the number of times I thought a fellow RVer was being inconsiderate. One was a dog running loose and he crapped in my spot as I was packing up and leaving. Owner came out of trailer to let him in, and I politely asked him to pick it up.. which he did. Maybe loud music once or twice, but I couldn't pinpoint when. Other than that, I don't have any negative experiences that I can think of.

Heading out next week for a week, maybe I will experience issues I can report back and update (hope not). And yes, my wife will put out her yard art.

Mike

[ferndaleflyer]

I don't care what you do on your site. I'll not be that "grumpy old man". Manners are manners and in many cases manners mean minding your own business. I am 80 and been at it for 60 years or so and don't remember one instance I couldn't deal with, I just don't let it.

[schlep1967]

Be a good neighbor. If you are playing music, most new campers have outdoor speakers, ask your neighbor if it is too loud. If they say yes, turn it down.

Leash rules. Just because your dog is friendly doesn't mean the dog being walked down the road is friendly with other dogs. If your friendly dog gets into a fight while not on a leash and somebody gets bit while separating the dogs, guess who is responsible for the doctor bills.

If you see someone struggling, offer to help. Our last two trips out I made a difference in somebody's weekend enjoyment. First trip, two ladies with two kids and a pop-up. She could not back the trailer more than 10 feet without pulling forward again. She was getting further from the campsite every time. I asked if if I could give some verbal help while she learned to back up. In a short time the camper was in the site.
Second trip was a state park with limited electric sites. We had the last site with electric. Our neighbor without electric had a not so quiet generator to run during the day to charge the batteries for night use. I suggested he run an extension cord to my post. The posts had 50/30/20 amp breakers in them. I was using the 50 amp. The next day it was headed for the 90's and I heard them talking about wanting to go fishing but couldn't leave the dog in the trailer. I remembered I had a 30 amp extension cord and offered it up. They had comfort with Air conditioning for the next two days and none of us around them had to listen to the generator.

[toedtoes]

monkey44 wrote:
If your dog barks or bites, get it a muzzle.

I'll expand on this a bit (muzzles don't stop a dog from barking)...

Don't leave your dog alone all day. Don't leave your dog tethered outside and ignore it all day. Make the visible effort to keep your dog from barking nonstop. Even if your dog is not perfect, most folks will understand as long as you are making an effort to control it.

Clean up after your dog. Do not walk your dog to another campsite to do its business - even if you clean it up, it's rude. Teach your dog to go at your own site abd save the walks for enjoyment.

Please obey the leash rules. It doesn't matter if your dog is friendly - people don't want it wandering into their campsites, running up to them, etc.

[SDcampowneroper]

Buy it where you burn it. Split fine so it doesnt make smoke Dont put trash in the firering.

[MitchF150]

Very far and few in between now a days with 'manners' in the campground... Especially the state parks where I tend to go now more..

I know I can go other places, but I've been there and done that already, just like tent camping and it's great, but I'm now at another point in my camping life and it's just a sign of the times..

Thanks for the reminders! I did find I left my outside speakers on one night after we "retired" so I guess our neighbors got an audio version of "Mr Bean".. Opps... 🙂

Mtich