How do you feel about people walking through your campsite?

[Ruthless]

How do you feel about people walking through your campsite?

[hawkeye-08]

We try to make things too complex. It is simple, it is rude to walk through someone's campsite without permission. Most folks would not mind, but some will.

Last year, we had neighbors cutting through between our trailer and table, throwing their cigarette butts (still lit) on the ground or in our fire pit. It did not make sense to me because they could easily walk on the road or 20' around our site.

I was certainly annoyed (it interrupted my reading time and I allergic to cigarette smoke), but decided to let it ride... I now have a squir gun in my kitchen drawer and plan is to have it ready if needed to squirt out screen, oops, sorry did not think anyone would be there.

[Mr__Camper]

Terryallan wrote:

Mr. Camper wrote:

Hannibal wrote:
Same way I feel about people walking through my living room. They lack common courtesy and respect for others.

Maybe so, but if they walk through my living room I can legally shoot them.

Nope. Not unless they are threatening your life.

That would be my word against a dead man. I win.

[4X4Dodger]

In the boating world you never EVER walk onto someones boat with out asking permission and it being Granted first.

The ONLY exception to this is when several boats are rafted together as a group for a function or to a dock where the ONLY access to the dock is across other boats. (this is only common in Europe really.)

I feel the same about my site. ASK FIRST.

[4X4Dodger]

ROBERTSUNRUS wrote:

spoon059 wrote:

ROBERTSUNRUS wrote:
You don't own the property you are only staying in space number 15 and there are no fences around your little space. So if a few people happen to walk through, on your rented piece of dirt, SO WHAT! When you actually own the property, you might feel different, but you don't.

So... if you lease your car, its okay if I take it for a ride? You don't own that hunk of metal.
What if you rent an apartment, its okay if I change my daughters diaper on the dining room table? You don't own that apartment.

Its all about courtesy and sense. When somebody walks through your site and steals something from your site, maybe you will change your tune. Its happened to me. When somebody has the nerve to walk through your site and knock over your chair and spill your drink and knock over your book, maybe you will change your tune.

Whatever happened to treating people with respect and respecting their property? The rules are clear, it is YOUR site. Its not EVERYBODY's site. That is what common areas are for.

🙂 Hi, you're being absolutely ridiculous. No one is going inside of your trailer or driving your tow vehicle, they are just walking on dirt that you don't own, and you are parked in an open area without fences. Walking and stealing is two different things; I have never had anything stolen at a camp ground. I don't rent an apartment and I don't lease cars either. Actually I don't make payments either. I also don't leave junk all over my space. I might have two chairs if I open my awning which is rare. Most people who come into my site want to see and ask questions about my Airstream; Once a tour group asked the bus to stop behind my Airstream so they could see it up close. Maybe if you were nice to people they would be nice to you. My dog and I don't walk through other peoples spaces, but I won't have a $hit tizzy if someone walks through mine. :C

With respect it's not ridiculous. In fact if it were to become a matter of law it would all be the same. By leasing or renting the space "belongs" to you. Even in rental contracts landlords need a specific clause to allow them access to the premises.

The more people who accept bad behaviour the more bad behaviour we will have. Its that simple. The "All Hat and NO Cowboy" crowd who want to pull out their guns aside, all you need is a polite word with most people and they will respect the boundaries.

I do agree though that this is not all that common. But maybe my sites are more intimidating because of my two dogs. When I want to strike up a conversation with another camper I stand on the perimeter of their site. If they seem open to talking they usually get up and walk toward you or invite you in. That's the way I was taught to act.

[the_happiestcam]

I paid extra for a site that is closer to the river for my convenience, not others. I have a very large dog who has no problem with strangers that we invite into our site - he does have a problem with those that we have not. I have expensive gear - if something goes missing, I will mention to the authorities who was walking through my site uninvited. A window in my trailer may be facing a part of the site that is only visible if you are in the site - somebody may be changing inside that has a reasonable expectation that they do not have to pull the curtain for that window.

You wouldn't walk through a stranger's hotel room uninvited because it is a shortcut to the pool.

[Tvov]

We've had people (mostly kids) cut through our sites over the years without permission ... it is very much annoying.

We had a little advantage when we started out camping - we tent camped for a few years with a family that had been RV'ing for years. From them we learned all the "unspoken rules" about camping, including not cutting through sites and --- don't ask to use someone else's camper's bathroom! lol

Anyways, I think a lot of the site cutting is from people who simply don't know any better, are usually newish campers, and have never had anyone say anything.

THIS is one of the reasons that some campgrounds have that multiple page list of rules and regulations that everyone complains about - the campgrounds wouldn't have to do that if people had more common courtesy.

We've learned to place chairs / bicycles / vehicles to block our site if necessary. Usually isn't necessary, except at campgrounds where our site happens to be near a bathroom / beach / rec room (as other posters have commented). We also have learned to pick sites not near those things - I also usually prefer back in sites partly due to this reason.

We've been to well designed campgrounds where there are very obvious, marked paths for people to get to bathrooms and other common areas.

I make it a point to say hello to neighboring campers when we setup. Besides just being friendly, we watch each other's site when people are out doing stuff, and a few times camping neighbor's have told us our kids can cut through their site.

A lot of good comes from being polite!

[Lessmore01]

We have a permanent spot at our CG and know most everyone there. I don't mind people walking through as long as they aren't up around the camper. Most of the time it's just kids and it's not like there are designated boundary lines. I do however get upset when the kids run around and between and the campers. I have taught my kids to be mindful of other people's property and punish them on the rare occasion that they "forget" what they have been told. I wish some of the other parents would do them same, but I'm not ashamed to correct other's kids for not being respectful of other people's property whether it is my campsite or not!

[Mr_Beebo]

If your wife looked out the kitchen window of your house and saw some guy walking by she might be just a little concerned. Seems like the choices here isn't so much doing the right thing since that doesn't seem to be unanimous what is the right thing, but rather it is doing the harder thing.

[Hannibal]

Terryallan wrote:

Mr. Camper wrote:

Hannibal wrote:
Same way I feel about people walking through my living room. They lack common courtesy and respect for others.

Maybe so, but if they walk through my living room I can legally shoot them.

Nope. Not unless they are threatening your life.

I hope to never have to make that decision. Ammo has become prohibitively expensive in the last six years.:B

[Hannibal]

rbpru wrote:
Okay, okay, it was a bit of a loaded question; but in my opinion, one should always ask permission before crossing another’s property with very few exceptions.

Likewise, in my opinion, one should out of courtesy, grant that permission with very few exceptions.

In both cases, it is simply a matter of being “nice”.

There are of course exceptions, some of which have already been mentioned.

This I agree with 100%. Once one asks, they've established that they respect our personal space. In return, I'll gladly invite them to pass through or stop for a cold one.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

spoon059 wrote:

ROBERTSUNRUS wrote:
You don't own the property you are only staying in space number 15 and there are no fences around your little space. So if a few people happen to walk through, on your rented piece of dirt, SO WHAT! When you actually own the property, you might feel different, but you don't.

So... if you lease your car, its okay if I take it for a ride? You don't own that hunk of metal.
What if you rent an apartment, its okay if I change my daughters diaper on the dining room table? You don't own that apartment.

Its all about courtesy and sense. When somebody walks through your site and steals something from your site, maybe you will change your tune. Its happened to me. When somebody has the nerve to walk through your site and knock over your chair and spill your drink and knock over your book, maybe you will change your tune.

Whatever happened to treating people with respect and respecting their property? The rules are clear, it is YOUR site. Its not EVERYBODY's site. That is what common areas are for.

🙂 Hi, you're being absolutely ridiculous. No one is going inside of your trailer or driving your tow vehicle, they are just walking on dirt that you don't own, and you are parked in an open area without fences. Walking and stealing is two different things; I have never had anything stolen at a camp ground. I don't rent an apartment and I don't lease cars either. Actually I don't make payments either. I also don't leave junk all over my space. I might have two chairs if I open my awning which is rare. Most people who come into my site want to see and ask questions about my Airstream; Once a tour group asked the bus to stop behind my Airstream so they could see it up close. Maybe if you were nice to people they would be nice to you. My dog and I don't walk through other peoples spaces, but I won't have a $hit tizzy if someone walks through mine. :C

[Amyknits2]

We had a lakefront site and had left to go to the store. We returned and we relaxing outside when a couple came up from the water dragging their kayaks. My husband asked if they had a problem while out on the water. The said "no, our campsite is right there (pointing to their site across the road) and we don't have lake access from our site". Hubby said "there is a public launch area about a quarter mile from here with places to park." They said "yes, we know but this is much more convenient." Hubby said "next time reserve waterfront then but you can't access it from our site that we paid for. Don't come back again or I'll ask management to explain it to you". They left quickly and unhappily but didn't try it again. The sites were narrow and long with trees on the edges so no way for them to access the water without walking right by our camper, chairs, table etc.

[rbpru]

Okay, okay, it was a bit of a loaded question; but in my opinion, one should always ask permission before crossing another’s property with very few exceptions.

Likewise, in my opinion, one should out of courtesy, grant that permission with very few exceptions.

In both cases, it is simply a matter of being “nice”.

There are of course exceptions, some of which have already been mentioned.

[camperforlife]

I had a fellow cut through our site many times one weekend. On one trip through I handed him my trash and said "here since you seem to know the way". He just replied "sure" and cut back through on the way back. Didn't register with him at all.

[Reader1]

I can't actually remember someone walking through our site. Once while camping with our daughter and her family a family walked right beside her TT window and startled her sleeping dog. Holly jumped up and barked loudly, not snarled just barked and the woman yelled at her. I let the woman know that Holly did not bark at anyone walking correctly on the road, but when someone walked right beside the window she was startled and barked, not the dog's fault. I did not get the feeling that this lady understood what I was saying.