I just wondered how people feel about seeing tents in a utility spot at a state park. Now, if you have an RV, and pitch a tent next to the RV, ok that's fine. But what I find irritating is ONLY A TENT in a utility spot, when there are plenty of non-utility spots available. I guess I wonder why someone who doesn't have an RV would pay the extra cost to use a utility spot. Well, so far, it's not like I wasn't able to get a utility spot when I wanted because of there being tents in the utility spots, so I can't complain so far. And, I guess if someone is in a tent, and travelling with people in RV's, maybe they want to be close together, etc, I guess there could be reasons. But whenever I see a tent in a utility spot, when there are plentyof non-utility spots available, I just hope it didn't prevent someone from getting a utility spot. Just wondering, please don't flame me. JJ
I felt the same way when we were at Ft Wilderness and had to take a Water & Elec site only when tent campers were in full hook-up sites.
QUOTE(DXSMac @ Sep 15 2007, 08:55 PM) [snapback]8341[/snapback] I just wondered how people feel about seeing tents in a utility spot at a state park. Now, if you have an RV, and pitch a tent next to the RV, ok that's fine. But what I find irritating is ONLY A TENT in a utility spot, when there are plenty of non-utility spots available. I guess I wonder why someone who doesn't have an RV would pay the extra cost to use a utility spot. Well, so far, it's not like I wasn't able to get a utility spot when I wanted because of there being tents in the utility spots, so I can't complain so far. And, I guess if someone is in a tent, and travelling with people in RV's, maybe they want to be close together, etc, I guess there could be reasons. But whenever I see a tent in a utility spot, when there are plentyof non-utility spots available, I just hope it didn't prevent someone from getting a utility spot. Just wondering, please don't flame me. JJ I guess that it is up to the park management. At first glance, I'd say that tents in a S/E/W site is poor park managemnt, but if I find myself in a primative site, and the tenters do not mind listening to my generator run when I want to run it or the possibility of "odors" when I dump into the blue rolling box, then I guess that I do not mind that they are inconsiderate of others.
I will occasionally camp in utility spots with my tent...depends on if I decide I want power at my site for my electric pump to pump my air mattress up or if I want to use electric to power my light sources instead of using battery operated lanterns or I want electrical power for my portable TV/DVD/CD player or electric grill or hot plate. Perhaps I'd rather charge my cell phone with electrical power instead of draining my car battery. Perhaps I'd like water at my site instead of going to a spigot somewhere else in the campground to get water. I certainly wouldn't take nor would I request a site with sewer since that would be of no use to me in a tent, but electric and water would be of the same use to me in a tent as it would be for any one in an RV...can't believe someone would actually get upset over a tent camper in a utility site, LOL!!!
I can understand a tenter wanting a w/e site for all the reasons BBear gave, but why would they want to pay extra for a sewer site when they won't be using it. However, some situations come to mind why a tenter might be in a full hookup site. 1. All the sites were full hookup. 2. All the w/e sites or no utility sites were taken when they registered so they took a FHU. When other campers left they just didn't move to a w/e site. 3. The FHU site was better (more shade or sun, had a table and/or grill, higher and drier, closer to bath house/pool, etc.) that made it more desirable than the w/e sites. I probably would not be irritated if I could still get a good utility spot.
Gee whiz - my rig is self contained! It's kind of fun to "rough it" once in a while. See if the water pump still works!! Like first come - first serve. Find something else to complain about. I guess the bigger the rig the more rights someone has?
In the first place , if the tenter is willing to pay the price why would you be concerned. May be they want electric for TV or other appliances. I have seen where some one on oxygen needed it to run the compressor. Some time ago I was in a camp ground in Montana where a guy had a satellite dish set up next to his tent. He spent the whole summer traveling and staying in the tent. He just wanted some creature comforts. If I needed some thing to worry about I would find some thing more serious.
This may be one of those “walk a mile in the moccasins” issue. In order to understand each other’s position if is necessary to have some experience with both sides. I’ve occasionally camped in a tent even tho I have a self-contained rig. When I have, I wanted electricity and water. Carrying a water bucket half way across the park or carrying the dirty dishes to the watering hole went out with the covered wagon era. And, it’s handier to use my existing electrical equipment than it is to buy specialty items like lanterns, propane stoves, etc. Who of us with self-contained rigs has not used the bathhouse facilities in a campground even tho we are at a FHU site? Are they not more for the use of those who don’t have that when in a tent? In many of the state and COE parks in the northern part of the country, you won’t find water or sewer at each site. If you want water in the rig, you have to fill up at a community faucet before parking. But as was said, the rig has a water pump. If all the sewer sites are occupied in a campground, then my waste/water tanks will carry me for a week. Neither issue is a big deal. I don’t complain about anyone occupying any type-site. They got to it first and they paid for it.
When we were tenting we found that the bathrooms at most campgrounds were closer to the hook up sites. With smaller kids we hated hiking to the bathrooms in the middle of the night and I personally hate hiking a mile with all my showering goods. It's also nice to have the electric for lights, tv/video & a fan in the heat! Now here's my pet peave.... RV'ers who shower in the bath houses when they have their own! It sucks when you have to wait in line for a shower because the RV folks don't want to dirty their campers. I also can't count how many times I've heard people telling their kids that they can't #2 in the camper!! Now that we have a camper, I use my shower and toilet .... that's why we bought the camper in the first place.
oneman, I agree that there should be bath houses near the tent area since tenters do not have on board facilities. Ideally in large parks there should be several bath houses located through out the park. Unfortunately some parks have only one facility, and most of the time it is in a central location. Usually that is not near the tent area. However, I do not agree with your comment that people who have self contained units should not use the camp facilities. I prefer to use the campground showers because generally they are roomier and have better water pressure. It has nothing to do with trying to keep the RV clean. (Maybe it is different if you have kids, but two old people usually do not make a big mess.) Anyway it doesn't really matter why I want or need to use the camp facilities. I have paid a fee that gives me access to those facilities (irregardless of what on board facilities I have), and I should be allowed to use them just like anyone else who has paid a fee to stay there. And like you I have had to wait my turn to use the shower, but those ahead of me (no matter what type of site they had) had just as much right to use it as I did. Based on the thread about asking for a better rate maybe those of us with self contained units should ask for a discount if we don't use the bath house.
As for RV'ers using the shower and bathroom facilities sometimes it is necessary...I found that out the hard way the first time we took our motorhome out we used to own...we went to a state park that had no utilities...we were "greenhorns" with a motorhome and had no idea how long the water we put in the holding tank would last...we found out pretty quick, it didn't last too long and instead of wasting the week going and unloading our waste at the dump station every day, that it would be more prudent to use the showers facilities at the park.
I prefer the cleanliness of my own bathroom to that of a community bathhouse. But my grandkids consider it an adventure to go to the campground showers. Maybe that has something to do with the “old people” comment made in this thread or perhaps they just enjoy hiking across the campground in various degrees of minimal clothing. Perhaps the campground needs a lotto style number system to use the bathhouse. I’m NOT serious, folks. I don’t want to start that thread! But we might be a bit more understanding of our fellow camper’s particular needs and desires so as to make both of our stay pleasant.
Wow, some people posted reasons I hadn't thought of. BBear had some really good reasons! I also agree with the person who said, "We paid a fee and the fee includes use of the facilities" as for why people in an RV use the campground facilities. If I don't have hookups, I will use the campground showers, to save my water, as one person said. If I have full hookups, I will use my own shower, I am paying for the water. I usually travel in the fall, so it hasn't been a problem not getting a full hookup or at least P and W at a State park. But if I can't get a full hookup because a tent is using one, I might be miffed. I'll do what one person said, run my generator. JJ
My DW uses the shower in our RV whether we have water hookup or not. I use the bathouse 'cause our RV shower ain't very big, whereas I am. Same DW tells me if something irritates me, fix the irritation or move away from it. With 32 years of RVing under our belts, that's pretty good advice. We love RVing!
QUOTE(igor2brvn @ Oct 8 2007, 05:02 PM) [snapback]8590[/snapback] My DW uses the shower in our RV whether we have water hookup or not. I use the bathouse 'cause our RV shower ain't very big, whereas I am. Same DW tells me if something irritates me, fix the irritation or move away from it. With 32 years of RVing under our belts, that's pretty good advice. We love RVing! ah, we bought the model of RV that we did because the shower and toilet are big enough for this "large as an average bear" me... OTOH - IMHO.... Why buy an RV with "modern plumbing" if you still you the bath house? seems to be a whole lot cheaper if you put storage in that space instead of a bathroom.
QUOTE(BJMA @ Oct 15 2007, 05:39 PM) [snapback]8688[/snapback] Why buy an RV with "modern plumbing" if you still you the bath house? seems to be a whole lot cheaper if you put storage in that space instead of a bathroom. I know a lot of people that use their RV bathroom just for the toilet and sink...the shower area is used for storage.
