walmart and not using slideout/jacks

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

aniagara

Active member
Joined
Mar 2, 2011
Posts
28
Dumb question - why do many people say that they don't use slideout/jacks for a quick o/n, esp in walmart pkg lot or the like?  Is it because if you get asked to move on at 2 am, you can just drive away w/o hassle?  Or is it not to attract some sort of attention??

Thanks!
 
I don't understand the logic either. I have seen many RVs with slides extended in a Walmart parking lot. What is the big deal? I have read several times on this forum that if you do put your slides out you are giving RVers a bad name. Huh? There are acres of unused land in any Walmart parking lot, if you want to extend your slides then do it.
 
If you have to extend a slide to make your rig usable, then it's fine to do so.  However, slides, awnings, jacks and the like can give the impression of "camping" and can only add to the complaints by local "self appointed" neighborhood watch dogs.

Lowering jacks (sometimes necessary for slide operation) on a warm asphalt parking lot, leaving dents and damage to the surface, is not a very neighborly thing to do.
 
I disagree with Tom.  You are a guest (at no charge).  You should be unobtrusive.  If you need to put a slide out to navigate inside the RV, OK.  Some RVers have put slides out, jacks down, lawn chairs out.  It is not a campground; it is a convenient overnight stop.  It should not be treated as a destination.  Another thing to consider:  You will likely find instructions telling you to level your unit before running your slides out.  Lowering jacks down in the Walmart parking lot is not a nice thing to do.  I think you can see how RVers might get a bad reputation.
 
Gotcha - thanks for the explanations.  We won't be staying in Walmart lots but will be staying on relatives' streets and a couple driveways.  Wanted to understand if it was a convenience thing (driving away if kicked out) or an etiquette thing.  We'll hardly be camping or lounging anywhere (not a trip of leisure or sightseeing) but will need the space so the kids can sleep (will be interesting to see if WE sleep....) - but the tip about asphalt is a good one.  Won't be warm enough anywhere we're going to worry about that, though - and I'm sure we would have thought of that as soon as we started to park for the night and thought about the jacks (especially in someone's driveway).

Anyway, really great to see the common sense, consideration and concern here.  We're pack-it-in/pack-it-out type people to a fault.  (Leave a place better than you found it, only promise what you can deliver, then deliver more than you promised, etc)

I say to a fault b/c sometimes with a baby and toddler, you have to let people help!  But I digress....  Now if someone would just watch the baby so I could actually pack....
 
Wandering said:
I disagree with Tom.  You are a guest (at no charge).  You should be unobtrusive. 
A 39 foot diesel pusher with psychedelic graphics all over the outside and you should be unobtrusive????

ROTFLMAO
 
We have stayed at some Walmarts in the past but She Who Must Be Obeyed is not comfortable with Walmarts. When we did stay at a Walmart we always checked with the manager first. They usually directed us to a place where it was out of the way and would not interfere with their normal business traffic (delivery trucks & customers). The spots we were directed to were usually at a curbside  on the outside perimeter of the store with grass there. We only put out the bedroom slide and that was over the grass area. There is a list somewhere of Walmarts that allow over nighting and the list has phone numbers too. They have the parking lot lights on and are said to patrol the lots too.

The only time we had used a Walmart parking lot was when it was between destinations and not a destination. Get there relatively late and leave as early as possible...and if you can.....patronize the Walmart store. As has been mentioned previously it is not really a good idea to put out the awning, chairs, barbq, etc. We only would put down the jacks if it was really windy and the coach was a rockin in the wind.
 
Aniagara,

Yes, it is an etiquette and consideration thing.  The various RVing organizations like FMCA and Good Sam a few years ago cooperated in establishing a formal set of etiquette guidelines for RVers.  It came about because some RVers were using business parking lots inappropriately.  Years ago we actually witnessed a truck camper dumping blue stuff down a parking lot sewer drain - and they weren't very careful about it either.  Phew!  NOT a nice thing to do!  So, with people doing things like that, you can see why communities get upset over seeing a big RV parked for several days with BBQ, awnings, and the like out.  As Tom says, yes we're going to be seen but, hopefully, in a positive manner.  When we first starting RVing we made a practice of picking up trash around our motorhome so that neighbors would see us doing something good for their community.  As you said earlier, leave the place better than you found it.  If you Google RV etiquette you'll find numerous sites talking about it.

Regarding driveways and parking lots, it isn't always the heat that causes issues, although jacks certainly can cause dents in hot parking lots.  We always worry about the weight of the RV itself cracking someone's cement driveway.  One of my childhood friends really insisted on us staying in her driveway without realizing how heavy we are.  I worried about it and was thankful we left without damage.  People don't realize that campground sites usually have more sturdy cement pads than the normal driveway.

Enjoy your trip!

ArdraF
 
codgerbill said:
We have stayed at some Walmarts in the past but She Who Must Be Obeyed is not comfortable with Walmarts. When we did stay at a Walmart we always checked with the manager first. They usually directed us to a place where it was out of the way and would not interfere with their normal business traffic (delivery trucks & customers). The spots we were directed to were usually at a curbside  on the outside perimeter of the store with grass there. We only put out the bedroom slide and that was over the grass area. There is a list somewhere of Walmarts that allow over nighting and the list has phone numbers too. They have the parking lot lights on and are said to patrol the lots too.

The only time we had used a Walmart parking lot was when it was between destinations and not a destination. Get there relatively late and leave as early as possible...and if you can.....patronize the Walmart store. As has been mentioned previously it is not really a good idea to put out the awning, chairs, barbq, etc. We only would put down the jacks if it was really windy and the coach was a rockin in the wind.

imho this is the best walmart parking list on the web. it is free for users and is kept up to date by users (by email).
http://www.allstays.com/c/wal-mart-locations-map.htm

we bought (at a walmart) 4 ea plastic cutting boards to use under our jacks to prevent damage to parking lots, streets, etc. they have a ''handle'' that works well with our awning tool for installing and removing them.
at walmarts or other parking lots, we park in such a way that our bedroom slide is either over a curb, next to a tree, next to a light post, fence, etc, so someone will not run into the extended slide. we do not extend our front slide at walmart, just the rear slide.
the manager at the  Kietzke store in reno  said that we could stay a week or so if we wanted to. we stayed 3 days. we retracted the rear slide during the day. we were getting our tow dolly repaired and they kept it for nearly a week. we also stayed at the atlantis casino hotel parking lot in reno for 4 days. i think some folks were living in the back part of this lot.
we like walmarts and casinos because the have good security and of course they are free.
 
Apparently the rental place said - "park and stand in there, if it feels uncomfortably not flat, then you're not level enough.  Move the RV.  Try to keep the nose a little higher than the back end, if anything."

That's about the extent of it.  No leveling jacks on this model.  This should be interesting!!!
 
aniagara said:
Dumb question - why do many people say that they don't use slideout/jacks for a quick o/n, esp in walmart pkg lot or the like?  Is it because if you get asked to move on at 2 am, you can just drive away w/o hassle?  Or is it not to attract some sort of attention??

Thanks!
Have stayed in Walmart in-route to our destinations over the past 7yrs.  Never asked a manager if it was ok, always felt it necessary to purchase something after pulling in, have wrinkled my brow a few times at the other RV'ers that have pulled out the lawn chairs... however, have let the slide out, if we found an outer parking lot position that the slide would push out of the parking lot and not impair any other vehicles movement in the lot.  Everyone has their own way, that's just our way of doing it.
 
aniagara ~~ You stated you do Not have jacks ~ Do you have Slides ?? (if no) ~~ Why ask about a NON situation.  ???  ???
 
aniagara said:
Apparently the rental place said - "park and stand in there, if it feels uncomfortably not flat, then you're not level enough.  Move the RV.  Try to keep the nose a little higher than the back end, if anything."

That's about the extent of it.  No leveling jacks on this model.  This should be interesting!!!
the only dumb question is the one you don't ask...

you can buy plastic drive on leveling blocks at rv stores. you can make your own out of wood. put blocks under both rear dual tires, not just one. when parking in front of someone's house at the curb, leveling blocks are usually necessary on the curb side. the fridge  must be close to level to work properly, about 3-5 degrees max off level. fwd to aft is different than from side to side. small bubble levels are available at rv stores.
http://www.rvmobile.com/Tech/Trouble/cooldoc.htm
http://www.rvmobile.com/Tech/Trouble/level.htm
 
Dan - thanks much - I think it's weird - I wasn't at orientation so I didn't get to ask why it would have a slideout, and a sign that says "must be level" before engaging slideout - but not come with anything - jacks or blocks or a level - we'll take one of ours for sure and I'll show DH the info about blocks.

Thank you so much for the really helpful info - DH asked about the fridge during orientation (my main concern from my reading) and they seemed to downplay it per DH and told him what I wrote above.

We'll review - thank you, again.  Will definitely be reading any owner's manuals but it might have to wait until we're on the road -

you guys are the best - and thanks to all for the helpful suggestions and tips!
 
When invited to stay in my brother's asphalt driveway for a couple weeks, upon arrival we went to the local lumber yard and bought a sheet of 3/4" plywood cut into 2x2 squares to  put under the wheels and jacks. I knew our weight would dent is driveway severely if we did not protect it.
 
I carry 2 x 12 x 16 (approx) blocks that I put under our jacks. However, I've often wondered (but was too lazy to do the math) whether the vertical PSI on hot asphalt is still too much.

Until reading Gary's message, I hadn't considered the possibility that the footprint of our tires might be too small.
 
aniagara said:
Dan - thanks much - I think it's weird - I wasn't at orientation so I didn't get to ask why it would have a slideout, and a sign that says "must be level" before engaging slideout - but not come with anything - jacks or blocks or a level - we'll take one of ours for sure and I'll show DH the info about blocks.

Thank you so much for the really helpful info - DH asked about the fridge during orientation (my main concern from my reading) and they seemed to downplay it per DH and told him what I wrote above.

We'll review - thank you, again.  Will definitely be reading any owner's manuals but it might have to wait until we're on the road -

you guys are the best - and thanks to all for the helpful suggestions and tips!

you are welcome. :)
the moho manufacturer is concerned about twisting the moho, then putting the slide out. that is why they warn about leveling first. it is possible to extend a slide and if the moho chassis is twisted, not be able to retract it. :(
on class a mohos, people have twisted the chassis enough to pop the windshields out. their jacks were probably malfunctioning. :'(
 
Wow I haven't been on this forum in a long time and I don't know why. None of the other forums have a section like this and this is what we do with ours, street, drive way; Wally and well just about anywhere we're welcome.
Yes there are suggested ideas for being what we'll call a respectful RV'er. Respectful of others property. It doesn't get any simpler than that. and there are always some who dont
Previous to owning an RV, in fact not even considering or wanting to own one, I was interested in looking at the RV's in store parking lots. My only thoughts were gee nice looking, wonder what all the compartment doors used for. Where do they hail from. Just stuff like that. What they were doing was none of my buisness and I couldn't care less. So that's basically how most local residents think about overnight parking, at least around here and most places I've visited.
Even as an RV owner, one day at the local Wally there was a couple sitting outside their "C" on lawn chairs, awning out, but it was a darned hot day. Considering the location and that the perimeter of the lot was roadway, they did look a little silly but man what else were they to do. Inside that RV must have been like a furnace. They weren't doing any harm, they weren't in anybodys way, Wal Mart couldn't care less, so I really didn't see any problem and I would guess none of the locals did either. Now the camp ground owners, well that's another story.
Fact is you dont have to do anything, however there are security cameras going 24 hours each day, and I would suppose If you are not being a pig about things it's appreciated by property owners.
We bought an ex rental in 2005, it hasn't been in a campground since. We don't have anything against CG's as long as they don't interfere with us, we just don't need them nor do we want to stay in one.  Since 2005 we do driveways, back yards and even residential streets when visiting friends and relatives, that's why we have the RV.  We don't have jacks and for leveling we carry 7  2x6 pieces about 12" long and tapered at the ends. I can stack them, join them, drive up on them, works for me. We use Wal Marts mostly when on the road between the relatives and friends we want to visit. The WM lots are lighted and safe and the store is one stop shopping, well close to it anyway  ;D.  Actually street camping in a city can be a pain in the but when following the street parking laws during 6 AM to &PM hours most places.

Cheers
Willey 
 
Nov 11,2011 we spent the night in Walmart's parking lot in Washington, Pa. We were far from level, so i always carry pads and put them under my jacks. We ran slide out for sleeping, unhooked our toad and parked it along the slide for protection. We did check with customer service and they wee delighted to have us!
 
Back
Top Bottom