WAL-MART DISCRIMINATION AGAINST RVers in HOMESTEAD FLORIDA

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FrankNSharon said:
There seems to be a feeling of "entitlement" here

Many retailers will attest to a pervasive notion of some customers that the retailer "owes" the customer something because the customer spent some money. I think the retailer owes us nothing. I think we as customers should "expect" value and customer service for our patronage and express our lack of satisfaction by going somewhere else with our business (i.e. the Flying J controversy) when that  expectation of value and service does not occur.

We have not had the occasion to use a Wal Mart during our travels, but will appreciate them when we need them and find them willing, and still shop there when they cannot offer us free overnight accommodations. I don't expect them to be a free place to stay, so I am never disappointed.
 
This is my "hometown" walmart and u have to visit it to fully understand the the original posters frustration. I dont think the complaint was about the overnight stay but more about being treated rudely. It  takes close to an hour to get through chec kout
 
The Walmart in Florida City is reported to be the busiest Walmart in the US. They no longer have room for storage of goods, the City has cited the Walmart several times for CONEX Containers being used for storage, their parking lot is generally full to overflowing and they are definitely running out of space. That being said, I can appreciate the frustrations of many but Walmart does not make local laws, they only comply. Walmart in Florida City is presently in the process of trying to find a larger tract of land to put a new store and alleviate some of the problems at the Florida City store. I live here and have seen the abuses of the RV community in this Walmart. I try to avoid Walmart here altogether or get up at 5am if I need something from Walmart. I realize that this area is a popular destination during the winter months and during the NASCAR races. Our streets become overly crowded in some cases by drivers sightseeing where we live and work here. We try to be tolerant but remember courtesy is a 2 way street.

That being said, I believe that several have reiterated that no one has the right to park on someone elses property. I personally like the full hook-ups but have spent a night in Walmart. I do have a problem when I do on occaision have to go to Walmart and there are no parking places but there is a RV parked so as to take up 8 parking places.  Remember it is up to us to police our RV community. If we don't you will see these extended courtesies disappear and more and more laws enacted banning RV's. It is your call!
 
The courteous thing to do is call 1-800-walmart. Put in the zip code of the store you wish to use. That will give you the phone number of the store. Call the Manager and ask if it is OK to park overnight. If not, move on. That way you will not be surprised by a visit from security telling you to move. The zip codes are all listed in walmart's road atlas.
 
As I recall, Miami-Dade County has an ordinance that prohibits inhabited overnight RV parking any place other than a recognized campground. That would certainly include Homestead and Florida City.
 
From time to time I too read a rant against Wal-Mart for parking/camping overnight issues.
I remember that Wal-Mart is in the retail business and not in the Campground business. It is fortunate for RVers that Wal-mart has a a company policy that allows RV's to park and camp on their property. It is not required.
I have often thought that anyone who rants about Wal-Mart parking/camping problems, in order to be fair, should never complain if some stranger drives onto their personal property and camps over night.
Perhaps we should all recongnise that it is the right of any property owner to manage the owned property the way necessary.
 
Rancher Will said:
Perhaps we should all recongnise that it is the right of any property owner to manage the owned property the way necessary.

This thread is evidence that the large majority of us DO realize that.  It only takes a few entitled folks to make a stink and ruin it though.  The OP posted this rant to other online RV groups recently as well (with those threads I've reviewed looking quite similar to this one), and unfortunately has not returned here to give any feedback or response to our various comments.
 
scottydl said:
This thread is evidence that the large majority of us DO realize that.  It only takes a few entitled folks to make a stink and ruin it though.  The OP posted this rant to other online RV groups recently as well (with those threads I've reviewed looking quite similar to this one), and unfortunately has not returned here to give any feedback or response to our various comments.
Agree.  Ya can't fix stupid....  For the life of me I can't figure out why someone would post such garbage.  Heck, Walmart has saved us a plenty with their hospitality.  Common sense is not so common some times....
 
BTW, the OP refered to Parking Lot #2 with people parking their cars and getting on the busses. I would like to remind the OP that the so called Parking Lot#2 is a County owned Park and Ride Lot which does not belong to Walmart but to Miami-Dade County for the use of bus riders.
 
I've never understood why some people always blame Wal-Mart for the overnight parking regulations.

There are some locations where Wal-Mart doesn't own the land so they have to comply with the land owners regulations.

Other locations Wal-Mart has to comply with city or county ordinances. They don't have a choice whether to allow overnight parking or not.

I think that if it were left up to Wal-Mart you could park overnight at all their locations.
 
This clown has posted his crap over many B&Bs, a typical hit and run to slander Wall/Mart. The guy needs a flat tire.>>>Dan
 
Limiting the time an RV can park is not discrimination.

I think it's a reasonable policy at that store.  It allows one to shop, catch a nap, and be on one's way.  Works for me.

It's obviously not a chain wide policy, we all know that. 
 
Lost my internet in the Keys so could NOT post a response!  Not sure I want to even try to repsond to all.....however I will say you all MISSED my point!  I was going to shop.....NOT overnight!  NEXT time I will look up all CITY codes, ALLSTAYS, and contact City Attorneys to see where I can get my shopping done!!

By the Way....the Winn Dixie does allow shopping with NO parking limits AND their parking lot is a lot smaller....for those of you that really DO use these places to shop!!!!!!!
 
debamoore said:
however I will say you all MISSED my point!  I was going to shop.....NOT overnight!

I think the issue is that the lot security had no idea what your intentions were, and I'm guessing their procedure is to approach various RV's pulling in and inform the drivers of the 3 hour rule.  They probably don't have the time or manpower to talk to every driver of every RV, and hit up certain ones as they arrive.  In this case, it happened to be you.  3 hours is more than enough time for the large majority of people to finish any grocery shopping they had planned.

debamoore said:
NEXT time I will look up all CITY codes, ALLSTAYS, and contact City Attorneys to see where I can get my shopping done!!

Probably easier just to call ahead and check with the store first, where you plan on stopping.
 
Three hours is enough time for most folks to shop, so I don't see the issue. Telling you when you arrived about the time limit is a nice thing to do rather than to wait until you're sleeping and be banging on your door. Perhaps the rule has been established at that location because there have been crime incidents against RV'rs, as there was an attentive security force there. Many Walmarts don't have that.

Lost my internet in the Keys so could NOT post a response!  Not sure I want to even try to respond to all.....however I will say you all MISSED my point!  I was going to shop.....NOT overnight!  NEXT time I will look up all CITY codes, ALLSTAYS, and contact City Attorneys to see where I can get my shopping done!!

By the Way....the Winn Dixie does allow shopping with NO parking limits AND their parking lot is a lot smaller....for those of you that really DO use these places to shop!!!!!!!Report to moderator    Logged

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debamoore said:
Lost my internet in the Keys so could NOT post a response!  Not sure I want to even try to repsond to all.....however I will say you all MISSED my point!  I was going to shop.....NOT overnight! 

Not all - My post said that I wouldn't have a problem with the 3 hours time frame.
 
debamoore said:
Lost my internet in the Keys so could NOT post a response!  Not sure I want to even try to repsond to all.....however I will say you all MISSED my point!  I was going to shop.....NOT overnight!  NEXT time I will look up all CITY codes, ALLSTAYS, and contact City Attorneys to see where I can get my shopping done!!

By the Way....the Winn Dixie does allow shopping with NO parking limits AND their parking lot is a lot smaller....for those of you that really DO use these places to shop!!!!!!!
It seems like your real complaint is not with the store or the three hour rule, which is entirely reasonable for a location that attracts many RV'ers hoping to stay overnight, but simply with a security guard that apparently flunked Public Relations 101. I don't think it justifies bashing the store across multiple groups just because one minimum wage rent-a-cop irritated you.
 
I have been to this Wal-Mart during Nascar race weekend and it usually has allot of RVer's who appeared to be overnighting so either the rules changed in the last couple of races OR Lot #2 is in fact a city lot for the bus park and ride and it is managed by the county and the security guard doesn't even work for Wal-mart.  The latter is my suspicion.  It is also possible that the guard is there for security reasons as well, I have only been there during Nascar race weekends and did encounter some issues where I was not in my feeling safe and secure, there were questionables in the area that I don't think were shopping, maybe this was an issue only during race weekend and not the usual daily thing..  Just my opinion.
 
The rules have changed. I drove through the parking lot today and seen thye signs forbiding overnight parking. In the past they allowed overnight parking and the lunpaved grassy area just north of Walmart had in the past been used also for overnight parking which now has the same signage and is fenced/chained off.
 
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