Camp Ground Etiquette

[Oldgator73]

Just keep in mind that not all of us feel that way. While the vast majority of folks are courteous with their dogs, some figure "everyone loves dogs" and let them wander all over the place on a 20' leash. Don't get me wrong, I'll pet a friendly dog if we're talking with the owners but I won't go out of my way to get all mushy about your mutt.

Our grandkids, 5&7, go camping with us about 95% of the time. They love dogs. Anytime they see dogs they drop what they are doing and head that way. We explain first they have to ask and then we explain how to approach the animals. We don't take our dogs camping because they are too yappy.

 

[kdbgoat]

We don't take our dogs camping because they are too yappy.

That's not fair- Judy lets you go! ;D

 

[Oldgator73]

That's not fair- Judy lets you go! ;D

If the dogs could drive and set up they would probably go and I would have to stay home.

 

[2HPYCampers]

) Loving all of the stories and appreciate this thread. Getting from so many wonderful posts, that the bottom line is, live and let live, be open to the extent one is comfortable, lend a hand when one is clearly needed or asked, don't be quick to offense, respect normal social boundaries, and most of all... HAVE FUN!!

 

[BinaryBob]

That really sums it up!! ???

 

[biggersm]

We almost gave up on camping on our first night with our new rig (our former Toyhauler Living Lite 6 x15).  We were camping at Lazydays and generally having no newbie problems.  I was already familiar with camping from my USAF experience (we had a truck camper based mobile command posts) and from my years with boy scouting and some other activities.  However since there were still tags on the equipment it was clear this was our first night with this rig.  The next morning the owner of some class A rig that was probably well in the 6 digit price tag range starts criticizing everything I did.  Ironically I have not altered my routine over the last two and a half years and even into our second rig.  I was a little concerned for the health of the guy that was yelling at me; wonder if he every did have a heart attack? Anyway the experience was a big initial turnoff and he really came off as an rich, arrogant know-it-all that is always a legend in his own mind.

Glad we kept with camping; even though we had to trade the toy hauler down to a popup A-frame due to the homeowners association (discussed elsewhere in the forum).

Yes our dog (a Shih Tsu) gets a great deal of attention and my wife is more chatty than I am.  We have exchanged numbers with neighbors but have never really got in contact with anyone after camping so we might not do this in the future.

I understand the backing thing.  I just can't take directions from anyone.  I have as much trailer backing experience as anyone I know.  The only help I will accept (usually from my wife) is to simply yell in the unlikely event I get close to something.  I also back slow simply because if i quickly backed into something the dent is more expensive (although this has never happened).

 

[Oldgator73]

I understand the backing thing.  I just can't take directions from anyone.  I have as much trailer backing experience as anyone I know.  The only help I will accept (usually from my wife) is to simply yell in the unlikely event I get close to something.  I also back slow simply because if i quickly backed into something the dent is more expensive (although this has never happened).

I just back up until I hear glass break and smell sh..poop. Figure that's far enough.

 

[Boonieman]

We have three dogs and take them camping often. We have a floored screen tent they lay in and watch the goings-on in the campground. But some people just don't like dogs, so we don't let ours invade someone else's camping experience. Just like music, I like some music and not other kinds'. In a campground setting I try to be respectful of other campers. It doesn't take long to figure out what your camping neighbors like or don't like. We just try to have a good time, sociable when the neighbors are, keep to ourselves when the neighbors seem to want privacy. Seems kinda simple to me

 

[KandT]

For me, the confusion comes in the word "camping".  There needs to be another word for modern campgrounds with electricity, a tow car and a 30 plus motorized "tent".

Camping is heading out to the woods and hiking with your gear all day and breaking camp in some remote location with no neighbors to help and for goodness sake a WalMart is not involved in the middle of your camping trip! ?

Now, there is nothing wrong (no judging here) with what my family and probably you do, but it is not "camping". 

I have heard the word "glamping" -a cross between glamour and camping.  Maybe RVing would fit.

  A modern campground with its small spots and picnic tables is really an outside hotel where you bring the room.

I am not putting anything down but they are two different experiences that the English language hasn't caught onto separating them yet.  Through hikers on the midstate trail are "camping".  We are RVing.

 

[Rene T]

For me, the confusion comes in the word "camping".  There needs to be another word for modern campgrounds with electricity, a tow car and a 30 plus motorized "tent".
Camping is heading out to the woods and hiking with your gear all day and breaking camp in some remote location with no neighbors to help and for goodness sake a WalMart is not involved in the middle of your camping trip! ?
Now, there is nothing wrong (no judging here) with what my family and probably you do, but it is not "camping". 
I have heard the word "glamping" -a cross between glamour and camping.  Maybe RVing would fit.
A modern campground with its small spots and picnic tables is really an outside hotel where you bring the room.
I am not putting anything down but they are two different experiences that the English language hasn't caught onto separating them yet.  Through hikers on the midstate trail are "camping".  We are RVing.

I'm going camping tomorrow for the weekend and I don't plan on using the microwave all weekend so to me that's camping.  :

 

[Oldgator73]

For me, the confusion comes in the word "camping".  There needs to be another word for modern campgrounds with electricity, a tow car and a 30 plus motorized "tent".

Camping is heading out to the woods and hiking with your gear all day and breaking camp in some remote location with no neighbors to help and for goodness sake a WalMart is not involved in the middle of your camping trip! ?

Now, there is nothing wrong (no judging here) with what my family and probably you do, but it is not "camping". 

I have heard the word "glamping" -a cross between glamour and camping.  Maybe RVing would fit.

  A modern campground with its small spots and picnic tables is really an outside hotel where you bring the room.

I am not putting anything down but they are two different experiences that the English language hasn't caught onto separating them yet.  Through hikers on the midstate trail are "camping".  We are RVing.

I like this definition of "camping".

Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no shelter at all. Camping as a recreational activity became popular in the early 20th century. Campers frequent national or state parks, other publicly owned natural areas, and privately owned campgrounds. Camping is a key part of many youth organizations around the world, such as scouting. It is used to teach self-reliance and teamwork. Camping is also used as an inexpensive form of accommodation for people attending large open air events such as sporting meetings and music festivals. Organizers often provide a field and other basic amenities.

 

[Larry N.]

For me, the confusion comes in the word "camping".  There needs to be another word for modern campgrounds with electricity, a tow car and a 30 plus motorized "tent".

I've often kinda felt that way from time to time, and I agree that the experience in an RV is that of a mobile motel, and that tents are more what a "camping" experience is often thought of, so perhaps a distinction would be nice. But for all the many years that I've known about TTs, MHs, etc., people have been calling them "campers" and have referred to the experience as "camping.

RVing is a term that is often used, too, but when a given "campground" accommodates regular tents, pop-ups, TTs, motorhomes and 5th wheels, are the RVs RVing while the tents are camping? They're all in the same place, making use of a (usually) paid resting place, an "outdoor motel," as mentioned above, just with different types of "rooms." And this is true not only of RV parks, but also of most National and State Parks with campgrounds, and is even true when "boondocking" on, say, BLM land, such as at Quartzsite.

So where do you make the distinction? Is a pop-up "camping" while a Scamp is RVing?

 

[Joezeppy]

...I don't plan on using the microwave all weekend...

Now that's what I call roughing it. Good luck! 

 

[HappyWanderer]

My definition of "roughing it" used to be no place to plug in the microwave. Fortunately, that's no longer an issue with the generator!

 

[UTTransplant]

We tell people that sometimes we go camping, but most of the time we go RVing. Since we started as tent campers more than 40 years ago, camping means mostly staying outside, cooking outside, doing the dishes outside, etc. Even with the trailer, we sometimes "go camping," either just sleeping in the trailer or even still using tents. However most of the time we "go RVing", taking our comfortable efficiency apartment along with us to lovely places. I still take my Dutch Ovens and my white gas stove though. I hardly use the microwave even at home!

 

[Dorian]

My wife and I are the same (used to tenting).  I set up my folding 6ft table next to the TT under the awning to setup my coleman stove and 5 gallon water jug.  We don't like cooking inside because we don't want the inside to smell like food/grease.  We use the water jug to boil water for coffee/pasta, rinse out cups and brush our teeth (and spit into the fire pit, old habits lol).  We only use the sinks inside to wash hands and plates.  We also eat at the table inside sometimes if the weather or bugs are bad. Other than that we just use the bathroom and sleep inside.  The odd time we setup the laptop and watch a movie if we get a full day of rain.