It’s official- Johnny had his first RV Park Fight. Don’t worry, he’s not in jail, but check out how it ended and RV Park Etiquette.
Hi, We’re the RV Odd Couple. We sold our house & most all possessions in pursuit of freedom, independence, and adventure because life is too short! Our channel is all about full time RV Living. We share the good, the bad, and the ugly. So here’s our first RV Park Fight and a few lessons in RV Park Etiquette.
There’s a ton of videos on RV Ettiquette, but this includes conflict resolution tips that other videos don’t cover.
1. You Might be an RV Jerk if you park right next to someone else when there’s plenty of space available.
We arrived at an RV Park and John noticed that the spot we were assigned didn’t have 50 AMP service. John immediately notified the park and the park told him to grab the power from the neighboring spot.
The RV Park was almost empty, so we figured that the odds of a neighbor were slim. Besides, the RV Park told us to take neighboring power, so we’ll be fine right?
But as luck would have it, even though the RV Park promised to keep that spot empty, and even though there were tons of spots available, someone took the spot.
The man came to the door and asked us to move our power. John walked out and explained that we needed 50 AMP and the park said to use the neighboring outlet. The man was insistent, (and dare I say, a jerk), so John ripped the power out and drove off. Our toddler and I were left inside without power.
Suddenly the neighbor receives a phone call and moved spots. John came back and told me that he had gone to the RV Park staff. Since John had followed the RV Park rules, they made the other guy switch spots.
So that should be the end of this right? I mean for goodness sakes, it’s an electrical plug. What’s the big deal?
No that wasn’t it. The man walked by our RV and started screaming obscenities to John for making him move spots. This is a clean website, so I won’t write the profanity, but mom’s were mentioned…
The neighbor proceeded to walk to the Park Ranger Station. Apparently he yelled at them too. That is not very good RV Park Etiquette. So don’t be a jerk and give RVers space!
2. You Might be a Jerk if you don’t clean up after your dog.
We had another experience where the neighbor’s dog made a mess in our campsite. John didn’t notice and stepped in the mess. Then John unknowingly dragged the mess through the house. After a few choice words and cleaning up a huge mess, we decided that cleaning up after your dog is a RV Park Etiquette must!
We understand you may not have a bag with you. But I’ve found that if I ask someone nearby for a doggy mess bag, they are happy to share. And many RV Parks have Dog Mess Stations, so there is no excuse for poor Campground Etiquette and leaving a mess.
3. You Might be a Jerk if you blare your music or outdoor TV.
We love music. Please don’t misunderstand. But with new outdoor TV’s and sound-systems in RV’s, noise pollution is a huge Campground Etiquette consideration!
So by all means, enjoy music and the game. Just have consideration for your neighbors in the RV Park.
4. You Might be an RV Jerk if you trespass on someone else’s site.
This is a major RV Park Etiquette rule. Unless there is lightning and pouring rain, never walk through another’s campsite. It is startling, to notice that someone is walking through your space. Respect their campsite!
5. You Might be a Jerk if you leave your campsite messy
Even though we are full time RV’ers and no longer live in a sticks and bricks, we take pride in our Campsite. It’s our home. And just because our “home” changes often, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep it clean!
Keeping your campsite tidy and orderly is a must-follow Campground rule.
6. You Might be a Jerk if you set up late or tear down at we hours of the morning.
We completely understand that sometimes arriving at a campsite late is inevitable. No one says, “Let’s set up our campsite at night! It will be fun!” And we also understand that sometimes you have to leave early to arrive at your destination on time.
But most RV Parks have designated “Quiet Times” for consideration of other guests. Setting up the RV and preparing for travel are noisy endeavors. We just believe that it is good RV Park Etiquette to honor those “Quiet Times.”
7. You Might be a Jerk if you’re driving fast around the campground
Driving fast is a big Safety Hazard- especially throughout a campsite! There are small children, dogs, and wildlife in most RV Parks.
Now, rolling a ball in front of a speeding car is a potential safety hazard. Please don’t do that. But a safer way to alert drivers that there are children present is with a sign. We use this Yard that we got on Amazon, to keep our toddler safe. https://amzn.to/2Vew9cM
8. You Might be a Jerk if you borrow from a neighboring campsite without asking.
Borrowing without asking is essentially stealing. Even if you intend to return the item. Proper RV Park Etiquette and just Etiquette in general is to always ask permission before you borrow anything!
9. You Might be an RV Jerk if you are rude to the staff at the campground.
We don’t understand why people would be rude to the RV Park Staff. They can make or break your stay. And in general, we believe that we should have good manners and be kind to everyone we encounter. But a major RV Campground Etiquette rule is to always be kind to the Ranger or RV Park Staff.
10. You Might be a Jerk if you’re not quick to apologize when you realize your are wrong.
The story or our jerk neighbor who insulted John’s mother has a happy ending! The man apologized as he walked past us. John went to shake his hand and the RV Drama was over.
We have a lot of respect for him. He realized that he lost his cool and he did the courageous thing and apologized.
I think it’s safe to say we were all relieved. And funny thing is that we ended up postponing our departure. And even though we’re not sending him a Christmas card, the RV etiquette lessons will stay with us all!
Why are we sharing about RV Park Etiquette?
Our biggest goal is to be real. When we were new, people freely shared with us valuable information and insights to help us in this RVing journey. But there were some parts of RV living that we didn’t know about. Our hope is to do the same and pay it forward. If you would like to join the RV Odd Squad join below!
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Welcome to the RV Odd Squad,
John, Mercedes, Sage & Skippy