Are class A RVers "snobs"??

[Kayjulia]

I have been traveling around for a few years in my old class A, 97 Allegro and it all depends on where you are and who your with. I happen to like older rigs and they are ones I like to search out and talk to the owners as they are usually more interesting.
I have been places where folks have been down right rude, others who found out my rig was older who wouldn't give me the time of day. Some, not many, were Azzes. Others have been the sweetest, nicest folks you'd ever want to meet and for the life of me it is hard for me to remember what rig they were using.

For me I just don't care and I like the folks who don't care too!

Do what makes you happy, wave smile and if they wave back smile some more. Forget the rest life is to short to be bummed by sourpusses.

As usual YMMV

[USMCRET]

Have to tell this story, and so help me it's true.

We have friends we have known for over 30 years. Back in the 80s they were yuppies to a cartoonish degree, and now they are aging boomers who still consider themselves upper crust but they have toned down a bit. They own a Class or Type B that they bought because their vacation home is several hours away and they thought it would make their frequent trips easier and more enjoyable.

They will not under any circumstance refer to it as an RV. Calling it an RV will result in a swift rebuke. It is a "van conversion". They are not, and I quote, "RV people" ( to get it right, you must think and say "RV People" with a healthy amount of disdain).

I never told them about our Class A we bought last year and keep on a pad beside our garage. We invited them over for dinner one evening and by the time they reached our front door, they were pallid. We got a laugh out of it and we're still friends. You take the good with the bad with life-long friends.

[Meandering Retiree]

A lady camping next to us one time summed it up this way....we all began camping in tents, then pop ups, TT, and, in her case, finally a MH. Enjoy what you have while you can and don't worry about what others think. She was in a Prevost and was one of the most down to earth people I ever met. I also liked her attitude towards life.

[rmmpe]

Having been at this for a long time, the RV population, as I see it, is comprised of people that have worked hard to enjoy the lifestyle, whether it be a tent or a Newell. To them all, I raise a glass and will drink to their well-being.
And, if I'm lucky, I will meet myriad folks who share the same opinion (the others are easily ignored and cause me no concern whatsoever).

There is no class/type warfare/competition, with very few and altogether negligible exceptions.

[kenjh]

I am looking forward to learning the "class A" and such stuff ..I have a new to me ..87 Itasca ..it's in the same shape I am in ..rough ..bent ..some parts won't work ..some have been removed ..my first time out I found out you need a outlet plug adapter to power the rig ..and the water system is ..um a challange ..I got help from several other RVer's so ..so far for me ..it's all good ..now how do you get the air to work ?? and why does the battery die after 5 day's ??

[Dogpatch]

Originally Posted by kenjh

I am looking forward to learning the "class A" and such stuff ..I have a new to me ..87 Itasca ..it's in the same shape I am in ..rough ..bent ..some parts won't work ..some have been removed ..my first time out I found out you need a outlet plug adapter to power the rig ..and the water system is ..um a challange ..I got help from several other RVer's so ..so far for me ..it's all good ..now how do you get the air to work ?? and why does the battery die after 5 day's ??

Ken, you got some learning to do! Best start firing some questions!

Best place to start is by giving us as much information about your rig as you can. I don't know much about older rigs (or any for that matter) but there are guys here who will. Start a new thread with your question. Always a good idea to search the forum and you may find ideas or discussions already taken place that can help.

[Mody n Domy]

We went from a Truck Camper to a class A. When we would be setting up or breaking camp with the TC others would come buy to talk almost every time and on more than one ocasion I would have to ask them to wait until we were finished so I could talk. I may have hurt a few fealings. But with the class A it is very rare that anyone will stop buy and we are still the same people. I miss the old days of meeting every one.

[WheelingIt]

I guess everyone has a different experience. This weekend we were the ONLY Class A in the campground (we're at a forest site near Lake Shasta) and there were all kinds of folks interested in our rig. Maybe most were wondering what "the beast" (our nickname for the rig) was doing here, but I say "hi" to everyone and conversation just strikes up. I really think if you're open to meeting folks that's exactly what will happen. Haven't been to a campground yet where we didn't meet someone and we've been on the road 3 years!

Now that said I have met snobs, and Class A owners who would never stay anywhere except a Class A campground and who certainly wouldn't be seen dead in a forest service campground. But those folks would be like that anywhere, even if they didn't own an RV. In my mind that has less to do with the type of rig than the type of person they are.

Be relaxed and open and you'll get the same in return. That's my motto.

Nina

[tbwhit]

Originally Posted by SarahW

I absolutely have noticed a bit of RV snobbery. Amazing how some people think a bigger payment makes them superior in some way.

You are absolutely correct! All you need to do is read the comments when the Gas vs Diesel queston comes up!

[Scarab0088]

Just my opinion...there are snobs and there are Class A owners. Sometimes the 2 find a match. I have a Class "A", but have been a proud Canvas Tent owner, pop-top owner, and TT owner in the past and have seen the snobby behavior from others with all other types of gear.

Maybe this thread will make some think about their behavior.

[Shardan1]

We have noticed snobs on both ends of the spectrum. I also think that people who have worked there way through the different levels have a lot more mutual respect for everyone that is camping, where the silverspoon group who bought the "big rig" right out of the gate are more likely to be Snobbish. But We also see people who automatically ASSume that because we have a big rig that we must be snobs. Without even giving so much as a friendly nod.

[RickO]

Originally Posted by WheelingIt

I guess everyone has a different experience. This weekend we were the ONLY Class A in the campground (we're at a forest site near Lake Shasta) and there were all kinds of folks interested in our rig. Maybe most were wondering what "the beast" (our nickname for the rig) was doing here, but I say "hi" to everyone and conversation just strikes up. I really think if you're open to meeting folks that's exactly what will happen. Haven't been to a campground yet where we didn't meet someone and we've been on the road 3 years!

Nina

Nina, your comments reminded me of when we spent a month at a great little CG in rural Ohio a couple of years ago. Not only were we the only "Class A" there... most of the time we were the only RV there that was not part of a semi-permanent leased site. And we're a 40DP so we stood out like a sore thumb.

It was great watching the park fill up around us with families in tents, pop ups, slide in's, and the occasional TT or fiver as July 4th weekend arrived. Our rig was quite an attraction and we talked with more kids and their parents than I could count, about how big it was, was it hard to drive, etc, etc.... But our US travel map showing the states we've visited (34) which I've mounted so it is visible when the slides are extended, was the biggest hit with many of the kids and generated even more questions.

We couldn't have enjoyed it more and, although we weren't invited to join anyone at their campfire, I think all of the interactions were great.

Originally Posted by Scarab0088

Just my opinion...there are snobs and there are Class A owners. Sometimes the 2 find a match. .

Very well put.

Originally Posted by Shardan1

We have noticed snobs on both ends of the spectrum. I also think that people who have worked there way through the different levels have a lot more mutual respect for everyone that is camping, where the silverspoon group who bought the "big rig" right out of the gate are more likely to be Snobbish. But We also see people who automatically ASSume that because we have a big rig that we must be snobs. Without even giving so much as a friendly nod.

True about this being an issue on both ends.

Two points come to mind:

1) When thinking about everyone "working their way up through the camping ranks" of tent, TT, etc... be careful about assuming that everyone in a CG today thinks that they are "camping". Today's big rigs are a wonderful way to travel and see this great country... especially if you have pets, like sleeping in your own bed at night, etc, etc.

Although in my younger years I did my share of tent and boat camping, when we travel in my 40 DP I just don't feel like I'm "going off camping". I'm just traveling and using campgrounds because of the facilities they offer. We're not trying to build memories every night around the campfire. We're just traveling and living on the road.

2) The only RV I've ever owned is my current coach. It's a 40 DP and I bought it new... but I don't think I've ever even seen a silver spoon and went to bed hungry more than a few nights while growing up. This is a great country.

Rick

[bigcritter]

One of the things that I've most enjoyed about being an RVer is that there has never seemed to be ANY class distinction in campgrounds. For many years, my wife and I traveled in our 17' 1993 Class "B", and no matter what type of rig other campers were driving, it never seemed to make any difference. Now that we've moved up in size to a 31' Class "A", it's certainly not going to make any difference what type/size/class unit someone else is driving. I also don't discriminate against other races in campgrounds. In fact, I love it when I see different races enjoying the lifestyle. I base my beliefs and opinions on the ACTIONS of people, and if they act respectful, that's the way they'll be treated. If they act like idiots, then they will be ignored. If someone is blasting music, splitting wood, or screaming & yelling at 2 am, it doesn't make any difference to me whether they're driving an A, B, C, TT, 5ver, pop-up, etc, I'm not going to be very friendly towards them. Otherwise, I'm going to treat everyone equal. :>)

[Kathryn]

Originally Posted by Mody n Domy

We went from a Truck Camper to a class A. When we would be setting up or breaking camp with the TC others would come buy to talk almost every time and on more than one ocasion I would have to ask them to wait until we were finished so I could talk. I may have hurt a few fealings. But with the class A it is very rare that anyone will stop buy and we are still the same people. I miss the old days of meeting every one.

AHAH! This is a perfect example of my concern in the original post ...

NOT that class Aers were snobs, but the reverse - that others might PERCEIVE them to be, and not be as friendly.

It has been amazing to watch this thread grow and hear the many and varied opinions and experiences of all posters.
I'm going to take your advice and just offer a big smile to all!