"Me" Generation Ruining Campgrounds - Rant

[DegoRed]

Originally Posted by JimGeorgia

As a "child of the 60's" I'm sure that I felt during those years that "the man" didn't understand and one day I woke up and I was "the man". As for everybody paying their nickel and therefore getting to behave anyway they want, well young man it just isn't cracked up that way. When you "pay your nickel you also agree to abide with whatever rules that are in effect. Otherwise you should consider moving your camping to somewhere where there are no rules.

One day when you're "the man", this will make sense to you.

Be safe.

Jim, you completly missed the point I was trying to make Has nothing to do with "the man" or park rules, or trying to excuse someone breaking park rules, I DO NOT agree with breaking park rules nor am I trying to justify bad behavior. I simply trying to offer an alternate view that the OP maybe had not considered. It is very clear to me, that the OP did not help the situation in any shape or form by getting involved, it appears to me he only futher fustrated himself, and got himself worked up for nothing.

Gurantee, if the OP would have walked over to the wedding party with a couple of cold beers, and said, "hey wanted to bring over a beer for the bride and groom, and congradulate them". Then went on to say, "my wife and I have been married for X years, hope you all have a good run like we have had." Guaranteed they would have been saying thanks, stay and have a beer with us, etc. This would have been the perfect time to slip in, "Boy have I got a long day tomorrow, can yall do me a favor and just try to keep the party to low roar tonight". Which they probably would have said were sorry, did not realize we were being too loud, we will try.

Maybe I should have said, when we as fellow campers choose to involve ourselves into other campers business, a lot of times, we will not get the resultes we were originally hoping for, only increase our fustration of the issues, and run the real possibility of injuring ourselves and/or our property along the way. Furthermore, when one chooses to get involved in an issue, one really needs to make sure they think through the message and how they want to deliver said message prior to getting involved.

If you enter a situation with kindness and humility, odds are you will get same in return. If you come into a situation with anger and hostility, odds are you get same in return. I see it a lot, old man at campground trying to tell others, NOT referring to me, this and that, not sure old man realizes or cares that he is doing nothing to help the situation and only working himself up. I LOL everytime I see it.

Jim, stay thirsty my friend.

[raineman]

Originally Posted by DegoRed

Jim, you completly missed the point I was trying to make Has nothing to do with "the man" or park rules, or trying to excuse someone breaking park rules, I DO NOT agree with breaking park rules nor am I trying to justify bad behavior. I simply trying to offer an alternate view that the OP maybe had not considered. It is very clear to me, that the OP did not help the situation in any shape or form by getting involved, it appears to me he only futher fustrated himself, and got himself worked up for nothing.

Gurantee, if the OP would have walked over to the wedding party with a couple of cold beers, and said, "hey wanted to bring over a beer for the bride and groom, and congradulate them". Then went on to say, "my wife and I have been married for X years, hope you all have a good run like we have had." Guaranteed they would have been saying thanks, stay and have a beer with us, etc. This would have been the perfect time to slip in, "Boy have I got a long day tomorrow, can yall do me a favor and just try to keep the party to low roar tonight". Which they probably would have said were sorry, did not realize we were being too loud, we will try.

Maybe I should have said, when we as fellow campers choose to involve ourselves into other campers business, a lot of times, we will not get the resultes we were originally hoping for, only increase our fustration of the issues, and run the real possibility of injuring ourselves and/or our property along the way. Furthermore, when one chooses to get involved in an issue, one really needs to make sure they think through the message and how they want to deliver said message prior to getting involved.

If you enter a situation with kindness and humility, odds are you will get same in return. If you come into a situation with anger and hostility, odds are you get same in return. I see it a lot, old man at campground trying to tell others, NOT referring to me, this and that, not sure old man realizes or cares that he is doing nothing to help the situation and only working himself up. I LOL everytime I see it.

Jim, stay thirsty my friend.

Wow Dego. Looks like you have taken some significant liberties with my story. You wrongly assumed and then went with the idea that I approached them in a hostile manner. Wasn't the case. Not even close. Why are you so quick to defend the offender without even knowing the facts?

[KennyGolub]

Originally Posted by JimGeorgia

Dego:

One day when you're "the man", this will make sense to you.

Be safe.

X2 ...

[edsperfect]

I think the wedding would be cool. Hell would even go over with a bottle

[Dog Folks]

Originally Posted by halfwright

" A 60 ish something pair of civilians who are basically their to check registrations and sell firewood. They are completely without the will or the authority to try and enforce regulations. "


Sirpurrsival,


It would appear that you have never camp hosted. Camp hosts are told that they are not law or even rule enforcement agents. They can try to talk nicely to rule breakers and are to call the local law enforcement on law breakers. I am one of those 60 ish people you mentioned, but I am 70 ish and have better sense than to try to enforce the law on 3-4 drunken 30 year old punks. If I were to try, I would be over-stepping my bounds and would become a liability to the campground.

Well said. In our nine years of campground hosting, at multiple locations, we were told the same thing. Talk nicely to rule breakers. If the behavior continues call law enforcement or rangers.

We will advise twice, then law enforcement is called.

I am one of those 60ish people mentioned, and am capable of at least holding my own in a physical altercation. But it is just not worth it, the pay scale is just not high enough. Let the younger, better trained, cops handle it.

[datrbone8]

"Hey you kids.... Get off my lawn !!! "

[tikitom]

Starting to think it was a good idea to shell out our money for a private campground membership!

[Jimalberta]

if you find it necessary to call the Police...simply say you think you saw a gun being waved around....they WILL respond.

[Mike and Cha]

Originally Posted by Jimalberta

if you find it necessary to call the Police...simply say you think you saw a gun being waved around....they WILL respond.

Having been in Law Enforcement for over 30 years and retired out as a Captain, I will say two things:

1) It's never good to cry wolf, you should have learned that in kindergarten, did you know that you can be held liable for false reporting(if you know you saw a gun ok, but I think just to get them there is immature at best) and the Cops that are responding may be putting themselves in jeopardy trying to get there to help you, once they arrive no matter how well trained they are they are reacting to information which you have provided them, once they find out you have embellished(and they will) your call for service, they won't kill themselves getting there next time and that may just be the time you need them now.

2) The Camp Hosts are right, don't put yourself in a position where you are intervening in something over your head and ability, like a Domestic Violence, 9 times out of 10 the whole group will turn on you, and now you've entered yourself into the problem. Also let the Rangers or Local Police deal with the drunks, they are trained to do so, and you don't have to worry the rest of the night on what they may do to your Family or Rig.

[BeachDude]

Sorry to hear about your bad experiences raineman!

Your unfortunate experience sounds exactly like the sales pitch for RVResort ownership that I received at Colorado Rver Adventures and Thousand Trails, when they tout how wonderful their private security is.

[Benny367]

This is why I only stay at RV Resorts as I have found the type of behavior the OP cited more common at State parks. I assume it is because the State parks offer fewer amenities and therefore charge a lower price which attracts a different demographic?

[BeachDude]

Originally Posted by Benny367

This is why I only stay at RV Resorts as I have found the type of behavior the OP cited more common at State parks. I assume it is because the State parks offer fewer amenities and therefore charge a lower price which attracts a different demographic?

My experience has been different.

I have never seen anyone get kicked out of a private campground or RVPark for noise complaints, smoking weed, or public intoxication. However, I have seen rangers and local police escort unruly campers out of State and National Parks several times.

While I have been on several private campground and RVPark sales pitch meetings that tout how wonderful their private security is, and how they enforce the rules. In reality they never want to ruffle the feathers of a yearly maintenance fee paying member.

[lesgocampin]

Originally Posted by Benny367

This is why I only stay at RV Resorts as I have found the type of behavior the OP cited more common at State parks. I assume it is because the State parks offer fewer amenities and therefore charge a lower price which attracts a different demographic?

Wi state parks will not tolerate noise breakers . At quiet time if they hear noise from edge of your site you get a warning. They patrol on foot to check noise. Keep it up and they will be watching you pack up and escort you out!

[DegoRed]

Originally Posted by raineman

Why are you so quick to defend the offender without even knowing the facts?

Rainman, Not trying to misrepresent any facts, nor am I trying to argue, no offense intended. TBH I don't give a hoot one way or the other. DO THINK you brought up a great topic, that we as whole country really need to discuss. Am simply trying to throw out alternate views of this topic, which is a great topic, thanks for bringing it up.

I think of myself as a traveler more than a camper. Never stay at a place more than 3 days max, and we probably hit 35 camp grounds per year, and we try to never stay at the same place twice. Have stayed on both coasts and everywhere in between.

I see your OP unfold all the time. There is defiantly a significant shift taking place, no doubt about it. IMO there seems to be 3 groups camping now:
1. Young Group age 18-35ish
2. Middle Age Group age 36-62ish
3. Old Age Group age 62+

All three groups represent completely different generational components, and most of these groups completely different opinions and beliefs.

Really hate to generalize, but we are all supposed to get wiser and smarter as we get older. Too often though I see it play out time after time, old guy/old lady yelling at someone because their dog is loose, or they did not pick up their dog poop, their music is too loud, they are drinking and being loud, etc. A term I hear the kids use all the time, "Don't start no trouble, there won't be no trouble."

Also see this same scenario play out everyday in the work place. Old guy/old lady to ornery to learn, change and adapt. It breaks my heart to see our 55+ just get tossed aside like yesterdays trash, put out on the curb. A lot are just not ready or can't afford to call it quit yet, but because of their own obeisance and failure to change and adapt, they are dooming themselves.

Technology is pushing us ahead at a faster pace than every in history. Changes happen daily, that was not always the case. Rain, you titled this topic the "Me" generation. Do you know the "Me Generation" is the term used for the Baby Boomer generation born between 1946-1964? Thanks for starting this topic up, its one that we should all be thinking about. I am sorry for your troubles, hate for anyone to have to deal with them.

Being a GenX, we are kind of the middle/tweener generation, we see the Baby Boomer generation struggle to adapt and being kicked to the curb at an incredible rate, our grandparents the Traditionalist generation just clueless all together, and our kids generation, the Millennials, consume technology at an incredible rate.

Here is a chart that breaks it all down. GenerationalDifferencesChart