Community Forums

RanCarr · 11-05-2012, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colorado Kay

I don't think many realize the fun of RVing for one thing, but I also wonder if "driving such a big rig" might have most in fear.

Big rig? I think you're assuming they would start with a big rig where most people we know didn't. They started more or less like we did and moved to larger rigs over time. Look at all the people who "move up" right here on this Forum. The person's race or color wouldn't have anything to do with the size of the rig they start with.

Quote:

I know a few A-Americans who are RVing and they told me they took classes after classes while their new 40' sat at the dealers for almost two years before they took it home and it the road. Now, they live fulltime in it. The couple = married doctors retired.

I'm not sure what that has to do with so few minorities into camping or traveling in RVs.

Did I miss something?

Gary RVRoamer · 11-05-2012, 05:24 AM

We encounter RVers of various races wherever we go (we spend about 5 months/year in the RV). Not in proportion to the national race demographics, to be sure, but definitely out there and enjoying their RVs.

I think the reasons are those that were already cited here, e.g. a relative lack of exposure to RVing and camping-style recreation, with some financial status thrown in. For example, many such people are big city dwellers and they are not heavily-represented in the ranks of RVers either.

lgarcia · 11-05-2012, 06:11 AM

Like everywhere else in life, someone may be a "person of colour" and it may not be apparent to those outside looking in - if by person of colour you mean those not entirely of western European descent. (Think Elizabeth Warren, of whom it was said by her political opponent that one could tell by looking at her that she was not of Native American ancestry.)

That said, my experience is similar to TEEGEE1997. My dad took us camping back in the 1960's in a pop-up Bethany camper. It was a good option for a family with four kids. My dad was an aeronautical charts supervisor with the Coast & Geodedic Survey -which later became NOAA - and he could save up his government vacation so that every four years or so, we took a super duper long vacation from Maryland to El Paso, Texas to see his folks. We went by way of Mexico City, the Badlands, or the Grand Canyon, but we always ended at my grandparents dining room table where it was a kick to hear everyone talking in Spanish.

I thought the camping gene had skipped a generation, but I got hooked late in life and took it up this year. I intend to recreate this camping experience for my grandkids - one of which is of Mexican ancestry from DD and Native American ancestry from DSIL and has blond hair/blue eyes.

tncruiser · 11-05-2012, 07:16 AM

i find this poll repugnet
by the way if we are going to bring "coloreds" in to the discussion remember clarence thomas not only rv's he also has reportedly wally docked
mr canuck in the us most of us have gotten over a 1875 mindset
brianj "former canadien" who remembers when canuck was as offensive as colour(ed)

Gary RVRoamer · 11-05-2012, 07:25 AM

I don't think anybody here is suggesting that "persons of colour" should not be RVing. Some folks are just wondering why we don't see more.

As an interesting sidelight, the native Chinese are apparently flocking to RVs as their middle class grows in China. That suggests that affluence and time (for recreation) is a significant factor in who chooses to go RVing.

SarahW · 11-05-2012, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tncruiser

i find this poll repugnet
by the way if we are going to bring "coloreds" in to the discussion remember clarence thomas not only rv's he also has reportedly wally docked
mr canuck in the us most of us have gotten over a 1875 mindset
brianj "former canadien" who remembers when canuck was as offensive as colour(ed)

I agree with you. This conversation makes me uncomfortable and a bit disgusted. I don't see the point of it, and I don't care for the expression "colored people." We are all just PEOPLE.

Scarab0088 · 11-05-2012, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarahW

I agree with you. This conversation makes me uncomfortable and a bit disgusted. I don't see the point of it, and I don't care for the expression "colored people." We are all just PEOPLE.

Well said

Sky_Boss · 11-05-2012, 08:58 AM

I don't find the question "repugnant" at all. Not sure about the feelings about use of "colour" only because it does seem a bit archaic but I think the OP (and probably most of us) went into an area that does challenge their personal comfort in this areas.

I don't think this just boils down to ethnics based on skin color but much more complex issues. Certainly cultural differences based on economics, customs, social norms and such all play a part in the demographics of any activity. As an example, professional poker players were predominately male and white but today's pros are much more representative of overall social demographics.

How many folks of "colour" are NASCAR fans? Certainly not "NIL" but not nearly to the level of other pro sports. Face it, some of the NASCAR fans clearly don't appear to be overly friendly to "outsiders". Ask Jeff Gordon. LOL. I site that as an example of social norms and think about it...are there any minority drivers of significant numbers?

I think the OP asks a valid question. If we find it repugnant as it was asked, I wonder if it is because it just makes us uneasy? Just because it might be uncomfortable doesn't automatically make it repugnant. Nor does it make us (at least at the personal level) less than accepting of all like minded, considerate camping/RV/MH enthusiasts. It just challenges us on how open minded we are when we are asked to answer a tough question on the spot.

And to answer the OP directly...

I have NEVER seen a non-white person in an RV...yet. Then again, given my limited CG experience, the odds are small that I would have...yet. Why yet? Because in all my RV dealership visits I have only seen a VERY SMALL % of non-white visitors to those dealerships. That seems to me to be a fair observation and prima facie evidence to support the OP's observations and thus the question.

I'm just sayin'...

Sky_Boss · 11-05-2012, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarahW

I agree with you. This conversation makes me uncomfortable and a bit disgusted. I don't see the point of it, and I don't care for the expression "colored people." We are all just PEOPLE.

Why does it make you disgusted? Uncomfortable is understandable. RVing attitudes and participation are only a natural extension of any country's population.

Consider this...are we all just "people"? We are Left and Right, majorities and minorities, men and women, gay and straight... There is no way we can homogenize those differences.

Granted, RVing will probably never be the greatest measurement of equality for all. The best it can be is one of many indicators of cultural norms. Even then I would suggest it also is an indicator of economic norms.

As I have already said, I suspect the question itself is not a bad question but is more a gut check of what our first reactions to that question are. It isn't as simple a question as it appears at first glance.

CD · 11-05-2012, 09:13 AM

I agree with Sky Boss. I have tent camped/RVed since the 40's and I don't have any specific memory of any non whites in RVs. Having said that I don't doubt that I have seen many but didn't notice because like Sarah said "they are just people". What I do notice (regardless of race/color) is the people that are a "pain in the B!!!".

SarahW · 11-05-2012, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky_Boss

Why does it make you disgusted? Uncomfortable is understandable. RVing attitudes and participation are only a natural extension of any country's population.

Consider this...are we all just "people"? We are Left and Right, majorities and minorities, men and women, gay and straight... There is no way we can homogenize those differences.

Granted, RVing will probably never be the greatest measurement of equality for all. The best it can be is one of many indicators of cultural norms. Even then I would suggest it also is an indicator of economic norms.

As I have already said, I suspect the question itself is not a bad question but is more a gut check of what our first reactions to that question are. It isn't as simple a question as it appears at first glance.

I don't know why it disgusts me; it just does. You don't have to agree with me, but I'm entitled to my opinion.

Sky_Boss · 11-05-2012, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarahW

I don't know why it disgusts me; it just does. You don't have to agree with me, but I'm entitled to my opinion.

I never said you weren't entitled to your opinion. I don't think I asked that question in a disrespectful manner. Perhaps if I alluded to why "anyone" would be "disgusted" it would make it clear that I wasn't really trying to challenge you as an individual but as a proxy for others with similar, squeamish reactions to the question at hand.

CD · 11-05-2012, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarahW

I don't know why it disgusts me; it just does. You don't have to agree with me, but I'm entitled to my opinion.

Sarah. You are so right. We all have opinions and that doesn't make us right or wrong.
I just remembered that we met a couple at the NW Meet & Greet last spring that was from Hawaii. Very nice people. Never gave it a thought that they may be non white.

Francesca · 11-05-2012, 09:31 AM

This question plain puzzles me....I spent a few minutes turning my travels over in my mind, and can't think of any time when I actually noticed what color other RVers/campers are.

Qualifier:
Though I suppose pigeonholed by some as " a person of no color", I myself am "beige" due to the long ago marriage of my Great Great Grands, one of whom was Native Chilean.