Walmart's Parking

[Lorna]

Originally Posted by N1Rigger

...If those people leave their vehicle unattended and come back to find it gone that's what they get for leaving the vehicle unattended...

I have often seen large RV trailers sitting unhooked in the WalMart parking lots as well as RV's with the toads gone. In the town we are at right now, you would be hard put to find any restaurant that will accommodate a large RV much less with tow /toad. I do take that back. Arby's is able to handle large RVs & trailers. Don't eat there. Pull into WalMart, unhook and go find a restaurant.

[allegro5]

Kinda fun reading all the thinkings! Never bothers me to see RVs staying the night at Wallys. Still be cool! If the Powers that be see to much abuse we will be out of luck! After all, it isnt yours and it isnt a Campground! Show a tad of respect and we all will not offend Wally! Remember, CG owners and locals are the ones to point out when the place starts looking like a Rally or an Amusement Park! We stop when we need some real sleep, and dont like to make a show of testing peoples anger! Hope our people dont spoil it for us all! allegro5

[donald.bradl]

We’ve never ever heard of anyone’s RV being broken into outside at a Walmart parking. We’ve left ours open and attended so many times.

[tncruiser]

Originally Posted by mick

Yesterday, in an attempt to be humorous and advance the wal mart thread, I apparently used little sense in my post. If anyone took it other than a bad attempt to be funny and amusing, MY MOST HUMBLE APPOLOGIES.

I shall endeavor in the future to of less stupid and engage brain before exercising fingers.

Thank you for your understanding.

will that leave me as the one who should say dumb things
brianj

[Madrona]

My mother-in-law lives in Eastern Washington, we live in Western Washington. She is in a small town with a nice big Wal-Mart. We always stay in the parking lot when we are visiting her. We have lots of company each night, always 6-10 RV's and maybe a couple semi's. Anything we need is just a few steps away and open 24-hours. We see all kinds of RV's, expensive class A's, moderate towables and people sleeping in cars. No one bothers anyone that I have ever seen. It's relatively quiet and the lights on the posts in the area we park are always out, I think intentionally. Those with slides have them extended, jacks are down. I've never seen an awning out but on the last visit there were two women sitting in lawn chairs outside their coach. I noticed that because it was different, but I wasn't offended. The more I think about it, I may be just a little bothered by it, but the area is so low-key, I doubt if anyone minded. Most in that area, Omak, just mind their own business. I have to admit, there are a couple things I really like about spending the night at WM. I love coming out in the morning and walking around with my cup of coffee, often waving to other RV's as they pass. It just feels unique being in such a busy/ business area while experiencing my morning ritual. Also, being able to tell others that I took a shower in the WM parking lot, just to see the look on their faces. When we travel in the Monaco, we do just that, travel. We live in the woods, acreage with nothing but trees. We are not really interested in camping in a similar situation. But we do like to see the sights from high above the traffic. For us, it's the only way to travel. So, travel all day, see the sights, spend the night at WM or similar. Why not? It fits us to a T!

[Lorna]

Originally Posted by Madrona

...on the last visit there were two women sitting in lawn chairs outside their coach. I noticed that because it was different, but I wasn't offended. The more I think about it, I may be just a little bothered by it...

And why does that bother you or anybody. We sit in our lawn chairs in the parking lots. We don't care for the air conditioner and usually it's cooler outside. We don't care for sitting down on the dirty asphalt. I don't think David could get back up if he did sit down on the asphalt. The chairs fold up and get set back inside the RV when we leave the camper or go inside. Personally, I would find you a bit creepy if you were wandering around peeking at the various RV's... what are you looking for? People traveling alone? No dogs to bark at you when you try to break in? Looking to see what kind of stuff you can steal? Or are you just a common Peeping Tom? Or just an RVer drinking their coffee looking at where the other rigs are from?

When we sit outside, we have folks stop and ask us all kinds of questions about RVing, traveling and if we will sell them a hot dog (NO)... which often leads to more questions. No one has ever said anything negative to us about sitting outside in lawn chairs or staying overnight in a parking lot in the first place. I often tell them about various websites to go to on RVing (or skoolies since we get a lot of questions on it too).

[Madrona]

Originally Posted by Lorna

And why does that bother you or anybody. We sit in our lawn chairs in the parking lots.

Well, it doesn't bother me THAT much, it's just that it's a parking lot and seeing people sitting in chairs in a parking lot is, well, somewhat out of place.

Personally, I would find you a bit creepy if you were wandering around peeking at the various RV's... what are you looking for? People traveling alone? No dogs to bark at you when you try to break in? Looking to see what kind of stuff you can steal? Or are you just a common Peeping Tom?

Wow! Creepy, huh? I'm sorry if I implied I walk around "peeking" at or in RV's. I park at the edge of the lot. There is a highway there. There are RV's driving down the highway. I raise my coffee cup as acknowledgment to some like-minded people. I'm not looking for lone RVer's, dogs or anything to steal. I'm not a Peeping Tom.

Or just an RVer drinking their coffee looking at where the other rigs are from?

Yeah, I might look at some license plates if I can see them without approaching. I value my privacy/personal space and show the same respect to others.

[Route 66]

OK folks, let's knock off the personal comments as they are not in keeping with our Mission Statement or our rules.

[Lorna]

That was not a "personal" comment. But that may be how others perceive what you are doing. I am very aware of folks walking/driving near us when we are in a parking lot. But while you (and others here on this board) may be pre-judging some folks, those same folks may be taking a very good look at you and pre-judging YOU! Those ladies in the lawn chairs... may have said... "Hey, did you see that car? The person in it was looking at us! That's the second time they drove past and they were looking BOTH TIMES! We'd better keep the gun loaded tonight... just in case" (How would I ever think that someone would think like that???? Try personal experience)

You never know about other folks and what they may be thinking or doing. Give them the benefit of the doubt and you may want to keep a little distance. Bad people don't often look bad and really nice folks often look scary after being on the road for a long time.

On edit: I don't have a gun... I don't carry one in our RV... It's not loaded... trust me... because if I have a gun, I can't stay in State Parks with a gun.

[jobriant]

Originally Posted by ImagineIF

... If you stay in non resort parks it might cost you $25 a night. That's about the same as running the generator for the evening, not accounting for wear and tear....

I consider $25/night pretty reasonable for an RV park. The RV parks near here run anywhere from $40/night to $90/night (the latter also having a 3-night minimum on Holiday weekends).

Our generator (5.5 Kw Onan) uses about 1/3 of a gallon per hour. If we run it for a couple of hours in the evening (for TV etc.) and an hour in the morning (DW must have coffee, you know), that's about a gallon of gas, or about $3 at current California prices.

We are also careful not to run the generator if there are residences adjacent to the Walmart lot, which is sometimes the case.

[jobriant]

Regarding Rest Areas:

Originally Posted by Wayne M

If the sign says "No Overnight Parking," can you spend eight hours of the day catching some "resting time."

It will depend on the state. Some states permit non-commercial vehicles to park for no more than 2, 3 or 4 hours. Others allow parking for up to 24 hours, and most of the rest are somewhere in between. Thus, you need to spend the time researching each state's rules, or find a source that has already done that for you.

[jobriant]

Originally Posted by Lorna

I have often seen ... RV's with the toads gone ... in the WalMart parking lots ...

Unfortunately, these Walmart threads seem to include a lot of jumping to conclusions -- people assuming they know what's going on, based on what they see. You may be making just this kind of inaccurate assumption.

Our Class A motorhome has the tow bar attached to the trailer hitch. But we sometimes make trips without our toad -- but with the tow bar.

It appears you'd assume, upon seeing our rig in a Walmart lot, that we'd left the motorhome and taken off in the toad. But it's far more likely that we're either inside the rig or inside the store.

[jobriant]

Originally Posted by Lorna

And why does that bother you or anybody. We sit in our lawn chairs in the parking lots.

It bothers a LOT of people to see lawn furniture, BBQ's and/or awnings in use when RVers are parking overnight in parking lots.

Many major RVing organizations have adopted a "Good Neighbor Policy" regarding courtesy and etiquette when parking overnight at Walmart, another retail location, or any other parking lot.

You can find a copy at:

Overnight parking etiquette

It's also downloadable as a PDF file at:

http://fmca.com/images/stories/pdf/b...ing_letter.pdf

One of the items on the list is:

No awnings, chairs, or barbecue grills outside your RV.

The visual appearance of camping (with some or all of the common accoutrements of setting up a campsite) instead of parking overnight (visually indistinguishable from parking to shop) is important in preserving the Overnight RV Parking privilege.

Please don't use chairs, BBQ's or awnings when parking overnight at Walmart or in similar "blacktop boondocking" locations.

[georgetown350]

I dont need the FMCA to explain common sense to me. People draw their own lines in the sand and then expect everyone else to follow their example. I invite anyone to come over to me at a Walmart and express their displeasure in what im doing. I will be the one sitting in a lawn chair reading a book waiting for my wife to finish shopping so we can get rolling towards the next Walmart.