Discrimination at RV Parks

[RobG]

This subject has probably been discussed at length before, but it deserves it again.

I have to say I'm pretty miffed. I've been calling around the Reno area to find some RV parks with monthly rates. Most have them, and that's not the problem. The problem is that they either won't let me stay there because I have a Lance camper, or they won't let me stay there because the other RV available to me, my dad's 1989 Elite, is too old. WTF????

The Elite was a megabuck motorhome in its day. It's gorgeous, and is well-kept. But of course that means nothing to them.

My Lance, likewise, is well-kept and has all the ammenities. But they don't care. It either "projects an air of unkemptness" because it's a camper, or oh my GOD, it might FALL OVER if taken off the truck. Again, WTF???

I would like to contact Good Sam, AAA and other organizations and try to persuede them to stop listing RV parks that discriminate in this fashion. Anybody agree with me? If an RV park wants to turn somebody away because they look trashy, do it on a case by case basis, not arbitrarily.

Rob

[Allegro Happy]

Rob, Are you sure it is because of the camper? Did they say that? I'm sure I'd like the name of those campgrounds so I would NOT give them business.

[RobG]

It's definitely because of the camper, they said so. The lady was nice enough but said that the owner, who doesn't even live in Reno, doesn't allow truck campers. This park is called Bonanza Terrace RV Park and is in Reno, NV.

Then as for my dad's motorhome, the other place said it was because they don't allow any RVs in the park older than 1990. This one is called Victorian RV Park and is in Sparks, NV.

Rob

[Ken Lenger]

RV discrimination seems to be pretty popular and I assume is legal, but it sure stinks. At some point my 5er will be older than allowed in those parks and I have no plans to trade it in just to make them happy. I actually prefer the less "upscale" parks. More homey IMHO.

[ron&nancy]

Hey, What's this all about? We are new to the RV seen and want to know what you are talking about. I mean, if there are limits on the types, size and year of RVs that are allowed in parks, I would like to know the reasons for such restrictions and whether they are public or private parks.

[RobG]

To the best of my knowledge, public parks only "discriminate" based on size of your RV. This is necessary because for example, most of the USFS campgrounds can't handle anything real big. A VERY small trailer or truck camper is about it for RVs (including pop-ups).

For private parks, I can also understand size limitations, but I cannot understand a blanket refusal to allow older units unless the thing looks like it's falling apart. I would be very interested to see some sort of proposed legislation to prevent this, or better yet, as I suggested earlier, get Good Sam and other places to refuse to list the park if they do discriminate.

Rob

[George Miklas]

Rob, You brought up a good point about campground rating organizations. Certainly, age and unit type restrictions should be listed along with the ratings. You wouldn't want to plan a trip around using a Woodall's directory just to find out that you're discriminated against only when you arrive.

But I have to ask....are these restrictions imposed only for long-term tenancy? or are they imposed on nightly tenancy as well?

Get yourself a website and promote your cause. I'm sure that you'll find many folks in agreement listing restrictions.

George

[TXiceman]

My 5er will be offically 10 years old in about 6 weeks and it is in better shape than a lot of the new stuff we see at the shows now. Wonder what that stuff will look like in 10 years? I guess the next step will be to move it back to nothing over 7 years old and next wil be 5 years old.

I guess all of us driving or toting all of the old stuff will all get to camp togerher.

Ken

[Jim Gehlen]

Check out Boomtown just west of Reno. Against the back wall they have sites for monthlies with phone hookups at your expense thru the phone company. Overall, not a bad place. Buffets are good too.

[Lorna]

I think it is mostly for long term camping rather than nightly or weekend stays. Both Shipp's (aka "Pirate's") and Holiday Travel Park in Chattanooga TN refused us (sight unseen) based on the age of our pop-up. Even though I have seen pop-up & other RV's over 10 yr old there during the summer. As a result, I refuse to ever stay at either place, I have posted several times about our experience with them, I refuse to buy ANYTHING from Pirate's....ummm, Shipp's (they sell "parts" and are now a Camping World but I still won't buy from them). I refuse to reccomend those 2 campgrounds as a place to stay (along with another Chattanooga campground but that's because of how we were treated there). We will still be in the same situation after we sell the pop-up to upgrade to the bus conversion as the pop-up is 2 yrs newer than the bus. Of course we could pull what Marathon does and simple list the year we finished the conversion as the age of the bus! So that would be 2005 (hopefully) or since a conversion is never really finsihed it would be new every year! . Hey, since I've remodeled the Apache pop-up does that mean it's new too? The last of the cabinets will be finished over the winter. So that would make my 1974 Apache a 2005 Apache? I've never had to show my title, so how would they know?


BTW, a lot of the Public campgrounds can handle larger RV's than what they list on the various websites. Many of them have been upgraded over the years but the "size limitations" have never been publically upped. Many of the public parks that we have stayed at/visited can handle 40 ft RV's (and up) but by not listing it, it keeps folks out who tend to be unable to handle their new Rv's. I also suspect it is done to give the "budget" crowd a place to stay as opposed to staying in the exclusive RV "parks". A few of the campgrounds on the Blue Ridge Parkway are the only ones I know of that truly can't handle the larger RV's. If you are planning on trying to pull into a public campground that has size limits listed, call the campground itself or the district park ranger (not the reservation place) and ask them.


We tend to prefer public campgrounds (they have TREES) and like to drive thru ones that we are near to list which sites would worok for us and whether we can get into the parks in the first place.

[Glenn & Lorraine]

We are fulltiming and in the past 13 months, from NY to FL and back again, we have camped in 43 campgrounds and I can only recall one ever asking the age of my rig.

I have been to many a cg that did not allow pets and some that did not allow pop ups or tents. Some had restrictions on length but with one exception none had a problem with the age.

[George Miklas]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Lorna:
...Of course we could pull what Marathon does and simple list the year we finished the conversion as the age of the bus! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Lorna, all RV manufacturers do this, School Bus body manufactures used to do it too. WARPATH's 2003 Showhauler was titled 2003 Motor Home, but was built on a 1995 Freightliner FL120 chassis with 500,000 miles! Somewhere, I read that a major RV manufacturer had built new motor homes on 1996 chassis, titling the motor homes 2000 model year.

George

[TXiceman]

Lorna, I'm with you on the trees. Too many of the newer places are so barren you might as well stay at Wal-Mart. Talked with one new campground owner and he said most of the folks in the big buses and monster 5ers, wanted no trees as it blocked the sat. signal and they had sap and bird doo all over the rig.

I'll keep the trees, portable sat. dish and scrub the rig...thank you very much.

Ken

[pegdiver]

We have been asked the age of our MH a few times - then when we 'pass' - we go in and find the oldest pieces of trash in seasonal sites.
Can't figure it out!
Figure if they don't want us, they aren't worth staying at.