Idling his diesel for an hour and a half!!!!!!!!!!!

[FIRE UP]

Well Folks,
This subjects been covered just a few times on here and, I've even brought it up once in a while. But, this is just plain STUPID! We're camping here in Williams AZ and this morning, a gent fires up his 40+ foot diesel fairly new coach. Pretty sure it was a Newel. We were outside, TRYING to enjoy the nice morning, talking with some newly met friends camping close to us. This guy had his engine running for over 20 minutes BEFORE he even stepped outside of his coach, to BEGIN wrapping up all the stuff laid out for camping, shore power cord, garden hose, sewage hose etc.

He then very slowly and PRECISELY, bled his garden hose and coiled it is if he was going to use a micrometer to measure each coil. That took him around 10 minutes. Then he had to place it ever so perfectly in the compartment. I'd have thought Newels had power rewind hoses. Even our Itasca Horizon has that. Anyway, he then again, very methodically, made sure there was no residual inside his sewage hose by picking it up, every two to three inches, and making sure that any drop of waste, was surely to flow down hill, to the exit. That operation also took around 10 minutes.

Then, he FOLDED that sewage hose in 1/2, PRECISELY, and put some sort of clamps on it, to hold in the folded position, never seen that. He then put it away, also taking a minute or two for that. Now, by this time, the coach has been idling for oh, maybe 45-50 minutes or so. He was beginning to attract audiences from various folks at their spots.

Once he was totally packed up, and ready to move, the coach has been idling for right at an hour. He had an enclosed trailer that he paid to have in the spot next to him. He pulled out of his spot and, had to circle the park, to get aligned with that trailer. His wife who exited a Cadillac Escalade, that was hooked up to a very long flat bed NEW aluminum trailer which, had a Jeep TJ strapped down on it, was standing by the trailer tongue which, we all assumed was going to guide him in backing to line up and hook up.

Well, backward, forward, backward, forward, backward forward, etc. along with her guidance, finally got aligned with the trailer ball on the coach. This process took around 20 minutes. And, by the way, due to his length of that coach, he was completely blocking the that isle and folks had to go around to get into and out of their spots and some were leaving with trailers which, made for some really tight turns because, the way the park is laid out, like many, everyone is camped in a given direction so, when you normally pull out, you make a slight turn and you're headed out.

But, folks had to make an almost 120 degree turn out of there spot or, very very carefully, back out of a "pull through" to exit the parking spot.

In the end, as he pulled out with his trailer in tow, and his wife following, he'd been idling that coach for well over an hour and a half. Heck, I was tired watching him and had to take a break from my standing and TRYING to hold a conversation with our neighbors.

Folks, each camper has to decide what's important, what procedure to use for packing up, and also, in a crowded camping area or RV park such as the one we were/are in, and folks sitting outside drinking coffee or juice and trying to enjoy a nice rain-free morning, and here he was, idling and idling and idling and idling. I watched as folks threw down their magazines or news paper and and climbed back into their coach 'cause they couldn't enjoy a nice morning. What can one say?

Our coach is a diesel. When it comes time to pack and head out, I do everything there is to do which includes putting away everything I have out, chairs, mats, hoses, shore power cords, and anything else, AND, I hook up our Jeep, ALL without the engine running. Then, I start the engine and at the same time hit the "STORE" button on our HWH control panel which, automatically brings up the jacks and inflates the bags.

That process is complete and, the green light for "TRAVEL" is lit at approximately 3-4 minutes after I start the engine. I then put it in DRIVE and head out. Oh well, you gotta take life as it's dished out.
Scott

[Superburban]

Once he was blocking the road, I would have quick pulled out, and waited for him to get out of my way. Maybe give him a guilt trip, without saying a word. Yea, you are right, probably would not have phased him. Jerks will be jerks.

[windsorbill]

that is sure unfortunate that has to happen. Maybe naive? Maybe 'Better than Thou"? Who knows.

[BFlinn181]

The big difference is you care, Scott, and your departed neighbor doesn't think of anyone but himself. I've seen similar folks, not as long as your experience, but they 'warm up' their engine for an extended time, way more than airing up would take. I used to see the same thing in marinas, some would start their engines and let them idle for 20 minutes or more before pulling out of the slip. You can't make people care just as you can't fix stupid.

[Winepress]

Very detailed description of the events. It’s a process, some are better than others.

[Lt Dan]

I try to do as you outlined Scott. Everything is stowed before I crank up, then I pull in the slides, hit the store and do a last walk around. As soon as the jacks are up, I pull out in five or six minutes tops. Unfortunately we are living in a self centered society where a lot of people think everything revolves around them and they don't care what anyone else thinks. One almost as bad was an elderly gentleman a couple of years ago who had a Liberty coach or similar. Three or four times a day he would crank up that Cat engine and let it idle for about 15 minutes then shut it off.

[Spk64]

I am also in the camp of don’t start the rattling diesel until we are fully ready to take off. I do my final walk around verify coach made it to ride height and purge was made. Then it’s put it in gear and take off. Less than 5 minutes these days, prior to fixing my leaks it took longer as tanks leaked down all the way.

[WinnieView]

Karma has a way of catching up with people.

One of three days during one our trips this summer in a fairly small canyon campground a large family decided there was no 'harm' in running their construction-grade generator for several hours straight. The only fraction of time it was off was each time they had to refuel it. You start thinking great, they are shutting it off finally. Nope, another two hours of noise.

[Superburban]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

You can't make people care

He who finds a way, will have the world by the balls. In the meantime, look out for those that do care, and nurture them to their best capability.


Similar advice is what I gave to the young lieutenants, and NCO's.


I'll take 1/2 a company of untrained soldiers who care, over a full strength company of soldiers who do not give a damm about anything but themselves.


Sorry, just a quick flashback.

[TMan59]

He gave you something to write about.
There’s that.

[96 Wideglide]

Not my method of leaving a park, but I guess it's his!

Who cares ?

[les.warden]

Originally Posted by 96 Wideglide

Not my method of leaving a park, but I guess it's his!



Who cares ?

Sounds like many surrounding him cared.

[les.warden]

I may have been tempted to ask him if there was a reason he idled so long, and did he know it’s normally, according to the engine manufacturers, harder on the newer DP engines and could shorten their lifespan. He might have been somewhat a newbie to the MH world and DP and may have appreciated the insight.
If not a newbie, well, maybe that’s someone who’s unaware of their surroundings. Predators like those kind. [emoji15]

[twinboat]

Hopefully, you will never enconter him again. Water under the bridge.