Community Forums

jzick · 07-26-2013, 06:31 AM

We ate breakfast a couple months ago at a truck stop, and happened to sit near a large table full of obvious truckers talking and joking pretty loudly. One of their big laughs was when one of them described how he had "accidentally" scraped a motorhome slide out extended for the night in a rest stop parking slot. He though it great fun to describe the old man and old lady rushing out in their night clothes with their dog in tow. I was pretty taken aback by the animosity from that table about rvs and them "taking up truck spaces" at rest stops and truck areas. After listening to this, if I were going to extend a slide it would extend into an area where no other vehicle could pull beside me. JMHO.

MRUSA14 · 07-26-2013, 06:50 AM

Common sense and courtesy are essential here. I use Walmarts maybe 10 nights a year. Always park with slideouts over a curb on the perimeter of the lot so that nobody can pass me on the slideout side. I try not to use jacks but sometimes you have to, if only to protect your refrigerator from damage. I NEVER put jacks down without a board under them to protect the asphalt. A jack can punch through the asphalt on no time, especially when it's hot. How can you take advantage of somebody's hospitality and then damage their property?

If you don't have boards to put under your jacks, get them. Mine are 2 X 12 X 12's screwed together with the woodgrain perpendicular to each other. Makes a 3 1/2" high heavy duty jack pad that both protects the asphalt, and helps me to level when I encounter a campsite that is too far out of whack for my jacks.

I really appreciate what Walmart does for RVers. The convenience is a real game-changer when you are on a trip and just want to stop for the night and then move on. People, please do not endanger this great privilege.

greezykid · 07-26-2013, 06:54 AM

Most stay on outer limits of parking lot, I cannot see where slide creates any problem.

topdownman · 07-26-2013, 07:02 AM

I stay in a lot of Walmart lots while traveling, but never in a rest area. I too, park on the perimeter of the lot with the slideout facing an outside curb so that it's not in anyones way. Also, I just dump my airbags and don't use the jacks. That gives me enough stability. I have to use my bedroom slide or it's really hard to get into the bed. Just use good sense and try to be as inconspicious as possible. And, always shop in the store.

hdossett · 07-26-2013, 07:14 AM

You must be new here!

There is an ongoing "Battle of the WM vs. non WM" parker/camper!

It is bad form because we have lots of self appointed rule makers here and they think it is in bad taste. This applies to any group with more than two people. If two people disagree, they are no longer a group, but if three people disagree, the two that agree remain as a group.

In my opinion WM decides what is allowed in their parking lot, not the self appointed "WM Parking Police." As far as rest areas go, if you can slide between the lines, go for it. May be a little tougher with opposing slides!

But, that's just my opinion! If I say what I really think, I would get edited!

H.

clyon51 · 07-26-2013, 07:20 AM

We don't do WM, but do use rest areas on occasion and mainly stay at Pilot/FJ while enroute. Anywhere there are painted parking lines, I just keep the rig between them. My space and I'll fill it as much as I want

I can only remember one time I couldn't put our 3' slide all the way out, but I got it out 2' and that was good enough. As others, I will pick the spot on the very end or way in the back. We do that mostly because of the doggies, but also keeps the slide away from high traffic areas.

Triker56 · 07-26-2013, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clyon51

We don't do WM, but do use rest areas on occasion and mainly stay at Pilot/FJ while enroute. Anywhere there are painted parking lines, I just keep the rig between them. My space and I'll fill it as much as I want

I can only remember one time I couldn't put our 3' slide all the way out, but I got it out 2' and that was good enough.

I haven't been at any Flying J yet that the RV parking spots are marked wide enough to put a slide out.
When you park and get out of the MH, the steps go over the marked line.

Room for a 3' slide?

Not even sure if both mirrors are inside the painted lines.

TXiceman · 07-26-2013, 07:56 AM

The problem is a lot of RVs are designed so that most of the RV is unusable with the slides in. I know on ours, I can get to the bathroom and refrigerator. We can crawl onto the bed and access the hanging clothes, but none of the dresser drawers willopen. The living area is totally not accessible.

But as noted, the use of Walmart and rest stops is being abused and RVers are being restricted more and more to the inexcusable rudeness of some RVers that feel it is a place to CAMP, and not for just a few hours sleep.

My feelings is if you need to do more than just catch a few hour shut eye and have to open up the RV, pay the $$$ and go find a campground.

Ken

clyon51 · 07-26-2013, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triker56

I haven't been at any Flying J yet that the RV parking spots are marked wide enough to put a slide out.
When you park and get out of the MH, the steps go over the marked line.

Room for a 3' slide?

Not even sure if both mirrors are inside the painted lines.

We never stay in the RV lot and never have. We travel the I-75 corridor between Mi and Fl, I think only 3 have RV lots. We did check one out once and it was too small and crowded.

We only pick Pilots with 150+ parking spaces. We always stop no later than 5pm where you have your pick. We always stay far in the back and on the end. The few times this didn't happen, the truck spaces are very wide and handles our rig with slide out just fine. Oh, always wear a Peterbuilt hat back there

Sky_Boss · 07-26-2013, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onourway2013

We have a Walmart in Northeast PA that doesn't allow truckers and Rv in their parking lot. It was just built about a year ago, and they put up a height restrictor. RV and trucks can now not go through.

As another said, it may be W/M policy to allow parking over night but many municipalities are passing ordinances against this. W/M can not control those issues.

Sky_Boss · 07-26-2013, 08:32 AM

It would be considered rude to extend jacks and damage the pavement.

Stan.Birch · 07-26-2013, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdossett

It is bad form because we have lots of self appointed rule makers here and they think it is in bad taste. This applies to any group with more than two people. If two people disagree, they are no longer a group, but if three people disagree, the two that agree remain as a group.

In my opinion WM decides what is allowed in their parking lot, not the self appointed "WM Parking Police."

Exactly!!

And these are the written rules handed to us when overnighting at WalMart in a Kelowna BC Shopping Centre; and there is no mention of slides:

Orchard Park Shopping Centre
Kelowna, BC

For your convenience, self-contained units are permitted to park on our property under the following conditions:

1. Overnight parking is permitted for one night only.

2. Parking is restricted to the perimeter of the parking lot. No parking is permitted on landscaped areas.

3. All activities such as cooking, eating etc., must be done inside the vehicle. Picnic tables, lawn chairs, tents, etc., are not permitted on the property.

4. Dumping of garbage on the property is not permitted. All waste material must be kept within the vehicle.

5. Plugging into light poles is not permitted.

6. Trailers are not to be disconnected.

We reserve the right to ask you to removed your vehicle from the property at any time and for any reason whatsoever.

Wayne M · 07-26-2013, 08:45 AM

Using the refrigerator as an excuse to level with jacks is not very solid since the refrigerator will operate at 6 degrees front door to back of refrigerator, and 3 degrees side to side. If that situation arises it would be better to move to another location. The jacks may not help completely.

Wayne M · 07-26-2013, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stan.Birch

....................

4. Dumping of garbage on the property is not permitted. All waste material must be kept within the vehicle.

..............

If they would just hand those rules out to all the other Walmart shoppers, and they need to include dirty diapers.

Common sense is the keyword.

As time goes on, and RV'ers are blamed for any "on-goings" after a night in the parking lot, the extended courtesy of Walmart will diminish. It is not going to matter if it is the RV'er or not, just another car that pulls up and dumps some garbage where the RV was parked will label the RV as the culprit.

It's just a matter of time.

Happy trails.

(Never have slept in a Walmart or Rest Stop parking lot, nor a truck stop. Am I missing something?)