Walmart

[MisterT]

With much, much experience and years 'overnighting' at Walmarts, when convenient, I can help lay this conversation or discussion to rest...

- yes, it's up to each store to decide how they 'allow' overnighting of RVs, motorhomes, or even personal vehicles. But, it's unlikely even then that they will police the situation very well, because, yes, they do not want criticism from the RVing community.

- yes, it's up to each town, or local area, to decide if ordinances prohibiting the overnighting of RVs are warranted. This is why you will see many Walmarts with the 'No Semi Parking', or 'No RV overnight parking' signs posted in their parking lots. Walmart DID NOT decide to put these there, it is NOT there rule, it is the 'local' ordinance, and only enforced by local authorities, not by Walmart, and that's ONLY if local authorities find it in any way a needed part of their schedule of things of importance to do. I doubt that you'll ever see it.

- yes, some Walmarts have a 'security patrol' type, or vehicle, that regularly makes the rounds. I've never found this to be a bent against overnight RVing, just a security measure for the benefit of Walmart and it's customers, especially in some metro areas. You'll not find it very often, and if you are concerned, speak to them nicely and I believe you'll find they are not there to 'run you off', but to manage the parking areas only. We found the security vehicle at the Asheville, NC store, right on the Susquahanna River, to be most accommodating, even to the point that he congratulated us on our overnight stay, and asked if there was anything we needed!

- yes, some folks will 'abuse' the privilege of the use of a large open parking lot, and therefore we get the ordinances that show at some of the stores.
Semi trucks are also to blame, as they use these as their personal parking areas, either the overnight themselves, or because they are required to park their vehicle for at least a 10 hour period, due to DOT Commercial Driving rules(don't ask me how I know, but I am a licensed CDL holder, and the HoursOfService rules are ridiculous! They MUST park when a certain time has elapsed, NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE). But, this leads to local ordinances to try to keep them off private property.

- Asking politely sometimes brings unwarranted responses from management. Local managers don't always really understand how to respond when a request to 'overnight' is made. Many have a kneejerk reaction and say NO.
Some are seasoned and realize who their customers are, and are glad to oblige, if only you park 'somewhere out there away from everyone else', and don't stay too long, and buy something in the store, and don't make any noise, and don't put your awning out, etc, etc.
Most, though, just don't 'care', which is not necessarily a bad thing, it's just not on their to-do list to worry about. What's in the store is there concern.

- Local officials aren't looking to run away good people from parking lots. Yes, sometimes the ordinances are there, and if you ask they may send you on, but most of the time they are not there to start trouble, only to end it. You are NOT their concern.
Large coaches, especially newer ones, are more of a 'sightseeing' ride by for them, and they are probably not concerned that someone that travels in an 'expensive' home on wheels is there to cause trouble.

- Asking forgiveness, versus asking for permission... you get the idea.
Someone can tell you 'NO' much easier if you ask, versus them going out of their way to knock on your door and tell you the same.

Ignorance is bliss, not illegal, just bliss.

!!!!! Tell Walmart you APPRECIATE them !!!

[biggcrisp]

Originally Posted by ThePowells

I don't know about robot, the the call center is in the foreign country of Arkansas, so the language would be a dialect of redneck. Failing that I do have a working knowledge of Klingon and would tell them "Hab SoSlI' Quch!" as I hung up.

No one is calling corporate because phones have stopped working, pink-skin...


JK about the ps

Star Trek joke

[GoneToTheDog]

- Asking forgiveness, versus asking for permission... you get the idea. Someone can tell you 'NO' much easier if you ask, than them going out of their way to have to knock on your door and tell you the same. Ignorance is bliss, not illegal, just bliss.


Hmmmmm......Yes, I suppose I do "get the idea"...although, I'm not really sure that is the appropriate approach. And truthfully, it is not ignorance, as you would suggest the reader believe, or practice.
Reeks more of entitlement, or taking advantage....from another perspective.

Statistics show in numerous recent RV newsletters and articles that RV sales are at all time record highs. More and more people are hitting the road in an RV of some type. People are already complaining on these and other forums about the lack of overnight RV park and campground availability, the increased need for advance reservations, etc. If more and more of these RV owners are soon.....seeking Walmart parking lots along the way......ALL Walmart parking lots will soon look like RV parks, crowded with RVs.

Walmart has thus far been extremely gracious and accommodating toward the RV community.

How long though....until Walmart says....'enough'....due to misuse and abuse of the hospitality?

We own a home in a town where I see this on almost a daily basis. Just this past week....we witnessed a couple in a relatively expensive motorhome at the local Walmart....about 9:00 in the morning. TWO slides extended, leveling jacks down, awning out to block the sun, carpet unrolled under the awning, comfy chairs and table in place....sitting out there in their pajamas, enjoying their morning coffee.

Hello!!! Walmart is not a campground!! Walmart is not an RV park!!

As stated earlier....the few will ruin it for all. "It's only a matter of time".

[slickest1]

We are on the road right now and have stayed at Two different Walmarts last week. One in Hinton Alberta and the other at Yorton Saskatchewan. They still like us in Canada!

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by GoneToTheDog

- Asking forgiveness, versus asking for permission... you get the idea. Someone can tell you 'NO' much easier if you ask, than them going out of their way to have to knock on your door and tell you the same. Ignorance is bliss, not illegal, just bliss.


Hmmmmm......Yes, I suppose I do "get the idea"...although, I'm not really sure that is the appropriate approach. And truthfully, it is not ignorance, as you would suggest the reader believe, or practice.
Reeks more of entitlement, or taking advantage....from another perspective.

Statistics show in numerous recent RV newsletters and articles that RV sales are at all time record highs. More and more people are hitting the road in an RV of some type. People are already complaining on these and other forums about the lack of overnight RV park and campground availability, the increased need for advance reservations, etc. If more and more of these RV owners are soon.....seeking Walmart parking lots along the way......ALL Walmart parking lots will soon look like RV parks, crowded with RVs.

Walmart has thus far been extremely gracious and accommodating toward the RV community.

How long though....until Walmart says....'enough'....due to misuse and abuse of the hospitality?

We own a home in a town where I see this on almost a daily basis. Just this past week....we witnessed a couple in a relatively expensive motorhome at the local Walmart....about 9:00 in the morning. TWO slides extended, leveling jacks down, awning out to block the sun, carpet unrolled under the awning, comfy chairs and table in place....sitting out there in their pajamas, enjoying their morning coffee.

Hello!!! Walmart is not a campground!! Walmart is not an RV park!!

As stated earlier....the few will ruin it for all. "It's only a matter of time".

Who cares if they were " relatively expensive motorhomes"? I've parked right next to Prevosts at WslMarts and never been hassled by security. Now, what they were doing would be wrong, but not just being ecpensive. I saw a Prevost owner changing his engine oil in one of the local WalMart lots. Now that, I think, is overdoing it!

[Pigman1]

Originally Posted by RKins

Wow, I just looked at the "No Overnight..." in FL and it looks like all counties in FL are on it with all Walmarts.

Somewhat understandable once you've seen Florida at the height of snowbird season. As I understand it, just about all "No Overnight" Florida locations are not WM driven, but ARE driven by local ordinances. The local RV Park owner's associations swing a big hammer. Heaven help them if their backlog for reservations fell to only a year from the 2 or more years they now enjoy.

[Coarsegold]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

One more comment on this. When confronted by the security people I would immediately start videoing the situation. Next I would insist on speaking personally with the manager. With my camera on the manager I would inform him or her that they had no reason to discriminate against me because of what I am driving, that I had no intention of parking overnight, and that before I leave I would be making two calls, one to the customer relations manager at corporate, the other to the local TV or radio station asking for a camera crew to record Walmart throwing a customer out of the parking lot because of what vehicle they were driving.

I think they might have a change of heart!

Really? Wow! You must be retired..............

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by Coarsegold

Really? Wow! You must be retired..............

What does that mean?

[hohenwald48]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

With my camera on the manager I would inform him or her that they had no reason to discriminate against me because of what I am driving . . .

I don't understand why you think there is something illegal or immoral about them "discriminating". Discrimination is something we all do everyday. We do it when we eat at Cracker Barrel instead of McDonald's, we do it when we buy Pepsi instead of Coke. It's a natural part of life and is in no way wrong. Wal Mart has every legal right to forbid entry on their property for any reason other than those prohibited (race, sex, religion, etc.) by law. I don't think vehicle type is legally protected from discrimination in any legal code.

Having said that, I still think any WalMart manager who denies an RV owner the ability to shop in their store would and should receive some remedial training from someone in the corporate office. I would certainly do what I could to insure that occurred.

A good solution to the problem might be if WalMart could somehow enforce a 12 hour rule. That would stop folks from taking up residence in the parking lot. I just don't see any way for them to police that. Perhaps some kind of time stamped pass in the windshield or something like that. In all likelihood what will really happen is that WalMart (and others) will be forced to stop the practice altogether.

I've seen WalMart lots with dozens of tents pitched in the grassy areas between the parking spaces in addition to many RVs in the lot. I've seen folks who have obviously been there for a long time. Abuse will eventually result in loss of the privilege.

from another point of view, I remember 10 or 12 years ago when Bozeman, MT passed an ordinance to prohibit WM RV parking. Word got out thru the RV community and a full on boycott resulted. Didn't take long for the Bozeman business community to get that ordinance removed. Hitting them in the pocketbook is usually pretty effective. I doubt WalMart would want RVers removed from their customer base.

[tmw188]

Check this out. Zoom in on it. I took this pic earlier this year and I think it was there awhile? This was at a Walmart.

[Ray,IN]

RV's at our local WM appear to go by the Good Neighbor rules.
I once saw a semi parked there alongside a truck pulling a gooseneck trailer. Between the semi and gooseneck trailer, 2 guys were working on a dirt track race car. Tools scattered around, oil on the blacktop-covered with cat litter. Guess they were operating on a shoestring and couldn't afford to rent a garage.
Tried to post a picture of this, but it's too large a file for irv2.com.

[G.G.]

We are in Williamsburg VA. Just went to WM (in the toad), and there are signs throughout the parking lot that say, "No commercial truck or RV parking allowed. Unauthorized vehicles will be towed at owner's expense." It does not reference overnight parking, just says they aren't allowed. Now, whether they really mean overnight, I do not know. As I was leaving, a family of 4 parked their Class A towing a trailer and proceeded to walk inside to buy groceries, etc. I wonder if anything would be said to them or any other Rvs? If I saw the sign, I'd move on down the road and spend my money elsewhere where it's appreciated.

[tregal16]

I saw a news story from North Myrtle Beach over memorial day weekend this year. Evidently there was a family or two attending bike week and they stayed with the managers permission all week They had awnings out, grills out, patio mats out etc.
Greensboro family camps at Wal-Mart for Memorial Day Bikefest | Myrtle Beach Sun News

[Mr_D]

Well, if they had the managers permission then it's certainly OK.