Walmart's Parking

[danes-on-tour]

I would like to bring to your attention this IRV2 thread by Lukea.

If Luke says that this is a recommendable subscription, I am in no doubt whatsoever that this is worth the small fee required.

[EngineerMike]

Walmart understands that RVs have customers in them, and they don't use all that parking space at night anyway so why not be nice to customers. I wouldn't be surprised to see Target make their lots more welcoming to RV'ers soon, maybe K-marts and Sears also. Customers don't grow on trees, especially these days.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Walmart owns a lot of their own properties, so can make their own parking rules. Targets and KMarts tend to be in plazas and have to follow the plaza rules. Walmarts that are part of shoping malls seldom allow RV parking.

[Gary - K7GLD]

Originally Posted by RV Roamer [Gary]

Walmart owns a lot of their own properties, so can make their own parking rules. Targets and KMarts tend to be in plazas and have to follow the plaza rules. Walmarts that are part of shoping malls seldom allow RV parking.

Many in threads like these willingly turn a blind eye to ZONING laws in various cities that very carefully specify exactly HOW commercial property can be used - and those zoning laws INCLUDE parking!

WHY would it be OK to camp out (that is exactly what it IS!), on a business parking lot, when in many cities, it's illegal to do that in the driveway of the housing development next door - and IF it's illegal in that housing development, what do ya suppose the residential neighbors - the ones who use Walmart every few days, not just when passing thru town - think about the parking lot next door being used for RV camping?

Business might "own" a specific chunk of land - but often THEY are legally prevented from simply doing as they please with it, just as the neighbors next door can't raise pigs in THEIR back yards...

Do many here REALLY think that the intent or desire to satisfy occasional RVers in the name of "good business", overrides the equal need to stay on the good side of the LOCAL customers who do business with them DAILY?

[RVDude]

Originally Posted by tmspoon

...Can anyone recommend a good source for Wal-Mart locations?

www.OvernightRVParking.com

Additional info in irv2 here:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/for-...tml#post571994

[Lindsay Richards]

Do many here REALLY think that the intent or desire to satisfy occasional RVers in the name of "good business", overrides the equal need to stay on the good side of the LOCAL customers who do business with them DAILY?

We have stayed overnight in Wal-Marts approximately 75 times. We follow the common hospitality practices and always ask the manager for permission. We have been told No exactly 2 times. They are usually extremely nice and helpful. Many times the security folks ask if we need anything. Sam Walton was an RV’er and as a good businessman he realized that RV’ers helped his return on investment. When going from point A to Point B, Wal-Marts are great. Close to the expressway, easy to get to, and no suprises, I can go in the morning and get my wife a fancy coffee. Safe and secure. Meet lots of nice RV’ers. When going from point to point fuel is the main expense by a long shot. $20 for a campground that is 5 miles out of the way and has a lot of amenities I won’t use is just a waste of time. What I don’t understand is that the who disagree with the Wal-Mart staying folks get so hot under the collar when talking about those of us who stay at Wal-Mart occasionally. You stay always at the campground and we will stay at the campgrounds most of the time and at Wal-Mart once and a while.

[V8Square]

Originally Posted by Nuge

We bought a 1982 Sportscoach CrossCountry to park at a little place we got on THE Tippecanoe River. The plan was to winterize it and only move it to fill the propane tank or to avoid the occasional flood. My youngest daughter got into a bad spot in Phoenix, Arizona so one week before my vacation we started preparing our beast for the road. Had breakdowns, broke the bank and had to call in all favors just to get there let alone back to Hammond, IN. This wasn't a pleasure trip but a rescue mission; there were three grandchildren involved! We stayed in WalMarts, rest stops and truck stops and even spent one night alongside a highway in Texas while we replaced a u-joint we blew out. All I can say is thank God for WalMarts. We stayed there several times, tried to buy tires there, (Didn't know we had an odd size) picked up money there and shopped there. WalMart even ran a commercial about welcoming RVs in their parking lots. In Texas we parked in what appeared to be an out-of-the-way spot only to learn a valuable lesson; apparently Texans pay NO attention to parking lot lines and they were cutting through the lot to bypass a stop light! After watching several cars whipping around the neighboring RVs and almost colliding near them, we moved to a more remote corner of the lot away from the traffic flow, other RVs and semis. While torn about the living wage issue with WalMarts, (I'm a union man) I'll probably be a customer for life knowing I'll always have a place to overnight at WalMarts.

I hear ya. I am an, out of work Union man also, but thank God for Wal-Mart. The last day I worked was 12-19-2008 in the auto business. I finally said, the heck with it and took any early social security retirement. Now, my wife and I don't have a care in the world and are planning a Alaska trip with our 1996 Hi-Lo this coming summer. I am sure we will frequent Wal-Marts along the way.

[georgetown350]

"Quote" what do ya suppose the residential neighbors - the ones who use Walmart every few days, not just when passing thru town - think about the parking lot next door being used for RV camping?

Seriously im sure they dont think about it. In fact they probably dont even notice. Its only the campgrounds that object to walmart rv parking.

[WeatherTodd]

Residential neighbors dont care anymore that an RV stays in a parking lot or 200 trucks park at a rest area 5 miles from their home.
Walmarts are always going to be the "main" anchor in any mall.
Any zoning issues are handled well in advance of your arrival.
Plus Walmart has video surveillance.

[Gary - K7GLD]

Originally Posted by WeatherTodd

Residential neighbors dont care anymore that an RV stays in a parking lot or 200 trucks park at a rest area 5 miles from their home.

Pretty bold statement that definitely does NOT speak for all nearby residential homeowners in all towns across America!

I'm not simply tossing stuff up against a wall to "see what sticks" - I actually LIVED in a northern California medium sized town that was the crossroads to 2 major freeways - and overnighting RVers on Walmart PARKING lot WAS an issue for the adjoining upper class residential neighbors who, as I said, could NOT park THEIR RV's on their own driveways overnight because of CCR's and city zoning - YET, could simply look across the backyard wall over to the Walmart lot - and at times, see MANY RV's settled in over THERE - and no, it did NOT sit well for them - as local homeowners AND Walmart customers.

Walmart has MANY other customers besides Rvers to consider - as well as prevailing city zoning codes that cover safety, sanitation, security, and more. This isn't posted to be argumentative - this is a DISCUSSION, not an argument - and for the record, Sam Walton has been dead for quite some time now - wish he was still around, and perhaps his early pledge to "only sell goods made in the USA" would still be in effect.

I personally think the OPTION to use Walmart and similar areas for occasional, emergency or unusual situation parking is great - never used it myself, but who knows what the future holds? I merely am opposed to those who insist on the use of parking lots as their MAIN SOURCE of overnight stays - indeed, sometimes scheduling their travels around them, and I share the often expressed view of those Californian folks mentioned at the start of this post:

"Sure seems like folks who can afford those high-$$$$ rigs, could ALSO afford someplace to PARK them other than right across the fence from MY house..."

.

[georgetown350]

Next time I park at a walmart I will first look over the fence to make sure there are no " upper class" residents that might be jealous of me getting some rest and doing some shopping.

Not sure how parking in your driveway blocking your neighbors view and perhaps making it difficult or unsafe for them to back out of their driveway compares to parking in a wide open walmart parking lot.

[cb5300]

Originally Posted by Gary - K7GLD

"Sure seems like folks who can afford those high-$$$$ rigs, could ALSO afford someplace to PARK them other than right across the fence from MY house..."
.

May be the folks of the high-$$$$$ rigs are just trying to help improve his neighborhood....

[Ken-55]

Originally Posted by Gary - K7GLD

I'm not simply tossing stuff up against a wall to "see what sticks" - I actually LIVED in a northern California medium sized town that was the crossroads to 2 major freeways - and overnighting RVers on Walmart PARKING lot WAS an issue for the adjoining upper class residential neighbors who, as I said, could NOT park THEIR RV's on their own driveways overnight because of CCR's and city zoning - YET, could simply look across the backyard wall over to the Walmart lot - and at times, see MANY RV's settled in over THERE - and no, it did NOT sit well for them - as local homeowners AND Walmart customers.

Walmart has MANY other customers besides Rvers to consider - as well as prevailing city zoning codes that cover safety, sanitation, security, and more.

Ahhhh! . . . now I see where you're coming from!

Coupla' questions . . .

Why did you (and your neighbors) buy a house where you didn't like the rules?

If Walmart overnight parking (and sorry, it's NOT camping) violated zoning regulations, how did they get away with it?

[mudpuppy]

I'm not simply tossing stuff up against a wall to "see what sticks" - I actually LIVED in a northern California medium sized town that was the crossroads to 2 major freeways - and overnighting RVers on Walmart PARKING lot WAS an issue for the adjoining upper class residential neighbors who, as I said, could NOT park THEIR RV's on their own driveways overnight because of CCR's and city zoning - YET, could simply look across the backyard wall over to the Walmart lot - and at times, see MANY RV's settled in over THERE - and no, it did NOT sit well for them - as local homeowners AND Walmart customers.

I have no sympathy for any one who buys into a restricted neighborhood and signs their rights away.

I personally think the OPTION to use Walmart and similar areas for occasional, emergency or unusual situation parking is great - never used it myself, but who knows what the future holds? I merely am opposed to those who insist on the use of parking lots as their MAIN SOURCE of overnight stays - indeed, sometimes scheduling their travels around them, and I share the often expressed view of those Californian folks mentioned at the start of this post:

"Sure seems like folks who can afford those high-$$$$ rigs, could ALSO afford someplace to PARK them other than right across the fence from MY house..."

Once again it's not about the money it's about ease of use. I can stop, shop, sleep and be on the road the next morning with minimal effort. For me it's about the destination not how I got there.