Walmart's Parking

[jobriant]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

So a chair out is camping?

According to the FMCA and a dozen or so other RVing organizations, it's close enough that they believe RVers shouldn't set out lawn furniture when in an Overnight Parking situation.

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

A Tuba player?

Yes. And a fairly good one, too, but not the greatest in the world by a long shot.

[jobriant]

Originally Posted by ru499

If my bedroom slide is not out, my bed is about 4 ft long.

We have the same issue. If our bedroom slide is in, the foot of the bed tucks under the wardrobe, and then it would be easy to kick out the mirrors on the wardrobe doors. So when we blacktop boondock in a situation where we can't use slides, one of us ("she who must be obeyed") sleeps diagonally on the bed and the other (me) gets the sofa-bed up front. .

[jobriant]

Originally Posted by mikron

Parked at a Walmart in Kingston, MA in 2010 ...

The Walmart website says there is no store in Kingston, MA. The closest is at 300 Colony Place Rd in neighboring Plymouth, MA. Is this the store where you parked? Or was there a store in Kingston which has since closed?

Thanks!

[Boeing Guy]

Originally Posted by jobriant

According to the FMCA and a dozen or so other RVing organizations, it's close enough that they believe RVers shouldn't set out lawn furniture when in an Overnight Parking situation.

Do they believe THEY should not set out lawn chairs or do they mean I should not set out lawn chairs? The FMCA is a private club. They are welcome to make rules for themselves. They don't make rules for the entire world.

It's like religion. If you belong, obey their rules. If not, ignore their rules. I grew up Catholic, hence no meat on fridays. My Baptist neighbors ate meat every friday. Should I have put a note on their door telling them I did not approve of them eating big fat juicy hamburgers on friday?

[jauguston]

X2

Jim

[Dunner]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

Tuba player?

Yes. And a fairly good one, too, but not the greatest in the world by a long shot.

Originally Posted by BFlinn181
So a chair out is camping?

According to the FMCA and a dozen or so other RVing organizations, it's close enough that they believe RVers shouldn't set out lawn furniture when in an Overnight Parking situation.

Originally Posted by Dunner

I didn't know I would be subject to "Inside the House" arrest if I camped at a Walmart.

I guess I'm on "Ignore".

Seriously, if I want to sit outside in the evening and have a beer, I have to sit on my steps, or maybe a milk crate?

[bigdog]

Yes.

[CLIFFTALL]

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

Do they believe THEY should not set out lawn chairs or do they mean I should not set out lawn chairs? The FMCA is a private club. They are welcome to make rules for themselves. They don't make rules for the entire world.

It's like religion. If you belong, obey their rules. If not, ignore their rules. I grew up Catholic, hence no meat on fridays. My Baptist neighbors ate meat every friday. Should I have put a note on their door telling them I did not approve of them eating big fat juicy hamburgers on friday?

Thumbs up.

[jobriant]

Originally Posted by Boeing Guy

Do they believe THEY should not set out lawn chairs or do they mean I should not set out lawn chairs? The FMCA is a private club. They are welcome to make rules for themselves. They don't make rules for the entire world.

The FMCA doesn't make "rules" for anyone.

However, over the past number of years, the FMCA and several other RVing organizations have developed what they call a "Good Neighbor Policy," which is a set of suggested behavior guidelines for RVers who avail themselves of the privilege of parking overnight in business parking lots at businesses which allow it. For any readers who may not be familiar with it, here are the bare-bones basics:

Industry-sanctioned Code of Conduct
(RVers’ Good Neighbor Policy)

1. Stay one night only!
2. Obtain permission from a qualified individual.
3. Obey posted regulations.
4. No awnings, chairs, or barbecue grills.
5. Do not use hydraulic jacks on soft surfaces (including asphalt).
6. Always leave an area cleaner than you found it.
7. Purchase gas, food, or supplies as a form of thank you, when feasible.
8. Be safe! Always be aware of your surroundings and leave if you feel unsafe.

The PDF version of this document, which is designed to be printed out by RVers and shared with others, continues:

If your plans include touring the area, staying for more than one night, or necessitate conduct not within the code, please relocate to a local campground. It’s the right thing to do!

Most of the complaints lodged regarding RV parking on business parking lots have to do with aesthetics and perceived abuse of the privilege. There are a variety of competing interests that were balanced to arrive at this industry-sanctioned code of conduct. As you can see, the Code of Conduct is nothing more than an RVers’ “Good Neighbor” policy.

Not following the code has serious consequences and is detrimental to the rights of all RVers. Already, some municipalities have passed ordinances to prohibit parking on private business property overnight.

Please do not take offense to this letter; it is only provided as a reminder that RVers must be perceived as good neighbors, or there will be more pressure to institute state, county, and local ordinances to prohibit parking on private business property.

We wish you safe and happy travels,

It is signed by the following organizations:

• Family Motor Coach Association
• Escapees
• Bounders United
• Wally Byam Caravan Club
• Born Free Leapin' Lions RV Club
• Gulfstreamers
• L.O.W. (Loners on Wheels)
• Winnebago-Itasca Travelers
• Discovery Owners Association

In my opinion, too many RVers take the position, "Nobody can make rules for me, and I never agreed to any rules. I'm going to do whatever I want to do, and nobody can stop me."

Unfortunately, that is the approach that led to the three sentences above which I think are among the most important for this discussion:

Most of the complaints lodged regarding RV parking on business parking lots have to do with aesthetics and perceived abuse of the privilege.

Not following the code has serious consequences and is detrimental to the rights of all RVers. Already, some municipalities have passed ordinances to prohibit parking on private business property overnight.

As a number of people (including me) have stated numerous times in this thread, there are people who are responsible, who are considerate of others, and who think about the consequences of their actions for both themselves and others. On the other hand, there are also people who are irresponsible, who have no consideration for anyone but themselves, and while they might care about the consequences their actions bring upon themselves, they don't care a whit about whether their actions affect others negatively.

It is for each of us to decide which sort of person we will be, and then to act accordingly.

[jobriant]

Originally Posted by Dunner

Seriously, if I want to sit outside in the evening and have a beer, I have to sit on my steps, or maybe a milk crate?

So, you're telling us that you want to sit in your lawn chair in a Walmart parking lot and drink beer?

[Lindsay Richards]

These folks just dont undedstand how there selfishness can ruin things for the rest of us. This must be a way of life. Not satisied with their own disreguard for the basic rules, they want everybody else to do it also. Not knowing that sitting out in lawn chair drinking a brew is abusing the welcome is beyond the pale.

[jobriant]

Originally Posted by Lindsay Richards

These folks just dont undedstand how there selfishness can ruin things for the rest of us.

Either they don't understand, or they don't care, or maybe both.

Originally Posted by Lindsay Richards

Not knowing that sitting out in lawn chair drinking a brew is abusing the welcome is beyond the pale.

Yet, if some of these "you can't tell me what to do" RVers arrived at a Walmart lot and found a bunch of 20-somethings sitting by their cars in lawn chairs & drinking beer, they'd be the first to call the cops.

[Dunner]

I wouldn't attempt to "tell" some of you anything. What if I sat outside on a milk crate and drank a glass of water? Drink beer? I said "A" beer, but that's ok, you can put word in my mouth to justify your argument.

[Dunner]

Originally Posted by jobriant

Yet, if some of these "you can't tell me what to do" RVers arrived at a Walmart lot and found a bunch of 20-somethings sitting by their cars in lawn chairs & drinking beer, they'd be the first to call the cops.

They'd have to beat you to it.