Walmart's Parking

[jobriant]

Originally Posted by Wayne M

Jim,
Maybe I did not state myself correctly. I am not advocating to not get permission, but to use every means available to obtain permission. If you can not get permission by the means I described, or by any means, then move on, it's not that worth it.

I think that you and I agree, but are simply approaching it from different directions. I agree with your statement above.

Originally Posted by Wayne M

I'd find a church parking lot and rest there for a few hours if I needed to.

Even there, I'd recommend a phone call ahead of time to get permission.

Originally Posted by Wayne M

Mostly, I'll pull into a campground. I just prefer the creature comforts. But that is me. To each their own, and not to jeopardize others.

If I have to get from point A to point B in a specified amount of time, I like to Walmarts or other free or very inexpensive Overnight RV Parking locations. I generally arrive late and depart early, and don't really want to pay for campground amenities that I won't need or use. Once I reach my destination, I'm with you -- I want hookups and a good wi-fi connection.

Our last long trip (long for us, at least) was last June & July. We were away from home for 17 nights, and spent them as follows:

1 night - Flyng J
2 nights - Walmart
2 nights - Cousin's Driveway
1 night - Free city park
7 nights - RV Park at our destination
1 night - Walmart
2 nights - Elks Lodge with Members Only RV Spaces
1 night - Walmart

...and then home.

[Ice-Man]

Many 1000's $'s are spent by rv'ers - on their carriages, the lifestyle, the fun, the food, the friendships that are developed.. etc.

It is very disheartening when a Great Service is offered freely by Walmart and is abused and discarded by that minority sector within the rv world.

Ask yourself, when you park in the lot overnight and have the off the Manager that you can, do you check your neighbour, ask where there from, where they are going, share a beer and some idle chat, did they ask permission to stay there or do they use Walmart lots often when on long trips? (is that policing for everyones benefit?) Sometimes it can be late at night 11pm or even later... but in the a.m. is similar adopted, (replace the beer with coffee or tea) crazy suggestion I know, but hey I am British
It is good to talk and lots of that is done on a regular basis, but if the neighbour is less than friendly when they depart and leave their gifts behind Maybe take their details post a pic or two - Name and Shame if you can. How soon will they continue and who then will know the culprits of such dreadful behaviour!

Maybe its not the 'done thing' then why not?, Walmart offer a great stay for FREE and rv'ers need to protect their investments and enjoy the services available.

People always remember the bad stuff and seldom remember the Good stuff.

I am not trying to incite war but I am trying to encourage communication and good neighbourly behaviour.

Just my thoughts on all that I have read on this thread.

Icey
in Blighty

[Lindsay Richards]

I have read that in the Wal-Mart training for new workers, they tell them that over their lifetime, customers will spend about $200,000 at Wal-Mart and to treat each customer with that in mind. That is about $3000/year for a 70 year life span. My wife must be well above that rate.

[georgetown350]

As we come full circle again it comes down to what we consider abusive behavior at Walmart parking lots. Some feel that tipping out a slide is abusive, some think opening an awning is abusive, and some feel sitting out on a lawn chair is abusive. Some feel there is only abuse if all of these are being done at the same time. Some feel that two of these things together is crossing the line, and some feel that none of these items constitutes abuse.

Now dump your sewer or leave garbage behind I bet we can all agree is abusive. So I think before lecturing people on abusive behavior we have to first agree that the behavior is abusive. Maybe take a poll.

[doc]

I wrote this a few years ago as a humor piece for another forum. Since the topic has come back to the topic of abuse and what defines it, this might be appropriate now.
I am impressed this thread has gone this long without a forced closing.

Ole bubba wrote a letter to me while camping. This is bubba's letter:

Hey doc,
Setting here waiting on supper and figured I would let you know what just happened. Made me mad, but I kept my cool like you always told me to do when things don’t go right.
We were sitting around the campfire in the WalMart parking lot when this guy in a new looking MH drives up and proceeds to park near us. This space is ours and has been for three days. He pulled so close he nearly hit my awning and the lounge chair my wife had been sitting in not ten minutes earlier. Thank goodness she had gotten up to dump the gray water and was not there.
Now before you guys get all excited let me explain that we don’t dump black water out on the asphalt like we do the gray water. We are very careful to make sure all the black water goes in the drain when we dump there.
I might also offer a little bit of advice. Don’t park beside the drain you put the black water in. There will still be odors coming from it, especially after you are there a couple or three days in hot weather.

Now folks have told us how friendly RVers are, but we have found that not to be the case at all. No one wants to sit around the campfire with us. We have our Budweiser can awning lights up and they look pretty cool if I do say so. I made them myself. I have to run the Coleman generator when we have the lights on, but that’s OK. This thing came off my job where I am a roofer and is 14 horse power. It can run the window unit air conditioner in the trailer, the lights and my outside stereo. My stereo, I am so proud of it. This thing has over 200 watts per channel and when we put on the Hank Jr. tape, it is almost like being at the concert.
Anyway, back to my generator. It smokes a little and I am going to get a new muffler for it. I bought it at a pawnshop a while back. I used to try to pull out the heavy cord for the trailer plug, but now I just use a cord with double plugs. I put one in the generator and then just plug the other in the outside receptacle on the side of the trailer. Got to be sort of careful doing that, cause I laid the cord down to get another beer and Sparky sniffed it (cord fell in the bacon grease before we dumped it in the drain) and licked the end. Well, for a minute or two his name really fit him!! Got to remember to plug everything in before I crank the generator next time.

Well doc, I got to go and check on the steaks we got broiling. Using charcoal this time. We were camped at the construction site a while back and grilled some on the campfire. They sure had a funny taste. One thing about it though, them cross ties will burn a long time and are not that hard to light.
I’ll write you again in a few days and let you know how we making it in Canada. Gonna try to shoot me a bear with either my 9mm auto or my .44 magnum 6 inch revolver.

Oh yeah, the guy that almost hit my awning…he must have just stopped to go to the bathroom, he left in about 10 minutes.

your friend, bubba

[WilleyB]

Found these on the net somewhere a few days ago, I thought it was worth keeping
OK right on topic and for discussion, this is quoted from a buisness facility in Southern Ontario Canada (I removed the identifiers)

RV Parking is allowed in (No name) Parking Lot. Two restaurants (inside), admission to (facility) free when dining. 2008 Parking fee $5.00. Vehicle must appear to be parked with no sign of habitation.

This second one applies to rest areas in some State in the continental US

OK to rest but not camp.. resting is 'ready to move' (no jacks down, no slides out, no BBQ, chairs, etc)

So it would seem property owners and managers have their own ideas also.

Cheers
Willey

[Half Dimes]

Originally Posted by georgetown350

So I think before lecturing people on abusive behavior we have to first agree that the behavior is abusive. Maybe take a poll.

Here's a good start: http://www.escapees.com/edocs/boondocking%20letter.pdf

[Half Dimes]

Originally Posted by doc

I wrote this a few years ago as a humor piece...

[mudpuppy]

I will go first on abuse. Yes dumping of tanks is abuse but all else is open to interpretation. My views. Slides out if room, jacks down if no damage, generator running as needed so long as muffled. As to awing, chairs, and barbecue I feel that you have now crossed the line as you have moved to an outside activity that resembles camping not just spending the night.

[George Z]

Originally Posted by mudpuppy

, jacks down if no damage, ................ As to awing, chairs, and barbecue I feel that you have now crossed the line as you have moved to an outside activity that resembles camping not just spending the night.

mudpuppy, I tend to agree with you, although I don't know how an RVer would know whether his jacks would do damage before he puts them down with pressure on them and sits there awhile. At the point, if they would pick the jacks up and leave a depression or puncture in the parking surface it is too late.

George

[Chuck 1935]

I think the Escapees web site that Half Dimes posted,in post #287,should clear up this whole discussion. It makes good sense and seems to be endorsed by most groups. I would hope that everyone reads it and adhears to it.

[Gary - K7GLD]

IF the vast majority of dedicated members of the "Walmart campers club" would apply and abide by the following Escapees guide of conduct, many of the pages THIS thread occupies would be unnecessary!

Dear Fellow RVers,

Some of the most respected RV consumer clubs have joined together to support your right to park on private businesses’ parking lots overnight under the following code of conduct:

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

1. Stay one night only!
2. Obtain permission from a qualified (that's NOT likely to be some random clerk, or the shopping cart boy!) 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.
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.

(AMEN!)

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.

(Another AMEN!)

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,

Those who ignore, defy and abuse reasonable common sense guidelines on what is a PRIVILEGE and discretionary COURTESY, endanger the continuance of that privilege for all the rest - and make us ALL look bad!

[Gary - K7GLD]

Originally Posted by jobriant

If I have to get from point A to point B in a specified amount of time, I like to Walmarts or other free or very inexpensive Overnight RV Parking locations. I generally arrive late and depart early, and don't really want to pay for campground amenities that I won't need or use. Once I reach my destination, I'm with you -- I want hookups and a good wi-fi connection.

Our last long trip (long for us, at least) was last June & July. We were away from home for 17 nights, and spent them as follows:

1 night - Flyng J
2 nights - Walmart
2 nights - Cousin's Driveway
1 night - Free city park
7 nights - RV Park at our destination
1 night - Walmart
2 nights - Elks Lodge with Members Only RV Spaces
1 night - Walmart

...and then home.

Truth be known, and if RVing folks would be totally honest with themselves and others on the parking lot RV issue, it largely boils down to this simple short statement from the above:

and don't really want to pay

MOST of us went into this RVing lifestyle fully aware of most of the pros and cons of what it involved - the physical limitations some parks have for various larger RVs, the higher cost of fuel RV travel usually involves - AND, the typical cost for the inevitable overnight stays while on the road - including the frequent relative extra effort to locate appropriate places FOR those overnight stays!

I find it hard to accept or understand, that so many apparently CHOOSE to be involved in, and purchase various fine and expensive RVs, fully expecting and planning to THEN spend so large a percentage of their stays on parking lots, rather than the many excellent, and often scenic available alternatives.

Seems far to many are so focused upon the final destination, that they totally ignore and disregard the JOURNEY, and the potential enjoyment it can provide as a PART of their travels. Speaking just for ourselves, we have found easily as much enjoyment and delight in the many scenic random and unplanned stays we have made in our RV travels across the USA, as we have the longer stays at the end of the road.

For the life of me, *I* cannot understand or accept that true, basic RV travel be a frantic white-knuckle dash from one parking lot to another, largely unaware of and ignorant of the often attractive landscapes we blindly rush thru getting to the NEXT parking lot along our way towards our final destination.

For those of that mindset, if you price it out, it MIGHT be faster, cheaper and easier, to simply travel by car or airplane, then stay in motels along the way, and at a nice resort on the other end...

I'd sell our own RV in a heartbeat, if that was all RVing was, or had to offer to us!

[steelheadbluesman]

Now we're getting somewhere! At last, I can see the light! Half Dimes and the follow-up posts have (finally!) defined both the problem and the solution in Escapees shorthand. There were others before that had it right, but these posts are both definitive and sensible. I agree that free over-nighting on private property is a privilege and requires some simple and generally accepted (and common-sense) responsibilities as well. Nice job to everyone. Escapees is a cool group. Ohhhh....I wish I could get out of this thread, but it just keeps pulling me back in.... Will it never end....