Community Forums

grit663 · 05-20-2003, 07:09 AM

When we moved from the tent to the popup, we were very happy because now we can wash our hands, brush our teeth, and use the toilet at the cleanest facility in the campground.

If a restroom has paper towels for drying hands, I will take my used paper towel and do a quick wipe of the sink and counter and use it to pick up other garbage. If not, I'd rather not touch other people's cooties.

If a shower doesn't look too good, I'll bring a spray bottle of Lysol in with me and spray the walls, floor, and curtain a few minutes before showering. I also make a point of wearing flip-flops in the shower so I don't step on anything gross.

I know some people aren't careful because they figure, "Hey! I'm on vacation - there are people paid to clean up after me!" but, c'mon!, it's not like the cleaning people come in every hour. If everyone were more considerate, we wouldn't be posting about this right now.

Margaret
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Lynnvt · 05-20-2003, 08:07 AM

I will try to reword what I said to make it a bit clearer. Kids sometimes get busy with other things, like their friends or getting ready to go swimming, or whatever and if the parent isn't right there to remind them, they might forget not to splash the water or to wipe it up. Adults also get distracted sometime and forget. All I'm saying is that not everyone that makes a mess and forgets to clean it is a total slob. When you have lots of people using a facility there is more opportunity for this to happen. In addition we all have differnt levels of what is acceptable. I suspect thebrakeman won't agree with this.

Lynnvt
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BandwidthHogger · 05-20-2003, 09:05 AM

This is one of those questions that has a trillion possible answers with variations, etc. I do not think that people here will try and outdo one another by making declarations about impeccable levels of cleanliness, but the fact remains that people will be people. Some will be incredible slobs and some will be incredibly anal. In my opinion, these cadres fall on the 5% of the bell curve and need to be disregarded. There are no points on discussing such ultras.

My family falls somewhere in the middle of the bell curve. If I enter an immaculate bathroom facility, something innate would tell me to leave it the same way for subsequent users. There are two reasons for this: 1. Someone has worked hard to make it an ultra-clean facility, and automatically, it becomes incumbent on me to show that person my appreciation and respect by keeping it the same way, and 2. We believe in pride in ownership.

On the other hand, if the bath facility's sanitation is mediocre, it would depend on what we felt like at the time. Generally, we would not have a problem picking up trash, but that's about as far as it would go. I wouldn't wipe counters dry, etc. I believe in the fact that common courtesy goes a long way. Believe it or not, kids watch and learn from their parent's habits.

Lorna · 05-20-2003, 09:51 AM

Brakeman, You are aware that around the age of 12 (some earlier, some later), Aliens take your well-behaved children and leave moody, cranky, manic depressants who have selective hearing and eyesight and can't be seen in your company. When you go somewhere you will say "be on your best behaviour or you will loose the telephone/internet privalidges. But you may be lucky, they might miss yours or possibly worse take and bring back with out any warning.

But my "gremlins" (2 16yo) are pretty decent on the whole.

Lorna
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Workers On The Go · 05-21-2003, 03:51 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>All I'm saying is that not everyone that makes a mess and forgets to clean it is a total slob. When you have lots of people using a facility there is more opportunity for this to happen. In addition we all have differnt levels of what is acceptable. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think what we all expect is a neat and tidy bath house and this is all that is acceptable. We may have to accept something else because that is what we find.

thebrakeman · 05-22-2003, 07:26 AM

Lynnvt,
I agree! "Acceptable" is one of those relative terms. The ones that would like a cleaner bathroom are more likely to clean up after themselves. The one's that are more accepting of filth are less likely to clean up after themselves. You're also right that it's certainly not just teens who can be slobs, but I bet those lazy adults were just as lazy (or more) as teens, who in turn were not raised well.

I'm not saying that this is an all-or-nothing idea. I've seen very good parents struggling with a stubbern brat, and I've seen wonderful kids raised by idiots. But in general, "garbage in = garbage out".

Lorna,
Again, please remember to think in general. Yes, there will be occasions where a good, well-meaning teen (or anyone) may make a mess and forget to straighten up. There may also be an occasion where the pigs might clean their pen. But IN GENERAL, someone that has been consistently and lovingly trained as a child to be respectful of others...these will be the ones (IN GENERAL) who continue that way thru their teens, and into society as adults.

In summary, my point is that we should not simply say, "Oh well, they are just kids" or "they're just hormone-crazed teens", or "that adult must just be too busy". Let's speak up, and let people know that their behavior is not acceptable in public.

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3-2-Go · 05-28-2003, 05:20 PM

O.k., I replied to this topic several times but maybe I've just been fortunate?

until today -- and it wasn't even at a cg!

I was at the local high school for a youth event and wanted to use the facilities -- OMG.

No, let me spell it out: OH MY GOD

this is in a relatively well-to-do area with teens that wouldn't be caught dead looking less than their best.

but the girls bathroom at the high school was -- OMG

and this is a space occupied by girls who think nothing of spending beaucoup bucks on clothes

and they do THAT to a bathroom??

Am I just getting old??

toilets not flushed

paper strewn around

water -- well,

and more, yes, way more not fit to type here or anywhere

Like I said, I guess I've been fortunate in a cg -- yeah, sometimes there's paper on a floor or a toilet not flushed, but this was

OMG

they do not pay their janitors enough to have to deal with THAT

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
member GLPUC, Illinois Chapter
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Workers On The Go · 06-04-2003, 02:27 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> toilets not flushed

paper strewn around

water -- well,

and more, yes, way more not fit to type here or anywhere
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I guess those same people have visited the campground we are at...only they are now grown ups...

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Workers On The Go · 06-20-2006, 04:07 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Workers On The Go:
When using campground bath houses do you leave it neat and nice for the next person or do you say to yourself - "I don't have to pick up after myself because the cleaning lady will do it"? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

This is still a great topic .....

mamaloya · 06-20-2006, 04:56 AM

I guess I have been fortunate as well. All the cgs I have been too have been neat and clean, maybe not nice and new, but neat and clean. Now, the mall and WM bathrooms are a whole other story! I used to carry a small bottle of lysol with me until it ran out, and now I can't find one small enough for my purse.

Why do people do such things. If my kids miss the trash, they bend over and pick up the paper towel and try again. I make sure that they have flushed, etc. I have come behind someone who has tinkled on the seat, left atrocities in the commode, tp on the floor, etc. Why are they being so rude and disrespectful? No concern for those who will come behind them or for those who have to clean it. These same people are the ones who raise cain if they come in and find a mess. They will go on and on quite loudly about how no one is cleaning it up. Then, they leave the clean stall they found just as nasty as the one they refused to use. I don't get it. I just don't get it.

Maybe it is just me, but I always think about the person that is behind me. Whether in the bathroom, or even the checkout line. What has happened to respect for each other. Common courtesy. If I ever caught any of my children leaving a mess such as described here, they would never use a restroom w/o my presence again.

SherryandFamily · 01-20-2007, 11:48 AM

I used the CG bathhouses for years before we got the Niagara and sometimes they were fine, but other times I was appaled at how people would leave things.
One time there was human fecal matter in the shower, one time the MENs bathhouse had a women's feminine hygine product (used) in the shower.
I can't imagine what makes people behave like this, especially campers! We are supposed to be better then that.
I would always wear shower shoes and cringe if I accidently touched the wall or the shower curtin. If I dropped the soap-forget it I was done and soap went in the trash!
Now with my own shower I don't deal with the CG bathhouse anymore. This post just reminded me how happy I am with my teeny tiny, low water pressure, CLEAN shower!
Sherry

Barbara S. · 01-20-2007, 03:28 PM

The facilities at the State Parks usually were pretty bad. The employees cleaned up every day but the campers did not take care of them. Thousand Trails is the only campground that always had sparkling clean bathrooms. I have always used the shower in my rig because I knew it was clean. I have been going to Rayford Crossing a lot lately and their facilities are immaculate.

Allegro Happy · 01-20-2007, 03:36 PM

We stayed at Myrtle Beach campground. There was a bathhouse next to us that was air conditioned. It was cleaned at least 3 times a day. I hurt my back while on vacation and it was easier to use the bathhouse than climb the MH steps. I went there to use the bathroom and also to shower. The stalls were bigger than my tub in shower and it was easier to move around. If you have a consientious campground & cleaning crew it really helps.

Superslif · 01-20-2007, 08:55 PM

Ya, you must be talking about Myrtle Beach Travel Park. They are the largest I have ever seen. We go to Myrtle Beach about every 3rd year. The last 4 times we have stayed there. As far as state parks. We live in Ohio, but camp a lot in the PA. State Park system. The sparkling clean bathrooms were one of the reasons we returned season after season to PA. Even now that we have a hybrid with a full shower, clean restrooms are still a must have. In the Ohio State parks they have cut the number of employees in half from 10 years ago. (state budget cuts). In the off season park upkeep is very poor. Seems like they stop cutting grass after Labor Day. Last year we took four 1 week vacations to PA. state parks.
I find that at the busy Ohio parks some people think they are at hotels where a maid will come and clean up after them. I have always taught my 12 year old son to pick up after himself. On our campsite I have always made it a point to leave the site cleaner than when I arrived. After hooking up the trailer I will do a walk around and pick up candy wrappers, butts, juice box straws ect....If when we arrive to campsite and it is littered with small trash, I'll get out a small leaf rack and give it a quick swipe.