Be A Good Neighbor
Don’t be the Obnoxious Person at the Campground
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We were in Bar Harbor, taking our evening walk in the cool September air, soothed by the sounds of quiet conversation around flickering fires.
As we neared our site, I put my head on my husband’s shoulder, thinking how a campground is a unique neighborhood of sorts, hundreds of humans united in their appreciation of the outdoors and— “Touchdown! The fans here at Lambeau Stadium are going wild!”
And they were. At high volume, through state-of-the-art speakers at what sounded like 100 decibels, coming from the outdoor entertainment center of the shiny new motorhome parked next to ours. The owner was happily cheering from his lawn chair in front of a big-screen TV, oblivious to the grim stares of his fellow campers.
I sighed. There goes the neighborhood… No one sets out to be that guy—or gal. But we can all get caught up in the excitement of “getting away from it all,” whether it’s the first time in a new rig or just the first trip of the season. Unless you’re tent camping in the backcountry, chances are other people are nearby, and your idea of tranquility might not be the same as theirs. In situations like this, good manners can go a long way, so here’s a quick guide to campground etiquette:
Watch Your Clutter
If the campground is full and your site is narrow, think twice before pulling out your new grill, portable hot tub, eighteen pieces of lawn furniture, and four assorted garden flags. No matter how amazing your toys, they can’t overflow onto your neighbor’s space. And if your campsite is frequently mistaken for a yard sale, it might be time to let go of a few yard ornaments.
Be One With Nature Without Going au Naturel
There is a reason your RV has shades. With an interior light on, your camper becomes a stage for all the world to see. If you view clothing as optional, please close the blinds. Also, keep in mind that trips to the bathhouse should be made fully dressed—and that doesn’t mean a towel and slippers.
Keep an Eye on Puddles
No matter how friendly your furbaby might be, your neighbors probably don’t want her watering their outdoor carpet. In fact, sociability can be a problem—our friend’s beagle sniffed around the neighboring campsite, went inside an open RV door while the owners were packing up, and ended up sixty miles down the road before she was discovered under the king-sized bed.
Image from Getty
Remind Your Children of the Golden Rule
When our kids were young, opening the RV door at the end of a day’s travel was like releasing the Kraken. I don’t know how many people had near heart attacks seeing our three blonde maniacs on bikes careening down the trail toward them, but I humbly apologize to each and every one.
Encourage your children to treat others as they would like to be treated—except for cannonballs. Unlike kids, we older folks hate splashing—it gets pool water in our cocktails.
Bite Your Tongue
RVers are an outgoing group, and we all want to welcome our new neighbors. But aside from a cheery hello, don’t distract folks who are in the process of trying to back a 35 ft. trailer into a matchbox-sized spot. Tempers fray after a long drive, and it’s better to let couples yell at each other than give them a third party to blame for their five unsuccessful attempts at parking.
Unless they are about to run over your bicycle or hit a tree, avoid offering unsolicited advice. The same goes for departures. We’ve seen owners get so caught up in conversation that they pulled out with their awning still out and their antenna up.
Don’t Bend Campground Rules
Raise your hand if you’ve done any of these:
- Reserved a site too small for your RV
- Pretended you had no pets
- Failed to declare an extra vehicle
- Camped with ten people on a six-person site
- Started your generator during quiet hours.
No? How about cutting across your neighbor’s site on your way to the bathhouse? Don’t feel too bad—my hand is up, too. We all need to remember that bending campground rules might save a buck or an extra step, but it doesn’t make us good neighbors.
Image from Getty
Music Lovers and Sports Fans, Watch Your Volume
With outdoor kitchens and entertainment systems, we spend fewer hours inside our RVs. After all, being outside is what camping is all about!
But chances are none of your neighbors drove twelve hours to the mountains with the express purpose of listening to your stereo, no matter the time of day or night. When setting your volume, walk to the edge of your site. If the sound carries well beyond that, turn it down, or use wireless headphones.
Follow these simple guidelines, and everyone, Mr. Rogers included, would be happy to have you as their neighbor.
