Maine's move to ban overnite RV stays in public parking lots

Chuck · Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 94

In the Saturday issue (5-9-09) of RVtravel.com, I write about legislation now making its way through the Maine legislature that would ban overnight RV parking in all of the state's public parking lots, even if the owner of a particular parking lot is open to the RVers staying there.

Read the story here:
http://rvtravel.com/mainervban.shtml

What do you think?

Chuck
editor, RVtravel.com
_________________
Get the latest RV news headlines on Twitter.
http://twitter.com/rvtravel

Sign up for the RV Travel.com weekly newsletter, now in its eighth year:
http://rvtravel.com/RVnewsletter.shtml

Chuck Woodbury is the editor of RVtravel.com

billbar1128 · Joined: 22 Mar 2008 Posts: 8

What a pity. Just as I wanted to visit New England.
A quick look at the map, however, shows I can hit New Brunswick, Nova Scotia through Montreal and Quebec.
Goodbye, Maine.

Bill

Wadcutter · Joined: 11 Apr 2009 Posts: 5

So you won't eat any more Maine lobster? Your reasoning is flawed and isn't well thought through. Do you really think that you eat enough Maine lobster to influence the lobster economy and put pressure on Maine? Just how much lobster do you eat sitting out there on the west coast that you think your boycotting lobster is going to mean anything? Guess running a Saturday newsletter pays pretty darn well.
So your "thinking" (and I use that word very loosely only because it's polite and nothing else comes to mind) is that you'll show them Mainers and won't spend any money in their state. What the HECK! do you think you're doing when you're staying at a Maine Wal-Mart and not in a Maine campground? You sure aren't helping the Maine economy. If you camp just a week in Maine, you're going to help the local economy a lot more than all this Maine lobster you plan on not eating. Yet your "reasoning" for not eating all this Maine lobster is you expect to impact their economy. What a joke!
But I can hear the excuse now - "When I stay at the local Wal-Mart, I also buy stuff at the Wal-Mart." What a crock and equally poorly well unreasoned. Whatever you buy at Wal-Mart, you would probably buy whether you were staying in the Wal-Mart or the local campground. And where do you think all this money you spend at Wal-Mart goes? Wal-Mart isn't a Maine company. But that local campground owner is a Maine company.
So your free-loading at a Wal-Mart has already impacted the local and state economy. Then you complain that campgrounds are closing, are poorly maintained; improvements/expansion isn't done. What do you expect when you aren't supporting camping? If you want to continue camping, and I assume you want others to also, then how do you think you're going to do that? Supporting the campground owners or Wal-Mart? You've already answered that. It's Wal-Mart.
Chuck, your "reasoning" is poorly reasoned; actually isn't reasoned at all. But I hope you feel better by your ranting, however short-sighted and ill-informed. But logical it isn't.

Dustytuu · Joined: 07 Nov 2005 Posts: 145 Location: Colorado

We do not use Wal-Mart parking lots, but I do not like the government telling anyone where they can park. This is another infringement on our freedom.
Maine's campgrounds are usually packed full and do not have available spaces.... what are people to do then? Keep driving when sleepy and have an accident down the road?
If they are going to pass laws like this, then they should offer something available to all campers where they can pull off and sleep. Maybe make the campgrounds bigger, more spaces, more campgrounds priced so everyone can afford them.

Maine is one state we will NOT be visiting.
Any state that tries to force where people can park and not park is not on our states to visit.

I did write to the Maine government officials and got a letter from the sponsor of this bill. She said she was doing this on behalf of campgrounds and to keep people from dumping their tanks on public parking lots.
Have not heard of this happening anywhere, although probably has happened one or two times in the whole USA!
But why punish everyone for one person's idiot deed?

Also do you realize how many people read this forum? If just some of them quit eating Maine lobster, don't you think that would have an effect on Maine? People need to stick together to stop this abuse of our freedom.

nohome46 · Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 5:35 am Post subject: Maine Lobster 'YUCK'

Wadcutter showed us that we're not all serious RVers. I probably won't eat any Maine lobster either, but then I don't eat any lobster anyway. I like lobster, but steak is cheaper and I don't have to wear one of those funny bibs.

We don't stay in Wal-Mart either, but that's our choosing.

Where is Wadcutter from anyway, Maine? He must be embarrassed to tell us where he's from.

_________________
Gary & Donna
3/4 Ford 6.4
07 Nash 27T

SHvnDave

I will be writing to the Maine Chamber of Commerce - not their legislature. I have no standing with their legislature. They don't care about citizens of any other state.

I will tell the CofC that I will choose not to visit Maine again. (It is a beautiful state and we enjoyed our last visit there), and this choice of mine will result in all of the following:
* RV parks revenue will decrease, not increase Sad

* The number one employer in Maine (Wal-Mart) will lose an average of $50/night times the number of RVs in their parking lots on any given night Sad

* Restaurants, souvenir shops, speciality shops, boat rentals will lose revenue Sad

* The Maine state parks will lose revenue Sad

If you are a businessman in Maine, I apologize to you, but you are in control of what your government chooses to do; however, you cannot force me to suffer as a result of your choices. Crying or Very sad

We have more shoreline, great fishing, wonderful camping, and many many Wal-Marts here in Michigan. Why don't you choose Michigan this summer rather than Maine? Very Happy

_________________
SHvnDave
SHvnJudy
& Buffy

Living in a 99 Monaco Diplomat

Anml_341 · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 9

I am surprised that a tourist economy like Maine would do anything that might discourage the visiting public, including RVers. People travel, spend money for repairs, food, gas, other supplies, etc., all of which help the local economy with jobs, jobs result in tax paying people. Every little bit helps and turning off people from visiting the state or province will result in another economic decline. Oh, right, there is the billions of dollars of bailout money available. Sorry--forgot that.
I guess I will just bypass the areas that discourage RVers and go where I am welcomed and spend my money.
In my case, that will include not stopping at the Maine private campgrounds who are causing this legislation to be considered. Seems to me to be a no-win situation: for the campground owners, the state, and everyone else. Crying or Very sad

aete94 · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 1 Location: Texas

We were planning a fall visit to Maine, but will re-route to a more RV friendly state. Pretty short sighted as staying in a parking lot for a few hours in exchange for the almighty RV tourist dollar is a pretty dumb decision. Forget that Maine lobster....eat Texas steak! Let the RV travelers boycott Maine (which is not a bad idea) and I would bet that they would realize the 'government' made a bad decision. Personally, now that this is in the works, I could care less about spending a couple of weeks with some 'sometime' fall foliage.
SEND A MESSAGE! Government - at all levels - is out of control!

leenelsen · Joined: 21 Apr 2007 Posts: 3

It is a shame a state wants to rule against parking lot camping, but perhaps it is the parking lot campers who brought it about. I have seen campers at Wal-Mart who are a disgrace to all RVers. It is the few who often ruin it for the many. To avoid Maine is a fool's reply as Maine is a beautiful state, and I am sure has many perfectly good campgrounds that deserve and want your business. Would you want an RV parked in front of your house (whether a traditional home or a parked RV) that dumps its garbage out its door, is loud and inconsiderate, and a poor excuse for a neighbor? Perhaps it is this type of RVer who has prompted this rush to a new law.

leenelsen · Joined: 21 Apr 2007 Posts: 3

There are the few who ruin it for the many. You have all seen RVers who should not be allowed out, much less in a campground or a parking lot.

Navy RV Traveler · Joined: 29 Jul 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Traveling the USA

We plan to visit Maine during our East Coast trip this year. We researched staying at Maine state parks with our RV, and found the few that can accommodate a large RV charge too much compared to other state parks we have used (Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, New Mexico).
It is easy to see why some RVers use parking lots for short stops.
We have only stayed in a parking lot once when we were chased out of a campground by a late night fire.

Joe
_________________
2004 Carriage Cameo F35CKQ, HWH Hydraulic Leveling, Onan Marquis Gold 5500LP
2001 Chevy Silverado 3500 Crew Cab LT, 8.1/Allison, Pullrite Super5th, Prodigy

sprnt12 · Joined: 26 Jan 2006 Posts: 37 Location: Anywhere USA

Wadcutter has shown the ignorance of a Maine legislator. If you don't want the business, keep up your bashing. If you want tourism in your state, tell all your mom & pop "campgrounds" that our larger RVs of today require more space. I suppose also that no Wal-Mart in your state pays any sales taxes or property taxes. That's what your legislature should be working on!
_________________
'05 Fleetwood, Diesel. Retired Rural Carrier
"05 Jeep Wrangler toad.

Bebop · Joined: 23 Jun 2007 Posts: 21 Location: California

I agree that Maine is making a very large error with this proposed legislation. It will haunt them in the future big time.
We traveled full -time for 5 years, and went into most states and spent money. There were a couple that didn't want us because of the amount of propane we carried and they had a tunnel to get there. Another wanted us to buy an over-length permit. We skipped those states and also skipped Maine because it is so far off the beaten path.
Note that you only go to Maine on purpose. Due to its location, you don't end up there by accident or just passing through.
So I suggest you don't go there. There are lots of other great places in this beautiful country to see.
I noted an interesting thing yesterday that happened at our local Wal-Mart here in San Jose, CA. There was an old clunker model motorhome about 20 or so feet long that was a real pile of junk, but it was somebody's home. It has been sitting there a few days and I got curious. I met the owner who looked a lot like the motorhome. I came by the exit from Wal-Mart a few hours later and there he sat at the exit with his sign begging for money.
Now this could be a motivation for these kinds of laws to be passed or for Wal-Mart to bar RVers from their parking lots.
Bebop

Mr.Disaster · Joined: 10 Jan 2009 Posts: 3 Location: Woodinville, WA

I suspect that the legislators in Maine do not understand the unintended consequences of this legislation. Truckers will not be able to sleep in their cabs. This means the truck stops will be impacted. The list will only get bigger.
As far as a boycott of lobster goes, good luck. Letters to the legislators work. E-mail is effective in Washington and should be just as effective in Maine. Letters to the newspapers, the local city officials, the chambers of commerce and any campground owner all will help influence the situation.

whanau · Joined: 21 Nov 2005 Posts: 17

Hi, I guess Wadcutter is from Maine, so I just want to ask this question. Was Adolf Hitler born in Maine by any chance. Just Wondering ? Evil or Very Mad