By Gail Marsh
I wonder where they went. I’m talking about the signs we used to see all around the RV park, like: “The Johnsons from Wisconsin” or “Oregon’s Nelsen Family.” As I walked around our RV park this morning, I realized that not one of our current RV park campers advertised themselves or their home state—well, except my husband and me.
Sign of the times?
If you’ve RVed for a while, you might remember when almost everyone had some kind of identifying sign outside their rig. The sign, generally carved from wood, told passersby something about the folks parked at that site. Like: “George and Betty, camping since 1988” or “Mary and Bob, spending our kids’ inheritance.” Whatever happened to those signs?
Anonymity
Are today’s campers paranoid or do they simply yearn for a little anonymity? In a world where a click or two can tell you more than you wanted to know about someone, perhaps it’s fun to remain nameless—at least while camping.
New and updated
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There are many more like it available on Amazon, too.
How about you?
Do you post a personalized sign outside your RV? Tell us with your vote and then explain in the comments if you wish.
RVDT2692
Not because we worry of identity theft or are enrolled in a secret witness program, I don’t hang signs because it’s just more “stuff” to haul, handle and stow from site to site. Our outdoor welcome mat is customized to include our last name though.
All these years I never have. I remember when I was a kid the trailer parks with the summer owners always had a family sign posted in front of the trailer. And always laughed as they all knew each other in the park as they were permanent trailers. Summer ended the signs put up and nothing but a dead zone, like a disease came through and wiped them out.
We put out our name sign when we stay somewhere more than a couple of days. We don’t do it for overnight or short stays, unless we’re with a rally.
We have a rare last name which we came to realize is like a giant “we are not home sign.” This is the same reason I stay off facebook and social media as much as possible
You are a smart cookie to stay off any social media junk.
Yes for our seasonally stationary RV. No to our tiny TT if just an overnight stay.
My folks had a sign they used on their class A so not too long after we got our trailer we got a sign. Unfortunately, we use a mounting pole that drives into the ground and since we camp in arid west Texas, too often the ground is too dry and hard. I did put a decal on our door that has our name on it.
One more change after the COVID fiasco.
Thinking about getting one with first names & home Town and pictures of our cats.
A sign with our names and home town on it, posted so any scum bag can misuse the info? Never gonna happen.
Yip, sure do, along with our American flag. Also made our son one for his rv as well.
Good or bad, I think the latest crazies to invade our lives have led many of us to go into privacy mode. I, normally, am a friendly, introverted, type of person and like to exchange waves with passers by or perhaps a wink to a grey haired person, like myself, in a grocery store or where-ever. But I too, have withdrawn a great deal of identity info from the rest of the world. Sure not what it used to be! Sad, as I think it also puts most people on guard – like “know your surroundings”, “be situational aware”, “be alert…..” and on and on it goes. Google has also added to the problems as you can search for virtually anyone and get their life history etc……….!
They have your names and can see your license plate. It may not show your hometown, but it does narrow down your location. In the state I live, there are only two people with the same last name. Not hard to search for.
I heard about a guy that preferred his privacy that had a sign that turned away unwanted visitors. Sign said, “welcome, my name is Jerry and I am an insurance broker and would love to discuss your insurance needs”. I doubt he had many visitors.
We never had an outside sign, but did have one on the dash with our last name and the town where we live. After a comment about how “bad guys” could find out more & use it to find our home and ransack it while we’re on a trip. I plan to create another, but without our home town.
We’ve only displayed “engraved” wooden bone-shaped signs with our dogs’ names on them. 🙂
Thank you for the question, Gail! DW’s parents had such a sign. Sadly, it was one of the casualties when truck and RV went off the side of the road over Thompson Pass leaving Valdez in 2019. They survived, but both truck and RV were total losses. DW and I never thought about making a sign. I will ask her if she wants one after we return from our current trip. I don’t have a strong opinion one way. I do think, depending on how it is displayed, that it would only get displayed if we were at least 3 nights in a campground. Have a great day and safe travels!
We put out a garden flag holder with a customized flag on it when we go camping.
I don’t but have thought about a pink flamingo and says FLORIDA
Hi, Mitzi and Ed. Watch out with those pink flamingos. Just sayin’.😉 Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com