By Gail Marsh
Every time we run a poll like this, at least half of the respondents say it would bother them a lot! So much so that some even said they’d complain to management or ask the RVer to move.
An incident in an RV campground my husband and I visited prompted this poll question. I’m curious if RVers think there should be a rule about lights in campgrounds at night.
It was well past 10 p.m. and I was happy to open the windows for the night. After an unusually hot day, the late evening temperatures had cooled considerably. In fact, a very pleasant breeze greeted me as I opened our RV’s windows. After being closed up with the air conditioner running for several days straight, I was eager to enjoy the cool, fresh air.
When I turned out the lights, I realized that our campground neighbors had every one of their outdoor lights blazing! That’s right—the porch light, the awning lights, the under-the-RV lights, and the front cap side lights were all shining brightly in the moonless, dark night.
I reluctantly closed the windows, turned on the air conditioner, and pulled down the room’s darkening window shades. I mentally wrote “eye mask” on tomorrow’s shopping list, pounded my pillow into shape, and turned out the lights.
This experience brings me to today’s poll. You know and I know to extinguish all outdoor RV lights when retiring for the night. Some campers don’t know this, however. So, should the campground include a rule about “lights out”?
Let us know what you think and then please leave a comment about what you think this rule should look like. Thank you!
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- Do you keep lights on outside your RV at night?
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RVDT2845
I don’t like to assume, but I will in this case. I assume “ lights out” refers to outdoor lighting. Sometimes people wake up and they cannot fall asleep again. They may get up and turn on inside lighting. I have met people who would complain about light coming through curtains or shades. Any role that a campground would make to enforce light restrictions should not include indoor lighting. Some people leave lights on in their bathroom in order to navigate to it safely in the dark. I hate to see rules that don’t consider all scenarios.
I believe the rule would need better clarification meaning the outside lighting and interior shades down.
Captain Obvious says outside lights.
Lights out maybe after a certain hour. I mean if you went into town for an event and wasn’t getting back to your camper until 10 PM at night, you would like your outside light on for convenience and safety. But you don’t need airport runway lights on that light up the whole campground.
This what flashlights are for.
Or motion lights that go out after a minute or so. If you need to take a potty break, these lights will show you the steps when you return.
The rope lights all over the ground ad the nose lights should never be on all night.
I don’t even see the reason for the nose lights except to be annoying.
This isn’t a simple Yes/No question. Some outside lighting is for safety.
Agree. But once you’re in for the night there’s no need for an outside light. If you go out again, turn a light on. When you go back in, turn it off.
Not disagreeing at all, but from a host’s perspective, enforcement would be difficult. If a light was on after a rule required it to be off, imagine rushing around to enforce the rule. You would need another rule about necessary lighting for a set maximum time after hours, etc. There would be more disturbance running around and making noise trying to get a camper to comply, than the light itself would cause.
As a host, now manager, we didn’t / don’t run around after the set hour enforcing thr rule. My approach, which has been effective, is to wait until the next day and quietly discuss with the guest. Often times, waiting has proven successful in that the guest realized it themselves or a neighbor approached them.
Outside lights out please. If you’re worried about security or returning to your RV after dark, a small rechargeable motion detection light works great.
“Yes.” With a caveat. We manage a CG in WNC, in the Smokies, away from town, with a beautiful night sky. We ask all guests to turn out outside lighting at 9:30 or when they go in for the night. Outside lights are distracting for those viewing the night sky. One more thing, there’s never a good reason to have those annoying front cap lights on (IMHO).
I wish I could give you some sort of award for this policy. Those front cap lights are just a big “look at me I’m pretty” thing and really don’t serve any purpose other than to annoy other campers.
Thanks Tony
Yes I hate the front cap runway lights asked a friend who camps with us why they leave them on answer don’t know just don’t think about it next night still on 24/7
Exactly. We all know what rig you have during the day.
If one hates lights, kids, pets, smoke, smells, noise, or any other attribute that comes from being in the presence of humanity, they should probably stick to boondocking.
A healthy and vibrant campground will have all those things with an occasional example of excess. In those cases, be kind and simply talk to your neighbor. They have a right to light as much as you have the right to sleep, negotiate balance. Talk to them, not about them.
Before you begin the discussion though, it’s best if you know which is making you seeth – Your intolerance to light other than your own or your neighbor’s lack of existence within your personal preferences.
TLDR: No “lights out” rule.
Part of me society no respect for other people
You have that backwards Kev. I think it’s absurd for someone to insert themselves into a crowd and then be so entitled that they try to impose their comfort over others. I’m the opposite.
I love tranquility but I don’t demand others turn off their noisy air conditioners or muzzle their dogs, kids or spouse. I love my windows open but I don’t demand my neighbor not have a campfire, cook fish or enjoy their cigar. I love darkness but I don’t expect my neighbor to live by candlelight because I hate to use my shades.
No sir, I let the “me society” dream up ways they can impose their will on others while I let you be you and hope you’re having a good day. That ain’t disrespectful mate.
Respect your neighbors. Turn your lights off ESPECIALLY the annoying front cap lights!
Security lights only. We have an illiumanated door handle and a keypad that lights when you touch it. Plus a motion detecting porch light.
Anything past that would be very annoying.
When camping in certain parts of the Arizona desert I keep my string lights on the ground on all night. I am not interested in having any pack rats visit my site. Everyone has black out curtains, so what is the big deal?
All one needs is one tiny light, open hood of vehicle, and/or an ultrasonic.
We were at a private campground in Utah last fall. They were part of the Dark Sky Initiative and asked that all lights be turned off after dark unless needed. I had my awning lights on as I was grilling outside but forgot to turn them off when I went inside when done. A short time later I got a friendly knock at the door with the owner kindly reminding me to turn them off. It was a truly different experience going out in the dark, not a single light on around. The night skies were wonderful!
As much as I think people should be considerate enough to want to do this, I wouldn’t want another rule that would be unenforceable in many cases. Campers should be respectful, and make as little impact on the camping experience as possible – lights, noise, pets, trash, etc. The rude or just uninformed campers will always be out there. I’ve always thought that it’s not up to others make my space comfortable, but rather it’s up to me to get room-darkening curtains or choose a more primitive campground next time, etc. Besides, I don’t remember a “bad” camping trip.
I voted yes, but it really doesn’t bother us as we run the bedroom A/C from the first trip in the spring to the last trip in the fall. Even if it is cool out side the fan makes the white noise we want keeping the outside noise at a minimum.
Our society obsesses too much about what others are doing or not doing. 99% of the time, things would go much smoother if all of us would just MYOB.
Yup, live and let live. I voted “no” to lights out. For $5 you can buy a sleep mask from Amazon. Problem solved. And if light bothers you so much, what do you do when the sun comes up at 5 AM during the summer?
That 5:00 AM sunrise drives me nuts and I just holler at the sun and it doesn’t do any good. Moving time zones doesn’t work either. Then I found, if I mind my own business and keep my eyes closed, – problem solved.
Nothing kills a quiet campfire mood faster than a neighbor’s porch light or Coleman lantern illuminating our campsite.
I think campgrounds should have a outdoor lights out policy the RV’s lights next to you don’t shine in your windows all night.
Yes, with some explanation. Unless this a listed dark sky park, at the start of quiet hours, I have no problem with lower level lights as needed. Unless switched on as needed from the interior, this usually means path lighting (not area lighting) motion detection lights, or dusk to dawn dim path lighting solar lights.
Seems this mandate should be at the discretion of the RV park owner. Whichever rule they choose, should be posted and advertised in any literature. Then campers can decide if those rules are compatible with their preferences.
We winter in Arizona. A lot of campers here have lights on all night under their units to keep varmints away. We have had pack rats on occasion.
I’m one of those who don’t just like, but need, darkness to sleep. I can’t wear anything on my head (hat, mask, earplugs) at all. It is so frustrating to have someone’s porch (or other) light shining right through the curtains of the window next to my head.
And why is that a reason for making everyone else turn off their lights? Sounds like a you problem not a we one.
Put up a piece of reflectix. That blocks the light
Lights are a deterrent for thieves. I have motion detection lights and cameras so I can see what’s triggered them. I have had stuff stolen at campgrounds before under the cover of darkness and I’ve taken measures to prevent that. I have lived where there are street lights and next door to stores where they have security lights on all night so I am accustomed to having some light on outside. I turn off my under glow lights and the awning ones at 10 PM but will turn on the porch light to put the dogs out.
SUPER SIMPLE: Vast majority of campgrounds/parks have “Quiet Hours”; Simply add lighting to that rule. Oh, and to the RV manufactures who put all-night LEDs on their products to draw attention to their brand logo: I’ll never buy your brand!
And people will ignore it like they do for quiet hours and the campgrounds will not enforce it either.
We only use our outside lights when they are needed, but I voted “no” because I’d rather reserve rules for issues that are safety related. Wear a sleep mask if sensitive to light at night (as I am). That said, it is always helpful to educate others about areas where consideration is appreciated.
Of course, we frequently get by the campground light pole that shines directly into the bedroom window!
I’m really curious, what do the light haters do if the campground keeps their lights on? Most of the privately owned campgrounds I have been to, have at least a couple light poles lit and many keep the laundry and restroom outside lights on. The ones designated as “Dark Sky” campgrounds I understand.
Seems to me a bit of courtesy and common sense would be a better solution, but good luck with that.
I support a lights out rule, however simple camper etiquette should really be all that is necessary. If you are in a campground all the safety lighting is already present, if you are dry camping or boondocking you are probably not perusing the woods or desert in the middle of the night anyway, so shut off the lights. This would not even be a question except for totally inconsiderate entitled campers that feel they can do whatever they want whenever they want to. Really sad when we must even consider a rule for something like this. I have been doing this RV thing since 1973, until maybe the recent ten years this was never an issue, what happened?