Most of us have had the misfortune to be camped next door to someone we wished were across the park from us and not on our doorstep. Sad to say, but in many RV parks, RVs are packed so tightly you can hear your neighbor snore at night.
There are times when it’s too much. The problem could be a bunch of beer-chugging good-ol’ boys who want to party all night, or a family with a half-dozen loud, badly behaved children, or a camper who loves to play his Conway Twitty tunes so loud your belly fat vibrates on the low notes. Of course, there’s the guy who smokes cigars and watches Rambo movies on his big screen, outdoor TV (with Dolby sound) six feet away from your bedroom window.
So, our question of the day: Have you ever just packed up your RV and moved to a different site, or even a different park, because you simply could not tolerate staying another night in the campground equivalent of hell?
Please feel to leave a comment.
Check yourself. Maybe you ARE the annoying neighbor.
Amen ACH!
Agreed!
Only up to 5 days at a site, most of the time. Don’t long term at any where, mostly the RV is salvation from motels and bad food when traveling.
Haven’t moved, but have started avoiding one Arizona State Park because of the locals who day camp and another because of the Nazi Host who likes to bang on doors at 10 PM to tell you something he could have mentioned when he drove by every hour.
We were camped beside three generations of a family at a state park. They had a couple of rambunctious young children. The park ranger asked if they were disturbing us. So, I gave him my standard answer: This is probably their only opportunity to get together, I am on a permanent vacation. If I’m bothered. I am free to leave. My life is much more enjoyable when I don’t let the small stuff bother me…..and it’s all small stuff.
Nice comment, Glenn.
I totally concur! We let that 5% be 95% of our problem. Society is getting far to sensitive IMO. Life’s too short, enjoy it. You never know. Look at what the pandemic has done to our country and the world. Peace to all and be safe.
We all need the comfort and peaceful insights given us. This will pass.☯️
I wish more people were as reasonable, accepting and tolerant as you, Glenn. Thank you! Take care. 🙂 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Totally agree with you. Most of the complaints are just life with an assortment of people. Why people camping think people should follow their made up rules on “what camping is” never ceases to amaze me. Some of the complaints sound more like tales.
And if you can, laugh at it, preferably out loud so they can hear you and think you’re crazy. And don’t take yourself so seriously, I don’t.
Once when we first started camping in the state park we had a neighbor that liked doing things we thought were inappropriate for our young children to see and the ranger said it’s a free country and he couldn’t do anything about it so we moved to the other side of the campground.
Yapping dogs…
Have never packed and left early, but couple of times was more than happy when time at a camp area was over.
Only once. I was assigned a spot next to a guy who was obviously looking for a fight. He came to my door as soon as I backed in and told me his wife didn’t feel well and I had to shut down my rig immediately as the noise was bothering her. I understood and complied.
A while later he pounded on my door and told me he didn’t like where I had parked my toad (in front of my rig, but 100% in my space) and I needed to move it or he’d call the cops. I disagreed, but went ahead and moved my toad.
The next day he intercepted me and told me he was going to report me for where I had stored my tow dolly (under the back of my motorhome). That was all I could take; I went to the office and asked to relocate to a spot at the other end of the park.
Some people are just looking for ways to be unhappy.
Or… some people are looking for ways to make you move. If they apply enough annoyance, you will ask to be moved.
Thankfully we have never had neigbors who were so bad that we even wanted to move, let alone did so. Of course, we lack the time on the road of many, having only begun traveling in earnest 3+ years ago. Perhaps some self-selection took place during our 4-month trip to Alaska and back two years ago, but even then, in the midst of ~120 consecutive days on the road, we never had “bad” neighbors.
I had to relocate one time at a campground in LaGrange, Ga. due to neighbor leaving black tank valve open and letting it steadily go all over the ground. It was disgusting and the park management didn’t seem to care or do anything about it.
I don’t know if newer rigs come with extra loud furnaces, but my next door neighbor’s sounds like thunder. Same thing with gas water heaters, which some people just turn on and leave on, 24/7. That’s really pleasant to hear at 3am. He’s moving today, not me.
Those are hydra hot units. They are terribly noisy and the exhaust is usually aimed at a bedroom window. I try very hard not to park next to them. Getting harder though as a lot of class A units have them.
We’ve had to move only once over the years. A group of very noisy, very drunk, very inconsiderate neighbors at the City Campground in Seward, AK.
We had a similar experience in a campground in Valdez.
However, our family moved from a pretty campground with a drunken manager to Garner State Park where we were safe and happy.
I only had one experience when I wanted to change sites. It was a campground this past fall in Indiana that was full so there was no place to move to. I was warned when I pulled in that I should lock my doors and be careful because there was a group near the front of the campground that were on meth! Yikes! Thankfully I was on my way home and just there for one night. That was the only time that I have experienced being not happy at a campground or crowding. We do most of our traveling around the Midwest.
No, so far have been very lucky. I remind myself the noise very often vanishes at 10 p.m. And if the hell-raising is during the day, go do something fun outside the park.
Also, since you can’t get refunds, whenever possible pay for the first night by itself and go in the next day to extend for your full stay. Or if it’s a ‘bad scene’, roll on in the morning.
Yes but only one time. A campground in WI where we had planned to stay for a week – mid-week to mid-week. All was fine for the first couple of days but then the weekend crowd arrived. Every site occupied and every one built their own, very smoky, fire. There was a stalled weather system that held all the smoke close to ground level. Even in our coach, breathing was a challenge. We pulled out the next morning. Wish campgrounds would offer “no smoking” sections free of wood campfires. Some of us with less robust lungs (allergies) would be very appreciative.
I know it’s a tradition and all, but I think smoky wood campfires are the worst.
I don’t care for campfires too. Some people feel that have to have a 12′ bonfire 5 feet from our RV bedroom and that give them the right to burn 24 hours a day. What a waste of money for all that wood purchased. And you can’t bring your own wood. Nothing like getting you RV smelling like a chimney from inconsiderate idiots.
Moved once because neighbor was running a pair of Honda 2k watt generators so he could use the AC. The wind was just wrong and the fumes drifting into my site became intolerable.
That’ll do it. It’s not just the noise, it’s the fumes.
No, since we’re full timers we play the “We can out last you” game. Most of the badly behaving campers that we’ve encountered are usually “week end warriors” and are gone in a few days.
We have never moved from our site, but one time in NY we had a couple of tenters move in next to us. The next day even more set up on the same site. In all, there were about 8 tents set up. These so called campers had no respect for anyone. Drinking and loud music late into the night. The campground owners approached them and told them that each ‘extra’ person must pay to camp. Well, all of the became belligerent towards the owner. About 5 minutes later, 3 sheriffs cars pulled up and told them to leave. After some more remarks from the tenters, six of them ended up in the back of the sheriffs cars. The rest packed up and left.
The rest of the week was quiet.
I don’t remember moving because of neighbors but I do remember moving because someones trailer was too close to the site we were suppose to be in. Took the campgrounds a while to figure out where to put us because I wanted space between us. Then there have been times we just cancelled because the sites were way too close together. Talk about communal.
No, I haven’t moved. But, I have had one arrested. He refused to keep his dog under control. It got loose and bit me. I called the police, had him arrested and the dog placed in quarantine. He also had to pay for the medical costs. I talked with the owner of the campground and the guy and his entire family is banned from ever camping there.
I moved because the neighbours were having a 3 day family reunion with lots of activity. They were not badly behaved but it wasn’t what I wanted from a campsite, luckily there was a more peaceful site available. The second evening the revelers invited me to join them and I enjoyed the event 😎
We boondock or stay at campgrounds without hookups. We have moved twice because our neighbor had a construction type of generator. They are so loud that you cannot sit outside.
No, but I’ve been close to doing that on a few occasions. Usually it was in a situation where we were only there a few days. If it was long term, I would move for sure!
I had to say yes but mine was a little different. I had the campground owner come around and offer us a different site in the “quieter” section of the campground. It was more secluded and further from the entrance. Toward the front there was a group of partiers traveling together that was loud,, drunk, and ignoring the quiet hours and we had young kids at the time.
In the hundreds of camping trips we’ve taken I’ve moved at least 5 times. Every time was when we were boondocking and not at an RV park. For some reason, even though there was miles of open space around us, someone would come and park right next to us. Then they would either party all night, run their construction generator, or let their kids and dogs run wild and through my little area and just generally be bad neighbors. One time on the shores of Lake Powell a motor home parked 5 feet off the back of my trailer bumper. They then started a huge bon-fire about 10 feet from my trailer door and left it to go walk on the beach. It was filling my trailer with smoke. So as I was packing up I thought “Hey, I was here first & have been here for 3 days already, why should I move?” I put the fire out and when they came back two hours later I used my teacher voice and told that they were too close, I was here first and they had to move. Surprisingly, they did so without a fight
Yosemite Valley in the 70s. Crowding was horrifying. My dad asked the ranger for more options and he let us move to a campground near the timberline. A bear came and ate most of our two-week supply of food even though it was in a locked box and lashed shut with strong rope. Still preferable to staying in the valley!
RESPECT – RESPECT – Respect !! Will we, all, soon be, either showing firearms on our person or dead from same?
We never moved because of undesirable neighbors but we did get some undesirables moved out of the campgrounds because of arguing, screaming, foul language and a brawl. They literally were beating the crap out of each other and then 3 of them jumped on one person. We had called the rangers office 3 times and I was about to call the sheriffs office when the rangers decided to throw them out.
nope, but we had one removed from a state park.
Once had a group of three adults and 21 kids park beside us. They spent more time in my site than I did. The rangers told them they couldn’t have that many people in their site so they rented the other site next to me. Stuck in the middle. It was time to leave
Never moved but was very cautious around the neighbor at a park in west Yellowstone in 2017. As I was hooking up my surge protector, he made a comment about my surge protector that I took as he was going to steal it. So I only used it to check to make sure the power was ok from the pedestal before putting it back into storage. Then coming home from out sight seeing he and his wife was in our front door sitting at our picnic table eating. I tell you the man was squirrely to say the least and I didn’t appreciate his behavior and considered it antisocial.
We lock our surge protector, and yes we have had one stolen.
We have run into unruly & noisy neighbors a few times. We one time had a neighbor who would not keep their BIG DOG tied up, I asked them to do it a few times and it didn’t work. And My wife wanted us to move, Then after their dog attacked one of ours that were tied up, I had enough! So I walked over and handed him a $100 bill. He asked me what that was for? I said this is what the fine to me would be for killing his dog after I called and talked to the town about it. He handed the bill back to me and tied his dog up! The rest of our stay was very very peaceful for some reason after that! 🤔
Once on South Padre Island at the Isla Blanca County Park where the leash laws are strictly enforced, our little dog jumped out the door when we opened it. We retrieved him in seconds. However, the old busy body behind us, Nosey O’Donnell, called the office. They came to reinforce the rules. After, we put a sign on the back of our rv that said, “WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE”. She left shortly after. That time, we didn’t have to move, the problem did.
One time only.
The neighbor did not know how to use his sewer and its hose; left the valve from the Flexible’s black tank to the leaky hose open all the time.
In friendly fashion, I offered to assist him in learning how to dump the black tank. He declined the offer in unfriendly fashion.
We were to be at this campground for four months; the neighbor, even longer.
After a couple of weeks, we asked the manager if we could move. Manager eagerly accepted and asked us to write a complaint about the neighbor whom the manager hoped to be able to evict from the park.
I answered no but I missed the option of “not yet”.
No, but we usually stay in State Parks and know most of the Rangers.
Once as we were setting up – literally just backed in and getting level – the fellow in the site near us began complaining – we actually just packed up and went to a different campground.
We were supposed to have a site next to a camper that had a barking dog and some sort of wood project he was working on, also making lots of noise. Went back to the office and asked for another site. The woman looked at me with a knowing smile and said sure. We had a great time at the new site.
No sooner than I pulled into the site assigned the neighbors dog started barking and wouldn’t stop. I went back to the office and requested another site. I don’t travel with pets and after driving all day, the last thing I needed was listening to a dog barking non-stop.
I’m with you 100%
I hate them too. Been at campsites where owners left dog in RV and gone all day. Dog barked all day. Wish enforcement had the b@lls to kick them out. Why do I have to listen to this ALL day? Others with large dogs that when bark can be heard from one end to the other end of the campground. Last summer was at a state park where several RV owners met and the two dogs were at it for hours. Control your untrained dog or board the animal!
We did not move out after listening to a loud bunch of heathens drinking and shouting with loud music all night long in a state park BUT there were several unsuccessful visits from the rangers. Early the next morning came and most were still drunk and passed out/ sleeping all around their campsite, some urinating out in open view of other campers, other getting very friendly with each other…I decided that we needed a camp fire for breakfast prep. Splitting wood and “breaking up” 2X6 pine scraps by clapping them together loudly brought most of the drunk or sleeping people out holding their splitting heads from the night before with comments about how drunk they were from the antics of the night before. The kicker was that one of the group was speaking loudly to be heard by anyone near by their site that the music had killed the battery in the truck and he needed help to get the truck jumped.There were no volunteers but the rangers arrived again with the police to clean out the youth
Pulled in friday afternoon next to the lake for hopefully a quiet weekend. Later a family from out of state pulled in. Quiet first night. Next am they set up their suntent inches from my camper, turned on their outdoor speakers set way too loud to country music and proceded to spend the day racing their ski boat up and down the lake never turning off the music while gone. Asked camp host to have them remove tent that was just inches away from dinette window and turn down music. She did not want to confront them. They were there for a family reunion and she didn’t want to get involved. When the kids started running thru the campsite that afternoon to visit neighbors had enough and went home even though we had paid for the weekend. Had to remove their tent to pull out without damage which pissed them off, but they got my site which is what they wanted.
Three day weekend at a lake in NE Colorado. The second day, two campsites down from us, 3 pickups pulled in and started setting up tents…there were around 8 people, all young, and I swear! they pulled a ping-pong table out of the back of one of the trucks and set it up! Then out comes the beer and the red solo cups, and they started playing beer pong! Now this was about one in the afternoon. The small TT in between us and them, some older folks, just went in their trailer and stayed there and didn’t come out! We watched as they became drunker and drunker, yelling and carrying on all afternoon. The good thing was all of them passed out in their tents by 8 just before sunset, then gone the next morning by 10 am. It was funny to watch actually, and never saw them cook a single meal! The other good thing was the campsites were huge so there was a lot of space between us all. There’s been other experiences that didn’t end up so well and have actually moved on. We all have choices.
I always checked to see when they were leaving and fortunately it was always before me so nope did not move.