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Old 05-03-2014, 04:03 PM   #1
Wayne and Carolyn Mathews
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Campground Etiquette--Some people need it!

I'm not sure that I can survive many more weeks . . . days . . . at the KOA campground. With the arrival of warmer weather, the kids in the park are riding those big "banana bikes," essentially a 3-wheel adult-size tricycle, through the park. (The campground rents them, so they're a problem all summer long.) I just looked up and saw a teenage boy driving the big front tire of the one he's riding up under the rear bumper of my Explorer. Then he put one foot on my bumper (plastic) and shoved off, using the bumper for leverage. We had a problem last year with kids running those banana bikes into cars in the park, and it looks like the same problem is here again. NO RESPECT for the property of others. We had kids running through our campsite earlier today, now we have kids banging into our car. Just think--the summer crowds aren't even here yet. (This weekend the park is full of people with their trailers and their kids who are here for a baseball tournament.)

And there's more: On this gorgeous, sunny, "windows and door open" day at the campground, someone decided it was also the perfect day to work on his motorbike. For hours now, we've been treated to the non-stop revving, revving, revving of that motor, broken only by "gunning the engine" test drives through the park. No peace and quiet here, and forget about sitting outside and enjoying the sun.

We're into "anything goes" mode once again at the campground.

Carolyn
Dillon, Montana KOA
 
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Old 05-03-2014, 04:13 PM   #2
DQDick
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Man, I was never willing to pay for a KOA and many of the ones I've seen were tight to get around in so we've never been to one. I always assumed, based on the higher pricing, that they had rules and would enforce them.
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Old 05-03-2014, 04:36 PM   #3
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Carolyn--I'd be complaining to the Manager of your KOA. It seems they do not care! If that doesn't do any good, I'd be contacting KOA headquarters on the problem and I'm sure they can have a say so in the problems you are putting up with. They do not like to hear of problems like this in their campgrounds!
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Old 05-03-2014, 04:52 PM   #4
Wayne and Carolyn Mathews
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This is the first place we've ever stayed--RV resort, private campground, public campground--where no rules are posted and no "list of rules," campground map, etc., is given to incoming campers. We've been here since 2008 (it's the only place in town that allows fulltimers). I think we've reaching the end of our patience and our stay . . .

Carolyn
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Old 05-03-2014, 04:54 PM   #5
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Two rules I like to see in an RV park.
No ATVs may be ridden in the park.
Motorcycles may only be ridden into and out of the park.
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Old 05-03-2014, 06:06 PM   #6
Irlpguy
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Looking at this KOA's website very much indicates it is a family "children" oriented campground, they appear to cater to that clientele and that is wonderful.

I hope I never get too old to remember camping as a kid, later camping as a young married couple and camping with my two children and the wonderful time they had in those campgrounds. I now camp once or twice a year with my grown children and our grand kids, for them the camping experience is not about sitting in the sun enjoying the quiet, it is about tearing about, making new friends and yes sometimes irritating some of the older folks that don't have kids. My kids had rules, there were usually campground rules but they were never as restrictive as my rules.

This campground does not sound like the place for a retired couple seeking peace and tranquility as full timers because of it's appeal to families with children particularly in the summer.

Now having said all that there is no excuse for kids running amuck and doing damage to another campers property, that is a parental problem as much if not more than a problem with campground rules.

Identifying and reporting the individuals to the campground to hopefully deal with, might help. I would not advise trying to deal with a parent who likely feels his Jane/Johnny can do no wrong. These rowdies are not being taught some of life's important rules, whether in a campground or in their own neighborhood, that is the sad part because they will grow up to be just like their parents, we have all met them in campgrounds even reserved for people over 55.

I have stayed in a fair number of KOA's over the years, some overpriced and now on my ignore list, however I have stayed in some very nice KOA's that were competitively priced and I would visit those ones again.

It is too bad there are no other local options for you, perhaps you should travel some during the summer and return when the summer crowds have gone home.


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Old 05-04-2014, 12:37 AM   #7
HOOK
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Dropped my KOA membership a few years back because of declining properties and declining interest from the supervisors. The local KOA has been purchased by some new people who are doing a nice job if upgrading, and it is no longer a KOA.
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Old 05-04-2014, 03:02 AM   #8
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Nice thing about living in a RV, if you're not happy, it's easy to move
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Old 05-04-2014, 04:49 AM   #9
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by K0LCB

Nice thing about living in a RV, if you're not happy, it's easy to move
X2....if someone pi@%&& me off it only takes us about 15 minutes to hook up and leave.
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Old 05-04-2014, 07:54 AM   #10
bigskyjimmy
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Another great reason I joined a membership only resort that stuff hardly ever happens and if it does the host shuts down that B.S pretty quick, every once in a while we cannot find one of our membership resorts where we go and have to stay at a KOA like Ed said some are nice and some are pretty shabby and not well run we just cross our fingers and do not stay long
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Old 05-04-2014, 08:55 AM   #11
Mrs. CountryGuy
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Just sayin - -

Some full timers cannot up and move about to get away from bad situations.

I happen to know that Wayne and Carolyn cannot right now due to personal issues and obligations.

Just cause you can, or I can, does not mean everyone can.

Just sayin - -
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Old 05-05-2014, 12:32 AM   #12
WeBeFulltime
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"Only place in town that allows fulltimers"? What does the others have against fulltimers...we don't have "cooties"!
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Old 05-05-2014, 02:44 AM   #13
HOOK
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Etiquette is not only needed in CGs , there is a widespread absence. What we were taught back in he day seems no longer existent. But that's good for another whole discussion.
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Old 05-07-2014, 05:51 AM   #14
lunalonestar
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We always avoid KOA except as a last resort for all the reasons stated above.
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Old 05-07-2014, 08:02 AM   #15
BB_TX
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People often badmouth KOAs as being terrible places to stay. I have stayed at KOAs in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, and New Mexico and have never had a problem with any of them. Some better than others, but none bad. Have seen nothing as described about the above KOA.
Good luck? Or just the more typical experience?
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Old 05-07-2014, 12:04 PM   #16
padredw
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My experience has been similar to that of BB-TX. There are a few KOAs that we return to because we have found them to suit our tastes (North Houston/Lake Conroe, Fredericksburg KOA for example.)

Usually, we do not prefer KOA but often we use one that is in the right place for an overnight. I don't believe we have ever had a really bad experience. Maybe we have been lucky.

Prefer KOA?? Not usually. Avoid KOA entirely? Not yet.
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Old 05-08-2014, 09:49 AM   #17
bw2
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It is not just kids and folks with motorcycles. Golf carts, bicycles, and those folks with dogs that allow them to sit outside and constantly bark. They also allow their dogs to "use my site for their bathrooms".
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Old 05-08-2014, 05:44 PM   #18
Wayne and Carolyn Mathews
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As Mrs. Country Guy said, we can't leave Dillon right now because it's where our family is. The other two RV parks just don't want long-term or fulltime campers--no reason given for that policy. So, on June 1st, we're doing something we didn't want or expect to do--becoming sticks and bricks people and parking the Monty except for camping trips.

We're hoping the move isn't a long-term thing, because we've loved being fulltimers, but the year since we returned from being park hosts in Texas hasn't been relaxing or peaceful, and it's time for a break. A bigger town would no doubt have other places for fulltimers, but not here. Tough choice to make!

Carolyn

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Old 05-09-2014, 01:28 PM   #19
Chasnracin
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Sorry you are having such issues with your new neighbors. We stayed at a KOA ONE time and had much the same experience you are having. I appreciate people taking their kids out for a camping experience as it beats letting them play video games all day. For us, we'll get our Saturday morning pancakes somewhere else...that doesn't have a playground. Hope it gets better.
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Old 05-09-2014, 04:41 PM   #20
Irlpguy
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Wayne & Carolyn I am sorry to hear you have had to resort to moving out and into a S&B, while I enjoy living in my home, I also enjoy living in the Monty when not at home and in either place we usually cannot choose our neighbors.

There has been criticism here of KOA due to the fact that it is a KOA campground, that has little or no bearing when there are no rules to make visiting or long terming in a campground enjoyable, no matter it's affiliation, there just has to be enforced rules for everyone.

We have camped in Yuma for 4 consecutive years at the same RV park, there has always been some issues with some folks. The park is about equal with RV's and Park Models, the dog area which is large is surrounded by Park Models, those owners over the years have assumed entitlement and ownership of the dog park over the short term visitors, because the manager has also been there a long time and knows all these folks he does not want to deal with the problems they cause. Well this year actions taken by a couple of the "entitled" affected me personally and after it was addressed by another camper and nothing was done, I went to the management with letter in hand demanding something be done about the issue.

It was dealt with, not by the manager but by one of his workers, however the word soon spread that I was the one who addressed the issue with the Manager and I was shunned by most in the dog park. To be shunned was not a big issue for me as I was there for my dog, not a social visit anyway. It is these same folks who early in the morning and late evening let their dogs run into the dog area unattended and who do not clean up when no one is looking.

To many retired people, their dogs are their kids, I suspect many allowed their kids to behave in the same manner they now allow their dogs to behave. Don't blame the kids for playing, blame the management for not posting and enforcing practical rules for every camper in the park, blame the parents for their lack of parenting.

Perhaps this KOA will be soon sold and cleaned up and Wayne & Carolyn will be able to return and once again enjoy full timing in a well run, governed campground close to their family. One can hope.

Good luck in the meantime.
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