Wally World overnighters

[Trailer Trash 2]

I found this on another Forum and thought I'd pass it on as a FYI.
TT2

http://www.herald.ns.ca/Business/9001087.html

[CountryGuy]

Better make researvations in Nova Scotia, eh??? Bet the campgrounds won't be able to handle the influx of customers if that really takes hold. Interesting, thanks TT2 for the post.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

It is no different in the states. WAL*MART still encourages the RV crowd to overnight on their property. It is ONLY when the local governments disallows it does WAL*MART start posting signs. More often than not it is the local campground owners that put pressure on local officials to pass such ordinances.
A case in point wasn't with WAL*MART but with Cabella's. When Cabella's built their store in Tilden Township near Hamburg PA they put in a parking area with a dump station and pet kennels specifically for the RVers to overnight. The Tilden Township officials were coerced by the local campgrounds to put a stop to this. To save their political career they passed an ordinance and the overnighting was ended. Now if WAL*MART were to build a store in Tilden Township they would be posting "No Overnight" signs as well. This is fact not a rumor. I stayed in 2 different area campgrounds and had the owners bragging how they put a stop to Cabella's plan. They felt good about putting the BIG guy in their place.

[Montana Sky]

The sad part is these campground owners still lose. Folks who pull into a Wal*Mart to catch some sleep(like myself) do not have any plans on staying in that town. They are only there to pick up items from the store, get some rest, and be gone in the morning hours. I do not agree w/ many rv'ers who "set up camp" in the parking lot, they are spoiling it for those folks like me who pull in, hit the store to pick up what I need and head to bed. I do not open the slides, put out chairs, let the puppy run free, and drop the jacks, that is what the campgrounds are for. (minus letting the puppy run free) While on the road if I have to choose from stopping at a Wal*Mart for a nights sleep or paying a campground a nites stay, I will continue on down the road to a rest area or another town that allows this great feature Wal*Mart offers. Towns need to remember that when we rv'ers purchase something, we are paying sales tax on our goods. The town still benefits, its called tax revenue. I dont understand what the problem is??

[Trailer Trash 2]

I have no problem with a OVERNITER if realy sleepy, and to REPLENISH. but there are a few that will push there stay to the limmits to save a couple of bucks, thuss causing new city ordinances to be made and passed, restricting future Overnight parking for RV's a lot of cities are starting to do that now.

TT2

[NASCARon]

I read an article that said campground owners were not only trying to stop overnighting at walmart, but also at rest stops. Unbelieveable!!! The sad part is some local officials are doing just that. YIKES!!!

[Driftwoodgal]

Thank goodness Walmart allows RV's to set up in their parking lots. After a hurricane comes through and wipes out electricity and other services it sure helps the insurance adjuster, that can be self contained, to start helping people get back on their feet. When an area is hard hit there aren't enough campgrounds to handle the amount of trailers that come in, nor is there enough apartments. That is the reason why we bought a home for hubby to pull behind him.

Last year he spent four months at the Gonzalez, LA fairgrounds. That was over an hour away from where his losses were, but they were one of the few that had full hook ups.

[trukdoc]

It truely has a lot to do with us RV'ers. The ones that CAMP out are making it hard for us that just pick up a few items and get a few hours sleep.
Wal-Mart saved me one night in the Phoenix,Az. area one night. We got there fairly late met with my cousin and called every RV park listed in the phone book. Either no answer, we were too young, had dogs or our dogs were too big. So off to Wal-Mart we go. Having never stayed at a parking lot, was a little uneasy about this. But we were out of options. So we found the Wal-mart and had just pulled into the parking lot when we see the security cart coming towards us with the blinky light going. We were sure he was coming to run us off. He pointed us in the artea to park, let us know we were welcome to use the rest room. He leaves us and I park in such a way I am not possibly in anyones way. All the way back, here comes the man in the cart, No No No do not park there! It might rain tonight and water stands here...Pull up. I explain that I do not want to be in the way. He all but parked my truck. He would not leave me alone until I moved into the middle of the lot. Now is that service or what.

[Fordzilla]

We stayed in one near OK city last fall on our way to Texas for an evening. We had been driving for a long time and needed rest bad. Had nearly the same experience as trukdoc, security guard came up to us and escorted us to a safe area to park where we wouldn't be in anyones way. We got up in the morning and picked up a few things for the next part of our trip and headed the rest of the way. We did notice a big RV sitting over near the edge of the parking lot all set up like he was staying there for a week.

[D and M On The Road]

Until the MOC started in 2002, I had been a member at many other RV boards. At one of them, the WalMart RV parking topic was a hot issue. We developed a version of the "Unofficial Guide to Overnight RV Parking at WalMart". Of course the guidelines themselves became a hot topic to argue over also. I was so glad when the MOC started up as it was truely the "calm" out there in the sea of "stormy" RV discussion boards...*LOL

One thing I do wonder about is how casinos can get away with allowing overnight RV parking and neighboring campgrounds/neighbors aren't screaming for local ordinances against it like they do for WalMart RV parking? Is it because they actually have an area set aside for RVers to park and signs posted directing RVers to that area? Maybe that's what Walmart should do. I'd like to see Walmart and casinos get together and put their power together in over-ruling these local ordinances that prohibit RV parking overnight in their parking lots. But then a thought just came to me.... isn't the land that (indian) casinos are on not subject to local rules and ordinances?

Just before I posted this, I went to the WalMart site to see the current Walmart statement on RV Parking and it appears they have taken the statement off their website. Or at least, I can't find it anymore.

Anyways, I knew I had this on disk somewhere and have found it to share:


Unofficial Guide to Overnight RV Parking at WalMart:

1 Don't stay if "No overnight parking" signs are posted. If you do, be prepared to be asked to leave during the night if you don't have prior permission. You might also be issued a citation by the local law.

2 If you arrive during store hours, always go in and ask for permission to park overnight. Get the name of the person you get permission from.

3 If you arrive after the store is closed, park in the furthermost corner away from the store. If you'll be arriving after hours and already know that you'll be staying at the store, call the store ahead of time for permission. Always get the name of the person you talked with.

4 Don't unhook your tow vehicle or towed-vehicle and leave the RV. This is not a campgound. It is okay to unhook however, if you have repairs that need to be made to the tow vehicle and you are taking it to a local shop for the repairs. Never do any repair work in the lot yourself.
Put something under your supports so they don't damage the parking lot surface. Discuss it with the store manager first, so that they know what is going on and they also may be able to direct you to a local reputable repair shop.

5 It's okay to open the slide-outs, but do not put down stabilizer legs, supports or jacks. It's understandable that you might need to open the slides to have access to areas inside your RV.

6 Never put outside any chairs, or other personal belongings. Do not open your awning. In otherwords, the only thing you own that should be visible is the RV and the tow vehicle.

7 Never cook outside of your rig.

8 No loud music or tv. Try to be as quiet as possible.

9 It's okay to use your generator in very short intervals. Never run it for more than absolutely necessary, and never after 10pm at night or before 7am in the morning.

10 If traveling with children, do not let them run around and play in the parking lot.

11 The dumping of ANY tanks in the parking lot is NOT okay. Report anyone who does to the store management right away.

12 Be good neighbors to the store. Purchase something during your time there.

13 Never stay more than one night. Period. RV parking at Walmart is only a place to get some sleep when you are so tired that it would be dangerous to keep driving. If you have a reason that it's absolutely necessary, discuss it with the store manager.

14 Leave the area cleaner than you found it. Don't ever leave any trash.

15 Carry a pack of post cards with you. After you leave the store after staying the night, send one to the manager thanking him/her and noting that you purchased something while there (if you, in fact, did).

It all makes very good sense, doesn't it? We the RVers, should do everything possible so that Wal-Mart continues this gracious policy in towns where there aren't ordinances prohibiting it.