RVing Etiquette

[BoredWeasel]

I don't think he mentioned "EXPECTING" in his comments anywhere. You are correct though in the fact that Your time is your time and how you choose to spend it is entirely up to you. If you feel like offering some help to someone that is having issues, or if you don't....entirely your decision. There are obviously people that need/want some help, along with others that don't want or need help, and you have a choice on how you react...or not, to them.

He never.specifically stated he was expecting. but it was the tone of the entire post.

I have never asked for help in any aspect of my rv experience. when I have been out working I have had some campground neighbors come over and offer a hand and chat. that is fine.....but not expected.

I have been asked to help on multiple occasions from flat tires to structural issues. where is the boundary?

[xrated]

He never.specifically stated he was expecting. but it was the tone of the entire post.

I have never asked for help in any aspect of my rv experience. when I have been out working I have had some campground neighbors come over and offer a hand and chat. that is fine.....but not expected.

I have been asked to help on multiple occasions from flat tires to structural issues. where is the boundary?

Like most things in life, for some folks there are no boundaries. What you or I might feel like when asking for help, could be the total opposite for someone else. Personally, I will usually not ask for help until it is truly needed.....not just for convenience sake. I'm kind of hard headed that way. Others, may be just the opposite and will ask someone for help when they could likely do it themselves or maybe just seeking a way to start a conversation, and that is their way in.

I have offered help before, if I see someone "struggling." And even that is up for discussion as to whether they are struggling in "my opinion" or maybe it's just the way they do things and it's all perfectly "normal" for them......which may not be "normal" for me, so I think they are struggling, when they aren't. In those situations I may ask if they need or want some help or assistance, and if they do, I'll try to help them, but stay within my limits of what I will do or not do. I certainly do want to be the one taking the blame for something happening to their equipment while I'm offering to help them. So, there is sometimes a fine line between even offering to help (depending what they are doing or what the issue is) and me not offering help.

[trailrydr]

Personally, I think anytime someone is doing something other than normal CG stuff (i.e. dumping, hook up/disconnect, parking, unloading/loading, check tire pressure/lug tightness) is probably a cause for some struggle - if atleast mentally. Not sure many folks want to actually "fix" on their rig while camping.

However, I do usually set myself up with some RV projects to do when we head out for an extended time. Because of it, I do get the occasional "offers" too, which Im happy to take the additional minute(s) to answer questions. Sometimes folks just want to ask questions about mods or other such things they notice about your rig, other times it might be that their just curious.... Ive always got that at my stick built too and am ok with it.

Offering to help or supply tools is a nice gesture IMO - just gotta know when being a nuisance or not....

[huntindog]

As a boondocker in remote areas, I never fail to offer help, or turn anyone down. With no phone service, I may be the only hope for help.
I have had some interesting experiences and met some fine people doing this.
Hopefully, if I ever need help, some like minded person will come along.

[kb0zke]

Okay, time for another humorous example. Quite a few years ago (late 80's) we had just purchased a used 1983 Mercury Colony Park station wagon. At the time our three children were quite young, still taking afternoon naps. Of course, to them, the most important part of any campground was the playground. After the tent was set up, supper consumed and cleaned up, we loaded up the kids for a trip to the playground for a bit before bed. As we drove out from our site, I noticed a strange noise from under the hood. I pulled over and popped the hood. At that time, if you lifted the hood in a campground you would have a dozen men there to help. After listening to the noise for a bit, the general consensus was that the car had swallowed a valve. Sorry, kids, no visit to the playground tonight. It was just too far for their short legs. We pushed the car back to our site and had one of those moments when someone should have had a video camera. The road sloped back down toward our site, but it looked level. One of the guys pushed the car with just one finger. Of course, he gave it a pretty good shove with both hands first.

The next day an older couple took pity on us. They offered to let the kids nap in their air-conditioned motor home, and brought a mechanic they knew out to confirm the diagnosis, which he did. He said he could replace the engine if we could find one to put in. We looked all over the area, but no 302 V8 engines were available, so we bought an old Cadillac to tow the Mercury back home (day's drive). One guy crawled under the car to remove the drive shaft while another dug out an old tent to wrap it in.

When we got home I dropped everyone off at home, then towed the Mercury three blocks to the Ford dealer. He listened to it and thought the same thing, dropped valve. Just for grins, though, he dropped the oil pan and found a piece of carbon that had been jarred loose. We drove that car for several years and over 100,000 more miles.

Yes, there are a few people who aren't all that nice, but they are only a few. The majority of people are nice and willing to help in an emergency.

[trailrydr]

...and then there's the not so funny one....

We were going to meet our sons inlaws in IL. So, we packed up the trailer and landed at an old RV park in IL. Unbeknownst to us, the park was partly filled with traveling workers who were working on some local project. As we pulled in and began to back our 5er into our site, 5 different guys (plus my wife) came out and all started to tell me how to manuever into the site.

After about 2 minutes of this..... I stopped and told everyone (but the DW) to kindly shutup. I said she is the only one I want to focus on and the only other person than me with a vested interest in our truck and RV. Plus, she both needs to learn and do this, so in the future we can work as a team. Well, of course, we never heard from those guys again during our stay.

IMO, this qualifies as one of those times for silent friendly neighbor curiosity... and tactful polite reminders.

[RV2600RB]

As a boondocker in remote areas, I never fail to offer help, or turn anyone down. With no phone service, I may be the only hope for help.
I have had some interesting experiences and met some fine people doing this.
Hopefully, if I ever need help, some like minded person will come along.

I follow the “pay it forward” philosophy. I’ve received assistance when I was too proud (stubborn) to ask for it. I’ve helped tie down awnings during storms, loosen lug nuts and raise a fifth wheel on bottle jacks and boards when the landing gear failed so the guy could hook up his truck. To me, it’s the neighborly thing to do. If you don’t want my help, no problem, I’ll walk away. But, I’ve found more often than not, peeps welcome the assistance. YMMV
Rich

[Scott'n'Wendy]

As a boondocker in remote areas, I never fail to offer help, or turn anyone down. With no phone service, I may be the only hope for help.
I have had some interesting experiences and met some fine people doing this.
Hopefully, if I ever need help, some like minded person will come along.

Boondockers are different. When someone has an issue in a remote area, everybody does what they can to help...a few years ago we were boondocking and a guy had his steering line burst on his F250. I did a four hour round trip to the closest town to get the line so he could bring his rig home. You can't leave a dude stranded.

[WhittleBurner]

Sometimes getting unsolicited help can be amusing. Back in the Aliner days I went to a SP to meet up with my sister in laws for a womans camping weekend. I was the first one there and proceeded to park the Aliner by myself (I miss those easy back in days!) I parked all the way back in the site about 3 ft from a tree. As I was chocking the trailer a concerned man walked up to let me know I was to close to the tree. So close my bunkend would not be able to come out and I should move forward some. I thanked him for his concern and tried to explain I had no bunk ends. He must have never seen an Aframe camper before because he insisted I do. I just told him to watch a min. His jaw dropped in amazement as I took all of 30 seconds to pop it up. The look on his face was worth the conversation, I thanked him for his concern and went about completing my little bit of set up .

There are times when as a seasoned camper you can often tell if someone is in need of help. When it is that obvious we offer it up and if they don't want assistance we walk off knowing we offered .

[lineman1234]

Sometimes it becomes a liability, or possible one, in helping.
...
I had a Texas neighbor next to me last winter in Texas, 2 sights down. Nice enough lady, seemed to sneak in religion and politics in any, and every conversation. One day, she comes over wanting me to move her camper to another campground. It would be across a 1/2 mile 4 lane bridge. The camper, was old and not cared for. It had clear packing tape holding the super slide in, not one jack left, as they had all rusted out, even the foot on the crank down jack was gone, rusted off.
... I could have been wrong, but i assumed it was not registered or insured. I had a very hard time getting out of it, or lets say, saying no. I could just imagine a wheel coming off half way across that bridge.
... One of the good old boy neighbors did it, thank goodness, with there jacked up straight pipped diesel dually.