Campground Rules - why?

[J. Morgan]

Some rules are really dumb and impose undue qualification of one persons "quality of life" over another.

https://youtu.be/xaa1MoPwnzI

Unbending codification can get to the level of abstract stupidity.

In this case, in my view, it was the homeowners DUTY to bar b que as much as possible from this day forward.

Gradiens super tenui glacie.

[Wingeezer]

I'm generally pretty good about complying with all the rules, two that I am sometimes guilty of breaking include:

(1) No washing of trailers - especiqlly when we have just arrived in the south with the trailer coated in road salt, I just can't stand looking at it that way!

I usually try to do it surreptitiously or when it is raining anyway!

(2) No alcoholic beverages - being a home brewer and home wine maker! I don't make it too obvious, and I don't think I could ever be accused of making an exhibit of myself (unless I start playing the banjo!) and I really do feel that the rule is largely there so that the campground owner can legitimately kick folks who are consuming and are being a nuisance. Well, that is my rationalisation anyway!

Brian.

[HiHoAgRV]

There is campground near us, its too far for an overnight but too close for it to be a stopover on a bigger trip.

I cant recall the name but we call it the 'Too Many Rules Campground'

I'm not understating when I say that everywhere you look, there is a sign with a rule on it. Dozens of them. Some are painted on 4 x 8 sheets of plywood in all caps. Its privately owned so sure, the owners can do what they want but its completely over the top.

Thats bad enough, but its located on a small sandy river and day use folks can pay for access. A mass horde of people.

The one time we stayed, we were so setback by everything we decided to just stay in the camper, in the airconditioning. BUT, when everyone came back from the river and turned on the waterheaters, airconditioning and other stuff, our power dropped to 106 volts. The AC was struggling. We had to turn off everything except the AC just to keep from frying it.

We drive by and keep going ever since then.

[cwf]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

Some rules are really dumb and impose undue qualification of one persons "quality of life" over another.

https://youtu.be/xaa1MoPwnzI

Unbending codification can get to the level of abstract stupidity.

In this case, in my view, it was the homeowners DUTY to bar b que as much as possible from this day forward.

Gradiens super tenui glacie.

Wow.. Did that guy come out of his Mommas basement to read "law" to the gentleman who was BBQ'n??? Oh h@ll no!!! Start up a BBQ pit right next to the guys fence and smoke it up.. More room for the party!!!

Gee,,'my neighbor behind me just painted his shed with what looks like "recycled psychedelic paint"'left over from Haight Ashbderry(sp?)... Or Laugh In.... Of Timothy Leary's prison cell... And although hideous... I asked while he was painting.. He said, wife likes color... I said... Well then.... Paint it twice and don't forget to paint your bedroom too!

Hey, he was "military officer" and rose to his level... You know what I mean... Now he is the "rule" teller... Or tries to be.. Seems I am just too hard headed to get it.. But then, sometimes you just gotta shake your head and walk away... Slowly...

[cameront120]

Originally Posted by avionstream

It is a common belief, but is it taught?

If one needs to be taught to treat others as you would like to be treated, I suspect one isn't in touch with their empathic side.

[Rocinante]

For those who don't like many rules, there's always BLM camping.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by cameront120

If one needs to be taught to treat others as you would like to be treated, I suspect one isn't in touch with their empathic side.

Which is why parents need to take their job seriously when their kids are young. It's too late to teach a 35-year old to care about others when s/he's been the center of the universe all along.

[WayneG]

I have not read through every post in this thread, but the original post is about dogs on leashes, and if there ever was a rule that needs to be, and needs to be enforced, that is #1 on my list!
My travels in the Airstream brings me to many festivals. They are usually a mix of young, old and in between and every one of these festivals has a NO DOG policy, but about 1 in 100 still try to bring their animals. Some of them call them service dogs, but have no papers to prove it. Some just hide their animal in their car, camper or tent.
For people with real service animals, they know the rules and keep their animal constrained and are welcome as long as they do not interfere with the fun of their neighbors.
For the others, I have no kind words and this is why;
At a festival over 10 years ago there were 2 dogs, on leashes camped near to each other, one of the dogs broke loose to go after the other and as they fought, a little girl, no more than 6 was in the area and she got her lip torn up by one of the dogs. I dont know if she had permanent scars on her face, but I bet she had permanent scars on her mind.

There were other incidents for dog vs dog, dog vs adult, and one of dog vs goat where the dog ripped the throat open of the land owners pet goat.

From my point of view, No dogs should be allowed in the general population of camping. Service animals need to be considered on a case by case basis of need and practicality in a campground.
Ten years past and I still shudder of the thought of that little girl. It could have been worse, but it should never have happened at all.

I wont go into details but my 2nd big NO NO is glass bottles, if you cant bring it in cans or plastic, dont bring it. Glass is forever sharp when broken, bare feet, tires, and our environment do not need it!

Enough of my rant on rules, except for a rule I saw mentioned on Facebook today, No Motorcycles allowed, not sure what to think about that one?

[Piggy Bank]

Originally Posted by WayneG

For people with real service animals, they know the rules and keep their animal constrained and are welcome as long as they do not interfere with the fun of their neighbors.

From my point of view, No dogs should be allowed in the general population of camping. Service animals need to be considered on a case by case basis of need and practicality in a campground.

And just in case you are not aware of this new way to bend the rules.

My daughter recently moved into her first apartment. The building owner is a friend, so we were chatting with him about this and that. Our daughter jokingly asked if she could have our dog at her apartment, which has a no pets policy.

Our friend got serious and told us that by law, if a renter completes an affidavit on file that discloses a medical need for a therapy animal, then the rental company is not allowed to question it, and must allow the renter to have the dog.

Great you think, so renters with limited mobility can have their service dogs and not get hassled. What the law intended.

Then he goes on to say that people who essentially want to have a pet and don't like the rules will go so far as to say that they have "anxiety" and that they need the "therapy dog" to cope. ( and we are not talking about combat veterans here), and that if they are willing to go to the trouble to get the affidavit, that there is nothing the rental company can do legally to prevent the renter from having the pet.

So I like the above poster's comment about REAL service dogs.

[J. Morgan]

Ironic right?

The apartment owner must waive his rules..... Because other people have imposed their superior rules,,,, that those who know how to work the system take advantage of for their own special privilege...

Honest people abide, dishonest people use.

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

And just in case you are not aware of this new way to bend the rules.



My daughter recently moved into her first apartment. The building owner is a friend, so we were chatting with him about this and that. Our daughter jokingly asked if she could have our dog at her apartment, which has a no pets policy.



Our friend got serious and told us that by law, if a renter completes an affidavit on file that discloses a medical need for a therapy animal, then the rental company is not allowed to question it, and must allow the renter to have the dog.



Great you think, so renters with limited mobility can have their service dogs and not get hassled. What the law intended.



Then he goes on to say that people who essentially want to have a pet and don't like the rules will go so far as to say that they have "anxiety" and that they need the "therapy dog" to cope. ( and we are not talking about combat veterans here), and that if they are willing to go to the trouble to get the affidavit, that there is nothing the rental company can do legally to prevent the renter from having the pet.



So I like the above poster's comment about REAL service dogs.

Gradiens super tenui glacie.

[Hittenstiehl]

To go further on the therapy dog portion:

If you have a note from doctor indicating your health / well being is improved that pet can ALMOST go anywhere with you. You don't have to prove it by showing a note or discussing your condition (that's a hippa violation) and your pet doesn't have to be marked or indicated. Plus you can buy a service vest online for just the price of purchase.

Apartments, senior centers, trolly buses, business offices, laundry mats, big box stores, small independent stores, libraries.

[WayneG]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

Great you think, so renters with limited mobility can have their service dogs and not get hassled. What the law intended.

Then he goes on to say that people who essentially want to have a pet and don't like the rules will go so far as to say that they have "anxiety" and that they need the "therapy dog" to cope. ( and we are not talking about combat veterans here), and that if they are willing to go to the trouble to get the affidavit, that there is nothing the rental company can do legally to prevent the renter from having the pet.

It is amazing that at these events we seldom see a seeing eye dog or wheelchair bound assist dog, the majority of animals coming in are claimed to be therapy dogs, and as such the animals seldom have the training to be classified as a REAL service animal.
But who wants to question the authenticity of the persons claim, for fear of being sued?
Here is an excerpt from this NYS document

Documentation is not required.
A public accommodation provider cannot ask about the nature or extent of a person’s disability and may not demand proof that the animal is certified. However, if it is not readily apparent that a dog is a service animal, they may ask, (1) if the animal is required because of a disability, and (2) what work the animal has been trained to perform. The business must allow the animal regardless of any stated “no pets” policy: a service animal is not a pet. Although some states have programs to certify service animals, certification is not required for a public accommodation.
NOTE: Some businesses, many of them online, sell fake service dog certifications: certificates, licenses, tags, or harnesses that identify service dogs in exchange for a fee. Individuals should be careful when dealing with businesses selling such documentation and accessories, especially those that do not provide training or evaluation, or that charge high fees.

[Pams72]

found this in a Washington State Park. I agree with leash laws but I was not sure if the fine was for off leash or on leash. lol

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

Then he goes on to say that people who essentially want to have a pet and don't like the rules will go so far as to say that they have "anxiety" and that they need the "therapy dog" to cope. ( and we are not talking about combat veterans here), and that if they are willing to go to the trouble to get the affidavit, that there is nothing the rental company can do legally to prevent the renter from having the pet.

Actually, there is something they can do.

An affidavit is a written statement sworn before a notary or other person authorized to give oaths that the contents are true. A false affidavit is considered perjury, and carries criminal penalties under both State and Federal law (depending on the jurisdiction where the affidavit is used).

Since the legal penalties for a false affidavit (including prison time as well as fines) may be worse than the legal penalties for taking a pet where you're not supposed to, the pet owner is taking a chance that no one will question the authenticity of the affidavit. Anyone falsely claiming to have a "service animal" had better have a very well-behaved pet lest they be called on it and find that they bit off more than they can chew— so to speak.

[skitique]

I know someone who is so determined to bring her dog, a miniature chihuahua, with her everywhere she goes that she ordered a "therapy" dog vest from e-bay & puts it on her dog. She has argued with hotels, restaurants, etc so she can bring the dog. She has done this for so long she actually defends her decision because she says her dogs provides therapy to her. People can convince themselves rules are made to be bent or don't apply to them in any situation.

Jane

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by skitique

I know someone who is so determined to bring her dog, a miniature chihuahua, with her everywhere she goes that she ordered a "therapy" dog vest from e-bay & puts it on her dog.

A therapy chihuahua? That's something I'd have to see with my own eyes. Therapy dogs have to be calmer than the person they're providing therapy for, and I've never seen a calm chihuahua. Chihuahuas are bundles of anxiety all by themselves.

[SteveSueMac]

These examples highlight spirit/intent of the law. Therapy dogs are meant to provide assistance to those who need it. To abuse that notion for one's own selfish purposes is shameful (but we're not fans of the value of shame anymore, so I suppose I can't say that...). How is that different from someone not handicapped who parks in a handicapped spot?

Back to campgrounds - what is the spirit of some of these rules?

We've already touched on "no alcohol" whose purpose seems to be, "no unruly drunk people".

No trailers over 10 years old - I think universally that's understood to mean no poorly maintained trailers that look like they're going to fall apart.

Leashes - I think it's meant for owners to keep their dogs under control (I admire those who can with voice commands - though I think at any time, even the best behaved dog could disobey).

Firewood only purchased from this campground - I'm on the fence here. I agree with not introducing new insects to a campsite though the cynic in me sees this as a ploy to raise funds for the local campground - and again, if I'm forced to buy from the site, can't they at least provide wood that's ready to burn?

What do you think is the spirit behind these and other rules in the campground?

[ptv]

dogs aren't the problem by any means----it's some of the idiots who own them! we travel with a 6 month old goldie (a replacement for a 15 yr old we just lost) she's a handful right now, but we know not everyone isn't dog crazy like us. so we go out of our way to never intrude/interrupt or otherwise invade anyone else space. all dogs need leashes, period.........because of a handful of idiots who don't p/up after their dogs or leash them, there are several campgrounds here in Fla and across the country that we can't enjoy because they have a "no dog" policy. Yes, we need campground rules. now how do we get everyone to read/obey them???

[moosetags]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

What do you think is the spirit behind these and other rules in the campground?

I believe that all of these rules were enacted with the good intention of making the campground a better camping experience for all their customers. Each of these rules was most likely predicated by a camper in the past doing something stupid.

I don't usually object to campground rules because they don't prohibit anything that I would want to do. What I do find annoying is campers with dogs that feel compelled to bark or yip every time a leaf falls from a tree or someone walks by two aisles away. Yipping and barking dogs tend to disrupt my karma, especially when all the noise is over absolutely nothing.

Brian

[cameront120]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Which is why parents need to take their job seriously when their kids are young. It's too late to teach a 35-year old to care about others when s/he's been the center of the universe all along.

Poor behaviour and lack of regard for others isn't reserved for the young. Every generation has its bad apples so, please, let's not make this about one generation being better than the other.