Long line at dump station due to people flushing tanks

[Ray Eklund]

Originally Posted by airdreamers

Ray, regarding a $25 dump, you don't think the comments as seen hear would be any different do you. The word is CHILL!

******

There are three kinds of Dump Station Personalities:

#1- The common dumper. Take their time as they do not wear watches.

#2- The impatient dumper. They have a watch and constantly look.

#3- The Status dumper. YOU put up a sign at the Common Dumper Site line. "$50 for 'white glove' customer satisfaction in and out in 5 minutes" or the guy behind you pays for 50% of your charge.

Which would you find the most 'chilling'?

I am the guy in back... chilled that I make money chilling than I would be working.

Gives me goosebumps thinking about it...

[McDave]

We are facing existential threats, and we are worried about time spent waiting for a dump station. I suppose it’s inevitable; I’m sure as people were waiting in line for a lifeboat on the Titanic, they were being critical of the arrangement of the deck chairs. Probably the best thing we could do for the planet would be to have a dirt road near the campground where we could dump our untreated black tanks along the side of the road. No waiting in line there!

[Ray Eklund]

In California... that is called an "Oil Spill".

You should have known that.

Anyone owning a 23 foot Flying Cloud, of any year, has special mental abilities beyond owners of a 25 foot or longer trailers, any day of the week. Also... they reek of sarcasm to deter those who seriously believe that if you own a longer trailer, they have priorities to keep their time at the 'Oil Spill', under five minutes.

Did you see the $50 Sign? I heard it is a really... good... deal. No credit or debit. Cash accepted, otherwise white gloves are $10, each.

[Joannadannna]

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

Had I the same response as you with the awning and at the dump station help, I would have to rethink what I might have been wearing that day. But that's me. Or, if you have that sweet Southern Accent... it is a snake charmer and brings them out of the tall grass.

Now that’s funny. I doubt attire or southern twang plays a role in dump station gatherings.

Funny how in my early traveling days, when I was a ‘pretty young thang’, no one came to my rescue while dumping my truck campers tanks. This specific truck camper had an abnormally high vertical chute and a nasty temper of valve sticking. I was prepared, so I thought, until I realized I hadn’t locked in the sewer hose well enough and a brunette was born. Yep, I’m sure that brought some laughs to the dump station.

[dog_tired]

I never want to be at a dump station any longer than absolutely necessary, and I doubt most people would want to spend extra time there either. Dumping is a necessary part of grey and black tank procedures, but it doesn't have to be surgical.

Do it and get it over with. If you need to rinse and treat your tanks, try to be courteous to others waiting to finish their business.

[Joannadannna]

Simple solution, leave an hour earlier/ later to the dump traffic. How is this any different than avoiding rush hour or trying to negotiate the fastest check out line. Too many soft people with an entitlement mindset needing to rush to that next red light.

If I’m going to use my tanks to their potential then I’m going to flush.

[mattRox]

Took the wife to Kentucky for the Bourbon Trail and rented a trailer in Lexington as a "proving run" to see if she would enjoy the trailer life. She did!

At the dump station leaving the park I was supremely confident (having studied up on every dump station youtube video in the world).

Imagine my surprise upon removing the trailer dump cap about 3 gallons of s#!t came shooting out!!! Luckily for me she was standing well back and I had on gloves!!!

I "thanked" the rental place profusely ......

Now the search for a 25 foot Airstream begins!

matt

[Joannadannna]

Originally Posted by mattRox

Took the wife to Kentucky for the Bourbon Trail and rented a trailer in Lexington as a "proving run" to see if she would enjoy the trailer life. She did!



At the dump station leaving the park I was supremely confident (having studied up on every dump station youtube video in the world).



Imagine my surprise upon removing the trailer dump cap about 3 gallons of s#!t came shooting out!!! Luckily for me she was standing well back and I had on gloves!!!



I "thanked" the rental place profusely ......



Now the search for a 25 foot Airstream begins!



matt

You’ve got a treasure there if she loved camping after that! I imagine we all have dirty moments at the dump.

[crispyboy]

It seems like many folks on this board would never shake the hand of your favorite plumber unless you had dump station glove on..... People work with this stuff everyday - just use soap.
My only complaints at the dump station are those who fail to wash down the surface properly leaving puddles and other things still on the pavement so I can step in it. Made this mistake one time of stepping in a "puddle" and the a week later the floormat of my truck reeked to high heaven of urine smell. It took several good cleanings to finally rid the truck of the smell. I make sure my shoes are hosed down before leaving the dump station.

I am a slow dumper - very thorough unless I am on my way to another campground. Usually I am going home and the trailer will sit for time until used again.

[Fred L]

I dont know why, but doing some recent reading and this struck me as related to time wasted in flushing lines.
---------------------------------------------------

The Valuable Time (of Maturity)
By Mário de Andrade, (1893 - 1945 / São Paulo, Brazil)

" I counted my years and discovered that I have
less time to live going forward than I have lived until now.

I have more past than future.
I feel like the boy who received a bowl of candies.
The first ones, he ate ungracious,
but when he realized there were only a few left,
he began to taste them deeply.

I do not have time to deal with mediocrity.
I do not want to be in meetings where parade inflamed egos.

I am bothered by the envious, who seek to discredit
the most able, to usurp their places,
coveting their seats, talent, achievements and luck.

I do not have time for endless conversations,
useless to discuss about the lives of others
who are not part of mine.

I do not have time to manage sensitivities of people
who despite their chronological age, are immature.

I cannot stand the result that generates
from those struggling for power.

People do not discuss content, only the labels.
My time has become scarce to discuss labels,
I want the essence, my soul is in a hurry…
Not many candies in the bowl…

I want to live close to human people,
very human, who laugh of their own stumbles,
and away from those turned smug and overconfident
with their triumphs,
away from those filled with self-importance,
Who does not run away from their responsibilities ..
Who defends human dignity.
And who only want to walk on the side of truth
and honesty.
The essential is what makes
life worthwhile.

I want to surround myself with people,
who knows how to touch the hearts of people ….
People to whom the hard knocks of life,
taught them to grow with softness in their soul.

Yes …. I am in a hurry … to live with intensity,
that only maturity can bring.
I intend not to waste any part of the goodies
I have left …
I'm sure they will be more exquisite,
that most of which so far I've eaten.

My goal is to arrive to the end satisfied and in peace
with my loved ones and my conscience.
I hope that your goal is the same,
because either way you will get there too .. "

[HHPJ]

Haaa the memories...

[SteveSueMac]

That is a lovely meditation - not something one would expect in a discussion about dumping waste tanks - which makes it all the more set apart. Wonderful to noodle on....

On the more mundane side - we returned from camping at the inaugural Black Bear music festival today and as there were no sewers or dump sites at the fair grounds, our choice was honey wagon from the company doing the porta potties or a trip through our local Cabellas. Since I was in need of a new pair of hiking sneakers, we opted for Cabellas. Oddly enough - we were 3rd in line. Guy in front of us was - well - meticulous might be the word for it. No worries. It gave me time to fully fill black and gray tanks from the fresh tank as I prefer to be 100% full for flushing. That took a while. And he was still working his magic.

Probably waited about 15 minutes before getting to the dump station and as the guy moved out, DW says - well, that was a yawner. [emoji3]

Indeed.

We opted to just dump and then head in to shop (I filled black and grey with some water when I got back to the storage yard rather than do it at the dump station). With the cash we dropped on unplanned items - I think we more than covered our 3 trips there this season. Great convenience to us and good for them with sales (including the shoes, several items for DW and a few for her sister’s upcoming birthday - and obligatory beef jerky at the register - how does one say no?).

Life is indeed short. Make the most of those few extra minutes at the dump station and move on. #FirstWorldProblems [emoji3]

[DreamStreamr]

Suppose I’ll pay the piper someday for not “rinsing” the tanks. 14 years we’ve followed instructions pronounced to us at dealership: fill the tank before dumping. So far, so good. We don’t add chems to the tanks, don’t rinse the tanks, and generally avoid waiting in lines. So yes to picking best time for going to the ds.

Rinsing the grey and black tanks? Suit yourself, of course. I won’t be behind you anyway. But I usually will apologize to the person in line behind me at the gas pump, and even suggest they get behind the Tundra one lane over, ‘cause I can’t speed up putting 40 gal into my gas tank.

[rmkrum]

Then, after you get all 40 gallons in there, some ‘helpful’ person parks in such a way as to prevent your exit, and goes into the store and spends 39 minutes shopping, while everybody’s waiting for you to pull out.
I learned NOT to gas up at places with parking in front of the store that aim you at the store front. Not fun pulling out from the pump with an AS on behind even with folks staying out of your way.

[Ted S.]

It takes me 10 minutes ts to fully dump and backflush, quicker if there is a line. I will skip it if the next stop is a full hookup site.

Quite often anyone in line gets out to see the tank rinser in action and I take time to fully explain it.

In all the years I’ve never met anyone upset or impatient in the dump line, more often everyone just wants you to make sure you take time to do a good job.

[WhereStream]

Probably waited about 15 minutes before getting to the dump station and as the guy moved out, DW says - well, that was a yawner.

So, 15 minutes is crazy long?

How fast do you guys do this?

I'm still new at the Airstream thing.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by WhereStream

Probably waited about 15 minutes before getting to the dump station and as the guy moved out, DW says - well, that was a yawner.



So, 15 minutes is crazy long?



How fast do you guys do this?



I'm still new at the Airstream thing.

Should have been clearer - 15 minutes waiting - AFTER spending about 10 inside my trailer filling black and grey tanks from my fresh tank.

No worries - take your time - do it right. Just commenting....

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

Then, after you get all 40 gallons in there, some ‘helpful’ person parks in such a way as to prevent your exit, and goes into the store and spends 39 minutes shopping, while everybody’s waiting for you to pull out.
I learned NOT to gas up at places with parking in front of the store that aim you at the store front. Not fun pulling out from the pump with an AS on behind even with folks staying out of your way.

Hi

At least where I live, it's not at all uncommon to pull up and find all the pumps blocked by people who are in shopping. They then come out and fill up *after* they have stocked up on groceries. (no this is *not* at a Buc-ee's ... ). For added fun, then then head back in to pay at the register.

Indeed life is full of a very long list interesting interactions .....

Bob

[rmkrum]

Yup. It’s a good thing we have a flexible schedule on the road, and I’ve learned to be very patient. I’ve also found that rage is not useful, but clever revenge can be. Will say no more, statute of limitations has not run out yet...(evil grin).

[Joannadannna]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

I’ve learned to be very patient. I’ve also found that rage is not useful, but clever revenge can be. Will say no more, statute of limitations has not run out yet...(evil grin).

Like the way your mind thinks rmkrum.