RV park etiquette

[Walkietalkie]

I found myself parked next to another Airstream that is very similar to mine and I would like to ask the person some questions but I haven't seen them leave all day. Is it frowned upon to knock on their door and see if they're willing to help? I'm new to all of this and don't want to be rude. Image attached

[xrvr]

I don't bother anyone unless I see them outside. And then greet them warmly and wait for a reaction.

[mayco]

Post where you are and they may see it here on the forum....who knows, maybe.

[kb0zke]

There is a social site for RV'ers, rvillage.com, that might help. You can set up a free account in a couple of minutes. The big thing that they offer is that you can post where you are (by town or by campground) and it will let you know who else is close. One of the first things I do after we're landed is log in and change my location. I've had some great conversations with people who were strangers to me.

[Protagonist]

Now that I'm retired and don't have business cards, I've made up some "calling cards," an old-fashioned idea whose time has come again. It provides the same information that's in the WBCCI Blue Beret magazine membership issue, my name, e-mail and cell phone number. If I call on someone's Airstream and they're not in residence at the moment, I can slip one of those cards in their door where they'll find it, with a hand-written note on the back about which campsite I'm in and/or what the visit was about.

[rodsterinfl]

Have to share: This summer I was in Ohio. It was around 9am and I decided to take a shower. I just got out dried off and at least got the "shorts" on when a knock came to my screen door. The neighbor was telling me I needed to move my truck, that their bonfire was going to burn my truck!

I would say that if you see them at all, introduce yourself or catch them just as they go in, etc. That way they will not be nearly naked and startled!

I like Protagonist's card idea too.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by rodsterinfl

The neighbor was telling me I needed to move my truck, that their bonfire was going to burn my truck!

How rude! If they couldn't keep their bonfire under better control, they shouldn't be allowed to play with matches! Completely separate from the issue of, who even needs a bonfire at 9am anyway?

But that's another thread from months ago…

[Paddledipper]

I never, ever consider approaching campers unless they are outside, make eye contact and have body language that says they are open for conversation. Some trips I feel very social and on some trips I just want to get away and decompress a little myself. I try to remember that about others and won't approach unless I feel confidant they will be receptive.

[McDave]

Protagonist has a good idea.

I know if I'm in a receptive mood, I'm keeping my eye out for people who are walking by. Usually if you make eye contact and smile, some of them will stop and talk, or you can stop and talk if the situation happens in reverse.

Usually if the door is closed and nobody is in sight, it would be a good bet that it might be a bad time to visit. I think we're sort of halfway in between a home and a motel room, socially. If someone new moved into my neighborhood, I'd knock on the door and introduce myself, although I'd leave it at that unless I were encouraged to visit more. I would never knock on a stranger's motel room door to introduce myself, unless I was looking for a visit from either the management or the police!

[A W Warn]

I guess it's me being a small town old guy, but I would not be offended at all if my neighbor in a campground came over and knocked on my door just to be friendly/say hello. Just don't stay to long and wear out your welcome.
If I was eating dinner I might be a little slow to answer the knock. Or, if I was asleep I definitely would be grumpy. If I'm getting out of the shower when you look through the door and you see me necked, your instant blindness and heart attack is your problem.
Come on over!

[Wingeezer]

My tendency would be to wait until I see someone moving around outside the trailer and then just introduce myself.

But on the other hand if I really had a problem I needed to deal with right away, and thought they could help, then as long as it was at a reasonable time of day, I would have no hesitation to knock on the door!

Odds are you would find them friendly and ready to help if they could!

That's what I hope I would be if someone knocked on our trailer door needing something - and I'm certainly not the world's most extroverted person!

Something about RV'ing tends to make people extra approachable I think!

Brian.

[Walkietalkie]

My first inclination was to not bother them because I hadn't seen them. If I see them outside I'll engage. Thanks for all the great feedback.

[Zybane]

I'd say if they are out and about it's ok to stop by. To knock on the door of a trailer all buttoned up out of the blue is a bit much. I'd also keep to the point as endless small talk etc can get a bit annoying.

[Ted S.]

I get people asking to look inside my trailer. Quite frankly, I have my small kids and I am not into the social scene. I'd wait until they are outside.

[Len n Jeanne]

I would also wait till they're outside. Then I have a few opening gambits, like,

"What year is your AS?"

"How do you like your AS?"

"I was just admiring your good taste in RVs."

When we have had "issues" with ours, I have asked if they know how something works or how to fix it.

[CaddyGrn]

We often say hello to our neighbors when camping, but like most others on this thread, we wait until we see them outside. If we are walking around and see another Airstream, we make an effort to walk by and kind of look like "we are interested" to see if they may be looking out their window, etc.

Haven't had any reason to knock on anyone's door if they aren't out, unless something is noticeably wrong, like their hose sprung a leak or something!