Walmart overnight parking

[4slice]

Hi everyone,

This is a timely thread as Wal Mart and Home Depot (and other stores) just moved in a block from my house (my humming the HD jingle for months must have convinced them to come to the great white north!!!). Yesterday, there was an article in the local paper about RV parking at Wal Mart--one nearby resident complained (what's it to her anyway?), and apparently some of the nearby campgrounds were grumbling.

I did notice signage in the parking lot, stating no overnight parking--city ordinance, but there are always a dozen or so rigs parked in the far corner of the lot--mostly the huge diesel pushers heading to Alaska (we're on the main route). This lady complained about the fact that awnings and lawn chairs were set up, making it obvious that they were camped-out. The city bylaw department's response to the paper's queries is that "camping" is hard to define, thus hard to enforce. Are the RV'ers simply waiting for the store to open in the morning, or are they camping?

As a Mountie posted to this town, I used to be in uniform and would make late night patrols around the box store parking lots to make sure the RV visitors were safe from thieves, vandals, etc.--it never occured to me to write anyone a bylaw ticket. Why chase away tourists--we desperately need them for the local economy. The overnight store security didn't move them along either. The city's response to the issue seems to indicate that it knows how important the visitors are as well.

Let's see more Airstreamers heading north, EH!!!

Gary H.
4slice
Prince George, BC
'77 31'

[67caravel]

Maybe it's me but I just can't think of a worse place to camp (or shop).

We avoid Wal-Mart/Sam's Club at any cost.

Wal-Mart Watch

Yuk!

[gotair]

Originally Posted by Coloradobus

BiggerbadBrad,

The biggest problems we have found with staying at Walmart, or Safeway, Target, etc. are the abusers. Those who stay longer than overnight. We have seen the following activities while staying at Wal Mart.

Yep! that preaty much says it all... these very things are the reasons why we can't stay overnight in most places... there is a walmart near me and last week saw a trailer with chairs out and small bbq with a dog on a blanket tied up... you get the picture.... first thought was he's the reason people cant stay in parking lots...

[74Argosy24MH]

FWIW Target doesn't allow parking, corporate policy.

John

[bredlo]

At the risk of starting a "which came first, chicken or egg" discussion about Walmarts and urban sprawl...

I personally think the Walmarts of the world encourage sprawl - around here anyhow they seem to come in right before a wave of subdivisions, new schools, more malls, quicky-lubes, etc. Regardless of their role, they certainly don't slow down all that "progress."

So in my opinion, without Walmarts, there'd still be the farms, open lands, and wooded lots that were there for decades before. The same places Airstreamers would stop for the night in the 1940's, 50's, and so on.

So if Walmart wants to be part of America's cultural fabric, it had better think twice before posting signs against sleeping in the parking lot. Traveling place to place at will, without rhyme or reason is practically a constitutional right in this country, and while sleeping in a parking lot certainly isn't my idea of the great outdoors, if we've gotten to the point where we're gleefully paving over the entire country, we'd better not be turned away when we need to stop for the night.

It reminds me of people who move into subdivisions knowing that a nearby wild animal rescue has been operating for decades. Soon enough though, all those families are lined up at city hall, demanding the rescue be shut down for the slim chance an animal might escape.

It's an issue of who was here first, and in most cases, even if our trailers weren't physically there, Airstream was here first. Dammit.

[moisheh]

[ Ah yes: Another happy UFCU recruiter heard from.

[moisheh]

Coloradobus: And just who made you the enforcer of rules? If I want to put out my slide ( I dont) why should you be upset? Does Wal Mart really care? Are you just a busy body with nothing better to do? Where did you get these etiquette rules? Miss manners?

[74Argosy24MH]

Originally Posted by moisheh

If I want to put out my slide ( I dont) why should you be upset? Does Wal Mart really care?

Yes, they do care. In order to extend slides on many motorhomes the jacks first have to be down. 35,000 lbs. sitting on 4 relatively small points damages asphalt quickly. I am sure one of the reasons courtesy parking is allowed is Walmart believes they are making money from the RVers as they move from area to area. When they loose money either because of damage, clean up costs, or legal battles it will be gone across the board.

It is all about perception if the RV world wishes to continue to use free stops such as these. I just added 2 Walmarts and a Sam's Club to the list that banned parking because area campground owners perceived they were loosing business and convinced the local city of this. I have seen lots with half a dozen RVs with lawn chairs out, generators running, awnings extended, etc. A few pictures over a couple of months is a lot of ammunition to go to city council with. Use it, don't abuse it.

John

[thenewkid64]

Originally Posted by moisheh

Coloradobus: And just who made you the enforcer of rules? If I want to put out my slide ( I don't) why should you be upset? Does Wal Mart really care? Are you just a busy body with nothing better to do? Where did you get these etiquette rules? Miss manners?

I re-read coloradobus's post 3 times, I don't see where you are reading that he is acting as an enforcer. All he said was he observed RV'ers doing things that are not consistent with an overnight stop off.

I see it here in FL and many Wal Marts are beginning to stop over nite parking because folks come to FL for vacation, Leave the RV in the lot all day while touring, but spend from 4:00 in the afternoon to 9:00 in the morning every day in the parking lot with their awnings up, chairs out, grill out, Gen-set running, kids riding their bikes in the lot, etc.

There is another contingent of snow birds that would spend 3 months there if it was possible. That is not what the store was zoned to do on the property. A few RV's parked for the nite so the owners can rest, and then they move on in the morning is a nice benefit, but the abusers give all of us a black eye.

Also Wal Mart and the like have to consider the liability of having you there. If you are attacked, robbed, or worse the first thing the attorney you hire will do is sue Wal Mart for not making you safe.

[Stefrobrts]

I've been told repeatedly by folks to try staying at Walmart, because it's free, but I can't stand them. I hate to even shop at them if I can help it.

We used to live in a small college town that had a fairly healthy downtown strip. Then Walmart moved in, with prices you just can't beat, and in no time the tiny stores were driven out of business. Now I would have no problem with this if the small stores were just jacking up the profits on stuff, and it was a result of fair competition, but Walmart, because if it's size and the tactics it uses on it's suppliers (even making money off of THEM at times) buys stuff for prices the little guys can't touch. Sometimes selling items for less then small stores can BUY it for! I've been to many supplier conferences and heard the horror stories of how Walmart works. In many citys they get tax breaks (sometimes for years) for coming in with all their part time/no benefit jobs, so right there they have another benefit over the existing small businesses that have to pay their taxes like everyone else.

I paid to sleep in a real campground every night we were on the road. It's still a lot cheaper than staying in a hotel, and we had full hookups every night. They all had late night check in for those who wanted to keep driving until late. And no one even blinked at the age of my trailer.

Sorry, I'll quite ranting. I just can't say enough how much we HATE Walmart!

[Coloradobus]

74Argosy24MH and THENEWKID64, Thankyou
As others have said Moisheh, its all perception. When an RVer extends, puts out, lays down, ties up, drains, unhooks various items, it gives the appearance of extended stay.
Enforcement is none of MY business. We have seen these activities and just are amazed at the "GAUL and COMTEMPT" some of these "over-extenders" have that will eventually ruin it for all. That's what I was trying to say. Past FMCA (family motorcoach assoc) magazines have had articles on "dos and don'ts".

[flamingo-kid1]

Originally Posted by moisheh

Coloradobus: And just who made you the enforcer of rules? If I want to put out my slide ( I dont) why should you be upset? Does Wal Mart really care? Are you just a busy body with nothing better to do? Where did you get these etiquette rules? Miss manners?

I missed the part about Coloradobus enforcing rules.

I thought they were just adding information to your forum.

[tin can luv]

Originally Posted by moisheh

Coloradobus: And just who made you the enforcer of rules? If I want to put out my slide ( I dont) why should you be upset? Does Wal Mart really care? Are you just a busy body with nothing better to do? Where did you get these etiquette rules? Miss manners?

So.. there's one in every thread, isn't there... thought it was just me that gets atacked.

I noticed that the Kirkwood Walmart in MO is listed, but we always ALWAYS see rv's there. We visit the stores all around that walmart, and as I said. Someone's there every time... I told tony that we should go hang there some night, just to have the chance to use the airstream more often...LOL...

As far as the 'built in alarm clock... when we drove up to Lansing to pick up the 64 Overlander, we arrived there around 2:30 a.m. with just the truck of course. We saw all of the campers huddled around in the corner of the parking lot. Tony said that he didnt' want to stay that close to other people, anytime, and especially while we would be sleeping in the truck... we were scheduled pick up around 7: am and just as we were asleep, along came the vacuums... that woke me up long enough to keep me awake until the store opened....excitement kept me up I'm sure. anyway..rambling...Now I understand why they huddle, easier for the lot sweepers....

Not very informative, but I always like to throw in a story if I have one.

[tin can luv]

How late can one usually pull into a campground? If the lights were off, we would probably head to another...??

Don't have to change the thread, PM me with an answer if you'd like.

ALSO, while in Northern CO, we found out from our friend that is an archeologist there, that you can stay anywhere on a national forest, as long as you are ?so many feet? from water, for up to 16 days... since you'd be boondocking anyway, the scenery would shure beat that of a Blacktop Terrace...

Although, again, Walmarts are so much more simpler to find...

ROn

[Stefrobrts]

I think you can stay on BLM land as well, which may be worth looking into.

Most of the campgrounds we were in you could come in anytime all night long. They had registration instructions on the office door, just put your money through the slot or catch up with them in the morning. One of the park managers in NM told us she gets people who drive all night sometimes, then as the kids are waking up they find a park, and Dad sleeps while Mom entertains the kids all day, and then in the evening they hit the road again while the kids are asleep. She said people roll in at all hours.

[74Argosy24MH]

http://www.recreation.gov/

John

[davidz71]

One of the campgrounds I will be going to in GA. soon says that the gates are closed at 10 p.m. and no pass codes are available. I imagine they do not give the code out until you register so that you can leave and enter during the night if need be. This is just like the rule at David Crockett State Park near Waynesboro, TN. when I stayed there before. I had freedom to come and go since the gate was locked with a 4 digit roller padlock.

[Stefrobrts]

What we did throughout our trip was look ahead in Woodalls to where we thought we'd be in a few more hours when it got dark. Then I used the cell to call ahead and make arrangements. It was nice to know we'd have a place waiting for us when we arrived. My hubby's preference was for places that had Cable TV. Made him feel more at home to have some television to watch, even for just a few hours in the evening.

[SilverRanger]

You might want to steer clear of this Wal-Mart on Rt. 50 just west Ocean City, MD, which is a very popular summer resort. It is my first time trying to upload pictures, so bear with me if there is a big blank space. If they appear, I apologize for the quality. It was my camera phone. If the pictures are missing, it was a big red sign at the entrance of Wal Mart that states ...

No overnight parking. $500 fine.

[AgZep]

Interesting. I believe I read somewhere recently that Ocean City's last local seasonal RV park has been bought out and will be closing permanently at the end of the season. Apparently they don't want any of "our kind" around.