Campground Personalized Sign

[Gilmurr]

Found someone local (Halifax,NS,Canada) who does custom metal work. Had a sign for the campsite made out of aluminum. Very low cost! This is the initial cut. Can't wait for the final product!

[Lily&Me]

I like it!


Maggie

[Lumatic]

This is a bit far out, but worth mentioning. A sign shop refused to make me a sign with specific identifying information. He said he would not make a sign because there was a case where thieves cruised a campground looking for identifying information related to unoccupied trailers. They then went to the campground office saying they were meeting the owners at the trailer. The owners returned to the trailer while it was being burglarized and they were killed.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

there was a case where thieves cruised a campground looking for identifying information related to unoccupied trailers. They then went to the campground office saying they were meeting the owners at the trailer. The owners returned to the trailer while it was being burglarized and they were killed.

Possibly an urban myth. That sort of thing would have made the news.

But since identity theft is a big business, it's wise to minimize the amount of personal information you give away for free. So if you do get signs made for your campsite, use given names without surnames, and avoid putting your address or even your hometown on the sign.

You'd be surprised to know that armed with your full name, your license plate number, and vehicle VIN, an identity thief can go to your state's DMV and request a duplicate registration, claiming the original has been lost, and for just a few bucks get a copy, which lists your home address. It snowballs from there. Anybody who walks up to your campsite can get your tow vehicle's license plate number and VIN. Don't give them your full name as well.

You'd like to think that fellow campers wouldn't do that. I'd like to think that as well. But I have reason to be paranoid. I've been a victim of identity theft once before, way back in 1992 (though under different circumstances), and it led to me having to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy to get out from under debts that I didn't incur but couldn't prove weren't mine. That was a horrific experience for me, and it even nearly led to me losing the security clearance I needed for work. As the saying goes, it's not paranoia if they really are out to get you.

As a result, in the four years I've been RV camping, I've never once wanted to put out a sign with my name on it at my campsite. If people want to know who I am, they're welcome to walk up and say "Hello." Then we can introduce ourselves if we want, or even just converse without the need for introductions. And I put windshield covers on my vehicles so that the vehicle VIN isn't visible while the vehicle is parked.

[GoWhereTowed]

And, it is only getting worse. When they are not in the campgrounds, they are on the road making life miserable.

[JDnBeastlet]

Thank goodness it's not another apostrophe catastrophe campground sign!

It's not THE SMITH'S
It's not THE SMITHS'
It's THE SMITHS

!!!

[moosetags]

Over the years, we have seen many of these cute introductory signs at various campgrounds. We always thought that they were neat, but never got around to getting one as we generally don't stay in one place for more than a couple of days. Also, we rarely spend and time around the campground.

The one sign that we do have on Lucy is a small emergency notification sign with our cell numbers on it.

Brian

[Hittenstiehl]

Love the Airstream sign, nice work and would likely get it without the names.

Moosetags I like the emergency contact sign.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by JDnBeastlet

It's not THE SMITH'S
It's not THE SMITHS'
It's THE SMITHS

!!!

Generally, yes. The signs aren't meant to indicate possession, they're meant to introduce occupants. Unless:

1) the single owner of the unit is the town blacksmith and wants to declare a singular possession of the trailer. He or she could rightfully refer to the trailer as Smith's trailer (i.e., this trailer is the property of the smith).

2) if a couple whose last name is Smiths wanted to declare plural possession of their trailer, they could rightfully call it Smiths' trailer (i.e., this trailer is the property of the Smiths).

But if meant to introduce the owners (not to declare possession of the property) the apostrophe is incorrect.

And at the end of the day, the sign can say whatever the Smith, Smiths or Smythes want it to say 😀

[CDONA]

I saw a moho in Havasu with a small 2' square neon "Bob & Sue" with cactus in the front window, couldn't miss that.