Here’s a photo of an RV. This one happens to be a Class A Motorhome, but a picture of any other motor home, trailer, fifth wheel or pickup camper would serve as well. There’s no background showing, so there’s no way to tell where this picture was taken. All we know is that the RV isn’t moving and isn’t on a road. It’s stopped, somewhere or other.
So … is the RV in this picture camping? Or is it just parked? How can you tell?
Well, there are some tell-tale things that easily let us distinguish between an RV that’s parking and one that’s camping. If there is a BBQ grill or lawn furniture outside the RV, that’s camping. If there’s a satellite dish on a tripod, set up outside the RV, that’s camping. If awnings are extended, that’s camping. If a “pop-up” tent trailer is “popped up,” then it’s set for camping and not just parked.
There are some other visual aspects of camping vs. parking that aren’t quite so clear-cut. What if an RV has the bat-wing TV antenna up? What if it’s a roof-mounted satellite dish? Or suppose that a travel trailer, fifth wheel or motor home has levelers extended? What if one or more slide-outs are extended? Is that RV parking, or camping?
And why does it matter, anyway?
Here’s why. Many Wal-Marts and other retail stores, restaurants and truck stops issue an open invitation to RVers to park overnight in their parking lots, to sleep, while on a multi-day journey to a distant destination. The entire concept is an outgrowth of Sam Walton’s invitation to long-haul truckers, years ago, to park in Wal-Mart parking lots to get their legally required sleeping and non-driving hours. Wal-Mart later extended this invitation to RVers to park overnight – but NOT to camp – in their parking lots as well.
There is at least one legally enforced definition of “parking” overnight in an RV, that clearly delineates the difference between “parking” and “camping.” The State of Wyoming allows RVs to park overnight in highway rest areas, but does not allow camping. The Wyoming Highway Patrol differentiates between “parking” and “camping” this way: An RV that is parked is in ready-to-drive condition. All you need to do is turn the key and drive away. A vehicle that requires more preparation in order to drive away — retracting slide-outs, raising levelers, hooking a trailer to its tow vehicle, etc. — isn’t parked, it’s camping, and is subject to receiving a citation.
There are many different kinds of Overnight RV Parking locations, and each one has its own set of “dos” and “don’ts.” The Wyoming Highway Patrol standard applies in Wyoming rest areas, but is more stringent than is practical for the dry camping area at a casino, for example. Over the next few weeks we’ll discuss some general practices that apply in a variety of different kinds of Overnight RV Parking locations, and some that are unique to specific store chains or localities.
Safe travels to you!
Jim O’Briant
Gilroy, CA
Moderator, OvernightRVParking Yahoo Group
Try HERE
Tremendous issues here. I’m very satisfied to look your post. Thank you a lot and I am having a look ahead to contact you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
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Jim O'Briant
To Ron and others who are interested in joining the OvernightRVParking Group…
We’re in the process of opening an independent website where the same information will be searchable. As of March 17, as a part of the transition, the OvernightRVParking Group is temporarily not accepting new members. When the website goes live, it will be necessary to subscribe to the website in order to join the Yahoo Group.
When the website is up and running (which I expect to happen within the next 30 days), I’ll announce it via a link in my signature file on a future blog.
Jim O’Briant
Roy Howdyshell
Hi Jim
Being trying everywhere to find out about your forum on Yahoo OvernightRVParking, and it seems as if it is closed right now. I understand you are getting ready a web site for this forum. I would love to be informed as soon as you do, and also join your forum.
Thank you
Roy Howdyshell
Vermont
Jim O'Briant
Dennis H. mentions asking permission to park overnight at Cracker Barrel. In addition to the reasons stated above, Cracker Barrel’s corporate office has advised the RVing community that RVers should always ask and receive permission from the store before parking overnight in any Cracker Barrel parking lot.
Thank you also for passing along what the Florida State Trooper told you about “parking” vs. “camping.”
Jim O’Briant
Dennis H.
We just returned from a trip to/through Florida last Thurs. and stayed in several Cracker Barrels and Rest Areas. We always asked and received permission in the Cracker Barrels from the manager or asst. mgr. They would all insure that someone checked on us during the night, so that was on reason to let them know we were there. Secondly, I felt this was a privledge granted by the entity and not a right so I asked first. In Florida I asked a State Trooper at a rest area if it was ok to stay overnight in the rest area and he asked if I was going to start a campfire, set up chairs, put out an awning, etc. (rather tongue-in-cheeck) and if I wasn’t, then I wasn’t “camping overnight” which a prominently displayed sign says you cannot do. He indicated that as long as one does none of those things, they wouldn’t bother you. Again, it’s a privledge not a right.
Jim O'Briant
Sorry to be tardy in replying, but there was a technical glitch that we needed to work out. (Everybody could comment on my Blog entries — except me!)
Happy Campr is correct that we have lost hospitable overnight parking places because of RVers who set up camp rather than just parking. That’s not the only reason our overnight parking places are disappearing, but it’s one major reason.
Bob Davis asks about downloading the PDFfile regarding overnight parking.
That depends on what you’re asking about.
If you mean the FMCA’s set of Courtesy Guidelines for overnight RV Parking, that file is on the FMCA website at:
http://www.fmca.com/motorhomerights/parking/etiquette_letter/parkingetiquette.pdf
If you mean the listing of “RV Parking and No Parking Locations,” those files are on the OvernightRVParking Yahoo Group’s “Files” Page. If you’re not a registered user at Yahoo you’ll need to register there, and then if you’re not a subscriber to the OvernightRVParking Yahoo Group, you’ll need to join that group. Those files now contain more than 3,700 parking, “no parking” and “potential parking, but we need a report from an RVer” locations.
Jim O’Briant
Jim O'Briant
Happy Camper is right — abuses of the Overnight Parking privilege are a major reason (not the only reason, but without doubt a major reason) that we are losing that privilege in place after place after place.
If I understand Bob’s question, he wants to know where he can download the PDF files of Overnight RV Parking and No Parking Locations. They are in the files area of the OvernightRVParking Yahoo Group. In order to have access to these files, you need to be a registered Yahoo user, and then subscribe to that Yahoo Group. As a reminder to all, the files are copyrighted. OvernightRVParking Yahoo Group members may download the files for their own personal use. The files may not be copied, given to others, uploaded to any other website or Yahoo Group, or distributed in any other way without the express written consent of the copyright owner.
Jim O’Briant
Gilroy, CA
Moderator, OvernightRVParking Yahoo Group
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/OvernightRVParking/
Overnight Parking Blog: http://blog.rv.net/
Bob G Davis
Could find where to download pdf. file for overnight parking.
Jim O'Briant
Happy Campr wrote:
> I fear the difference between camping and parking is why
> some of these places that have been hospitable in the
> past are being less so now.
Absolutely. It isn’t the only reason we’re losing the Overnight RV Parking privilege in many areas, but it is a major reason.
> A free parking site is not a free camping site.
True. However, some of the free places ARE free camping places — such as many of the city park campgrounds in small midwestern towns, or the dry camping areas at some casinos. But with places like Wal-Mart, Flying J, Cracker Barrel and other locations where an RVer is parking overnight in a business parking lot with the permission of the business, that permission IS for parking and not for camping.
Safe travels,
Jim O’Briant
Gilroy, CA
Moderator, OvernightRVParking Yahoo Group
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/OvernightRVParking/
Overnight Parking Blog: http://blog.rv.net/
HppyCampr
Excellent point, I fear the difference between camping and parking is why some of these places that have been hospitable in the past are being less so now. A free parking site is not a free camping site.