Two weeks?!
I feel like I’m overstaying my welcome after two days.
I lived for almost two years (pandemic greatly extended the stay) in a tiny rural RV park by the interstate while I prepped and cleared some land I’d bought. I grew up poor and have lived in some rough places, but that was by far the worst place I’ve ever lived. Loud, drugs, fighting, loose dogs, and true poverty. I was definitely one of the latter, btw—my camper was a “deal” when I bought it and deteriorated hugely after purchase. Honestly, I’m lucky I was able to get it up to my land at all.
Anyway, my point is: yes, this is horrible. I’m conflicted because I know what a low place those kinds of sites can be for people. I’m not certain anything I see is indicative of “good” or “bad,” though. If all trashy/poor people were bad, I wouldn’t have survived my childhood!
Not all RVs are full of people RVing by choice.
I’m not excusing the behavior but you’re not looking at simply bad etiquette, you’re seeing homeless camps with wheels because there is no where for them to live.
Four years full time for us, the amount of people forced into an RV only grows. It is super evident in urban boondocking spots like Walmarts.
I can’t believe there is still a Ryan’s steak house out there somewhere ????
I’ll likely get downvoted and I’m okay with that, but we’ve specifically noticed a sharp decline in quality of people in the RV community since 2021. I know times are hard and many people are living in trailers to have a roof over their head and that I very much support, but I think it’s also opened the door for a lot of really crappy people to disrupt both really beautiful places and/or (like this) a blessing of a free place to stay for the night.
We’re pretty simple. We stay quiet and to ourselves and this last summer we actually installed a full solar system to get away from the RV scenes because its really been odd and uncomfortable increasingly over the past year.
I don’t know what to make of this. It seems thoughtless and selfish at first when people leave a mess behind. I’m not going to make any generalizations about their situation or status. I’ve been poor but never homeless so I don’t know what it’s like to feel that sort of desperation.
It seems strange to me that, as the wealthiest country on Earth, that we have so many people with nothing or worse. Veterans, people with jobs, families with no place to go. It sad and deplorable and makes me sick.
If it’s tied up in addiction or mental illness, there should be, IMO, a societal response.
Most of my camping experiences in my trailer (RV) have been pleasant. Most of the folks I’ve met are friendly. I avoid talking about divisive topics. I’m cordial and keep my space picked up. I have a dog and clean up after her. I’m quiet and light out after sundown. I treat other campers like I’d like to be treated.
There’s a lot of beauty in the world, waiting to be experienced.
As we get older, the term ‘life is short’ has more meaning.
It’s not always a matter of good vs. bad people. People RVing and van living intentionally are better prepared than those who get forced into it
