unfair!

[Wanderer2]

I am sorry to hear about your experience! And all of you ladies are so right-don't let them get away with it. I will never drive a 40 foot rig and refuse to be discriminated against because I do not. Let them know and if enough people do it, that will get results. Good for you leaving that nasty mess. Loved your story Anne.

[gingerK]

Bravo Judi!

[retiredhappy]

If have a favorite saying: THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE GREASE.

[longdog2]

I think my biggest concern would be the service I was supposed to get and didn't and the rudeness you encountered. That was just wrong. If it was a crummy smaller site, that would be a big issue but, if not, as Beth said, sometimes they have to manage sites and put appropriate size RVs in appropriate size sites. I only have a 32' 5th wheel and lots of friends have similar size MHs with toads. I've pulled into many an RV park where a small Roadtrek/Pleasure Way with no toad pulled into the last pull-through and left the back-in site with the challengingly placed bushes for the bigger RV. Was it fair for them to take a site that made no difference to them enjoying their stay....I guess so. Was the it the friendly RVer thing to do. Maybe not. I know none of us would do that. And, please keep in mind that I am not in any way advocating smaller rigs be given a crummy RV site.

A couple of years ago, Acadianamom, GKLB, cpatinjones, and I met up at a park on our way to a GTG. The park put Acadianamom and GKLB in back-in sites. They put cpatinjones and I in pull-through sites across from them that were long enough to leave our tow vehicles hooked up since we were only there for a night. Now, we could have gotten into those back-in sites but it would have taken some maneuvering and we would have had to park our trucks somewhere else.

[MelissaD]

I have debated posting to this thread so I hope I don't offend, it's not my intention.

1st if you are paying the going rate you are entitled to all the services you are paying for. You should have the expectation that all services are working and of use to you. I would think that a customer paying for a month should have just as good or better expectation of services as anyone else at the CG.

I also fully understand CG's assigning spaces based on the size of a rig in an effort to accommodate everyone.

The CG/resort we are members of has limited 50 amp service. There is a front (50 amp service, nice grass, pool, beach and playground) and a back part (only 3 50 amp site and muddy) in the CG. We bought our membership and pay an annual maintenance fee (I view it as prepaid camping). The policy is 1st come 1st serve and we are allowed 13 days on, then we need to come off site for 5 days or pay your off ($30 a day). We use to pick a site up front near the pool and playground. We'd setup, spend the weekend, go home on Sunday night and return Friday afternoon for a second weekend, pull off site Sunday, so we were onsite for 9 days. I hope you can picture that. If you wanted to pay your off like a few do for a season, you had to park in the back section. Well, last year they changed the policy and if you left your site for more than 24 hours you had to park in back.

Result, when a holiday rolls around, the front is full of retirees who show up on Wednesday. Complain about the kids heading to the pool and playgrounds making noise or upsetting their dogs. Part of me is ok with that, they were here 1st but why complain if that's the spot you picked. The part that bugs me most, is the vast majority of these campers are 30 amp units. The larger rigs that could use the 50 amp service are now relegated to the back. Due to health issue we can only walk so far and we use to be able to walk to the pool/playground, now we must drive up to use these services. Phoenix needs new knees but her insurance won't pay. I have knee surgery scheduled for Friday. I need the 50 amp for AC to care for Phoenix's asthma. So come spring we play the game of getting one of the 3 50 amp sites and paying "our off" to keep control of it. Last summer a 30 amp rig parked all summer on 1 of the 3 50 amps sites and would not more over to a 30 amp site. I understand they have a right to any site but it would have been nice if they did not take a 50 amp site for a 30 amp camper. Due to my work schedule now, I normally don't get off work till late on Friday and it's a 70 mile drive to the CG. Not wanting to find and set up at 11 pm or later, having the trailer on site now and then allows us an extra night around the campfire with friends. On the plus side not having to work till 5pm Monday I don't leave the CG until Monday. I have gone over a day early and set up leaving Phoenix and the GB at the camper while I've driven to work from the CG. The Handicap space in back is 30 amp. We try to leave the Handicap space for those worse than we are. Yes Phoenix has a Handicap permit. Sorry I ramble.

I understand you can't make everyone happy but it "burns my shorts" when I'm stuck on 30 amps and a tear drop is using a 50 amp site because of some silly rule. I'm not upset with my fellow camper but the management that makes some of these silly rules. Last year there were a couple of time the front was nearly empty and the back was near full of 5er's and class A's limited to 30 amps because they are trying to get one more than one weekend out of setting up.

[Bethers]

Melissa, it's why I'm ok with different size sites for different rigs - and 50 amp for someone who needs it - but only if the sites are comparable in amenities, etc. I totally understand your frustration, and I totally understand Judi's. I know they can't please all of us, but sometimes, it's nice if the rules were such that they please most.

That said, we have one overflow site here - it's big and can fit a larger rig. I can't use it unless everything else is full (and realize, the site is actually a workamper site and only available if no one is in it - next week there will be a new workamper there. Today, I squeezed a trailer into a site (actually a beautiful site that I'd rather be in, but it was more work for him to get in) and that was my last site. Who should come in next? A tenter - who got the large site. Now the large site is a little less scenic, and I'd prefer to have squeezed in the other - but logistically, it would have made more sense had I been able to put the trailer in the larger site. But then, you know the next person to drive in would have had a bigger trailer or mh or 5th wheel and not fit in the smaller site. It's a conundrum!

[judi]

I certainly understand the opinions posted above, and I'm not offended. In my case, I had made a reservation, and there were about 45 empty long pull-thrus. The space I was given was a terrible spot, with concrete only and non-working cable. I was paying the same amount as everyone else. I choose to drive a small rig for many reasons. Having a bit of space around me is one of those reasons. If I were to arrive and someone with a big rig needed the space, I would accept the tiny inferior space if all hook-ups were working. However, if I am paying the same as the others and I had made a reservation, I do not like being placed a space not even remotely comparable "just in case" a big rig arrives. My little rig has some limitations and I accept them. Drivers of big rigs should accept the limitations of their rigs, even if it means a more difficult parking job, or unhitching the toad. I only ask to be treated fairly. My money has the same value as the money of a big rig driver, and I had a reservation.

[judi]

Melissa, I hope your surgery goes well, and you have a rapid recovery!

[JudyJB]

I can understand the need to have spaces for bigger rigs available, but then the larger spaces should be more expensive. Ditto for charging more for 50 amp sites if they are limited. In addition, it seems as though people who have already made reservations and have arrived should have some priority over potential customers who are nowhere in sight. In addition, if there is a policy of limiting smaller rigs to smaller and less desirable spaces, then that should be clearly specified on the web site and divulged when you make a reservation.

The problem with my situation and Judi's situation is that we were made to feel like second-class citizens, but we were asked to pay the same price as the "first-class" citizens. That was very unfair, and I think Judi handled it much better than I did.

In my case, as well, there were tons of extra big rig spaces both nights I was there so those potential people never showed up. The result was that at least in my case, they alienated a current customer for non-existent potentials. That is not good business.

[MelissaD]

Thanks Judi.

Personally, I have no issue paying more for a larger site, 50amp service, sewer hookups, etc..... Don't mind paying a little extra for a pull thru either. Many commercial CG's seem to do that but I guess it's different in the State and Federal CGs which seem to be more of a flat rate but I could be wrong.

Everyone has different needs and wants. Bottom line is if you paid for a service, you should receive it.

[longdog2]

Ladies.....I don't think we are necessarily disagreeing. I don't think that we were implying that smaller rigs should get inferior sites. All the sites should have all the amenities in good working order, a level site, and the same kind of ground cover. I couldn't think of what to say and settled on ground cover since that would be grass in some areas and gravel or something like that in others depending upon the area of the country you are in. In Judi's case, there were a lot of empty sites so no reason at all to put her into a small site especially since the quality of the site was an even bigger issue than the size of it. And once it was determined that the amenities didn't work, it should have been a no brainer to move her to move her to one of the many other available sites. Beth and I were talking about putting into appropriate size sites when available sites were limited. JudyJB, I think your rig is nearly the same size as mine once I unhitch my truck.
I have noticed that RV parks will often put monthly renters in back-in sites when back-in and pull through are both available. Not sure if this is because they only have to back into it once or because monthly rates are less expensive but, in any case, the sites should all be decent with working amenities. I'd rather have a nice scenic back-in site than a pull through if I am going to be there for a few days as they are usually more private and I only have to provide the back-in entertainment once. But, if I am just overnighting, I prefer the pull-through so I don't have to unhook the truck.

I had this mostly written before Melissa's last post and had to rush off for an unexpected visit to the vet. (Harley was shaking his head like crazy. He didn't have an ear infection but he ended up with a shot and pills for an allergic reaction to who knows what. After a teeth cleaning last Monday and shot plus anal cleaning this morning, he isn't going to want to go anywhere near that place.)

I agree that sewer is usually more and often have to pay more for 50 AMP if I want it and also for a pull-through. I'm a little afraid that if they started charging by the site size, it would quickly lead to higher prices for all. Most of the time, it seems like we all have to fit in whatever they give us when there are few sites available or we don't have reservations.

This has been a great discussion ladies and, the best part of it, is that it is a discussion of viewpoints without any accompanying snarky or belittling comments. We all have different rigs for different reasons with their own unique advantages and disadvantages. Sorry if we pulled you a little off track of your post Judi. Glad you got your money back and definitely hope you publish a review on one of the Internet RV review sites so people beyond our forum see it. I think most of us use those to check out possible RV parks and definitely want to know the negatives.

[CatLady]

Be sure to post your experience to [url]rvparkreviews.com[/url] and let other rvers know your experience. Sounds like the "lady" was abusing her authority. Glad you decided to let your money talk and you took a walk.

Cat Lady

[MelissaD]

Hi Colleen, There are some commercial CG's that offer larger sites for a little extra. The Frankenmuth Jellystone is one. Five more dollars gets you a Deluxe site which is roomier than the regular site and for ten dollars more than a regular site you get a premium, which a complete corner lot. Just depends on what you want.

http://www.frankenmuthjellystone.com/ca ... -map-info/

If there was any confusion, I share Judi's frustration and she was in an unfair situation, I'm glad she stood up for herself.

I've enjoyed the conversation.

Hope everyone has a great day.

[longdog2]

Yes I have seen that Melissa and anyone can pay more for a deluxe site. Now the place where I store my RV charges people more based on the length of their rig.... the interesting thing is that all the sites are exactly the same length and width so we are getting nothing extra for our extra cost. They also have some covered sites which of course cost even more but at least there you are getting extra value for your money.

[judi]

Now I'm at Columbia River RV Park in Portland, and in a normal pull-thru site that would accommodate a long rig. When I checked in I asked about the policy of "small rigs small site" and the very nice young woman said "You pay you choose your site". I'm in the new section of this park and there is landscaping but no grass, and the shrubbery is very new so it's little, but when it grows and fills in it will be nice. The hook-ups are great. And best of all - the staff is polite and helpful, and made me feel welcome. This is not a pretty park, but it's well maintained and convenient, and will suffice until I can begin my journey to Aspen!

Basically all our posts agree - people should be treated fairly and with respect. It's a big world out there and can sometimes be rough. So why not treat others kindly and spread peace.