Campground Discrimination


(David L. writes...)





I have noticed on more than one occasion the listing of jobs in this news bulletin to be discriminative in nature. I hope this is not a trend among the full time RV community. I don't feel it is proper or good for the community to put another down for not owning the newest and most expensive rig available.

It truly isn't about keeping up with the Jone; it's about the great outdoors and the meeting of new people in new places.

We take something that is supposed to family oriented and turn it into a game of who can and who can't. Look at Nascar, not even the average person today can afford to buy tickets. I certainly hope this is not a direction that full time RVing is taking. Thanks for listening.

Coleen, the working while RVing editor replies:

Hi David,

I fully understand what you are saying, about how you would like it to be about the great outdoors, new places, and new people. The reality of it is, it isn't like that.

There is discrimination in the RVing community, just as there is everywhere else. The type of rig. The brand of rig. The age of the rig. Or, the age of the RVer! Then, there are those based on whether or not a person wears clothes. All sorts of discrimination, yes.

Back when Bob and I started full-timing, we were both only in our early 30s. Talk about discrimination! Yowzers! We were looked at as very suspect. Many older RVers treated us like we had no right to be





full-timers (and enjoying it!) because we had not put in enough years suffering at jobs we hated.

On a cheerier note, there are lots of campgrounds and RV parks. You get choose to stay and play -- and work -- someplace where they want you.

I don't mean to be glib. It's just that campground discrimination isn't anything new. It isn't a trend; it is how it has always been.

Birds of a feather flock together. That saying goes back a long ways. It's true. One of the most popular RV clubs, the Escapees, has "Birds of a Feather" (BOF) groups because they realize many people like RVing with those who share a common interest.

The common interest some RVers have with one another is their particular style or brand of RV. Some RV parks cater to that group. If you are excluded because you don't have what they have, you may feel discriminated against. However, I suspect they feel they are just a bunch of like minded RVers wanting to be together.

At most RV parks you'll find a wide mix of RVs. It's pretty common to find an older pickup camper or travel trailer parked next to a high-end motorcoach. There are plenty of RV parks and RVers who welcome those of us with older and/or less expensive units. So, while there is (and has always been) discrimination among RVers, it need not stop you from enjoying the RVing lifestyle.

Enjoy your RV travels -- whatever your RV may be.

Go to the Workers On Wheels Work for RVers and Campers blog.

Comments for Campground Discrimination

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Keep Your Pants On


Dave,

Discrimination certainly does exist in RVing, as well as in life. Some discrimination is unconstitutional while others are not. An example of legal discrimination is when an individual doesn't like another individual because of the cloths they wear, (or not wear), drinking habits, smoking, or the vehicles they drive, etc. I'm sure you also discriminate against people or things as a matter of your own personnel preference.

I have personally observed illegal discrimination on at least two occasions, one sexual and another time religious.

On one occasion I saw an employer insisting on hiring the male half of the couple while the female was more qualified for the position. The only reason the employer overlooked the female was because in the past, only a male held the position, DUH.

On more than one occasion I have seen groups who profess to be serving the Lord only hire Christians, thereby eliminating any non-christen who wants to help mankind by serving the Lord.

Both these examples are illegal in the U.S.A., as well as other countries, but they happen!

The examples you cite may not be considered illegal, but merely personnel preferences.

As for enjoying the great outdoors or meeting new people, you don't need to be RV'ers for that. There are many different groups and organizations that do those things without RV's

If, however, you want to be connected with RV'ers who like what you do, you can join RV clubs. An example would be Escapees. They have groups within their club called Birds Of a Feather, (BOF) who like RVing as well as NASCAR, bird watching, veterans, on and on, even clothing optional campgrounds, as was previously implied.

On the other hand, if you feel discriminated against, or left out, start your own club of, let's say, "Only Rigs Ten Years Old or More." Then you can exclude from membership any one who has a newer or nicer rig than yours.

As for NASCAR becoming too costly, just watch it on TV. If you don't like the race you're watching, you can change channels and watch a football game for free.

In the meantime, enjoy what ya got, and watch what groups you join and keep your pants on.

(Oops, that could be considered discrimination by me... sorry!)
Discrimination


The US Forest Service in Ocala, FL will not consider applications for volunteers without seeing the volunteer's camping unit. Th US Park Service is now requiring all volunteers to have a valid state drivers license. These are all prohibited acts, but no one seems to care or do anything about it. I am a disabled person and full time RVer. Talk about discrimination!
My Rig is Smaller


Oh how I agree concerning the discrimination. We have seen it along the way in our 45 yrs. of RVing and I usually just ignore it.

We have purchased new rigs straight off the lot and nice used ones.

A couple yrs. back we decided to downsize and chose a 24 ft. class C (which we love). While at the Tampa R.V. show, a member of our camping group laughed at us for not having slide outs.

Well, guess whose unit is paid for and guess who is having trouble paying for his or selling it.
Folks, it is all about being content in what you have or what you are doing, and to heck with them. lol
That's Right


You are so right. My wife and I are in are 40's and we have been almost killed with some of the looks we get from other RVers. But, if you love the life, you will not let that so very small percentage of RVers stop you.

I work at Creekside RV Park, and my wife works at Dollywood, here in Pigeon Forge, TN.

Happy RVing
A Place for Everyone


My future fulltiming home is an old, but well maintained, 1982 Class C, and I too have been discouraged by the ads specifying you must own a new rig for the honor of cleaning bathrooms.

As far sa like minded people, I've become a member of iRV2.net and they have a group for vintage RV owners as well as many for the newer rigs. I've gotten many great answers to many repair and remodeling questions, along with a few critical comments by those who own the bigger newer rigs.

If anyone has had a problem with me parked next to them at the parks, they've kept it to themselves. One owner of a beautiful new 5er said she was envious of the ease of parking my old girl.
Happy Tenting!


Well, I am planning to retire and be a workamper in a couple of years and I have been reading every thing I could to prepare myself for the free-spirit life on the road.

I do see that some of the ads I saw of RV parks stated that they want specific model or newer model of RVs and I think it is sad that people do that just because.... But heck, who needs them? This country is too big and there are many other beautiful places to explore other than getting stressed out with that kind of folks who discriminate.

I am an avid tent camper (partly because that's all I could afford), an outdoor enthusiast with an adventure soul to match. I have been tent camping since early 1980's, from sandy beach in Hawaii to the timberline of Colorado mountains and it's marvelous! Sure, it was not as comfortable as home, but I bet no model of RVers could climb up to the top of 14,000 foot mountains! I camped at the most beautiful bird sanctuary and the like that no RVs are allowed or no access road and that's wonderful.

I try to avoid those moving mansions when I camp at state parks because they block my view, but sometimes, I had no choice but getting sandwiched between them. In September of this year when I camped out at 1000 Islands, NY, I was the only tenter among the dozen or so of RVers. The wind gust 15-25 miles and raining. They all must thought I was crazy! But amazingly, I was okay.

The point I am trying to say is, it doesn't matter what form of camping out you are doing or what model of RV you have, as long as you are happy and enjoying the outdoors, among nature, and meeting some interesting folks who couldn't care less what kind of sleeping arrangement you are having. That's all that counts for me.

I will have an RV of some sort when I am ready to become a full time traveler and I will not be stressed out by those folks who choose only their own kind. Life is too short.

By the way, this brings another question, can a tenter be a camp host? Or, must you have an RV?
Can a Tent camper get a job at a camp ground?


OH YES THEY CAN!!!!!!
Check out Yellowstone or Yosimite National Forests they both have jobs where tent camping is required as they are in out of the way areas of the park either working as a hiking guide or as a conservationist!!!!
the newest and most expensive rig , HUH


David,
I have NEVER seen any workamper adds that require, " the newest and most expensive rig available", as you say. Would you be kind enough to provide us a link to where you have seen these specific requirements.
I think you are confusing the CG owners who require that their employees who will be living on site not have a broken down, old, embarrassing rig. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it appears to me that some who behold their property are either blind or using their money on other things that may be illegal..
These blindly owned RV's could have a tendency to scare away the, "supposed to family oriented", cliental.
In our travels, when our neighbors have had beat up rigs, it turned into late, loud drunken nights which often needed police intervention.
All I can say is that if the shoe fits, clean up your act!
can a tenter be a camp host?


Dont see why a tenter could not be a host. That would be the employers decesion. However, a point of view that may prohibit hosting would be the difficulty and inconvience living in a tent for several weeks or months.

Most hosting jobs are without pay and full hookups. What advantage would you have for having free FHU?
Camper requirements for a reason


Hi, We have been hiring work campers for the summer here in Maine going on 5 years now and we do have a requirement that the host have an RV rather than a tent. The reason is practical, we are right on the lake and in the summer we can get some severe storms with winds high enough to rip the screen porch right off (in excess of 50MPH) to say nothing of heavy thunder. So for us it is a safety concern. The age of the RV is also specified to be 7 years or newer, but we make exceptions! Last year's host family had a 1974 24' unit that they had repainted and rebuilt inside. Again, the reason is practical, an old unit potentially requires more maintenance we can't afford to lose our RV Host half way through the summer due to a significant infrastructure failure on their home.
I'm proud of what I can afford, No Monthly payment!


I will admit myself that I feel that disappointment when I read "2000 or newer" or "not over 10 years old". I have a new 2015 Silverado that I have a payment on for 6 years. We almost went in debt for a newer 5th wheel, but it would have made the prospect of full-timing questionable. We chose to pay cash for a 2003 that is in remarkable condition. I really don't want to be around people who judge me by how expensive my rig is. A number of years ago (I think 2000) we had to full time for a few months. We had just paid cash for a beautifully maintained 1985 33' Holiday Rambler TT, I was proud of it, it was like new! I picked a park in the perfect location at the most affordable for the area and was told that they didn't accept anything over 10 years old. I protested, politely, that our trailer was in excellent condition. They asked me to send a photo, after doing so they accepted us. They were great people and we had such a good experience there for several months. They explained that they really weren't as concerned with the age as, they didn't want their park to look like they were catering to transients,(Which is discriminatory), but I have been in parks where I wouldn't want to live either because some people do not take pride in their surroundings and how they live and I do. So I guess we are all discriminatory to some extent, that's why we have choices, and we are all free to make our choices as long as their not forcing hardship on others. If a park wants a specific "type" or "class" only than more power to them, I'll just go where I feel accepted and comfortable. With all the campgrounds and RV parks out there, from the ads I read there are plenty for all tasts and "classes".
Biased Towards Condition, Not Type


As a Volunteer Coordinator who refers applicants for hiring in 3 National Campgrounds, I can proudly say that I have never discriminated against anyone based upon what they looked like, or what their age is.

However, I will tell you that if your rig, or trailer looks like it has not been painted, or maintained properly (i.e: looks presentable),
that will work against you being referred for hiring.

Sometimes, you are the first (and last) people our customers may encounter at our campgrounds. You are representing us just by being on-site and how would I feel as a customer if I was parked next to a beat-up and run-down trailer the camp host owned ?

So, applying for a great Volunteer job ? keep your home nice and presentable, whether its a 1962 Shasta, or a 2016 Prevost. I hire the person,
not the home, but what that person represents is just as important, too !
Heart


No matter what you have or where you park someone will be different.everyone is different, even those that have the same brand.
It's what is in your heart that makes the difference. How you treat others goes a long way in any walk in life. Mainly be a good neighbor.
Be helpful and kind to all.
Life will be a blessing.
Discrimination


A Damon motorcoach owner writes: I have a 2001 Damon that was repainted about 3 yrs ago and the stripes were painted on so there was no fading of them, I used to work at a dealership in the service department and I’d work on newer ones, I’m talking two to three yrs old and some of them made me sick the condition they were in, I mean banged up, scratched, filthy in and out, it was a shame and they were big money, diesel pushers, some campgrounds say mines to old, I was mine constantly and I even hand was mine and it’s 35 ft long, my inside is kept clean I can’t stand it messy everything has a place and it stays there, i keep it in excellent condition in and out, even my toad gets washed regular and waxed , I’ve had people asked me if the motor home is brand new, so if a campground don’t want me because of the age of it, the camp down the road will welcome me with open arms !

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