Handout Proposal
Campground Etiquette Communication Proposal
Below and attached are proposals to recommend to parks and/or other campgrounds as a simple brochure to have available to increase the communication and knowledge of campground etiquette. This serves like a neighborhood watch to increase awareness of how to respond if you observe behavior that needs attention.
Private Campgrounds are welcome to download the PDF file or Virus-Free Microsoft Word attachment and adapt it to their campground free of charge to promote campground etiquette knowledge, communication, and education. The logo's on the Word Document are freeware logo's from the Microsoft ClipArt website.
Proposal #1 - Quick Handout - 3"x5" Card Size
Effective communication on etiquette
If you find yourself next to a neighbor who is not reasonably following good campground etiquette, please inform campground management in the following manner:
- During office hours come to the office and inform someone on duty.
- After the office is closed please inform a live-in Campground Host if one is available.
- If a Campground Host is not available, please contact the authorities by telephone
· Come to the office and use the free local land-line phone, or
· Call on your cell phone (posted phone number or to 911 if appropriate)
· The dispatcher will direct your information to the appropriate person which might include: Night Security Guard on duty, Park Management, Conservation Officer, Sheriff, or Deputy
Please be reasonable but also do not feel uncomfortable to contact the authorities. We would rather be informed than hear later that someone felt they had a bad experience or had to leave because of a discourteous neighbor who would not follow campground rules and etiquette. Rest assured that your contact will be taken seriously.
We want you to have a pleasant stay!
Perhaps the 3x5” cards would only be put out and available on the counter, or on a bulletin board during the 3 major holiday weekends: Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day. These 3 holiday weekends are the times when more inexperienced campers are likely to come out for an escapade of drinking and then late, loud talking around a campfire next to young families trying to sleep.
Proposal #2 - Double Sided Page Size Handout
Text of downloadable PDF or Microsoft Word document
This document is formated to be printed on 2-sided paper copiers
Campground Etiquette Handout
Consistent with campground rules, campers are required to follow a code of conduct that is courteous and considerate of neighbors and follows good campground etiquette. The following is a partial list of campground etiquette.
Prohibited Conduct:
- In camping areas, the hours between 10:00 P.M. and 8:00 A.M. are for outdoor solitude.
- Noise levels above a quiet conversation are prohibited.
- Consumption of intoxicating liquors
- Drinking tends to make some people talk loudly, making it impossible for others to sleep in nearby campsites.
- Dogs barking, growling, or creating a dangerous, threatening, or frightening threat of attack or actual attack on other dogs or humans. Loose pets not kept under control or on a leash.
- Driving over the speed limit (usually 5-20 mph), risking running over children
- Disturbance of the Peace - specifically defined as crimes in some states’ statutes
· brawling or fighting
· using offensive, obscene, or abusive language
· engage in boisterous, noisy, or threatening conduct reasonably tending to arouse alarm, anger, or resentment in others.
· make noise reasonably tending to arouse alarm or resentment of others by means of a public address system, radio, stereo, amplifier, or power equipment, or by any other means
Bad Etiquette:
- Noise that can be reasonably heard in the next campsite
- loud conversation during quiet time (after 10:00 PM) that keeps people from sleeping
- music from a boombox, vehicle, etc at any time of the day
- portable televisions or DVD players, other electronics
- coming in to the campground late and making noise while setting up (talking loudly, pounding in tent stakes with a loud steel hammer rather than a quiet rubber mallet, making banging and clanking noises, etc)
- making too much noise early in the morning before quiet time ends (kids or adults yelling, shouting, driving loud bikes, 3-wheelers, etc)
- chopping wood loudly early in the morning before quiet time ends (usually 8AM) or late at night when quiet time has started
- running loud (cheap) electrical generators for long periods of time (many hours), especially during quiet time
- placing your loud generator right next to the neighbors site
- slamming doors of campers rather than closing them quietly
- pressing the alarm button on your vehicle, setting off the alarm
- Walking through others' campsites to take a short cut
- Dogs defecating on others campsites or on the trail and owners not picking up after them.
- Obscenities, swearing, foul language spoken loud enough for neighbors to reasonably hear at any time of day
- Unruly children visiting others sites and being a nuisance. Leaving children unsupervised and in danger of being lost or hurt, and other campers need to rescue them or babysit them.
- Unwelcomed visits into others' campsites
- Turning on bright lights from vehicles or lanterns during quiet time
- Littering or leaving a mess on your campsite, the campground, the restrooms and showers.
- Obnoxious, rude, inconsiderate behaviors
- Page Break - Print on 2-sided paper -
Effective communication on etiquette
If you find yourself next to a neighbor who is not reasonably following good campground etiquette, please inform campground management in the following manner:
- During office hours come to the office and inform someone on duty.
- After the office is closed please inform a live-in Campground Host if one is available.
- If a Campground Host is not available, please contact the authorities by telephone
· Come to the office and use the free local land-line phone, or
· Call on your cell phone (posted phone number or to 911 if appropriate)
· The dispatcher will direct your information to the appropriate person which might include: Night Security Guard on duty, Park Management, Conservation Officer, Sheriff, or Deputy
Please be reasonable but also do not feel uncomfortable to contact the authorities. We would rather be informed than hear later that someone felt they had a bad experience or had to leave because of a discourteous neighbor who would not follow campground rules and etiquette. Rest assured that your contact will be taken seriously.
We want you to have a pleasant stay!
For more information on Campground Etiquette:
https://sites.google.com/site/campingfamily1website/campground-etiquette
Revision 2.2