Ralph Kramden an RV

Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
I have been wanting to write you, I just had to wait until I was pushed over the psychological edge.
We stay in many campgrounds that are tighter than a wax doll’s eardrum. This week we were in a campground that was so tight my truck mirrors were almost touching my neighbor’s.
The real problem is, I like to get on the road early in the morning when we travel. My wife, however, will not let me make any noise until the neighbors are up and moving around. She thinks we will annoy people if we bring our slides in, lift our jacks, start the engine, or even unhook the utilities.
Wouldn’t this come under the heading of, “That’s life in the tight lane?”
Can I buy a silencer that will fit on my Ford diesel? Am I being unreasonable?
I seem to be the only one restricted. Everyone else leaves at dark-thirty and doesn’t seem to be concerned that I’m sleeping. My wife says, “If they jump off a cliff, it doesn’t mean you have to jump off a cliff.” I’m getting to the point that I DO want to jump off a cliff. Please stop me.
--Ralph Kramd-en in Kissimmee

Dear Kramd-en:
Unfortunately, the “highest and best use for real estate theory” seems to prevail for commercial park owners. It’s all about how many units they can squeeze into a given parcel of ground. Some are much worse than others.
The noise you make, coming and going, should always be a concern, but I believe most RVer’s understand that fellow travelers often leave early, and that it is something we all deal with. Staying in parks with tight quarters comes with many drawbacks, but you know all of them going in.
Sometimes you sit out on your patio with a gorgeous view of the ocean or desert and sometimes you sit out on the patio with a not-so gorgeous view of your neighbor’s sewer connection.
Jumping off a cliff is not the solution. Florida’s highest elevation is under 350 feet and I don’t think it’s a cliff. In fact, you might be eaten by an alligator just getting there.
My suggestion would be to pack up, as much as possible, the night before, and make a courtesy call at the neighbors and let them know you will be leaving early. Some people complain if they are hung with a new rope, but at least you have made the effort to warn them, which shows you are concerned about your possible annoyance.
Crowded campgrounds are a way of the RV lifestyle. I’m waiting to see campground owners going up a few stories with RV campground parking garages. I have already seen airplane hanger type structures in North Dakota to house RV oilfield workers during the subzero winters and hot summers.
Know that noise pollution is a part of living in a high density campground, and that everyone is well aware of it.
--Keep Smilin’, Dr. R.V. Shrink