Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
We have spent many nights in Walmart parking lots the past several years during our travels. We call them our pit stops. Every couple of weeks we do our shopping, buy a pizza and have a movie night with a Redbox movie. However, my wife Florence is getting a little over protective of our shopping center campsites. We see people camped as though they are living at Walmart. We see people leaving trash behind. Walmart’s hospitality seems to be attracting more homeless people, eking out a living on the parking lot fringes, begging with signs and even setting up tents. It is quite a contrast to see expensive motorhomes parked near shelter tents, both attracted by the same thing, free camping. I think we should all act responsibly, but I don’t think it’s my wife’s job to referee the Walmart camping policy. She hasn’t yet started to lecture people, but she gets very upset when she sees things she doesn’t approve. I get an earful and everyone else just continues to act irresponsible. Is this normal? It always causes an argument if I don’t act as disgusted as she is.
--Going with the “Floe” in Bozeman
Dear Floe:
Many people are observing the same thing as the two of you. Eventually, Walmart will suspend overnight privileges if it becomes more of a problem than it’s worth to management. Most stores that prohibit overnight parking currently are governed by policies forced on them by local ordinance. That does not mean Walmart as a company will not suspend this “customer service” if people abuse this convenience and wear out our welcome. It is not your wife’s responsibility or place to confront people in the parking lot. I would hope she understands the dangers in doing so. Walmart is very capable of managing their property without a traveling neighborhood watch vigilante making rounds for them. I would advise always calling ahead to be sure overnight parking is allowed. Often online or print information is outdated. Also, management will direct you to areas they would like to see you parked. Always let them know how much you appreciate the space and make them aware if you are doing some shopping in their store. If ninety percent of us who use their facilities show some respect, perhaps they will overlook the ten percent that take it for granted. Usually you are parked out on the fringes of the lot. Collect stray shopping carts and park them in the corrals, “Leave No Trace” when you depart, don’t run your generator or put your slides out, don’t use your hydraulic jacks on soft, hot pavement. Maybe even pick up some of the trash around your spot. Just use common sense and hope that the majority of others do the same. Be a spectator, not a referee. If you are going to argue about the shortcomings of others, just remember, never go to bed mad, stay up and fight.
--Keep Smilin’, Dr. R.V. Shrink
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Auto alarms in campgrounds drive him crazy
Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
It is nice that most campgrounds have "No generator" zones, quiet hours posted, and in most cases a considerate population of campers. However, I am often jolted awake in the morning by that most annoying of all sounds, the automobile alarm system. It is not uncommon for some camper to get up at dark thirty to retrieve something from their car and the blasted horn alarm goes off. Am I the only one that finds this annoying to the point of verbal abuse? Do I need to check my feelings at the threshold of an outburst response to this invasive blaring? I am sure it has no impact on the horny neighbor, but it seems to be an automatic response for me to yell at them. --Honk if you like me in Lakeland
Dear Honked:
Yelling only does one thing. It makes you look like a jerk. I would suggest you be a bit more understanding. The person that may need a Shrink is the engineer that designed that stupid system. First, do you ever think when you hear those horns blaring, “Hey, someone is stealing a car!” No, you always think, “Who was the idiot engineer that decided that was a great option for every new vehicle in the world?” Couldn’t we just have the lights flash quietly? Couldn’t we have the steering wheel quietly lock up? Couldn’t we just have the smart car, call the owner's Smart phone and report a possible abduction? I think we have all experienced an electronic malfunction with this crime fighting system. I tried to disconnect the horn on mine once, but I couldn’t find the stupid thing. I believe it was located under the bumper just so it could not be disconnected. So instead of yelling at the moon when this happens again, try this: Picture some poor soul out in the dark, in a panic, madly pressing every button on their key fob, trying to make their car shut up. They are already embarrassed enough without you making them feel worse. Have you ever thought about the people camped near you listening to some hyena yelping at the poor devil with the malfunctioning horn?
--Keep Smilin’, Dr. R.V. Shrink
##RVT855
It is nice that most campgrounds have "No generator" zones, quiet hours posted, and in most cases a considerate population of campers. However, I am often jolted awake in the morning by that most annoying of all sounds, the automobile alarm system. It is not uncommon for some camper to get up at dark thirty to retrieve something from their car and the blasted horn alarm goes off. Am I the only one that finds this annoying to the point of verbal abuse? Do I need to check my feelings at the threshold of an outburst response to this invasive blaring? I am sure it has no impact on the horny neighbor, but it seems to be an automatic response for me to yell at them. --Honk if you like me in Lakeland
Dear Honked:
Yelling only does one thing. It makes you look like a jerk. I would suggest you be a bit more understanding. The person that may need a Shrink is the engineer that designed that stupid system. First, do you ever think when you hear those horns blaring, “Hey, someone is stealing a car!” No, you always think, “Who was the idiot engineer that decided that was a great option for every new vehicle in the world?” Couldn’t we just have the lights flash quietly? Couldn’t we have the steering wheel quietly lock up? Couldn’t we just have the smart car, call the owner's Smart phone and report a possible abduction? I think we have all experienced an electronic malfunction with this crime fighting system. I tried to disconnect the horn on mine once, but I couldn’t find the stupid thing. I believe it was located under the bumper just so it could not be disconnected. So instead of yelling at the moon when this happens again, try this: Picture some poor soul out in the dark, in a panic, madly pressing every button on their key fob, trying to make their car shut up. They are already embarrassed enough without you making them feel worse. Have you ever thought about the people camped near you listening to some hyena yelping at the poor devil with the malfunctioning horn?
--Keep Smilin’, Dr. R.V. Shrink
##RVT855
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Hubby wears same clothes every day. Wife not happy
Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
Now that my husband and I are on the road full-time, I have a hard time getting him to change his clothes. He says we meet so many new and different people, no one notices he has the same clothes on for a week. I don’t mind doing laundry, even though many laundromats we stop at are the pits. We work as a team and can usually knock out our washing and drying duties in a couple hours. I like him to wear work clothes while he is doing his constant maintenance on our rig, but I find him wearing his good clothes for those chores because he doesn’t bother to change. He has dozens of outfits, but he is just not fashion conscious. All his outfits end up turning into work clothes. I think I need to paste a post-it note on his forehead but he would never notice it. I don’t think I am writing you for any advice, I just need to vent a bit. —Dirty Dozen in Denton
Dear Dirty:
If your husband is happy and keeping your rig in constant repair I think you should put it into perspective. You can buy a lot of new clothing for the cost of having your rig repaired at an RV service center. For every hour your husband clocks on the rig, ring up a hundred dollars on the clothing register. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be upset about him ruining his good clothing but don’t make a federal case out of it. Buy him some nice clothes at a second hand shop, hide a couple good outfits so you can take him out in public on occasion, and think of his outfits as disposable work clothing. As for laundromats, I agree. Many are the pits, with little or no management. With many RV needs today, there’s an app for that. There are actually a couple websites that review laundromats so you can see what others have discovered before you commit your quarters to thieving machines that steal your money and deliver no hot water. If you are the type of travelers that stay in commercial RV parks, you will usually find better maintained machines. If you do have a problem you will be able to find management to correct it. The only other thing I can think of to solve your husband's lack of clothing concern would be to get on the RV nudist campground circuit were clothing would be optional. Then you would just have to make sure he showered on a regular basis. Good Luck.
—Keep Smilin’, Dr. R.V. Shrink
##RVT854
Now that my husband and I are on the road full-time, I have a hard time getting him to change his clothes. He says we meet so many new and different people, no one notices he has the same clothes on for a week. I don’t mind doing laundry, even though many laundromats we stop at are the pits. We work as a team and can usually knock out our washing and drying duties in a couple hours. I like him to wear work clothes while he is doing his constant maintenance on our rig, but I find him wearing his good clothes for those chores because he doesn’t bother to change. He has dozens of outfits, but he is just not fashion conscious. All his outfits end up turning into work clothes. I think I need to paste a post-it note on his forehead but he would never notice it. I don’t think I am writing you for any advice, I just need to vent a bit. —Dirty Dozen in Denton
Dear Dirty:
If your husband is happy and keeping your rig in constant repair I think you should put it into perspective. You can buy a lot of new clothing for the cost of having your rig repaired at an RV service center. For every hour your husband clocks on the rig, ring up a hundred dollars on the clothing register. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be upset about him ruining his good clothing but don’t make a federal case out of it. Buy him some nice clothes at a second hand shop, hide a couple good outfits so you can take him out in public on occasion, and think of his outfits as disposable work clothing. As for laundromats, I agree. Many are the pits, with little or no management. With many RV needs today, there’s an app for that. There are actually a couple websites that review laundromats so you can see what others have discovered before you commit your quarters to thieving machines that steal your money and deliver no hot water. If you are the type of travelers that stay in commercial RV parks, you will usually find better maintained machines. If you do have a problem you will be able to find management to correct it. The only other thing I can think of to solve your husband's lack of clothing concern would be to get on the RV nudist campground circuit were clothing would be optional. Then you would just have to make sure he showered on a regular basis. Good Luck.
—Keep Smilin’, Dr. R.V. Shrink
##RVT854
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