[Note: By “camp” we broadly mean parking your RV somewhere for the night, whether public land, campground or Wal-Mart parking lot.]
Get your #2 pencils ready for the first bi-annual fortnightly RV Noise Pop Quiz! If you get a perfect score, it won’t earn you a certificate but it does indicate that you are a respectful and courteous camper, nomad and/or fellow traveler. The folks need to acquire these skills won’t be the ones reading this blog anyway, so consider this a bit of harmless fun at their expense.
There is only one correct answer for each question. The answers are revealed below (no cheating). Good luck!
1. While seeking a boon-docking site on public land you notice a rig parked far away from all the other RVs. You should:
A. assume that they are lonely and need companionship. Park your rig as close to them as possible so they don’t feel so alone.
B. set up camp at a designated site but at a respectful distance away from the remote RV.
C. assume they are camped far away in order to cook meth. Call the cops immediately.
2. While out walking your dog (on a leash) it stops to take a poo. After picking up with a waste bag, you notice there are no public bins in the immediate vicinity. You should:
A. hang onto the bag until you find a public waste bin or can dispose of in your own trash receptacle.
B. leave the bagged poo on the ground, tied to a tree (true story) or placed carefully on top of a wooden fence post so someone can take care of it.
C. hand the bag to the next person you see
3. It’s Movie Night! After firing up the big generator for power, you notice that it’s 30 minutes until designated quiet hours begin. You should:
A. not worry about the noise, it’s really not that bad with earplugs in.
B. invite all the other campers to Movie Night so the generator won’t disturb anyone.
C. postpone Movie Night until there is time to watch during non-quiet hours.
4. After riding your ATV around the dusty trails all afternoon, you need to get back to your camper for an important conference call. To reach your RV you must pass several other campers parked near the dirt road. You should:
A. drive slowly past campsites to avoid creating dust clouds.
B. drive as fast as possible because everyone should already know it’s gonna get real dusty real quick.
C. drive slowly until you are near people, then floor it.
5. You’re doing some baking in the RV and realize you have no sugar, a key ingredient for the recipe. You walk to a neighboring camper to borrow some sugar, but don’t see anyone there. You should:
A. approach the vehicle and bang your fist forcefully on the side to get someone’s attention.
B. stop at a respectful distance and call out “Hello! Is anybody home?” and wait for a response.
C. walk up and see if the door is unlocked. If not, enter and look for sugar.
6. Time to vacate the premises! There’s no time to pick up any of the garbage strewn around the campsite. You should:
A. leave and hope no one notices.
B. reconsider your priorities and take the time to pick up every piece of trash around the campsite, leaving no trace of your presence.
C. move all the trash to a neighboring site so other people will have to deal with it.
Pencils down! Let’s see how you did.
- Correct Answer: B. Some campers deliberately choose more remote sites for the peace and quiet. Chances are they don’t want other people camped near them, so be respectful and give them their space.
- Correct Answer: A. File this one under “Unsolved Mysteries”. Who on earth takes the time and effort to pick up dog poo but can’t carry the bag to a trash bin? We may never know the answer.
- Correct Answer: C. Generators are the true “RV Noise” and not in a good way. Be mindful of how close your neighbors are and how far away the sound can travel. We’ve experienced variable low-frequency vibrations from generators several hundred feet away.
- Correct Answer: A. Some cases are hopeless.
- Correct Answer: B. RV’ing is a lifestyle with lots of opportunities for socializing, so knowing how to meet people is important. There’s an invisible line around campsites and we try to stay outside that line until a camper invites us closer. Kind of like vampires.
- Correct Answer: B. One of the worst breaches of camp etiquette is leaving trash behind. It’s disrespectful to people, to the land and to the privilege we all enjoy by spending time on public lands and forests. It is also one of the easiest problems to solve if everyone has the will to do the right thing. Pack it in, pack it out.
What are some etiquette tips you’ve learned from camping? Please leave a comment. And if you have suggestions for future quizzes, let us know.
