Unused reserved spots

[Steveo4090]

It's hard to make that call without knowing the context. Had the site told you that you'd be splitting two families that want to remain side-by-side then you could have made the decision, especially if they told you that you'd be right in the middle of them. I know I'd not want to show up to a campsite knowing that they had to move because of me and then having them both on either side of me, surrounded. That sounds like trouble brewing and a potentially miserable time for everyone.

I think you're right on there. The cg should have explained the situation to you beforehand.

 

[1380ken]

I think you're right on there. The cg should have explained the situation to you beforehand.

Even if they explained the problem. Should you let the jerky guy win. Once your reservation is over and someone else is booked then it is end of story. The guy should of moved sites if he wanted to stay longer. You have to be some kind of winner to end up in jail over wanting to overstay your reservation.

 

[netslacker]

Even if they explained the problem. Should you let the jerky guy win.

At the point in time that it's explained to you there's no indication of the outcome. ie: for all we know the "jerky guy" wasn't yet a jerk and simply asked the CG to stay where they were and the CG asked the incoming camper if they'd be OK to move. The rest of the story transpires after that and without the awareness of the incoming camper of the situation.

However, I agree, if the CG says no then he needs to move. The fact he escalated it to the point he did sounds like he got what he had coming. I still wouldn't want to be coming into the middle of that situation tho.

 

[Toedtoes]

Even if they explained the problem. Should you let the jerky guy win. Once your reservation is over and someone else is booked then it is end of story. The guy should of moved sites if he wanted to stay longer. You have to be some kind of winner to end up in jail over wanting to overstay your reservation.

To me it's only hindsight knowledge of him being a jerk.

Had the campground explained the situation, either before or upon arrival, and you chose to let the family stay together, you likely never would have known he was a jerk.

Not saying it would be right to give him the site, just that if he had gotten it, he might not have been obviously a jerk.

At one campground, I had set up camp in my site. A large trailer came in the next day and set up in the site next to me. Tons of stuff came out of a big toy hauler trailer. The following day, a truck and trailer arrived and stopped in front of that sight, then drove away, then came back. The camphost came over also. Apparently, the toy hauler had just taken a reserved site the day before the reservation. Now that they were in it, they didn't want to give it up. The guy offered the reservee a bunch of fish if he took another site. The reservee didn't fight over it and went to find another spot.

I wondered if I would have given up in that case, and what the guy could have offered me in exchange. I pick my sites very carefully - often it's the only site I'll stay at in the campground. So what would be enough to give up what is "mine"? I'm vegetarian, so fish ain't gonna cut it. Maybe 50% of the reservation fee for the site - that might discourage the guy from trying it again.

 

[akriot]

Ok...In Nebraska...i was shocked on our family camping trip how many reserved spots sat empty...the campground was 100% booked and reservation tags on every site...i have seen this many times over the years and i cant figure out why the state parks do not put in a policy where if you are not there within a certain time your spot becomes available...im not talking a car or camper was on the site...i mean the whole weekend and all 5 days i was there no one ever showed up...i walked around and checked reserved stickers and dates and i bet 50 spots were complete no shows.
You have a 48 hr window to cancel and get a refund however these spots were never made available to drive ups and they stayed empty.
I would think the parks could double their money if they said be here by a certain time or lose your spot....i get some people may arrive a day or two late for whatever reason but to not show at all is crappy for drive up people who want to camp but cant because a spot is reserved even though it sits empty the whole time.
Again there was no camper or cars on any any of these spots but the reserved tags were there showing the dates.
I have tried to ask and never get a answer other than they paid for the spot so it cant be taken even if no one shows up....pretty dumb i think.

I have seen that too. I don't understand it either, that's a lot of money to throw away. Seems selfish. We haven't tried to go without a reservation because we don't want to get stuck at a private camp ground where are you are packed in like sardines or worse, not get to camp at all that weekend.
I agree, if a site is not occupied or communication received in 24hrs of arrival date release it! A phone call or email doesn't take much time. Maybe its uncommon to be courteous. Someone on the road needs it or someone local would like it.

 

[Steveo4090]

The reservee didn't fight over it and went to find another spot.

If I could easily find another site that I was just as happy with as my reserved site I would consider it. But...there must have been a reason he moved into the site he did or I'd assume he wouldn't have done it. Honestly he probably should have been kicked out of the cg all together but I'm not a camp host for a reason lol.

 

[Toedtoes]

If I could easily find another site that I was just as happy with as my reserved site I would consider it. But...there must have been a reason he moved into the site he did or I'd assume he wouldn't have done it. Honestly he probably should have been kicked out of the cg all together but I'm not a camp host for a reason lol.

It was a lakefront site. The reservee ended up a good ways away from the lake.

Yeah, I probably would have kicked him out too - he did it on purpose - the reservation tag was there, so he decided it was worth it to steal the other guy's site.

 

[Steveo4090]

It was a lakefront site. The reservee ended up a good ways away from the lake.

Yeah, I probably would have kicked him out too - he did it on purpose - the reservation tag was there, so he decided it was worth it to steal the other guy's site.

The reservee was too nice, but our society tends to reward bad behavior rather than "hurt someone's feelings" or have to deal with confrontation. And I get it...no one wants to start their camping trip with having to deal with a situation like that, especially with your family along to see it all happen.
I think I would have pointed out that my name was on the post and sat there as long as it took him to get out...and I'm sure he would have taken his sweet old time too. Probably would have asked him where his reserved site was just to see where he'd be. But that's me...I'm stubborn sometimes and I really don't like letting bullies get away with their antics.

 

[Toedtoes]

Yeah, I'm just glad my site was a small one - otherwise it could have been me fighting over the campsite

 

[tenttrailer]

we have gotten the unused spots several times. It seems every state has a diffrent policy. Wait a day, two, etc.. We also had issue on the road and did not make. We call to let the CG know we had issue and to expect us late.

 

[donaltman3]

I have never camped without reservations in all the decades I've been camping.

I would never expect to just pull up and have a place to camp without making a reservation. Nor would I be mad if I didn't make pre-arrangments and found everything was booked.

 

[Toedtoes]

I rarely make reservations off season - unless I will be joined by others and we want to be sure to get sites together.

Peak season, I make reservations. Mostly because I prefer to stay at least 7 days and I don't want to move during the weekend. If I'm just going 3-4 days during the week, I can sometimes skip reservations.

 

[firepit]

Just went last weekend and park was booked solid....Even so...I bet 10+ spots sat empty from Thursday when i arrived
and stayed that way all weekend.
Why can't that happen on the spots next to mine?

 

[Fish N Farm]

A lot of pro's and con's here for sure. It seems that the guy with the whole summer reserved should be forced to call and say I am not coming this week and the park should rent out his space and every be happy. Don't call and cancel lose the rest of your reservations. The guy that has to work over the same deal he should be able to say I am running 2 days late and still have his place. If someone doesn't want just two they can hit the bricks. Everything has to be worked by everybody. I had a reserved spot at a Texas state park once and I came and checked in got my space number then the weather was turning cold and I had my grandson and he did not have enough clothes and I had to go to town to get him another jacket. I did not drop the trailer first. When I got back they let some one have my spot but luckily theirs was still available and I got that one but it could have bad.

 

[GalsofEscape]

Fish N Farm - how in the world did they give your site to somebody else AFTER you had checked in??????

 

[the-one1]

Fish N Farm - how in the world did they give your site to somebody else AFTER you had checked in??????

They know how to take the reservation, but didn't know how to hoooold the reservation.

 

[Chris I]

They know how to take the reservation, but didn't know how to hoooold the reservation.

We have rented passenger vans for relay races, and I had this happen once. They didn't have any vans, and gave us a "7 passenger" SUV. Fortunately, two of our runners were on the short side and could handle the third row. Very frustrating, though. I guess they can't always predict which vehicles will be available. In the case above, they claimed the van had unexpected maintenance issues.

Sometimes this can work out in your favor, though. I've been given much nicer vehicles for free when the full size sedan we reserved was not available.

 

[donaltman3]

I rarely make reservations offseason - unless I will be joined by others and we want to be sure to get sites together.

Peak season, I make reservations. Mostly because I prefer to stay at least 7 days and I don't want to move during the weekend. If I'm just going 3-4 days during the week, I can sometimes skip reservations.

I do not understand why you wouldn't want to call ahead. I am not trying to argue or be difficult but just trying to understand. The only situation I could think of is if you were traveling a great distance and got tired or were not sure where you might end up. I've never just been out riding around with our camper set up and thought, I need to whip it in here and get a spot real quick. It's always been planned adventures. I know people do that with hotels sometimes but I haven't ever stayed anywhere (non-camping) without it being prearranged either.

 

[tfischer]

I know people do that with hotels sometimes but I haven't ever stayed anywhere (non-camping) without it being prearranged either.

I'll do it with hotels sometime if we're doing a long road trip with plenty of cheap chain hotels off the freeway. Gives me the freedom to drive as long as we want, or crash earlier if necessary.

Coming back from Yellowstone 2 years ago we ended up driving the whole thing (back to Minneapolis area) straight. It was a bad idea as I did all the driving and definitely did not feel safe for the last couple of hours. But by then we were so close to home that I didn't want to pay for a hotel lol.

 

[firepit]

Most of our campgrounds have reserve sections and first come first serve/walk up only sections.
I never risk it...I always reserve for peace of mind.
During these covid times walk up only is a big gamble even if you go during the week.
I have seen those spots full mid week...And here you can pull up drop off your camper and pay and leave.
So people come out mid week drop off their camper and don't return until the weekend.