Campers are generally a good breed of people. I’d put them way above the general populace in manners and intelligence. But there are exceptions, maybe 5-10%, that make my job as a camphost difficult. I could do a list but some of these would fit in several categories. So I’ll just give some examples of obnoxious behavior.
There are some that don’t know the meaning of 10 pm-8 am quiet time. They persist on playing music, talking loudly, slamming bathroom doors, chopping wood, and more, after 10 pm. I can usually spot this type as I check them in. So I emphasize this rule to them and tell them it is enforced. Sometimes that works. But other times, they forget, or get drunk. It’s not fun to have to get up, put on my uniform, and confront the noisemakers. But that usually puts an end to it, if I’m lucky.
Some people are idiots about bathroom etiquette, which makes an unpleasant experience for everyone. Toilet paper all over the floor or piled in a corner is just stupid. Pit toilets are obviously for depositing, not just body waste, but also tp. I think some people are too lazy to lean forward on the toilet seat to make room for dropping the used toilet paper in. And there are cultures that never put used toilet paper in the toilet.
Other bad bathroom behavior is; leaving the lid up (stinks up the bathroom), writing on the walls with poo, peeing on the floor, leaving sticks and rocks in the bathrooms, unrolling a whole roll of tp all over the floor, throwing the paper rollers into the toilet, graffiti, etc.
I was cleaning the bathrooms recently, when an older, heavyweight man used one that I had just cleaned. He did everything wrong. He walked on a wet floor with dirty shoes, messed up the toilet with diarrhea, left the seat up, dropped tp on the floor, and closed the door afterwards. To top it off, he used at least a half roll of toilet paper.
Probably the most common and irritating thing is, closing the bathroom door when done. I prop them open with rocks for a few reasons; so they don’t stink when you first walk in, to let the flies out, and to prevent heat buildup, which is a big problem in the summer. People close the doors and leave the rocks where everyone can trip over them. My pet peeve.
People do stupid things at their campfires. They burn logs and sticks that are way too long to fit in the ring. Some put in wood that is green and only blackens a little. They scoop out the ashes and dump them in unsightly piles nearby. They put out their fires by filling the fire-rings with dirt. They put large rocks into the fire. They have a fire going all day long when it’s 90°. They throw all their pop cans and beer bottles into the fire. I’ve even seen diapers in there.
Some get angry when I inform them that extra vehicles get charged at $7 per night. People will lie and say the extra car will be leaving at night or will only be there one night.
A few campers leave a lot of trash behind, dig holes in the ground, throw branches and rocks all over the site.
Some move tables around and then leave them in the wrong place or even the wrong campsite. At 350 pounds each, I can’t move them more than a few feet. It’s a big chore for even two strong guys. And it’s hard to get any coworkers to help me move tables back where they belong. What’s really idiotic is when they place them in the only good spot for a tent.
Some people don’t understand boundaries. They walk through everyone else’s campsites, whether someone is there or not. Some drop trash wherever they go. Some try to burn the picnic tables. Some leave any camping gear that is broken or unwanted in their campsite when they leave. I’ve actually gotten several useful items that way, but most of it is garbage.
Then there are the ones who come in late to a vacant spot and leave early, without paying the camping fee. They know the camp host isn’t going to get out of bed at 11 pm to check that they paid. I’m sure that some do this everywhere they go. Then they compound their jerk status by leaving lots of garbage behind and campfires blazing. I’ve been tempted to get up, when I hear someone coast in late at night, just to confront them if there is no money put in the night deposit. But my boss told me not to stress about it or go to extra work to collect the fees.
I can deal with the paperwork load, the bug problems, the physicality of constantly walking hills and raking out sites, the temperature extremes. It’s dealing with jerks that sometimes makes me want to choose a different line of work!
iggyvandweller 