37 replies to this topic

[George Stoltz]

In the summer of 2011 we were camp hosts at a small campground in Maine. In addition to RV sites there were about 15 tent sites and those folks needed a place to wash dishes. So the owner installed a large utility type sink outside of the bath house and clearly identified it to be used for washing dishes only.

One day I had to chastise a camper who was washing his dog in the sink and I made him stop in mid-bath. He was not happy.
Let's hear what you have seen.

Edited by George Stoltz, 19 February 2012 - 12:36 PM.

[nana25k]

Well George I know that you said camp hosts only but we run in to the same bad behaviors at National Wildlife Refuge. This fall at a refuge in Texas it was closed for deer hunts. Big signs every where and additional ones at the front gate. I can't count the number of people we needed to stop who just drove right in..they just didn't think it applied to them. Or asking us at the visitor center what time the refuge closed each day.. The response is always...at sunset. Not dark but sunset. A couple came in..told they couldn''t launch their canoes from the refuge launch (low water boat ramp not safe) They ended up getting locked inside the gate because they were lost on the lake....1.5 hours later they are asking us to let them out. Next day same Dad with daughter on bikes. Ron reminds them to be back at their car by 5:30. Sure enough not back until 6:30. We were ready to "call out the troops" to locate them. Sure enough they had been lost. People take plants, shells etc..even though they are told not to,harass alligators etc, walk dogs with no leash etc etc etc.

However since they do go home at night we don't have anyone knocking on our door at midnight because their neighbor is drunk or too loud

And let me state that majority of the public we encounter are really wonderful people...as I am sure they are at campgrounds.

[harry bellerby]

Mateing two poodles on the picnic table!
c u on the road

Edited by harry bellerby, 19 February 2012 - 01:19 PM.

[PETE & PAT]

We are less than a year into this, but at the first park ( private ) our biggest problem was a large group of educators and their families who came to the park for a week. They did not think any rules applies to them or their children. We had to request at MIDNIGHT (quiet time was 10pm) that they stop the 6-7 year olds from running around screaming at the top of their lungs, and then the adults were upset that we wanted them to quiet down. Kids then destroyed signed, carved in picnic table, toilet lids etc. That group had been coming to the park from the time kids were little (teenagers now) and the owners now refuse to have them back. We were sure glad when they left!

Here in the forest , the biggest thing has been a couple who dumped at the dump station the night before they left and then left us a bucket of sewage they dumped from their tank just before they left on the site , along with a non-working tv, a baby bassinet, 8 - 10 Dollar General storage bins and trash all over. The dump station is on the way out, but I guess they couldn't remember where it was overnight so along with their trash they left the other present for us. And the worst of it was, they were here for 2 weeks and we were NICE to them -- sure hate to see how they leave a site if they don't like the camp hosts!

[Kirk]

Most of our memorable experiences over the years have been good ones, but there are a few truly exceptional cases of bad behavior. There is one that stands out above all others for me.

We were not campground hosts but NPS naturalist rangers at Shark Valley of Everglades National Park, from Dec. 1, 2008 through April 15, 2009 and this is where my experience happened. We began our time there by attending seasonal park ranger training and in one part of it we were told that we would be spending more time protecting alligators from people than we would protecting people from alligators. That was a prophetic statement! But this incident was clearly the most outrageous of all incidents that we were a witness to.

Now understand that an alligator has between 74 & 80 very sharp teeth and a jaw closing force that typically exceeds 3000 lb/sq. in. While they are not aggressive under normal circumstances, when feeling threatened they can be extremely violent!

Shark Valley is an area where the alligators have been in close contact with people long enough (more than 40 years) that thanks to the rangers pretty much keeping the two from conflicts, they have come to mostly ignore the people, as long as they are left alone. On this particular day I was on duty as a roving interpreter, answering questions, pointing out wildlife, educating visitors, and generally acting as the safety officer to protect both the wildlife and the visitors. As I was nearing the far end of my area from the visitor center, a park visitor approached telling me that I needed to come quickly as there were small children that were getting very close to a large gator about a half block distance from me.

Rushing to the scene I found a boy of 3 and a girl 5 who were about two or three feet from the rear legs of a bull gator of about 12' in lenght (probably around 300#). The father was 50 feet or so distant taking video pictures as the mother stood just out of the picture, urging the two children to "go ahead and get closer and just sit on that guy. He is asleep and will not care." I shouted to the children to get away from that alligator, now! While the children reacted immediately by rushing away from the gator, the mother became enraged. She rushed up to me, livid and shouting that I had ruined their entire vacation and how did I ever expect them to get any decent pictures from their winter vacation now. Nothing that I said mattered at all and she screamed at me that I had ruined their trip! She was so angry that she even went to the visitor center, demanding to see the head ranger to file a complaint.

I do believe that I would recognize her if I were to meet her on the street, to this day.

EDIT: I should add that the lead ranger actually commended me for my handling of the incident.

Edited by Kirk, 19 February 2012 - 07:17 PM.

[George Stoltz]

Kirk,

Rest assured had those children been attacked and killed by the alligator that their parents would have filed a lawsuit against the park for not having proper safety measures in place. This is certainly a good example of placing your children in harm's way.

[nana25k]

Yep Kirk...we have plenty of stupid people versus alligator stories.

[Connie B.]

While I was not working, we have visited many US and Canadian parks. One of the scariest incidents we saw was in a Canadian Park. There were fences (2 bars between each post) and signs which said Do Not Leave Trail and Do Not go Beyond Fence. Some Asian tourists ignored the fences and signs and went into the restricted area. There was a raging waterfall. And at the very top edge of the falls a man was encouraging his daughter to move closer to the edge so he could take a picture. She was standing on the last very wet rock and looked very scared. Later we talked to some of the workers at the local gift shop. They told us EVERY year at least one person gets carried over the falls and yes, they all die.

Or the Canadian glacier we hiked into the back country to see. Clearly signs all over. Do Not Go Closer. You could hear the glacier ice moving and cracking. You could see the big chucks of ice which had cracked off and rolled down the hill. And there were people walking up close and UNDER the ice. Unreal!!!!

At the Grand Canyon, we saw a mother lean over the edge of the barrier. In her arms was her child who had a cracker in it's hand to feed the chipmunk. The child was hanging out over the Grand Canyon. If the chipmunk had bitten the child or startled the mother, heaven only knows what would of happened to the child.

Then there's the buffalo film at Yellowstone. Over the years they have collected video of people getting too close to the animals and what happens. Amazing. And people still want to get a picture of their child on the back of a buffalo.

We have said things to some of these people and been rudely told to mind our own business. We just can't believe how unthinking some people are. Nature can be dangerous. Animals in the wild are just that - wild.

Edited by Connie B., 20 February 2012 - 08:39 AM.

[Kirk]

Worst part was the couple that was sharing a sleeping bag not to far from us. That bit of noise went on for way to long a time. I just did not have the heart to yell at them!

Pam read this thread and reminded me of her favorite such experience. We were new campground hosts for a Kansas State Park, about a week before Memorial Day. It was the middle of the week when our campground was pretty much empty. We made it a practice to drive down through the campground as we returned to our RV at the entrance, each time that we returned to the park from elsewhere and were doing that tour. As we made the turn into the campground below the host site there was a picnic table directly in the midpoint of the turn. It was occupied, or at least one bench was. What we saw was a couple performing "the act' in broad daylight, about 3pm and in clear view, using the end of the bench to support the woman, while he was in a standing position, with both very exposed to the world and lacking in clothing! Since we did not yet have our park radio, I honked the horn as we drove past, and Pam made some very uncomplimentary remarks.

When we returned to the entrance of the campground they were dressed, sitting at the table and shouted "Sorry!" as we passed by. As we arrived at our RV we saw them depart the area. As far as we know we never saw them the rest of our stay in Cheney State Park.

[Jack Mayer]

I've got a good one like that from a National Park we were campground hosts in. A couple drove in after dark and just "selected" a campsite. All sites were reserved - the site had just not been occupied yet. So when the "real" owners of the site showed up I had to go roust the loving couple. They were in the back of their wagon (Jeep) with the back hatch open - it was still daylight. It took awhile to get their attention, but did not seem to bother them....in fact they both walked out naked (well they did have shoes on). They were both in their 20's so maybe that played a role. They had not been drinking, either. They just did not care. They were a nice couple and I found them a place for the night even though we were full - in fact they stayed for several more days.

[sandiern]

The accounts of stupidity never cease to amaze me such as Kirk's story of the woman wanting to get a picture of her kids with the alligator. Do people not understand the meaning of "wild"? When we were in Yellowstone last summer, we did our research and carried a can of bear spray while hiking. The rangers at the Rangers station gave us a thumbs up when they saw us carrying our bear spray. We saw many people doing their daily exercise without any bear spray for protection. I guess they figure that it will not happen to them. We encountered many tourists who do not dress for conditions such as wearing shorts and flip-flops while touring near Lake Louise in Banff National Park or while on a whale watching boat tour off Acadia National Park. In both instances, the guide books clearly stated to wear warm clothing as conditions can be quite chilly. I really felt sorry for the kids accompanying the stupid parents as they were shivering and their teeth were chattering. Having worked in the ER, hypothermia and animal bites/attacks can be very serious and life threatening.

[Kirk]

You guys need a good video camera! Down load to you tube. Might not stop that activity but it would be fun for all then.

You would not want to watch the video that we would have gotten! Both very overweight, probably in their 30's, and clearly not candidates for modeling work! Yuk!

[WilliamD]

I've got a few.
A mid 20's male in the dishwashing sink taking a bath. (a large sink) He said he had no money for shower tokens!
While wating for a shower, I was sitting looking down and the shower room door opened and out came a large black dog which had been washed after the camper's shower. This same shower had the drain plugged the day before by black hair!
One early morning while checking the sites(8a.m) a dog was running loose. I followed it back to a camp site and told the camper the dog had to be leashed. He was extremely intoxicated and began to build a camp fire out of green pine branches which caused alot of smoke. He and his male friend had not paid for their site when arriving the night before. Which is required on arrival. (National Park policy). Needless to say the drunk pushed his luck a number of times and I politely kicked them out. He then contacted a LE Ranger and made a complaint.
While walking my Dobie. I saw an elderly couple come into the camp ground and drove up to a dumpster. The male driver got out and took three garbage bags (full) from his vehicle and threw them into the dumpster. He then turned around in the one way drive and proceeded to drive out the wrong way. They brought their residence garbage from home to the NP. I stood in the middle of the camp drive to ask a few questions, He was driving real slow so I stood still to stop him, He attempted to push me out of the way with his front bumper. And in this case he recieved a couple tickes from A LE Ranger and also made a complaint against me.
Campers washing dirty dishes at the drinking water locations and dumping the dirty water with food particles on the stones next to the water pipe where campers would place their water jugs to fill.
Then while walking to the Ranger Station for my shift. A young 20's couple was walking their large Lab in the paved drive and the dog apparently could not wait and left a large pile of poop behind. The couple waited for the dog to finish and then walked away. I confronted them about picking up the pile and they told me they had nothing to pick it up with. I gave them a bag!
I guess with campers or non campers causing problems it's still a very small percent, but they cause rules and regulations to be enforced by their own violation.
I guess if we lived in a picture perfect world, I would have not had a long career in LE. BillD

[Jack Mayer]

You would not want to watch the video that we would have gotten! Both very overweight, probably in their 30's, and clearly not candidates for modeling work! Yuk!

Well, Kirk, in my case the camera would have beeen good. The woman was a real cutie, very fit, and not at ALL overweight. Definately model category.

[harry bellerby]

The poodles were ugly!!!
c u on the road

[Nolan]

RVer's bad behavior. There are so many of them, I won't know where to start. Been workamping since 2004. Told the wife some of the stories people have told on here and this one is the worst one she has felt we have had.

We worked at a park that had pot lucks once a month. We went over to a table and sat down. When we were told by the owner that everyone at our table could go through the line we did so. Left our cans of soda, our silverware and took our plates. Went through the line and came over to where our stuff was and a woman was sitting in my spot. She had my fork in her hand. I told her she was in my spot. She acted clueless. I told her again. She told me to sit across from her. I tried to explain that the place was taken because there were drinks and silverware there too. Just like my place. Still was clueless. (or so I thought) Gave up trying to explain it to her and took my fork out of her hand, took the my stuff. My wife took her stuff and we left.

Found out two days later by some residents who were just as blown away by this as we were that she knew what she was doing. Had come in late and no other seats were open. So she and her husband went through the line and took our seats.

[nana25k]

While babysitting a remote Canoe & Kayak launch we had a couple drive in during broad daylight and proceed to do the deed in the parking lot. Ron blew the horn of the truck..the guy just looked up and continued. We tried to ignore them but another car drove in..When we walked toward the car hollering at them they continued to ignore us...finally they decided we meant business...the funny thing was that the second car driver got out after they left and flipped his federal Homeland Secruity LE badge out and said he was glad they heeded our hollering..it saved him writing a ticket because they were on federal property!!! To say the least "thank you" was not my response to him!!!

None of this surprised our grown children...we lived not far away when they were in HS and laughed telling us that place had been a major party spot prior to USFWS gaining ownership....HMMMM now how did they know this

[Jean Hoyle]

Our experience was a little different. While volunteering at an Oregon State Historic site after hours a visitor came in. Dh went out to tell him the hours and asked that he come back then for a proper tour. The gentleman noticed the donation box inside and asked if DH would accept a donation. After digging in his wallet for a moment he handed over 12 $100 dollar bills. DH said for that kind of money he would give a personal tour any time. He did step to the side, while the man registered in the guest book, and called me on the cell phone and asked me to get the license number on his car. Something just did not seem right. When he left the guy put another five $20 dollar bills in the donation box. The next day when the ranger came in we told him our story and showed the donation and he had us call and report the situation to the sheriff. Well it turned out that the guy was Bi-polar and had been off of his medication and did not know what he was doing. His mother came by the next day and picked up the money and told us the story of how after he left us he went up to Portland and got arrested and a bunch of other stuff. So it just goes to show you anything can happen.