RVers looking out for each other

[sandiern]

After sightseeing, we arrived back at our campsite in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, to hear a rush of water from our neighbor's hose. My DH knocked on his door and asked him if he knew if his hose had broken. The camper was unaware of the leak, and we offerred him our spare hose so he would have water. Later, he knocked on our door, he returned our hose and brought us a bottle of maple syrup. This seems to be the norm for many RVers: the caring and looking out for each other. It makes me proud to be part of a caring community.

[rvpopeye]

That was one of the first things I noticed about SKPs when I joined back in '02.

One big family ......

[rynosback]

I hope this is the norm. As I would do it or help out if I could. I treat other as I would like to be treated and believe in Kharma.

[RV_]

Me too, we stayed at ten or so SKP parks and CoOps in our first year. Great people! But the nice folks weren't limited to SKPs. Other unaffiliated RVrs and the folk in small and big town America were wonderful by and large.

[HamRad]

After sightseeing, we arrived back at our campsite in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, to hear a rush of water from our neighbor's hose. My DH knocked on his door and asked him if he knew if his hose had broken. The camper was unaware of the leak, and we offerred him our spare hose so he would have water. Later, he knocked on our door, he returned our hose and brought us a bottle of maple syrup. This seems to be the norm for many RVers: the caring and looking out for each other. It makes me proud to be part of a caring community.

Sandie and Joel,

We, too, believe that RVers are the best folks ever! Many times we have been "saved" by a generous act. Sometimes from folks we know but just as often from complete strangers! Happy Trails, Dennis.

[Deezl Smoke]

I dont care if you are an rver or not. If I can help, given that it appears safe to do so, I will. In every group, rv, biker, trucker, farmer, etc., there will of course be the bad one. But for the most part, helping when possible, makes me feel good. I look at it as paying forward.

[TXiceman]

Over the years, we have helped a lot of RVers out with all sorts of RV problems. We always tell them to just pay it forward and help the next fellow.

 

BillB has some valid concerns about liabilities. If we see a broken down rig on the side of the road...do we stop an dive in to help now...normally nope. I will pull over and from a distance ask if they need for me to call for a tow truck or anything. But if you get too close, it may be a set up for a mugging.

 

Ken

[Darryl&Rita]

I'm not sure this is an RV only thing. I help my neighbors, they help me. Big circle. I stop to help anyone who looks like they're trying to help themselves. Hitchhiker standing there with a sign probably won't get any sympathy from me. Walk like you're going somewhere, and are going there no matter what, I'll probably offer a ride. Stand in the parking lot looking lost, you better catch my attention.

[Jim & Alice]

We have been helped immensely by fellow RV'ers, and have tried to reciprocate that help whenever and wherever we can... and to pass it on.

Jim

[KodiakJack]

Couple days ago on the Alcan south of Watson Lake we lost a seal on one of the rigs axles. This took out the brakes in short order and the whole drum overheated (Tireminder alarmed us). When I raised that wheel to take a look along comes Jim and Sue (Fulltimer's from South Dakota). Jim dove in and helped strip down the axle on the spot.

Later,

J

 

PS No parts in WL so I gutted the drum and drove on to Whitehorse where I got a new seal and drum shoe assembly but before I had a chance to put them on Jim was knocking at the door again offering to help. The RV world is full of great folks!

[hdonlybob]

Last year while camping in WI a fellow pulled up just across from our campsite with a pick up pulling a travel trailer. We could see he was going to have trouble backing into his spot, so rather that take a chance on insulting him we went over and gently tried direct him in. He was over cautious on the blind side, as there as a ditch there and just couldn't cut sharp when we asked him to...

He was getting frustrated, so I pulled up the steel fence post type site number sign, and he backed right it

Before I had a chance to put the sign back in (exactly the way it was, and just as sturdy) one of the maintenance guys came by in his golf cart and started yelling at him, being very rude.

I normally don't get too out of line but put the sign back in very easily as it was quite wet in that area ... as I said just as sturdy as it was...and about four of us started to give him a batch of his own medicine....told him to go get the owners if he wanted to...

He cussed us out thoroughly and rambled off..

We all (including the new guy) laughed about that all weekend..

Kind of a different story, but still the same intention...

Cheers,
Bob

 

ON EDIT:

When we checked out I told the Owners what we had done, as well as his rudeness to the new camper. They assured us we were not out of line, and said they would speak to that old grump...

[OldTownTwo]

We've been full timing for two months now and love it. Last month We were leaving a State Park here in Fl. I pulled the truck over at the

Dump Station and got out. It was shortly after that that I saw our neighbor we met running over to us saying we forgot to put our antenna

down. After thanking him and climbing back into our truck I said to Amy that He must have seen us leave our site that way.

pay it forward...

[Ray,IN]

Couple days ago on the Alcan south of Watson Lake we lost a seal on one of the rigs axles. This took out the brakes in short order and the whole drum overheated (Tireminder alarmed us). When I raised that wheel to take a look along comes Jim and Sue (Fulltimer's from South Dakota). Jim dove in and helped strip down the axle on the spot.

Later,

J

 

PS No parts in WL so I gutted the drum and drove on to Whitehorse where I got a new seal and drum shoe assembly but before I had a chance to put them on Jim was knocking at the door again offering to help. The RV world is full of great folks!

According to what some locals told me, that is an unwritten law in Alaska. You never pass by someone broke down outside of a town, it can be life-threatening to be stranded in Alaska.

Here in the lower 48, I normally do not stop alongside a highway to assist someone unless they are many miles from help. Parked in CG's is entirely different.

Sandiern, that broken hose is the reason I always shut off the water supply when leaving the RV for the day. I had a fitting between the walls come loose and flood the RV while we were away; lesson learned.

[kinseypw]

Just adding to all the positive comments. After setting off on our first towing experience we dropped our 5th wheel 4 blocks form home in the middle of a busy road. As we were sitting there in shock wondering what the heck to do next a guy pulls up in front of us, comes over to the truck and asks if we need help. Started raising the 5er on its jacks and got about half way though before the jack motor dies. Do I have the handle so we can raise the jacks manually? I do somewhere in the basement no idea where. Searched for 5 minutes with no luck. Do I have a pair of pliers? I had some long handled slipjoints and so he set to work turning the shaft by hand raising the jacks and getting the rig back on the truck. Took him half an hour and bloodied knuckles. Then he showed us how to hook up properly so we dont lose the 5er again. Gave the guy 40 bucks for his help which he refused and finally I stuffed it in his shirt and told him to buy the guys a round next time he was in the bar. We were so blessed to have someone take 2 hours out of his day to help two complete duffers who didnt even know how to hook up their rig properly. After that gift I try to pass it on every chance I get. My overall experience is that people are kind, generous and helpful for the most part, and the others just dont seem to own RVs!!

[bobsallyh]

I've mentioned to RVers since 1974 if I see something out of line. I'm an avid watcher of trailer tires as they are going down the road. Never had anybody complain or P and M to me. In fact just last May we pulled out from an intersection here in Boulder City, NV. and a Montana fiver was just ahead of us. Looked at the tires and there was something strange about the right rear. I was eventually able to get up along the side the driver. My wife hollered to him about the situation and he pulled off and I pulled in behind him. We both looked but couldn't see anything. Told him to roll the rig forward a couple of inches and as I watched the tire, sure enough, the tread was separating from the casing. Sure was glad and thanked me and he was headed towards a tire shop which wasn't far. I did have two motorhomers several years ago in Cedar City, UT. really not pleased about screaming at them, but it was the only way as they were in diesel pushers leaving the park. It was quite a situation. Three units traveling together out of Pensacola, FL. The first pulling a Saturn 4-down, that was never unhooked for their entire stay there. Number two was pulling a Pontiac Trans Van, which they all road in during their stay. Number three was a car on a flatbed trailer, the trailer never unhooked or the car unloaded, so he was good to go pulling out. I drinking coffee at the picnic table when number one starts out, heard a scraping, looked, and the front wheels were locked up on the Saturn. Plowing gravel in the site and then onto the asphalt before I got along side the drivers window to get him to stop. "What is wrong" screaming back out the window. Stopped came out and took care of the situation, back in the MH and pulled to the front of the RV park to wait on his buddies. Then the best was number two. The sites were gravel, lined along each side with railroad ties, to keep people from plowing the grass. Wife is standing in front of the MH guiding him out of the site. Never understood this as he is looking out the side to side windshield and nothing in front of him to hit but her. She was only watching the front. As he was easing forward he made a wide sweep to left to go right. The left front wheel on the van jumped up on the tie, and here I am screaming again. "What is wrong" ? Your left wheel is on the railroad tie. Out he comes, just fussing and fuming. Looking at the situation he says "I'll back off it". I said "don't think you want to do that". Well the back-up lights come on the MH and now the tire jumps off the tie to the out side of the tie. By this time a guy in the site beside us arrived on the scene. We both got him to stop and get out to look again. By this time both of them were out looking. He says "Granny get in there and start it, put it in reverse, and I'll back you off. Well the suspension of course is now riding on the tie. Again we scream as he would never open the drivers window. Back out again as Grammy is still in the van. "Grammy, put it in drive and I'll pull you forward". Well the pusher is pulling forward and the back-up lights are still on at the rear of the van. Sort of a mismatched tug of war. As the front left wheel on the van was hanging in mid-air, spinning in reverse, the whole unit started creeping forward. Just then the front end of the tie jumped in the air and the neighbor and I grabbed it and fortunately it popped out from under everything. He comes back, did what ever he had to do to the van to tow it, told Grammy to get in the MH and met his buddies and left the park. Never looked at the suspension or anything. Never said anything to either us. But overall folks have been appreciative.

[Dutch&Di]

I dont care if you are an rver or not. If I can help, given that it appears safe to do so, I will. In every group, rv, biker, trucker, farmer, etc., there will of course be the bad one. But for the most part, helping when possible, makes me feel good. I look at it as paying forward.

X's 2 Hugs, Di

[freestoneangler]

Great thread and topic. It's refreshing to know that, in spite all the bad happenings in the news, folks spending life on the road take care of one another.

[Kirk W]

We have told other folks of some detected problem such as water overflowing, water dripping, antennas up, and a host of other things over the years. Only once or twice have we been rebuffed. We have more than once flagged an RV on the highway with the antenna up when in our car, which also lead to one of the most funny incidents I've yet experienced.

 

The story: We were traveling on I-20 heading home from the Dallas area one day and a large Monaco Dynasty, towing a truck with Kawasaki Mule in the bed, went past us in the left lane. As it passed I happened to notice that the TV antenna was fully up so I accelerated to overtake them. By that time they were back in the right lane so I came along side and matched speeds, putting Pam next to the driver. She rolled down the window and began pointing to their roof and trying to make him aware of the antenna, but his reaction was to grin at her and flip her off, along with a range of other hand motions. At that point I slowed and fell in behind the towed truck, with them slowly pulling away. About a mile or so down the road, while still in view the antenna collided with the lower edge of an overpass. We could see pieces of antenna flying and as we passed that point the largest part was on the shoulder with small parts of white plastic scattered across the road. The driver never slowed that we could see so he probably didn't even know it happened.

[StarDreamers.us]

This might be a wonderful idea for an ongoing daily topic. Good news to share. What a GREAT way to start your day!

 

Safe Travels!

[kb0zke]

Many years ago we were tent-camping with our three little children. We got into the car to go up to the playground and heard a strange noise from the engine area. I stopped and popped the hood. Of course, that was the signal for all of the men in the area to come running. The general consensus was that the engine had swallowed a valve, so I shut the engine off and we pushed the car back to our campsite. An older couple in a new MH immediately appointed themselves our caretakers, letting the kids take their naps in their airconditioned coach, providing ice cream for them whenever they wanted it (with our permission, of course), and took me into town to buy another car to tow our car back home. Keep in mind that our car had the Ford 302 V8, which was a very popular engine at the time, and we couldn't find such an engine anywhere. We found an old Cadillac, and I would have paid the asking price, but our new friends promptly took over the negotiations and got me the car for about half of the asking price! Then on to a welder to weld a hitch on it (!). They wouldn't take anything for all of the work they did for us. We kept in touch with them for several years afterward.

[rdickinson]

There has been more than one occasion when rounding a corner there is a broken down RV. Unfortunately it is too late for me to stop or there isn't enough room.

 

Makes me feel kinda bad, that could be me next time. Anyone else had that happen??

[Ray,IN]

There has been more than one occasion when rounding a corner there is a broken down RV. Unfortunately it is too late for me to stop or there isn't enough room.

 

Makes me feel kinda bad, that could be me next time. Anyone else had that happen??

Yes; but I feel stopping along an interstate in an attempt to offer help does just the opposite. Instead it creates more of a hazard, increasing the odds of someone getting hurt or killed. It's kinda hard to find a place out of the way to park a 60' long rig too. These days virtually everyone has a cell-phone to call for assistance, and patrolling state police or road angels are always less than an hour away.

[kb0zke]

"These days virtually everyone has a cell-phone to call for assistance, and patrolling state police or road angels are always less than an hour away." Usually very true. However, if there is little or no cell service the phone is just an expensive paperweight. In that case I would stop (if safe) and offer to drive someone to a place where there is service. Some years ago our son had a breakdown in a spot where there was no service. He had to walk about a half mile along the highway to get to a place high enough to get service.

 

"There has been more than one occasion when rounding a corner there is a broken down RV." If I'm in the car I've been known to find a place to turn around, go back to behind the broken-down vehicle far enough that my flashers can be seen before a vehicle gets to the curve. That doesn't tell other drivers about the broken-down vehicle, but it may slow them down a bit and maybe make them a little more alert.

[Solo18]

I full-time in a Class C without towing a vehicle, so when I go off for the day, I often leave my water hose attached to the post and maybe a chair sitting out. Most of the time, I also leave an "occupied" sign sitting out because more than once I have had a kindly neighbor run down the road after me bringing me my "forgotten" hose!

[HamRad]

I full-time in a Class C without towing a vehicle, so when I go off for the day, I often leave my water hose attached to the post and maybe a chair sitting out. Most of the time, I also leave an "occupied" sign sitting out because more than once I have had a kindly neighbor run down the road after me bringing me my "forgotten" hose!

It is nice to know that folks are "looking out" for each other. And I like the idea of leaving a sign behind --- just to help explain why you are leaving "stuff" behind. Happy Trails ----- Dennis