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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Camping Ettiquette

504 replies

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 02/06/2018 14:12

I’m camping this weekend, two tents, two children, two dogs.

This is the first time we’ve each brought our dogs and searched for a long time and through lots of reviews until we found this place... spoke to the owner who said he only takes a certain amount of bookings to make sure you’re all a bit seperate and no one bothers anyone else.

Last night it was amazing... it’s almost like you’re camping totally alone. I can see a group of tents in the distance and the top of another through the trees but it does feel very secluded.

When we arrived the owner was at the gate and told us to drive and find an empty space. I assume he says this to everyone..

Today a new family arrive, and park and pitch up right next to us. And I mean Right next to us. Some of their ropes even cross over with my friends tent. Their table and chairs are right in the siteline of ours, I can even hear their drink open!

To make it worse, their kids seem terrified of dogs. Our dogs aren’t on leads and have been running around ‘our camp’ really happy. Now we’ve had to get the crate out.

AIBU? I’m kind of pissed off. I wish I’d brought hungry hippos or some really loud scream inducing game but unfortunately playing cards and magiclip dolls are all I have..!

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Irksomeness · 02/06/2018 16:47

That’s really odd behaviour. Why would they do that 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

MummySparkle · 02/06/2018 16:47

That's crazy!! Definitely speak to the owner about it. Total weirdos! At guide camp we would never allow tents to be that close for safety reasons. 3m is the minimum distance, but most places ask for more distance.

Did your awning come with the tent? We've just got back from our first trip in Our new teepee. I adore it, but definitely miss an awning for the evenings

WineAndTiramisu · 02/06/2018 16:48

Turn the music up! Do you have a ball you can play with the dogs with? Keep throwing it near them, may persuade them to move...

MaisyPops · 02/06/2018 16:48

Please say it's not just me hoping the close campers are also MNers sp we can have another AIBU thread:
AIBU to think some people can't camp properly. The people next to us have dogs running wild off their lead... wild I tell you. My children are terrified of dogs. So we went out and have come back to find next door are now blasting music at full volume. It's so anti social abd they are ruining our peaceful holiday
Grin

(I'm with you OP btw. They are waaay too close & are unreasonable).

Delatron · 02/06/2018 16:50

So weird. Are they engaging with you at all? It's as though they want company.

I'd have to say something about fire regulations and make a comment about how much space there is...

PickwickThePlockingDodo · 02/06/2018 16:51

CFs!! Could you tether the dogs on 'their' side so the dogs are really near to them and when they ask you to move the dogs you can say no, it's best if you move. I couldn't enjoy my holiday with them so close, bloody weirdos.

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 02/06/2018 16:52

Sadly sensible DH won’t let us blast it... we are having civilised radio ;)

The awning was separate, I’m not sure we’ve put it up right either! I need to do some research before we come again.

We’ve put the dogs in the crate (it’s more like a playpen) purely because they need to cool down... they have both put paws in the water and are laying down. As soon as they look like they want to come out I’ll let them out. (And we have the ball ready to go!)

The neighbours are setting up a toddler football goal. The dogs will go Crazy!

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ziggiestardust · 02/06/2018 16:53

Did they say anything about their alarm?

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 02/06/2018 16:57

It had stopped before they came back. They’re only engaging with us in dirty looks... they are not fans. They are going to like us even less when the kids go to bed and we play cards against humanity and smoke cigars (not me 😂)

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kateandme · 02/06/2018 16:57

Otherwise they are just provocative arseholes.haha love this staplescorner

Roussette · 02/06/2018 16:58

People are SO weird! Why on earth would they do this?

Will anyone admit to doing this on here?!

I was on a beach the other week, I was on my own (DH was off somewhere else). It was a very quiet beach, nearest person was maybe 50 metres away, it was absolute bliss.

Along comes Mum, Dad and their DS and pitched themselves down on chairs, and beach mats right next to me. Maybe 5foot maximum away from where I was sat sleeping. I could not believe it. I glared at them as they set up there and gave it 5 minutes and stroppily paccked up my bag, chair, umbrella and moved to another deserted bit of the beach.

I can see you have a lot of tents and clobber there so wouldn't want to waste time moving and why should you? But I would be saying "look, it was quiet and peaceful here for us and now you are within feet of us, could you please please move your tent"

People are potty.

ZigZagIntoTheBlue · 02/06/2018 16:58

I hope the owner comes round soon! I've never camped before but planning to go this year...what other etiquette rules am I probably unaware of?!

ziggiestardust · 02/06/2018 16:59

Yeah I want to hear from the people that do this... there MUST be someone here who does this?

People who do this: why are you such cunts?

Ruffian · 02/06/2018 17:01

Benefit of the doubt - they're new to camping and they didn't realise at first that you were all one party so when they saw your tents pitched close together they assumed that was the right way.

LeggyLinda · 02/06/2018 17:01

I have to admit to only skim-reading this thread, but this kind of behaviour pisses me off.

I’ve been on relatively deserted beaches where people do the same. Empty car parks are another attraction to these sort of twats too.

YANBU. And you wouldn’t be UR to burn their tent down - no reasonable jury would find you guilty

Munchyseeds · 02/06/2018 17:02

It's an unwritten truism of camping that if you are in an empty field some idiot will feel the need to camp right on top of You!! I have movedbefore because of this ..that said, your dogs should be on long leads and stakes in the ground so they can't "Just run around"
Have funSmile

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 02/06/2018 17:05

It’s not a rule here. The owner said if he felt they weren’t well behaved he would ask for them to be tied, but saw them a few times yesterday and had no issue. They have stayed with us. I’d be the first one to moan about my dog, but he really has behaved beautifully.

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Maelstrop · 02/06/2018 17:06

Seriously speak to the owner and ask him to tell them to move. What a bunch of idiots to pitch so close to you. I must admit, I would have specifically told them to move further away before they’d put any pegs in the ground.

Cards against Humanity is brilliant, love that game!

kateandme · 02/06/2018 17:07

I wouldn't ever do this.we would be the people offending other camper for going to the opposite side of the field to all others lol. simply because surely everyone wants as much space as possible.so will pick the area with that most space.im so perplexed as to what these campers are doing!

kalapattar · 02/06/2018 17:07

what other etiquette rules am I probably unaware of

Noise travels. Especially at night. And tents are very thin. People can hear everything.

Just saying.

LakieLady · 02/06/2018 17:09

That would give me the rage so bad that they'd probably bugger off because of my terrifying scowling.

I'd ask them cheeerfully "Is this your first time camping?" and if they say yes, explain that you should never pitch within 6m of another tent, to create a fire break. If they say "no", ask how come they don't know about the 6m rule!

If dogs are allowed to run free, let them run free and have fun. If the neighbours complain, suggest they move. I've stayed at very few sites where it's allowed, so mine have always been tethered to one of those stakes that you screw into the ground. I have them on an extending lead, so they can walk about a bit and move into the shade if they get too hot.

I think you should all get appallingly drunk and start singing filthy rugby songs, and light a stinky barbecue where they'll be smoked out. Or let the kids have a water fight, that's bloody annoying on a campsite.

If you're in Sussex, we'll pop over in our motorhome, park up close to the other side of them, and let Lola Loudmouth-Lakeland run free. Grin If their kids screech at her, she'll bark back at them till they stop and, being a terrier, she won't give up till they've shut up.

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 02/06/2018 17:09

Her youngest child keeps wandering in to our ‘camp’ and picking up kids toys. She’s very sweet but how the hell can I let the dogs out now... the youngest one was the one screaming.

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MaryPoppinsPenguins · 02/06/2018 17:10

I am in Sussex Wink

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kateandme · 02/06/2018 17:10

we would be making dads life misery right bout now in order to "dad tell them to go fck right off please" "dad.dad.dad.dad.dad.dad.DAD"! HAHA until he went over all gentlemanly and tried to as nicely as he could tell them to fck right off.

Eastcoastmost · 02/06/2018 17:10

Why don’t you say something to them?

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