Camping at Walmart, is it abusing the courtesy?

[VanLifeCrisis]

I find a rare walmart in california that allows over night parking, in fact even rarer still it allows extended stay as far as I can tell.  This is a huge boon to me which I am grateful for.  I often wondered why more wallys weren't this way but I think i get it now.  In the 3 days ive been here, another van has parked in a space near the road at a stop sign.   They leave the side doors open, from which a small army of sign wielding panhandlers with dogs set forth to cover every corner and stop sign in the parking lot and street.  They are actually doing it from the van itself too so no question where they originate from.  

I am not anti-panhandle, do what you gotta do.  If people want to help you, good on them, and if you really need it and use it to live, good on you.  But don't do it at the store that is putting you and others up.  

Last night, a van parked 2 spots from me despite me being way out of the way.  They threw their food and garbage on the ground, and left a cart full of boxes and trash behind before driving off.  There are trash cans in the lot!

Im sad, because i can see the future, and its another walmart tossing everyone out.  I'm not sure what to do, i guess there is nothing i can do except maybe pick up trash and hope the others move on.  I have a site ear marked so i can move on soon, but id to keep signal range to take care. of things

 

[Gunny]

There are always people who will screw up a good thing. I went Friday and picked up my groceries from Walmart and there was a newer diesel pusher parked sideways in front with two slides out and the awning out. The Walmart I go to is in a fairly high income area, I'm sure they will ban campers if that happens all the time.

Rob

 

[DuneElliot]

Just like anything else...if it continues to be abused by the few it will go away for the many. I haven't seen any issues at my local Walmart but I think that is probably true of many of the more rural or isolated stores.

 

[OutdoorFT]

Always bad apples, especially the kind Walmart attracts. Im surprised any Walmarts still allow it considering how the lots are treated.

 

[hepcat]

I make sure that when I leave a Walmart parking lot that there is NO trash anywhere in sight of my moho. I can't begin to tell you how much trash from other people I've picked up. But I figure that it benefits all of us. I'd suggest perhaps that if you park overnight in WalMarts, that you might begin doing the same routine. Folks may or may not see what you're doing, but you just might lessen the impact of the slobs among us. And if enough of us actually leave the places cleaner than we found them, we may get to be able to keep using them. We CAN impact this.

 

[Almost There]

I've seen a lot of abuse of the W/M parking lots as well.

And yes, I pick up garbage as well as long as it's not nasty stuff, I'm not usually wearing my work gloves in the parking lot...  

I pull in, park well out of the way of traffic and other customers and keep everything inside the van. I don't even put out my side step stool to help me get in and out.

Last night after I parked a couple pulled in, hauled a bunch of stuff out of their car, proceeded to feed and water the dogs on the lawn beside their vehicle. Then didn't pick up after the dogs did their business...  

Next thing I know, they're setting up their pop up camper trailer in the parking lot...I mean come on. Later that evening the woman was wandering around outside at 'their campsite' in her jammies...sigh! The only thing they didn't do was pull out the lawn chairs and the barbecue...

Sorry, but I believe in being neat, clean and discreet!

They were none of the above!

 

[slynne]

My advice is to talk to such people. I have had similar issues in the past and have found it makes a difference when the "good apples" do something about the "bad apples"

For instance, there is no official dog park in the town where I live. There is, however, a park with natural barriers which makes it a great park for off leash dogs. For the 20 years I have lived in this town, there has always been an unspoken rule that dogs are allowed off leash in this one park. I am pretty sure though that it only works because people make an effort to self police the group. If someone brings an aggressive dog, they are confronted. If someone doesn't pick up their dog's poop, they are confronted. Just by other people in the park. No law enforcement necessary.

So I wonder what would happen if you approached the panhandlers and just had a talk with them. Maybe they don't realize that they are jeopardize a good thing? Maybe they need to be told that in a nice friendly non-judgemental way. You know, "Hey guys, I can appreciate that you need to panhandle but panhandling is generally frowned up and nothing will make a business ban van camping in their parking lot faster than a bunch of customers complaining about the panhandling to the manager. Maybe you could go over there to [Best Buy, Target, Meijer, etc] and do it there They already ban overnight parking so no one has anything to lose" You know, *that* type of conversation. Ditto with the people with the slide outs and awning out although that seems less of a concern than people leaving trash or panhandling which actually might affect the business in a more harmful way.

Hint for this: People respond much better to being told what to do rather than being told what not to do, i.e. Maybe you could panhandle over there vs Do not panhandle here.

 

[OutdoorFT]

I understand what slynne is saying. But, we are talking common decency here. Not so much on panhandling, thats its own issue. Im talking about picking up dog droppings or cleaning up trash. If they dont have the decency to those simple tasks, Im not sold on the fact that talking to them will open their eyes.

Ive tried this on a seperate issue will little success.

 

[MrNoodly]

The Walmart (and a few other places) in Cottonwood AZ was good about people staying there for extended periods. Then there was a brawl between suspected shoplifters and cops. If I remember correctly a shot or two was fired. The city said no more camping in any parking lots. Yup, some people spoil good things.

Personally, there was only one time I stayed more than a night at a time at a Wallyworld. That was because of awful weather. And when I'm there, it's like I'm just another shopper parked there.

 

[lenny flank]

Last night, a van parked 2 spots from me despite me being way out of the way.  They threw their food and garbage on the ground, and left a cart full of boxes and trash behind before driving off.  There are trash cans in the lot!

I Walmart-camp almost exclusively, and stay anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks, depending on how big the town is and how much there is to see in the area. I am always a good neighbor: I make no noise, I dump no trash and make no mess in the parking lot, I stay in the back of the van compartment where I am not visible, I bother nobody, and I attract no attention. I park in a different part of the lot every morning and then again every evening. Nobody even knows that I am there.

Sadly, though, I too have seen van-campers who act like morons. One dude was parked sideways in three parking spots, with the side door open and the radio blasting, sitting outside on a lawn chair drinking beers all night.  Once, two dudes in an RV got into a fight, then got mouthy with the cops when they showed up, and were both arrested and had their rig towed.

Bottom line: don't be a dick. It only ends up fucking everyone else over, too.

 

[highdesertranger]

in the rare occasion I find myself in a city and I am tried. I have slept at Wal Mart, Fred Myer. Albertsons, and a few others. I have slept at rest stops and truck stops. the only time I have been hassled was at a park and ride of the I-5 in California. the Leo's asked why I was there I told them I had been driving all day and was tried, they gave me directions to a place 10 minutes down the road were trucks park and said it would be fine for me to crash there. all that said I only stay overnight at the most, sometimes for only a few hours. I never have stayed longer then one night, it's against my inner self. highdesertranger

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I was always under the impression Walmart was ok with people staying one night, people setting up long term I can only imagine would eventually wear out their welcome. I wouldn't even stay in one 24 hours, pull in, get my 4-6 hours of sleep and move on. Use them like you would use a rest stop....rest up and get going. Seems like at the rate it's going, eventually the company will change their policy nationwide to know overnight camping.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

There is an rv here too, they were here when i came, they were clean and quiet, they have a vehicle they park too at night, i wonder if they work nearby. I'm kinda relieved there are are some normal nomads here too lol

 

[ZoNiE]

Heh, we were at Dead Horse Campground in Cottonwood when that went down. Glad we were not shopping at the time. I usually avoid WM as it is evil but we needed reclining chairs and that was the only place in town...

If we do Boondock at a WM, we at least buy something there.

As for people abusing WM, We live in Old town Scottsdale, but the WM is on the rez, so the Scottsdale ordinance does not apply (no overnight camping). I have seen a van or two there with people hanging out with all the doors open and the chairs out near the Wendy's, and people seemed to be disturbed by it. No panhandling at least.

One guy was parked around the side sleeping in his truck, you could see his legs sticking out the back. At least he was out away from the customers.

A few years ago, a beater MoHo (think "shitter's full") was there with the awning out and a contractor genny running and junk piled outside. That was over the top.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

It depends on the walmart and the town, for example in florida i asked permission and she told me 3 nights was ok, even longer was ok with walmart but the town will get involved after 3.  There are some walmarts ive seen mentioned online where people stay months.  

I used up my 14 days at the nearest blm (40 mins away, no signal) so i need to kill some time here and get stuff done before finding another.  This is the longest ive stayed at a wally but ive stayed way longer at pilot before while working nearby it.

 

[Ballenxj]

I find a rare walmart in california that allows over night parking, in fact even rarer still it allows extended stay as far as I can tell.  This is a huge boon to me which I am grateful for.  I often wondered why more wallys weren't this way but I think i get it now.  In the 3 days ive been here, another van has parked in a space near the road at a stop sign.   They leave the side doors open, from which a small army of sign wielding panhandlers with dogs set forth to cover every corner and stop sign in the parking lot and street.  They are actually doing it from the van itself too so no question where they originate from.  
<-------->
Last night, a van parked 2 spots from me despite me being way out of the way.  They threw their food and garbage on the ground, and left a cart full of boxes and trash behind before driving off.  There are trash cans in the lot!
<-------->

I'm sorry but the people you described here sound like a bunch of "me first pigs."
I'm afraid I might have been tempted to say a thing or two to them. That just aint right, and if we all get lumped together with people like that, we all lose.

 

[Blanch]

I spend the occasional night at a Walmart. I do put my slide out because I can't use the kitchen unless the slide is out. I park away from the customers. I try to be courteous and I am quiet. I never stay more than one night and I always make a purchase or two while I am there.

I have a friend in Reno who used to drive a school bus. There was a school bus stop in the Walmart parking lot. This was in 2008 or 2009 after the crash. Sad really. but al least Walmart and the school district was cool about it and they got the kids off to school. I am no fan of the corporation, but their allowing the homeless to camp there while trying to get their lives back on track made me feel a bit better about the place. At least on a local level the store management was pretty compassionate.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SoulRaven]

I think "parking" is acceptable, but "camping" is not and that is what the intention was until many got greedy. Worse yet are those that try to live in the parking lots. They just keep stretching the courtesy until it can no longer be extended to anyone.

 

[DuneElliot]

I spend the occasional night at a Walmart. I do put my slide out because I can't use the kitchen unless the slide is out. I park away from the customers. I try to be courteous and I am quiet. I never stay more than one night and I always make a purchase or two while I am there.

I think putting slides out is fine as long as it's not encroaching on other people's space and need to park. I think most people realize many RVs have them these days and many can't be used easily without using the slide. Our local Walmart is also a favorite place for truckers to stop and there is a huge area that is never utilized for anything but RV and truck parking it seems. Some of the larger RVs make sure they are parked parallel to the grass so that when their slides are out they are over the lawn vs another usable parking space but the lot is huge so rarely is that even necessary.

I have never seen a problem with any of them, and we've had one or two that have been there for a month or more but they've been clean and courteous, mostly trying to earn money in the area from a job.

Maybe it's our location in rural Wyoming with a small population or maybe we're just lucky.

 

[Svenn]

Maybe the US Supreme Court would be willing to talk to Walmart for us:

https://www.pri.org/stories/2009-08-06/justice-clarence-thomas-rv-enthusiast