Bad Neighbors

Recently I got some neighbors at the Moose Lodge after having been alone in the parking lot for most of the summer. I introduced myself on day-1 and found out that the family had never camped before in the past… not a single night. They were doing this out of necessity after losing their home. I am no camping-elitist and certainly do not have a glamorous rig myself, but when a family of six (!) pull up in an old popup camper I was concerned.

Over the weeks the pile of ‘belongings’ around their trailer continued to grow to what you see in this picture. I know the urban-camping etiquette and this was far from it. Looking back, I should have educated them on how to urban camp, and not wait for the inevitable…

Yesterday I got word that the City Code Enforcement Officer arrived and gave notice that people can not be “living” in the parking lot. No big deal to me, except that I am “camped” only 100 feet away and I can only imagine that the Officer saw my big blue van while he was there. Surely, I do not have a sprawl of belongings circled around my van. Basically I am just another vehicle parked in a lot (plugged in), but it would not be difficult for that officer to decide that I too should be chased away. I sure hope not, but it is a distinct possibility thanks to my bad neighbors’ poor boondocking etiquette.

Living in this trailer is 2 adults, 4 children (ranging from 1 year old to 13 years old), 2 cats, and a dog. On the other side of the trailer is an open awning covering two folding tables, numerous chairs, toys, and two auto-animal-feeders. You can also see one of two BBQs, a trash can, one of two water jugs.

Keep in mind, this is the cleaned up look after being told that they will have to leave.

UPDATE – Yes, I will now have to move thanks to these folks. While it is not a huge inconvenience, it is the principal of it all that gets on my nerves.