Thread: Campfire Etiquette

Originally Posted by ATH

Why the hell people have to park so close to others beats me. Poor souls must feel lonely.

PS. Europeans are some of the worst and it might be because they're used to being jam packed next to each other...

Some years ago, I was camped alongside a river - the only person in about 300-400 metres of grassed area.

A couple arrived and drove the whole length of the site then came back and set up camp right next to me.

Yes, they were Europeans with brand new camping equipment. They had to borrow my cooking gear as their new stove didn't mate with their gas bottle. They went into town the next day to rectify that.

Luckily, I was leaving the next day so didn't have to put up with them for too long.

Some people take the trouble to do the right thing.

Several years ago I was camped in Gregory NP in the NT. A caravanner camped about 50 metres from me came over at about 3 pm to ask if I minded him running his generator for an hour or so as he had some batteries that needed charging.

His generator was on the other side of his van about 60 metres from me and I could barely hear it. Since it was so quiet,I'm not sure when he switched it off,but I think it was running for less than an hour.

It's a pity that not all campers are as thoughtful as he was.

I did the same once when camped. My gene was almost inaudible but I still asked and got an OK from my neighbours.

Originally Posted by p38arover

Some years ago, I was camped alongside a river - the only person in about 300-400 metres of grassed area.

A couple arrived and drove the whole length of the site then came back and set up camp right next to me.

We did this to someone a couple of years ago, camped about 40 meters from them in a camp that extends about 500 meters along the river. I went and explained to them that we had camped in that same spot on each previous visit and it was the only place where it was possible to launch the canoe, also offered them the use of the canoe if they wished. They were leaving the next day anyway. They didn't seem to think it odd that we had chosen the site closest to them.

I have a quiet generator. If I go away for a day or so I don't take it. I didn't take it on a recent trip to Qld, even though I was unsure where I would stay. I have it to take as a "just in case", or to charge any stranded Teslas. For a fee.

The Oka has a primitive solar system, but it is easily enough to run my lights etc, and any screen I want to use when I'm out there.. I don't, usually, but I can. Admittedly, there is only me.

I suppose Cook and I live fairly primitively when camping, no lights everywhere, no TV as we play cards, have the radio playing quietly, or read and a 100amp hr battery is good enough to keep the lights going inside our small off-raod van.
I sometimes have a small fire to burn steaks etc. otherwise I use the gas cooktop on the side of the van.
Why the hell some people bother leaving home I don't know when you see the size of the lump they tow around. We even saw one with a verandah at one end... no doubt it was so they could sit gracefully sipping something nice while watching the peasants like us being primitive guzzling beer.
AlanH.

Funny this

As a European, yes we are used to be more packed in but it is usually what we like to avoid. What often happens is we park up nearby someone when not sure where we are allowed to be (the decent ones amongst us). If there is someone there already, a local, it must be ok! Also, when and if we go on a trip I am not just going for the scenery, I want to meat the locals (if they are up for it) so being relatively close is a way to chat up, still you could just walk 100 meters or so

Finally, I do intend to bring a generator (honda EU10i so fairly quiet) and as long of an extension cord as I can manage since bringing enough batteries to last me is just going to be too heavy. By sacrificing a single battery in weight I can bring an entire power station that runs on the same fuel as my car. My intention is never to annoy people for sure and let's just hope I will need it only occasionally.

Any one have any tips/tricks how to run one with the least inconvenience to others (apart from NOT running it )

Cheers,
-P

Many years ago used to camp fairly light with a swag and not much more. The number of times people would set up a generator at the end of a long lead near me. For some strange reason the exhaust and noise was pointed at my camp not theirs. This being before ‘quiet’ generators

Being a caring and sharing type I would move the generator back to their site and point the exhaust at them. The sides of some vans make a real effective amplifier for sound which would incorporate if possible. Was amused when they would loudly complain about an inconsiderate person and their use of a generator