atreis
IN
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Joined: 08/29/2005
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Their showers have a building and associated hardware that has to be maintained and cleaned. The water comes from the same place, but the rest doesn't. You do the cleaning and maintenance on your trailer.
I'd rather pay a somewhat higher price for the site to cover the costs of the shower house and not have to pay for the showers.
2009 Trail-Sport TS21RBH
2008 Toyota Sienna
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KarenInTheWoods
Wisconsin
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Joined: 03/08/2008
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As a kid, we spent summers in a campground with 25cent showers.
My dad would chop a quarter in half with an ax and keep it in his pocket. It was his standing joke any time a cute gal went by, heading to the showers with her gear.
He would stop her, haul out his half of quarter and ask to share a shower with her, cuz he had his twelve and half cents, where was hers?
Karen and Steveio
Safari Serengeti 38 ft DP
Tracker 4x4 Toad
(My RV Blog RVing: Small House - BIG Backyard
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atreis
IN
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Another reason to not like coin-operated showers - have to take money with you. In the case of Mammoth Cave NP, you have to buy a token. I had my wallet stolen while my son and I were showering there. It was found and returned (cash removed), but I had already canceled my credit card - my wife got to pay for the rest of the vacation.
A total of 4 wallets were stolen from the showers there before the police found the perp - apparently because he was dumb enough to try to convert stolen Portuguese currency.
It's not required to take a wallet there if you buy the token in advance, but it's a pretty obvious thing to do. Normally I don't carry a wallet to the shower. I'd rather pay a little more for the site and not have to have money to shower.
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teebee1
La
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Joined: 12/30/2007
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There pay showers where we stayed in New Brusnwick and Nova Scotia. I had a choice to use the public shower or to shower in the RV for free. I don't see a problem with this arrangement since their is a cost to maintain the buildings.
teebee1
2007 Four Winds Hurricane 34B
2007 Suzuki Grand Vitara 4wd
retired and irresponsible
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junmy3
Warner Robins GA
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Joined: 02/03/2004
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We have only ran into coin operated showers once. I am not even sure where it was at. I believe it was Vermont. I would not have minded if the showers were not in disrepair. If they charge the showers should be kept up.
Jim & Junnie
2005 Sunline Solaris T-2553
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Dog Folks
Naples, Fl. USA
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Joined: 11/09/2003
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Sometimes it is not for revenue. Speaking to a private campground owner, she told us that charging for showers virtually eliminated abuse, and overuse. Before charging folks left the shower areas filthy and litter ridden.
Now, when charging, people are more more respectful of something they pay for.
Camping Rig:
2005 Dodge 3500 - Dually- Cummins
2006 Outback 27 RSDS
We also have with us two "fur babies". A Basset Hound and a Chihuahua mix. Both are rescue dogs.
Fulltimer since June 2006
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RockRiver
Panhandle of Texas
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Joined: 08/18/2010
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The "drop-a-quarter" shower idea is only the first of a string to come, IMO.
While you, me, & the next guy are camping, there are other people that are part of a think tank.....and the think tank's mission is to come up with more ways to milk money out of its' consumers. Yeah, each campground is entitled to making a profit..after all, they're not a non-profit organization, but come on!
DutchmenSport has it right, I'm sad to say..
Before long, you may have to pay to dump your holding tanks...heck, you may even have to pay extra, on top of the "dump fee" for the water to rinse your sewer hose (after dumping)! I'm talking about paying these "fees" at "full service" campgrounds..it's ALL about the almighty dollar, and how to get more of them out of the consumers. These "user fees" may seem fair to some, at least on the surface; because like a sales tax, you only pay for the things if you use them. The bad part is that these places are not reducing (or at least maintaining) their normal fees. In many cases, the normal fee(s) continue to rise; and in addition to these fees, we have these "drop-a-quarter-type" shenanigans...
2007 Chevrolet dMax/Allison(LBZ), one ton, dually, crew cab w/PPE Standard
2003 Holiday Rambler Alumiscape, 34'
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fanciesmom
in our dreams
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Joined: 06/11/2010
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When I managed the RV park/Marina we had pay showers. Our water was well water, but the big issue was heating the water and the fact when they didn't have to pay the folks would make a huge mess, walk out and just leave the water on in the showers and basins. Some of our boaters would leave their dock hoses running while they took off for a day sailing!
These are some of the same people who, when presented with a power outage (which meant no running water or flushing toilets) and asked to use a chemical toilet would continue to use the restrooms - and literally continue to use them until the toilets ran over. We gave up on signage and put locks on the doors.
It seems that some people - boaters & campers (!) have no respect for other peoples' property. Keeping restrooms clean and supplied was always a priority - and done cheerfully, even when messes grown adults shouldn't be making had to be cleaned up. If you wouldn't do it your own home why do it somewhere else???
Paranoia is only hindsight in advance.
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RockRiver
Panhandle of Texas
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Joined: 08/18/2010
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I totally understand about needing to cut down on waste. It makes me want to empty the contents of my stomach when I go into a public bath house, only to find that a couple of brats left all the showers running. . .to some, it's all just a big ol' joke...but in reality, it is wasteful and downright wrong.
I'm sure the coin-operated showers will be presented to us consumers in the name of "efficiency" and "a concerted effort to reduce waste". While this may be true, it is a half truth at best; for if "conservation" was all the mgmt. was concerned with, they could make the showers run on tokens, and give some tokens to the customers upon paid entry to the CG.
As I went through the drive thru @ McDonalds this morning, I asked for a couple of strawberry jellies to put on my sausage bisquit. I got to thinking: man, I hope the Golden Arches don't follow suit, and go to charging for jelly, ketchup, salt, pepper, or the occassional mint (that Sonic) puts in the bag!
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SnugHarbor
South Dakota
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Joined: 02/27/2008
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We are in Nova Scotia now, and many place charge for a shower. Yes, it absolutely does bug me. Last night, our campsite was almost $40 and they wanted 50 cents for 3 1/2 minutes. I didn't ask for a refund or a discount because I didn't use the sewer or water hook up I paid for, why should I have to pay extra for a shower?
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