 |
|
|
|
JoeH
Apollo Beach,FL
Senior Member
Joined: 02/21/2001
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Offline
|
padredw wrote:I dare to quote from an earlier post I made (now hopelessly lost back about three pages and now completely overlooked).
Quote:The principle of reciprocity is important to "travelers" such as we still are more than it is to full timers. We travel from state to state with the feeling that we are guests, but we know that for people traveling to Texas we are the hosts. I suggest that should be the norm. I can just imagine if we get state after state making such distinctions and passing laws. I look back over 25 years of RV traveling (and 60 years of state park camping) with great appreciation of the hospitality of almost every state in the nation. **Especially Florida... added to this quote and fully true.**
This law is not likely to affect the few years I have left to travel, but I think it would be a tragic decision and a terrible precedent for other states. Think carefully and remember to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
When I did my study back in 2010, 18 other states gave some type of preference to their residents.... Florida is just late to the game in giving the owners of the parks(state residents) proper access.
Joe
2013 Dutch Star 4338- all electric
Toad is 2015 F-150 with bikes,kayaks and Harley aboard
|
padredw
East Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 08/11/2013
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Quote:other states gave some type of preference to their residents
I will not dispute the results of that study, but I can say that has not been my experience (60 years including tent camping; 25 years with fifth-wheel.) I have "camped" in every state except 4 small states in New England. I cannot recall ever being treated differently in making a reservation because I was not a resident of that state. If this has changed, I believe it is an unfortunate change.
We live in a great nation of "sister states". The principle I am advocating is "reciprocity" such as exists with recognition of driver's license and auto insurance (to give some simple examples). In all my years of camping I have assumed this to be the basic operating principle and I regret to see such barriers even being considered.
Just the opinions of an old man who may not be as wise as he thinks.
|
GTO66
Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 08/20/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
I posted a few days ago with the comment that one hour should be long enough to allow florida residents time to book early. Some others stated it wouldn't make things easier for florida residents I disagree as you wouldn't be competing with the whole world. One other way would be to limit stays to 7 days. When I try to book during snowbird season most sites are book for the limit 14 days that tells me its most likely a snowbirder. I also standby my statement that the whole stay must be cancelled as well as a 50% fee. I also disagree that it would have much effect on folks seeking a warmer climate.
|
monkey44
Cape Cod, MA and Central Fla
Senior Member
Joined: 11/12/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
Most of the times we've seen a difference for residents happens at the check in, when ID can be viewed. Even here in Florida, in earlier years, we got Vets and Senior discount only at the gate when we paid and showed our ID. Now that has changed some, and we get the discount but also pay a registration fee, which was not the case in the past. In the past, a gate check-in within two days required no registration fee. Now, even a two-day in person check-in requires a registration fee, which in a sense nulifies the discount. The main difference now means the registration company gets that fee, not the park.
Personally, on in-person check-in, I'd rather see the park get the fee instead of a company that does nothing on an inperson check-in. As I've heard, now the NPS is also requiring a check-in fee regardless of in-person or short - one or two - day stays. Makes little sense to me from a park revenue position, but once again, many things today are all about the money and not about the service.
Monkey44
Cape Cod Ma & Central Fla
Chevy 2500HD 4x4 DC-SB
2008 Lance 845
Back-country camping fanatic
|
Walaby
Georgia
Senior Member
Joined: 11/10/2014
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
GTO66 wrote:I posted a few days ago with the comment that one hour should be long enough to allow florida residents time to book early. Some others stated it wouldn't make things easier for florida residents I disagree as you wouldn't be competing with the whole world. One other way would be to limit stays to 7 days. When I try to book during snowbird season most sites are book for the limit 14 days that tells me its most likely a snowbirder. I also standby my statement that the whole stay must be cancelled as well as a 50% fee. I also disagree that it would have much effect on folks seeking a warmer climate.
I think I am one who said it wouldn't make things easier. What I was trying to convey, is for the popular sites, one hour likely would not appreciably increase your odds of getting a site. Yes, for sure, a Fla resident would get the site during that first hour, BUT if the popular sites say, have 2000 people trying to hit at the same time, and lets say for the sake of argument, half are non residents, the other have residents. Then what would be the odds that you get the site during that hour when 1000 people are hitting it?
I suspect the numbers hitting the popular parks for online reservations are much more than than 2000, so it just furthers the point. I do agree, a Fla resident would get the spots in the first hour, but an individuals likelihood isn't appreciably improved.
As far as effect on people looking for warmer climate, if the popular parks are all gone within the first hour, how can it NOT impact that segment of consumers? It's not like people are flocking down to boondock in the swamp. People come down to visit nice places, stay at nice parks, and enjoy themselves. If those places are effectively out of reach for them, because every day they log in after the first hour, and all sites are gone, then they will go elsewhere out of Florida.
Mike
Im Mike Willoughby, and I approve this message.
2017 Ram 3500 CTD (aka FRAM)
2019 GrandDesign Reflection 367BHS
|
|
|
magnusfide
On the Road Again and Again and Again...
Senior Member
Joined: 10/30/2009
View Profile
|
I have no problem with residents wanting first dibs. It's their taxes and their state after all. Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina have terrific state parks. If I can't find a spot in FL then my friends and family find somewhere else. It's part of the excitement of travel.
"The only time you should fear cast iron is if your wife is fixin' to hit you with it."-Kent Rollins
First law of science: don't spit into the wind.
Magnus
|
Dutch_12078
Winters south, summers north
Senior Member
Joined: 10/07/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
I'm guessing part of the reason I see so many Florida plates in southern Georgia state parks is because of the earlier 13 month reservation window and that they extend senior and veteran discounts to everyone that's eligible, and no out of state surcharges. More state parks with full hookups available probably helps too. We'll be leaving a full hookup site in Georgia on Monday for an electric and water Florida state park site. We won't have a full hookup site again until we move to the national Salt Springs Recreation Area where of course we get our Senior Access pass discount.
Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F53 chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
Bigfoot Automatic Leveling System
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/Blue Ox baseplate
|
valhalla360
No paticular place.
Senior Member
Joined: 08/19/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
johnhicks wrote:So what is going to be done about state parks being mostly empty five nights out of seven because weekends are booked instantly, blocking out anyone who wants to stay longer? Force one-week or two-week reservations only, all others first-come first-served? It's part of the same tangled mess.
If snowbirds are just using them as a short term vacation, go in for 4-5 nights midweek or check last minute openings when people cancel. We've done exactly this when going into prime areas during longer term travels.
If you are planning to game the system staying long term over the winter by jumping between parks or worse getting reservations in your name then your wife's name then repeat, you lose and I'm OK if the residents want to curb that.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV
|
valhalla360
No paticular place.
Senior Member
Joined: 08/19/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
JaxDad wrote:Now you’re talking about a whole other kettle of (really stinky) fish, PROFIT.
I was talking about “costs” and more particularly “subsidies”.
Further still, there’s a whole other topic which I won’t go into, other than to mention it, not discuss it, that is can you even use the word “profit” when you’re talking about a public service?
Obviously there will be a few how would like the sale of public lands to pay down debt and have “State Parks” become “private” for-profit parks, but that’s not the subject here.
So you are suggesting the land has no value if it's owned by the citizens of the state but privately owned property has value? That makes no sense.
Hate to see it happen but these valuable pieces of property could be sold in many cases for astronomical amounts and (at least in theory) used to reduce taxes. It's only if you decide to ignore all the financials that you can claim it's not subsidized.
|
bucky
Raleigh metro
Senior Member
Joined: 05/07/2003
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
I made our reservations 11 months ago for a FL state park. I can only reserve for 14 days. The fee for that stay is $499 and change so a grand for a month. There are private parks out there for less. The attraction to the state parks is for the bigger sites and usually less mayhem.
I have no way to accurately make a statement about the percentage of over 65 FL residents that are in their state parks at any given time. I do know that if the bill passes that percentage will increase but the state's revenue will decrease as no full rate campers will be able to get in.
If I were in charge I would raise the camping fees to $35 a night plus the $7 "utility" charge, still give the FL seniors their 50% discount but raise it to 70 yoa, and not offer an early portal.
But that's just me.
Puma 30RKSS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
