threats to fellow travellers

Hello John, despite all the "talk" I have never seen or expirienced these situations, that are mentioned about, what others may or may not do,on the road.

To be honest, we usually camp away from everybody else if possible, but even when you cannot avoid it, I have never seen any of that sort of behaviour.

Most campers have generators and it has never bothered me or any body else for that matter.

Once you get out there you will find a lot of very friendly people who share a common pastime.

Sure, you get some characters, but hey we all have our quirks.....don't we?

As for me, I never leave our valuable stuff out at night, I always put it away and lock it up.

Go out there and dont be afraid to use ALL your gear....yes even your generator.

John,
As you have stated, the use or not of generators is a personal choice and for many reasons, including medical grounds. My experience has been that most people have shut down their gennys at a reasonable time so no dramas. I own a Honda 2.0 which is pretty quiet even when asked to produce near maximum output but I make sure that it is not running much after sundown.
As far as the threats made from the safety and anonymity of a forum such as this.. well I think you will find nearly all are empty threats and not likely to be carried out face to face.

Cheers
Pop

Hopefully these threats are made by the "keyboard commandos" who act first and think later.
Generators can be a niusance..the same as parties, ;oud music, exhausts, vehicles in no access areas etc, etc,

Common sense should prevail.
cheers

In seven years full time I have never seen or heard of a problem with generator operation. Far more of a problem with drunken slobs who revel late into the night with no consideration for others..... but even that is rarely a problem as we, wherever we can camp well away from other. Not that we are anti social - just rather wake up with the birds and wildlife.

Can you imagine some irate camper walking into a police station and demanding that the owner of vehicle/caravan registered number plate ABC XYZ be charged for running his generator and disturbing the peace....... LOL

John

John I think you are simply witnessing a verbal expression of frustration at some peoples lack of consideration for fellow travellers. It’s simply mouthing off and I doubt very much that it would manifest itself into physical action (remember this is the internet as well). I to have suffered more lack of consideration from generator users in my7 travels than I have drunken yobbo syndrome but then this probably has a lot to do with just where and when you camp. Now I’m speaking in generalisations here so keep that in mind as you read on.

To my mind, if you intend camping along major routes utilising your “free Camps” book, then you can expect to be jammed in close with numerous other nomads and you can fully expect that they will need to run their 2VA Honda all night to run the airconditioning, satellite tele, microwave and electric blanket. Because there’s usually a few of them and they are all living in the insulated cocoons, they can shut the door to consideration of non-van users. If you’re a camper, well I say that you will have to expect this type of behaviour and you could save yourself the angst by simply camping a couple of kilometres down the road and avoiding the crowded spots (unfair you say but an easy solution and one we use always – just because DeGrey River camp is empty when you set up at 3.00pm doesn’t mean you won’t have a 25” van 2 metres either side of you by 5pm believe me!) The exact same principal applies to the attack of the ugly Australians. You know where to find them so why camp there?

On the other hand, I spend a lot of money and precious holiday time getting to some of our wonderful remote locations.Places that few visit. I do this because I enjoy the serenity and peace that comes with wonderfully isolated places,so you can probably understand my disappointment and frustration when fellow travellers arrive and then start up their generator with little consideration for surrounding campers. I don’t intend to go into the specifics of the many occasions that it’s happened to me but in my mind, the hour around sunset is sacrosanct. I would never run a generator within an hour of sunset or into the night. From 9:00 am to 3:30 p.m. run them all you like as far as I’m concerned but running a 2KVA in a bush camp till 2.00 a.m. because you need to run a 240W light globe is beyond the pale. If you spend so much money on a vehicle, camper or caravan, why not take the time and a little extra $ to develop some DC capability and sustainability rather than revert to a generator in the first instance? Struth 300W of solar is only a little over $600 these days...half the price of a 1Kva honda or Yamaha.

Consideration is always a two way street and unfortunately in these modern times the principle of “consideration for others” is fast being replaced by an attitude of “me, me me” and a sense of selfish entitlement regardless of others. It’s a two way street.

I’ll get off my soapbox now ;-)

I think you are lucky to have never been bothered by someone using a loud generator late into the night. We have come across it a few times and it can be very annoying. I know, worse things can happen, and it seems to annoy me more than my wife, so it may well just be me. I don’t mind anyone using a generator as we also carry one for emergencies only, but everyone should practice good camping etiquette, which is all we are asking. This also goes for large groups, tag a longs etc, that can make more noise just by talking very loudly late into the night!
I also like the camping areas that have designated generator use areas set aside, they seem to work.
I have never approached anyone about their noise or taken any action, I just either put up with it, or move on, my choice.
Kevin

I wonder how many of the anti-generator brigade have kids with mini bikes, or under bonnet showers that they run late at night or early morning?

I find having having to listen to other peoples choice of music far more offensive than a modern generator.

I have a fridge and a freezer in my caravan.

I was in a caravan park (no names no pack drill) up in the New England NSW during January, when a storm took out a transformer that left the whole district blacked out for about 16 hours.

About 9am, not knowing how long the blackout was going to continue, and with the owners permission, I fired up my generator, not something one would normally do in a C/P. I was the only one with one on board.

I was very popular for the next few hours, as others without power were very happy to put whatever perishables they could isqueeze into my fridge and freezer.

I reckon many of them have made the investment by now.

Like others have said, out in the bush camps you have to be mindful and considerate to your neighbours with anything that affects their peace and comfort.

Unfortunately, some of those same people just bring their home way of life bush, don't they. I suppose while their bush, their neighbours at home are happy.

If I have to I'll use my generator, but I won't use it at night, and all I do is use it to charge the batteries up.

Quite some years ago we were in a national park in the N.T. and a couple in a Toyota Coaster bus ran theirs until well past 11pm. They were watching T.V. It was a noisy appliance and I think everyone there was thoroughly annoyed.

Anyway, it came to pass next morning, when this couple decided to move on, their vehicle wouldn't start, and in attempting to get it going they flattened the battery.

No-one offered then any assistance and as we vacated the area everyone just drove past them.

As they say, vengeance is better served on a cold plate.

If we choose to camp in an area where generators are permitted, we accept that they may be used and will put up with them.

We prefer to camp on our own, so do not meet campers with gennies often. When we have, they have used them in sensible times and in most cases they have been Hondas which we can hardly hear when inside the caravan.

Motherhen

I have to confess, I'm a generator user but a considerate one - I think! The only issue I have had was asking a ranger if he was concerned about my running genie, it was a case of asking for forgiveness as they were not allowed. He was OK with it as he said he couldn't hear it. It was on Fraser and the surf probably drowned out what little noise it made but we have honestly not had any issues. There have been occasions where I have checked with fellow campers and offered them a power lead to charge batteries or whatever we always turn it off when it's bed time.

It has made camping more bearable for the bride which means that she is prepared to go and I get to go more often - so I claim it is a necessity.

Kind regards

Mick O has summed it up pretty well for me. 9AM to about 4.30PM if you have to. But the hour or so before sunset and after is a special time of the day which if possible, is best if free from extraneous human generated noise and left to enjoy the sounds of nature.

It is interesting that the last 2 main posts (from Motherhen and Beatit) have been by Bushtrackers owners. These caravans, with their significant solar and battery capacity, are basically self sufficient without needing an external 240v power source, except to run an airconditioning unit. And yet, similarly equipped, they take a different approach. IMHO, the microwave is something that can easy be done without, given that they are fitted with a 4 burner gas hob, grill and oven. For the few things that need 240v, eg medical equipment, they are fitted with a large-ish capacity inverter.

Now of course, if you are inside the van with everything shut and using the aircon, you won't hear the generator, Honda or not. Good for you - but not for the rest of us who go bush to experience the natural sounds of the bush and, if desired, can actually occupy themselves with quiet conversation, a book, or music through earphones.

The original post suggested a sign "Generator used here". I wonder how an alternative sign "Generators not welcome here" would be received :-)

Cheers
Andrew

Earplugs are cheap enough.

I don't use a gennie, but they don't bother me either. In fact, the people with gennies usually have the coldest beer too.

Fab.

We went away for 6 nights over easter. On the fifth night the battery decided to have enough. I was half way cooking dinner with young daughter in shower. I hate the genny and felt bad about using it at that time. Wasnt long before we ate cleaned up and turned it off. In the future we will continue to use the gen while the shower is on. The pump kills the battery.

Been told my snoring is heard more than the generator.

I think the whole issue relates to personality. Some are considerate types and think of others and know how to live together peacefully, whilst others couldn't give a stuff about anyone else...."I'm alright,Jack".

Clearly this issue can relate to far more than generators.

Personally, I have no issue with the things, whilst I don't see the need to have one, I respect others to travel however they wish. All I expect is similar consideration that I would have towards others in the way they conduct themselves...generator or no generator.

Cheers,

Mark

just to be clear my reference to their presence related to those who travel despite health issues . not generators

I don't think you need to be too concerned as there was only a couple of the posts that were "threats" in my books (I hope you weren't thinking I threatened a fellow camper as that was not point of my post).. The majority of posts were either trying to point out alternatives, how to secure them or possible reasons why it went missing. So most of the post was not as negative as you are suggesting.

Maybe look at the glass half full not half empty - great to see so many suggestions as to alternatives and might save the original poster some cash along with all the other benefits!