S Y S - School Yard Syndrome

Submitted: Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 at 14:40
ThreadID: 97742 Views:2293 Replies:6 FollowUps:4
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Hello - How are ya?

We are currently travelling around this great country of ours in a caravan and 4x4. On many other trips we have been in a Tent and 4x4. We are in Broome at the moment having left Melbourne late this year to escape the winter and have finally arrived here and we are staying at the Cable Beach CP which is where we always select to stay if we can get in. Being the back end of the high season we had no problems getting a spot for a month or so.
However we just might leave here sooner than later as we cannot get over the amount of retirees/regulars that seem to suffer from S.Y.S....... School Yard Syndrome...
Now we would call ourselves pretty fiendly people, we always try to say "Hello" or "How are You" to most that pass by our site or those you pass on the way to the ammenities block or during our daily walk around. We just can't get over the astonishing amount of people that wont even look at you let alone utter a "Hello"... What is wrong with people? It appears that there are clicks not just within the caravan park itself but within the "STREET" you happen to have your caravan site in..... or heaven forbid if you are stuck beside others that are travelling together in groups and have the BLINKERS on....
What has happened to the friendly chats, which over the many years we have travelled, that's how we've learned where people have been and received good suggestions/information about places you may be thinking of travelling to etc. None of that here...
Now maybe they just come here every year in the same spot next to the same people, I get that, but for heavens sake this is like being the new kid in the school yard... I really thought that Aussies were better than this....
Is it no wonder more of us are opting for the FREE CAMPS where the real travellers are and thankfully these people actually talk to you or give you a helping hand or visa versa.
We love Broome but are now doubting we will stay here for the month or so we were planning on. We are hoping that the regulars leave and more TRAVELLERS arrive to take their place.
To all that read this post if you are travelling in a group and Free Camping or in a Caravan Park, take your bllinkers off and acknowledge the others outside your group. You will find the experience refreshing and you just might learn something or better still give someone a little of your own experiences and you never know you might just make a friend.
Food for thought.
Have a great day everyone :)


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Reply By: dindy - Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 at 16:23

Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 at 16:23
Hi Greig

Bloody city dwellers travelling the wide brown land, don't trust themselves let alone anyone new to enter their comfort zone, might cost them something! Time, conversation, emotional commitment, heaven forbid I might learn something that challenges my set thinking.

Worst of all someone might ask for help then I will think they are trying to take advantage of me. I might have to lend them on of my shiny new sidcromes which I haven't even taken out of the plastic yet because I don't really now how to use them but I have them with me because some I know said I would need them and I don't wan't to show my ignorance of such matters.

So the best way to deal with simple common human contact is to ignore it because my city Orwellian lifestyle has conditioned me to be so.

Whew, hard day at work, thats my rant for today!!!
AnswerID: 493927

Follow Up By: Gramps - Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 at 17:09

Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 at 17:09
Hahaha I've also met a lot of country bumpkins I would'nt piddle on if they were on fire let alone waste conversation on.

Just continuing with the wild generalizations LOL

Regards
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Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 at 16:42

Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 at 16:42
G & M,

Think there's a number of reasons, and Dindy's summed one of them up nicely. As he said many of these people don't want to acknowledge you, in case you want something from them. Probably feel they're going to be conned or something.

Also, feel there's a bit of evolution here too. We've gone from a tribal group, many years ago, to living in the 'burbs, with only 4 - 5 close neighbours, but hanging over the fence kept the communication going. Then everyone got a phone, so they didn't talk to next door quite as much, but probably rang them up, every week.

Now the internet's here, doesn't matter if you talk to next door or not(anyway, they're bleep s on one side, and the other side's a "bit strange"), because you can email your rellies, or talk to them on Facebook, so you get all your social interaction on the lappy.

And what about waving to passing traffic, on the highways? I did 100K km on Barkly & Landsborough h'ways, between November, 2011 & Easter 2012, and the percentage of Caravanners waving might have been 10%. Usually the ones I didn't wave too, were the ones that did wave.

What you both could do, is upset their routine by smiling, waving and generally invade their space, without getting too close. Just hope they don't spoil your trip too much. Ha ha, I'm not real gregarious either, wonder if 'd talk to anyone???

Bob.



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AnswerID: 493930

Follow Up By: rags - Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 at 19:11

Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 at 19:11
I think that this is maybe a symptom of the remote control garage roller door,and internal access from the garage to the house. Now a days people who live in gyprockville arrive home ,auto door goes up, car away , door down and not a word or wave offered to the neighbour. I think the new type subdivisions with the estate project homes have breed a society of anti social communities and maybe this is now showing up in some of the van parks today.
Many other more friendly folk still function the old friendly way, they will arrive home maybe open the gate ,park the car on the 2 concrete strip drive, walk to the mail box, go fetch a beer and then get the garden hose going on the plants, at the same time as chatting to Jack next door. I guess these folk still exist and when they get the van out can be found in some camp grounds., usually happy to share a secretfishing spot or magic tape to make that vehicle repair.
Rags
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Reply By: Member-George (WA) - Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 at 17:47

Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 at 17:47
Hi Greig & Mish. Please don't tar everyone with the same brush. We are travelling around Oz in a caravan and stay in both caravan parks and free camp sites. We have yet to get to a place where people don't talk to you or say hello in caravan parks or free sites. We have been travelling now for over 2 months. Maybe it is just a Broome thing that you are talking about. Cheers and happy travelling.
AnswerID: 493935

Follow Up By: Steve M1 (NSW) - Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 at 20:59

Thursday, Aug 30, 2012 at 20:59
never been to Broome but sadly, have been put off and heard a lot of negative stuff from those that have. Sounds like too many ppl going up there and regularly comandeering the place and think they own it. Just feedback I've had, not my experience.
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Reply By: Gobumpy - Friday, Aug 31, 2012 at 00:02

Friday, Aug 31, 2012 at 00:02
G,day mate

I found the exact same situation at 80 mile beach caravan park just south of broome a couple of years ago but we thought it was because we were traveling with our 5yo daughter as she was the only child in the whole park at the time, we wondered if there was an age restriction for entry hahaha.

Scott
AnswerID: 493958

Follow Up By: pop2jocem - Friday, Aug 31, 2012 at 09:23

Friday, Aug 31, 2012 at 09:23
We stayed at 80 mile beach caravan park about 2 months ago and found almost without exception that a friendly wave or a gidday was either delivered first by someone else or returned if we originated the greeting. Mind you we are just a couple of grey nomads. My son stayed a few days with us and brought the 3 grandkids aged 5 to 10 yrs. He did remark that some of the oldies looked at his mod with a bit of apprehension lol.

Cheers
Pop
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FollowupID: 769627

Reply By: get outmore - Friday, Aug 31, 2012 at 12:21

Friday, Aug 31, 2012 at 12:21
Ever think you might be the closed minded one thinking everyone should conform to what you believe to be the acceptable level of social standard?
AnswerID: 493989

Reply By: Greig and Mish- Friday, Aug 31, 2012 at 14:42

Friday, Aug 31, 2012 at 14:42
Thanks to everyone who has read my post and for the feedback and the input you have given. Just after I posted this we went for a dip in the pool and by a stroke of luck we found another couple seated next to us from Vic that were very interesting to talk to. We really love exchanging travel stories, hints and experiences with others and yes most of you are correct when you mentioned that the Regulars/Groups/Cliques don't really travel outside their annual trip up north to the SAME spot alongside the SAME people who also do the SAME as them and have done for years. They are not worth trying to associate with and to be quite honest who would want to. We love Broome for the beach and the great weather. That is why we keep coming back. Stuff the snobs in the caravan park. They are not why we are here anyway.
Looking forward to maybe catching some of you on the roadside sometime.
Happy & Safe travels everyone.
Take care. M & G
AnswerID: 494001

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