Would you camp next to this setup or would you run a mile?
My name is John Barker and my wife, Brenda, and I have travelled this great country for years … not the Big Lap … but many, many trips away.
We have progressed slowly from sleeping in our station wagon and/or tent, soft floor campers, pop-top caravan, conventional caravan, and now back to a pop-top. We are now in our late sixties/early seventies respectively, and intend to hit the road for years to come.
We have never had a big rig with all the bells and whistles, although I am a great believer in ‘to each their own’. We have been crowded out by big rigs although we had set up first. When I have said something, the response has been ‘well, with a little set-up like yours, you won’t be here long’.
This has happened more than once. The worst form of snobbery that I have encountered often is, when big riggers set up, they invariably get together and exclude others who are seen to be somehow lesser travellers.
This exclusion comes in the form of outright ignoring your greetings, or very unwelcoming and poor body language. Yet, when a fellow big rigger arrives or approaches it’s all smiles and ‘welcome’.
I first thought it was somehow my imagination, but this has played out over many years. Just to be clear, we have always had a very nice van, good 4WD and are clearly not rowdy or unfriendly people. I enjoy a sundowner red wine, a good book and the company of happy people.
Very good friends of ours who are big riggers (three Big Laps and counting) had never experienced any such behaviour until one trip we went together with our camper and a tent. The first evening sitting around with a red, they had to agree that rig snobbery was real and they experienced been shunned first hand. The same people, different rig.
I have arrived at the conclusion that many big riggers – quite a few very new to the caravanning experience – believe that the more you spend on a rig, the more toys you can display, then the better class of grey nomad you are.
Take it from one who has travelled these roads and camps for many years … class has nothing to do with rig size!
So true, especially when you have to move your 4WD so they can get their huge van into a site as I just had to!
Lucky we didn’t have a Big Rig.
Why would you move? I have a big rig and I would never do that to anyone. Can’t tar every big rigger with the same brush.
I’ve also noticed that some Caravan Parks put Camper trailers & Motorhomes in the worst possible sites for the same price the big rigs pay. We often book early and sometimes arrive early but it doesnt seem to make any difference.
Very true as had this happen to us, in Caravan Parks and Free camps. If you don’t have the latest or biggest you are just not welcome
Very true
Very sad you let yourself feel that way and need to categorise people. I have been on the road for 6 years on and off, free camp and van parks and never come across what you describe. Unfortunate you have to go to media to vent.
You are lucky then
Lucky you!!
Cranky pants!
Definitely agree, not always but often traveling folk just you by your mode of transport, we had a Coaster bus for many years.
When we were young we had a LWB LR, we travelled with 2 young sons with a tent, the LR was set up to sleep in if necessary, double bed in the back, bunk bed above along the right hand side & the youngest son could sleep in the front across the seats, boy did we get some looks when staying o’night, the 4 of us getting in or out when sleeping we had a great times & could go anywhere.
John you are 100% correct unfortunately, there are some people/groups of people that are super status concious, not just rig wise these people are judging others about everything they see and don’t see. I feel sorry for them, they are denying themselves the chance to get to know a whole bunch of people better than themselves that they could learn so much from!
Totally agree with the writer. We have been travelling Australia on and off for years, first in tents then swags. Upgraded to coaster buses and now as we have sold up, we have purchased an auto trail motor home. The behaviour of snooty nosed caravaners are a disgrace. You go to a camp and they stake claim to the only picnic table available by placing a table cloth on it even though they have no intention of using it for hours. We steer clear of them. They are so obvious to pick.
Did not find this problem in the 80’s when we tent the lap., But have found it in these later years. We don’t care. I have helped people with big rigs that have broken down, when they cried out for help, then came across them again down the track and they ignored us. Most of the big riggers are big drinkers. We don’t drink, or very rarely, so we don’t go the the happy hours get togethers. We are now going back to a camper for convenience and weight issues of our new car, so probably will see more snobbery. We don’t care, we are out to have fun with our selves, don’t care about what others are doing.
I find much “snobbery” from not only big riggers but many people we encounter of our trips. You say hello to some people and they look at you like you have two heads. So we just keep to ourselves and enjoy each other’s company. We even had people have a go at us for overtaking them when both pulled up at a caravan park.
We like to manoeuvre right into the middle or close to the clicks and throw a spanner into the atmosphere, we just keep smiling and say hello and you should see the looks we get , great pass time you guys should try it
Yes, unfortunately ive come across this too. We were at a caravan park in Airlie Beach, there were 2 places left. One with cement slab, other on grass. Both power, both same price.
Second couple stated that they should get the slab because they had a van, whereas we only had a camper trailer.
That happens in all areas of life not just on the road. We have never had a big rig but started with a tent and then progressed to 2 full caravans both about 15 years old when we purchased them. I don’t recall having any problems with snobbery on the road when we did the big lap nearly 30 years ago and most people were missing grandchildren so happy to have us share our children. There were some who were obviously very envious of those who had worked hard for their new vehicles and big vans. I certainly experienced the snobbery a lot more because of my husband’s occupation. We were the first non-commissioned rank to move into a housing area at Mosman in Sydney and that was not accepted by some. Then when children started school in Brisbane, a group of mothers did not include me because I was an “Army wife” as far as they were concerned. I didn’t need them so did not bother to inform them that my mother had taught at another school about 2 kms away 40 years earlier so I didn’t consider myself there as an “army wife”.
A good number of the ‘big riggers’ deliberately don’t tell the van park at the booking stage that they are a big rig, and I presume this is to avoid paying for 2 sites.
Some people that travel are just outright rude and obnoxious just because yes I have money with a massive Ram and caravan and they get out and both are in their seventies well good luck with that and how some climb into them and need help from hubby I’ve seen it many times in my 16 yes of permanent traveling , if people speak to me and be nice I do same but there are the tuffs out there that we just couldnt be bothered with , and their ruddy nose groups , people like that who wants to know them
We have had similar experiences. Sometimes we travel with a group of motorhomes and found approaching motorhomes wave to the fellow motorhomers but not to us in a car and caravan. To us, we are all out there to experience the same thing. It doesn’t matter what sort of vehicle you have, just be friendly to everyone
Hello we have been on the road theee years. We are in a campervan tow a dog trailer and have my little 4 wheel drive and I tow a boat. Everyone speaks to us and often have been invited to the more expensive caravans and motor homes for drinks. I guess I don’t even see a class issue and I am very very happy with what we own. If someone doesn’t speak I just think they must have a horrible life.
Rig Snobbery is definitely a thing. So is exclusion of single females travelling and camping alone. I equate the attitude to school yard behaviour by people who are generally not very adventurous. Let’s face it, you can’t get big rigs into the really good wilderness places. The last place I want to set up is in a caravan park.
On occasions i’ve had to travel as a solo male and also with my teenage son, wife cant get time off etc, and I’ve experienced unfriendliness and suspicion in places where I would have expected a warm welcome. At least I get left alone when I’m set up…
Sonia, I’m a single male traveller and it’s been my experience that single females more often than not, keep to themselves. I suspect that this might be a self preservation thing, which is understandable. If I was a female I wouldn’t want to talk to me either! Maybe I should try a different brand of deodorant …?
Alot of single women are looked at differently!!..” Oh ru on r own??..Why is it that women that travel on their own are looked at as NOT NORMAL FOR A WOMEN TO TRAVE. BY HER SELF…WITHOUT A MAN BY HER SIDE!!…Some women don’t have partners but we can travel around too!!…ITS NOT JUST FOR COUPLES!!!
There are Folders and there are Scrunchers and they don’t mix like water and oil
I don’t think it is the rig, it’s the people inside it . We have a Mitsubishi Rosa bus converted to a camper and done to our needs and our budget, we always say, we are all out here doing the same thing, and to our own needs and wants so don’t judge anybody, but yes we have struck the snobbery!
There are snobs in all walks of life; those who judge you by the size of your house, your car, your rig; heck I even had a so called friend who turned our babies development into a competition. The good thing about camping is that if you meet one of the obnoxious few at least you aren’t stuck with them for long.
I think that this issue is a bit like the chicken or the egg. Are these people obnoxious because they own a big rig or do obnoxious people just gravitate to big rigs? I have neighbours who are obnoxious and recently bought a big rig so they fit the narrative well and I’m sure they will fit in well with other big riggers.
As has been alluded to in other posts, I suspect that it’s a status thing more than out of necessity as I can’t recall ever having seen a large family in big rigs, they’re usually only occupied by a couple. How much space does a person really need to ‘get away from it all’?
What other people think about me and my set-up is none if my business…!
Oh yes, sooo true, its really funny, as we sometimes travel with a van and other times with an old but excellent camper trailer, and the difference in interaction with the big fancy rig nomads is absolutely palpable, UNTIL something goes wrong, and they find out my profession and my abilities and they wont leave me alone as king for both medical and technical assistance…but before then, its “closed shop snobby happy hour ” etc…I think they just assume if you are not in a huge expensive rig then you will be uncooth or noisy or untrustworthy etc,a nd they just navigate to what they perceive as like minded folk in fancy expensive setups. We absolutely revel in deliberately being old school, and camp frugally with well used, trustworthy old gear etc, and despirately try not to fall for the glossy magazine sales traps that try to convince campers and travelers that they need expensive flash gear to have a good time…and we invariably have a wonderful time, and have a god laugh at the “crystal nomads” in their fancy setups …..wow, I didn’t realize so many other people would notice the palpable difference in reception….however, the more remote you travel, and the more off-road, the less we notice the snobbery, and the more we experience genuine Australian mateship…seriously.
The happiness in your life depends on the quality of your thoughts
Well said, Top Ender Pat. Let everyone be happy with their own set-up, whatever it may be. And don’t worry about what other people may think.
My goodness, my husband and I were thinking of doing a big road trip in the near future, we don’t have a Caravan or a Big Rig, no 4 Wheel Drive, just an SUV, what we will have is a nice spacious tent, etc and a friendly attitude and looking forward to meeting others, not sure what to think now though.
Jennifer, go ahead and enjoy the trip you have planned without worrying about what others may, or may not, think about your style of travel. We don’t travel in anything expensive and luxurious yet still enjoy our travels as much as anyone else. Your trip and the memories you make from it are the only important things that matter.
Interesting define a big rig,very subjective over 12 feet? Maybe over 16 feet or is over 20 feet.
We progressed over the years Borrowed tent to owning one then caravan then on-site cabin travelled overseas now waiting to pick up a new motorhome
I’ve always said camping is the greatest class leveller of all times
If im next to someone in tent or camper trailer im guilty of reminiscing off the great times my family and I had
Being a bullying pompous oaf with a sense of entitlement is what makes some people financially successful and provides funds for later life extravagance. Some others come into money by devious, underhand or even illegal means.
It’s not just caravan parks where attitudes exist, it’s everywhere.
There are a great many kind, courteous and worthwhile folk who can’t even afford a vehicle to go camping in.