What's threatening Walmart moochdocking?
As the gavel came down on the City Council meeting, another Walmart became off limits to overnight parking for RVs. While the company itself has a policy of allowing and even encouraging RVers to use their vast parking lots for overnight stays by travelers, not all Walmarts are RV-friendly.
In fact a few of the Walmart stores I have seen actually have height-limiting barriers outside their parking lots so RVs can’t even get in. What’s the deal? Turns out, we may be the problem.
In the Walmart that we have frequented often in Ukiah, California there has been an ever-growing transient issue at the store. RVs of questionable roadworthiness have gathered in increasing numbers in the parking lot of the store, some setting up camp for extended periods of time.
This has brought about others seeking shelter and even going so far as to use the grassy areas around the store to set up tents and spend their days asking for handouts and generally loitering in the parking lot.
That store has thus gained a reputation as a place for unsavory travelers and the store’s sales have suffered due to shoppers wanting to avoid the parking area due to the panhandling and dubious RVs that occupy multiple spaces.
The solution? The City Council reinforces the ban on overnight parking in the city and begins aggressively ticketing, and towing, RVers who ignore that law. While this has worked to get the derelict RVs off the city streets and out of the Walmart parking lot it also gives the rest of us one fewer choice for a quick overnight stay on our way to greener pastures.
Furthermore the way to enforce this type of legislation banning camping is to find campers in the middle of the night and shoo them away. Nobody is going to find a campground at 3am so this presents problems for RVers.
When Sam Walton owned the company, they had an open-door policy for RVers with the logic that someone staying overnight is likely to be a customer out of appreciation. Since the stores have such huge parking lots anyway, it made sense to allow travelers to use the space temporarily on their way to somewhere and Walmart stores tend to have a decent selection of the things RVers need so the symbiotic relationship is a good one.
Another component of this crack down on overnighting on streets and in parking lots are the campgrounds who are seeing some of their business eroding. As such, they are using their influence on local jurisdictions to either enforce overnight parking bans or pass laws prohibiting parking in public spaces for the purposes of camping.
Like so many things, a small group of travelers are ruining it for everyone. With that in mind, there are a few common rules of courtesy for staying at a Walmart or other free overnight location. Let’s all keep these in mind so that we continue to enjoy this impromptu convenience.
Guidelines for Moochdocking
Stay one night only.
Ask permission from a qualified individual, preferably the store manager
Obey posted regulations
No awnings, chairs, barbecue grills or pet enclosures set up outside the RV.
Park as far away from the store entrance as possible and leave as much parking space around your vehicle as possible.
Do not use hydraulic jacks on asphalt or other soft surfaces.
Always leave the area cleaner than you found it.
Purchase fuel, food or other supplies as a way of saying ‘thank you.’
Be safe and courteous.
Embrace the practice of Leave No Trace