Women travelling alone

[Thomas G.]

Slightly off topic, but I belong to a small nonprofit "Friends of (Local State Park)". We do projects and maintenance of trails, etc for the park. One important source of funding is grants. Recently we have had to show proof of liability insurance for our group to apply for a grant. This has been true only for the past 3 or so years.

So, the larger point is that any organized group seems to be a potential target for a lawsuit. Everyone involved seems to want to make sure that those around them are insured so they are not the only "deep pocket".

[honda03842]

Carol...Absolutely I have never paid a 'meet fee; for a rally and never signed a contract to rent a hall that required me to carry liability insurance.

It's amazing what we do to complicate life. When I was a mayor, the first day a resident sued the town because he slipped on the leaves, it was fall afterall, claining we had impared his sexual ability.

The town's insurance company wanted to settle. I said no; figuring at least people need to take responsibility for walking. We won, the resident backed off.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by honda03842

It seems like people, either campground owners or insurance agencies seeking a revenue source.

It's probably an unintended consequence of some incident similar to the famous McDonald's hot coffee incident, but something that happened with a group at a campground. We may never know what that incident was... From the perspective of a Campground Operator an individual's incident may be recovered from, but magnified by the multiple participants of a group it becomes totally devastating.

Originally Posted by honda03842

It's amazing what we do to complicate life.

"We have met the enemy and he is us" - Pogo
One individual's innocent accident is another individual's devastating tragedy.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by honda03842

The town's insurance company wanted to settle. I said no; figuring at least people need to take responsibility for walking. We won, the resident backed off.

The problem for trailer meet organizers such as myself is that in order to fight back you need to hire a lawyer to help you do that. Being in Public office you know doubt had a budget for that type of thing and in many cases local governments have a staff lawyer to handle it or at least one on contract. No personal out of pocket expense to you as the Mayor as a result of choosing to fight back.

I had a real good wake up call on this issue as a result of the last meet we held in BC. An incident took place which resulted in 3 people being injured. As a result of that incident the local authorities where involved in investigating it. But as was clearly pointed out to me by two different authorities involved in doing the investigation there is a very high likelihood that in the event that one of the injured parties files a civil liability case in court due to their injuries, I can and should expect to be named in the case simple due to having organized the meet. Just as the owner of the campground will also be named even though they had nothing to do with the incident either, other than it took place on their property. The parties investigating the incident know as well as I do that what happened had nothing to do with me or the owner of the campground. In fact I wasn't even in the area of the incident when it took place. Regardless I would/will need my own legal representation to put forward my case in order to have my name removed from the proceedings should it end up in court. From personal knowledge of civic liability cases I know for a fact what they have warned me of is very true. Five months later I still sit on pins and needles waiting to see what the final outcome if any will be as a result of that incident and how hard my personal pocket book will be hit should the whole mess end up in court.

Funny enough the majority of those who attended that meet had a great time despite the above mentioned event and the crazy weather. Most have had more than a few good laughs over what happened as they are totally unaware of whats happened since or in the background or the possible not so fun ramifications to me as the organizer. I can only hope that they pass a hat around the campfire at the next meet to help cover my expenses should the situation go south, although I suspect whats collected may not but a dent in the actual costs.

As I said Donna's approach in holding a None Organized meet is a good one, even better still is to buy an insurance package for the meet if you can get one.

[honda03842]

Carol,

Certainly hope your not sued; no one needs the hassle even when innocent. If you get sued wear those shoes to court, that'll distract them at least.

My point about the 'citizen and leaves' was more about the propensity of people to sue over nothing or events they initiated themselves.

Certainly our town had insurance just as an Oregon park must, even if self-insured. My view is that I did not want to encourage the frivilous suit.

Personally I carry a general liability policy and have for decades.

My personal point is that all the attempts at regulation, transfering of normal business costs and like events will cut into the number of people who can justify going to a rally.

RV use is dramaitically down, at least on the east coast. Actually just about every where we went this year campground owners said business was down.

As a really 'old person', I do not worry about costs too much since I'm programed to spend it all before I die. If I run out of money before natural causes take me, at least I will have had 11+ years of RVing. The only thing that could cripple us is hyper-inflation.

[Francesca Knowles]

O.K, I'm confused...

The thread Title is "Women traveling alone" (which I sometimes do)...but that subject sorta peters out after post #4.
Weirdly, at least to me, in that post Carol responds to this quote from a "Donna":

Quote:
Originally Posted by paris127
I keep thinking there is a group of women out there travelling together and I just need to find them.... I am sure you guys are my tribe. peace Donna

But that post doesn't appear anywhere in this thread prior to Carol's post!?!?

Has the discussion of that subject been moved/renamed/relocated-?

Francesca, at sea as usual...

[Carol H]

Thanks Norm, my feeling is what will be will be and not much I can do about it and knowing the facts of the situation I am not likely to loose anything other than the legal fees. I also carry personal insurance which would more than cover me any which way it goes but the other real life reality is that to put in a claim for a thousand or so in legal fees may not be in my best interest taking into consideration the insurance deductible and future premium increases which often result from putting in such a small claim.

Seems this has once again gone off on a topic and probable belongs in meet organizing thread more than a single women camping thread! Sorry about that folks! Its just that I dont think a lot of people who attend meets have any real idea as to what goes into organizing them or the expenses to the organizers.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Has the discussion of that subject been moved/renamed/relocated-?

Francesca, at sea as usual...

moved/relocated!

Edit to add: Apologizes for taking the thread slightly off topic although not entirely. The discussion regarding the need for meet organizers to carry insurance was the result of a poster wondering why Sisters of the Fly, a travel trailer womens group needs to charge a $60 yearly membership fee.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Carol H

moved/relocated!

Um...any clue as to where?

A link would be greatly appreciated!

Francesca

[Carol H]

Sorry my bad, I misread your question. Thought you were wondering what happened to Donna's post that I answered.

The subject matter as the thread is title is still on this thread. See my apologize to you above as to why it might appear if you haven't been following why it took a slight off topic turn.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Sorry my bad, I misread your question. Thought you were wondering what happened to Donna's post that I answered.

Yes- and I'm still wondering....where did you quote it from???? Or was Donna's quote/ your response transplanted from some other discussion?

Francesca

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Has the discussion of that subject been moved/renamed/relocated-?

Francesca, at sea as usual...

This topic was split off from http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post333379 when we veered from discussing the economics of full-timing to discussing the Sisters-on-the-Fly. So that earlier topic was the original, and this topic is the moved/renamed/relocated one. There is a built-in way for people on this board to retrace the genesis of quotes that hop from one forum to another. To do that I need to bring up the quote in question:

Originally Posted by paris127

I keep thinking there is a group of women out there travelling together and I just need to find them.... I am sure you guys are my tribe. peace Donna

Note the 1st line within the quote:
Originally Posted by paris127
It is followed by a Blue Circle that contains a white arrow. This symbol is a link that takes you to the quoted post in a separate tab. You have the ability to go back to the original discussion without loosing your place in the new one. If during the process of quoting a post, one of the brackets goes missing when you type your response to the quote in the compose window,
you'll see the broken code number instead of the Blue circle as in the following example of the same quote:

[QUOTE=paris127;333379I keep thinking there is a group of women out there travelling together and I just need to find them.... I am sure you guys are my tribe. peace Donna[/QUOTE]

This is why you often see that I have edited a post:
Edited by Frederick L. Simson, reason: fixed quote code
It is a moderation task to keep the links unbroken.

I was contemplating splitting off this thread's diversion as well but chose to keep intact, as it is an explanation of why a group of women who travel alone together collect fees from their membership, oddly veering back towards the original thread topic of affordability.

I try, and sometimes I just throw up my hands in surrender...

[Francesca Knowles]

Hey- the little arrow worked!

All's clear, now...thanks for the mechanics-of-the-forum lesson, Frederick!

Francesca

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Frederick L. Simson

I try, and sometimes I just throw up my hands in surrender...

Please dont you do a fine job!

[john warren]

my guess then, is if your not an official club or group, rather just individuals that all decided to camp at the same place, and no fee was involved other then site fee's to the park, that insurance would not be needed beyond what any individual would need. you always run the chance that some knot head will be chasing "fluffy" threw the park and trip and fall into your pot of briskly boiling bean soup and burn themselves. and of course that would be your fault,,, not the "fluffy" chaser.

[D Davis]

I was so hoping to read a thread about women camping Solo. Like sharing the things we have learned and having a good time.
I have camped Solo for years. Never had a husband that enjoyed the outdoors like I do. So Solo it is my friends.... Have never felt alone in the woods too much going on to enjoy. Have made a lot of friends in the National Forest (human), know the camp ground hosts and NFS workers, Rangers etc. My hobby is photography, so I stay busy and read at night. A good Dog is nice to have.
I do Glamp, it is fun but high heels and make- up are out of the question. I have learned a lot through the years and enjoy learning from others. Never felt the need to join a group of women for a fee. So hoped this thread
was headed a different way as there is so very much experience single women could share. The good, the bad, the ugly and the funny. Just saying...

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by D Davis

I was so hoping to read a thread about women camping Solo. Like sharing the things we have learned and having a good time.
I have camped Solo for years. Never had a husband that enjoyed the outdoors like I do. So Solo it is my friends.... Have never felt alone in the woods too much going on to enjoy. Have made a lot of friends in the National Forest (human), know the camp ground hosts and NFS workers, Rangers etc. My hobby is photography, so I stay busy and read at night. A good Dog is nice to have.
I do Glamp, it is fun but high heels and make- up are out of the question. I have learned a lot through the years and enjoy learning from others. Never felt the need to join a group of women for a fee. So hoped this thread
was headed a different way as there is so very much experience single women could share. The good, the bad, the ugly and the funny. Just saying...

Hi, Sister-under-the-skin!

You've expressed my sentiments exactly.

I, too, clicked on this thread thinking I'd be tuning in to a discussion of the joys of camping man-less...but it was not to be...well, not until you chimed in!

I'm not single, but I am among those married folks that feel and act on the regular need to go off into the wilds alone. My husband does, too- no surprise to everyone that knows us...We each take several sabbaticals a year, and neither one of us has the slightest trepidation about being alone in the wilderness.

I've done this for years, even before I bought my Trillium- I used to pitch a tent but must admit that I'm now ruined for anything but bringing along my little home-away-from-home.

What say you to the proposition that we start a different thread related to our experiences as Women in The Wild, and leave this discussion to those that want to talk about liability issues for group camping?

Francesca, longtime solo camper

[Suzanna]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Donna, I would suggest that one of the first things you should do is attend a fiberglass trailer rally in your area. There are a lot more single women pulling trailers out there than what you may think. At our BC meets roughly 20/25% of those who attend are females who own their own trailers. Thats how I got hooked up with a group of about 12 women who camp together regularly and sometimes travel together in smaller numbers. If you dont know how to fix something its a good bet someone in the group does and will have the tool to fix it with them and they know how to use it. Our little group has on more than one occasion helped out a male camper in distress over a trailer problem they have as well.

Should warn you though there are pit falls to meeting up in groups as females. The stuff you need to bring on such group outings tends to get a little out of control in order to keep up with the elaborate lighting and camp table place settings etc. The occasional tow upgrade has been known to be need in order to haul all the extras.

Unlike the "Sisters" our little group doesnt have numbers or graphics on our trailers but there are other clues that you have found us if you ever head out to the Pacific Northwest on either side of the border. If you see a group of 7 or more fiberglass trailers all in the same camp ground and some of the owners are wearing somewhat unconventional camping foot wear its a good bet you have found us. Below is a sample of what to look for. This was the footwear of choose during a rain storm and the group was keeping a watchful eye out for a problem bear in the campground

This forum just keeps getting more fabulous all the time!! I can't wait to track down those shoes and maybe set a trend or two myself. Thanks for this superbly encouraging conversation. -- Suzanna B.

[pageleigh]

Diane...I am going to take my first trip to Asheville this week...I have a dog so I am not alone just anxious about my first trip..I have never changed a tire and alittle fearful of rv problems, not other people. I am planning a trip to Va. next spring...would like to visit my old neighbors in Gloucester.

M

[CarolMarie]

I have traveled alone for the last 5 years and have never really been afraid or hesitant about going. It is important to have some insurance for breakdowns on the road (luckily, I have never had one) such as Good Sam or other types. I prefer meeting friends at a place, but have been alone much of my camping life. The only time I feel a bit out of sorts is when there are all families, and it is then I realize that I am truly alone. Yes, people are friendly and often will "take me in" but I find it is also
important to enjoy the time and read my book or take walks. However, no matter where I go, there are offers to help me back in (seriously needed!), set up, etc. I accept whatever help is offered since I can always learn new ways to do things. At campgrounds, the staff is always helpful and will guide you into a site and explain the hookups. Don't be afraid to explain that it is your first trip alone - you will get all the wise and helpful advice you need. Enjoy it and you will be so proud of yourself!