Decided not to renew Boondockers Welcome

[AlanKilian]

I've just been threatened with gun violence by Bill in Pittsburgh in a private message where he says he is "coming after me with both barrels" if I "do him harm with malice".


I've reported the private message and I'll decide later, depending on the moderation response if this is a safe forum or if I should leave and not participate further.

[Raspy]

Originally Posted by AlanKilian

I've just been threatened with gun violence by Bill in Pittsburgh in a private message where he says he is "coming after me with both barrels" if I "do him harm with malice".


I've reported the private message and I'll decide later, depending on the moderation response if this is a safe forum or if I should leave and not participate further.

Clearly, we all need to know how this plays out. What the hell is going on?

Moderators, please respond.

[CalCop]

What the #$#$?
That's unacceptable.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by theresa p

Getting back to the original post, about Boondockers Welcome, I really appreciate the OP filling us all in on this insurance situation.



I did have a membership with this company, about 6 years ago. I found that, at the time we had it, we did not use it. No one's fault, we just didn't travel where it was required.



But, the insurance situation for hosting is a game-changer for me.

No way do I want to be potentially liable for some unscrupulous person's medical costs.



And I know that the vast majority of people would not abuse the hospitality of the host.....but it only takes 1.....you know what I mean.

BW’s insurance stipulation is the reason I did not join, either as a host or as a user. I have the 2 spots with 30 amp and water, one with 20 amp and water, and 2 off grid spots with nearby water. I have let acquaintances stay, but if it were someone I did not know, they are going to sign a consent to rules and a liability waiver. I trust the RVing/camping community, especially fiberglassers, but there are always a few rotten apples.

[David Tilston]

Boondocking can be done in a number of ways. My brother set up camp on the right of way of highway 22X, just outside of the Calgary city limits. When he set up there was a construction project in progress and he put his 40 some odd foot toy hauler behind a large pile of dirt. Eventually the dirt pile went away and there he was, for everyone to see. At one point, he was working out of town for some weeks and the folks whose property bordered on the right of way got worried that they had not seen him for a while and they called the police to do a welfare check. My brother knew that what he was doing was not technically legal, so he posted his contact information near the door of his trailer. The police called him to confirm that he was OK, and that was the end of it. Maybe Canada is more relaxed about these things.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

Boondocking can be done in a number of ways. My brother set up camp on the right of way of highway 22X, just outside of the Calgary city limits. When he set up there was a construction project in progress and he put his 40 some odd foot toy hauler behind a large pile of dirt. Eventually the dirt pile went away and there he was, for everyone to see. At one point, he was working out of town for some weeks and the folks whose property bordered on the right of way got worried that they had not seen him for a while and they called the police to do a welfare check. My brother knew that what he was doing was not technically legal, so he posted his contact information near the door of his trailer. The police called him to confirm that he was OK, and that was the end of it. Maybe Canada is more relaxed about these things.

When I was in my teens (many years ago!), you could get away with stuff in parts of the US where they now “hang you out to dry” for doing so. I would think it’s only a matter of time before things are restrictive in Canada, although the further away you are from “civilization,” the looser things are. And there are lots of places in Canada that are far from “city folks.” Not so much in many parts of the US.

[David Tilston]

I think is also a matter of luck. When I told my neighbor that story, he got very angry. It seems that he has not had interactions with the police that were quite so friendly.

[Geronimo John]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

To add to this post. Any claim against your insurane stays with you for 5 years in Colorado. .

I thought that Colorado had laws that prohibited sports enthusiasts and their insurance companies from suing a Colorado land owner for injuries incurred on their property. Would this not have prevented your insurance cost increase?

thanks.

[J.D.]

Originally Posted by Raspy

Clearly, we all need to know how this plays out. What the hell is going on?

Moderators, please respond.

Yes - Please.

[Stan and Carol]

I joined BW in January and used them on my trip to Florida in March. This was my first trip alone since my wife passed last September, and I wanted to see if I wanted to travel alone in the future. I used BW 4 times and had no complaints. The first place I picked, he was pilot and had 2 planes in a hanger behind his house, and since I had a PPL 50 years ago, we had something in common. Very interesting guy, no I did not get to go up in his planes.
The second place there was another camper that was doing the exact same thing I was doing, since he also lost his wife, so again something in common, and a very informative conversation. The right guy at the right time.
The third guy I stayed the weekend, since the State Parks were all booked, and he accepted 2 nights stay. He was retired Navy, and my son is retired Navy, but did not have too much conversation with him. He was recovering from knee replacement, so stayed in the house out of the time.
The fourth place was in a big pasture in GA., kind of my kind of place, as I used to have horses and cattle. He was very angry at a past BW person that hooked up a 50 to his 30 and blew out all his wiring. He had a half dozen hookups and it cost him a pile of money to have it repaired.
At all these places I was upfront with my intentions and why I was requesting to stay at there place. In my view the biggest upside is getting you through a booked up weekend plus interacting with the hosts.
For my first experience, I would say it was positive and will use them in the future.

[AlanKilian]

Originally Posted by J.D.

Yes - Please.

They cannot discuss issues with members publicly.

I haven't heard a thing one way or the other, so I've decided to ignore it.

Maybe it was just some hot-headedness or sayings that differ between different groups of people and should be forgiven as such.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by AlanKilian

They cannot discuss issues with members publicly.

I haven't heard a thing one way or the other, so I've decided to ignore it.

Maybe it was just some hot-headedness or sayings that differ between different groups of people and should be forgiven as such.

Calling someone a stupid jerk is against the rules here. Threatening someone with bodily harm is something entirely different and goes beyond hot-headedness. It would not surprise me if he has been permanently banned from the forum. People need to accept the consequences of their actions. One has to have thick skin to participate in an online forum, because many people with a tendency to bully others are emboldened to do so behind the protective shield of a keyboard at the end of a wire. While I do not outrightly call them a stupid jerk, you can rest assured you know what is running through my mind. In this case, I am uncertain that forgiveness is warranted without a public apology from the offender. Just my opinion.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Not a member or a host of BD but you might look at what your insurance already covers. If you aren't taking money for the site (the membership might be a gray area) likely you are already covered for any injury they incur on your property and likely for damage to their trailer as well. This likely varies by state, though and possibly by insurer as well.

[Jann Todd]

On one of these posts in an earlier forum a person said they let someone stay then they wouldn't leave and they were causing problems. Yes one bad apple spoils the whole barrel.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Bobbie Mayer

Not a member or a host of BD but you might look at what your insurance already covers. If you aren't taking money for the site (the membership might be a gray area) likely you are already covered for any injury they incur on your property and likely for damage to their trailer as well. This likely varies by state, though and possibly by insurer as well.

Even if you are covered and have to make a claim it is a ding against your insurance and then the premiums go up just like on an auto accident claim. Also after 2 claims within 5 years you have trouble getting insurance in some states.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Geronimo John

I thought that Colorado had laws that prohibited sports enthusiasts and their insurance companies from suing a Colorado land owner for injuries incurred on their property. Would this not have prevented your insurance cost increase?

thanks.

I am not aware of anything like that. Anytime you make a claim it will end up costing you more just about. I was also told that a hail claim wouldn't make problems but it made my insurance go up plus the company kicked me out when it came time for renewal. After a second claim due to a defective pipe that broke we almost couldn't get insurance. So they can do what they want to you pretty much. Someone staying on your property is not the same as a sports enthusiast like riding an ATV on your property.

[Borden]

We had a problem on family property with people driving in to camp and use the outhouse. While we were camping or away from site. They would say things like they thought it was the way into the park. Its an obvious long narrow driveway not a road into any park.

We have gone to parks with no fees or low fees that have no pwr, water, or fixed campsites that had legal camping allowed. (some rules)

We did consider any place we camped that had no hookups to be boondocking.

Liability is one reason to not want uninvited people camping on family property and it made us feel unsafe having people we do not know invade our sanctuary at anytime with there camping gear.

This does not mean we do not like to meet other campers though, that can be a part of the experience. "making friends"

[parmm]

Originally Posted by Bill in Pittsburgh

You are so correct. Brings to mind a young neighbor that was doing work for another elderly neighbor on her garage roof. He had been cautioned not to walk near the center of the roof which he did resulting in injuries. He knew he was injured due to his own fault and lack of judgement. Correctly assuming that his insurance company would likely shift partial or full liability on an innocent party that lacked the necessary insurance, he changed the narrative to him falling from his own roof.
To this day I respect the integrity of this young man. There are worse things than "white" lies.

What integrity??? There is no integrity in violating a law! What happened to honesty? He lied to his insurance company and his neighbor went along with it. Insurance Fraud like his which could be considered a felony, even a criminal felony. A perpetrator of such a felony can be sentenced to more than a year in prison, major fines, and restitution payable to the insurance provider. "Integrity" like that is why our insurance rates are so high!!!

[Borden]

Having read all the above can only say glad I live in Canada, get hurt and you go to hospital or doctor it is covered under our medical, no need to make an insurance claim.

Boondocking as described above:
Worry about travelers from US getting hurt, theft, fire liability, damage to family property, or neglectful liability problems caused by trespassers and our safety while at camping site.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by parmm

What integrity??? There is no integrity in violating a law! What happened to honesty? He lied to his insurance company and his neighbor went along with it. Insurance Fraud like his which could be considered a felony, even a criminal felony. A perpetrator of such a felony can be sentenced to more than a year in prison, major fines, and restitution payable to the insurance provider. "Integrity" like that is why our insurance rates are so high!!!

I would tend to think high insurance rates are due more to insurance company greed than claims “lacking integrity.” The company is NOT going to be on the losing end in the final analysis.

Originally Posted by Borden

Having read all the above can only say glad I live in Canada, get hurt and you go to hospital or doctor it is covered under our medical, no need to make an insurance claim.

And if you live in the US and get hurt, you go to the hospital or doctor and they file the insurance claim for you, and if you don’t have insurance, they will treat you anyway. Furthermore, you can get treated all the way across the country, even if you have been outside of your state of residence without paying extra. I am not criticizing either country’s health system. They all have shortcomings. And although it is covered under your medical, ultimately you pay dearly for it, whether it is through taxes (Canada) or insurance premiums (US). OTOH, Cuba has one of the best health care systems in the world but it is likely very few if any people on this forum would have any desire to live there.