Securing Permission
It will be obvious that the camper should not camp or even park his car on or in front of private property without asking permission of the owner or occupant of such property. Of course, where the motor camper is in a wild and uninhabited region it may not be practicable to seek permission, and in such a case he may take a chance on trespassing. But as a rule this cannot be advised as either right or wise.
So many motor campers in the past have abused the hospitality of farmers by carelessly and even wantonly breaking down shrubbery, leaving rubbish, injuring trees and otherwise comporting themselves as nuisances that in some sections the farmers are hostile to the motor camper and so the decent, law-abiding man has to suffer for the sins of the vandal. [[81]]
Notwithstanding the abuse of hospitality on the part of some motor campers, the good citizen and gentleman will not find it difficult to deal with the average farmer, who will be as quick to appreciate fair and courteous treatment as he is ready to resent the misconduct of those who abuse his hospitality.
In some communities where there are no public facilities for motor campers schoolhouse yards are available or church grounds and sheds. Naturally the schoolhouse sites will be available only during vacation time, or outside of school hours.
The motor camper who is content to follow the beaten ways and the main highways need, as a rule, not go far to find a municipal camping park. The tabular list of these parks, given elsewhere, will indicate in the main the privileges and facilities offered by each of these parks. In the great majority of cases, even where no fee may be charged, the motor camper is required to register and secure permission to camp.
Most of the municipal motor-camping parks have facilities for cooking. Where there are no fireplaces other provision is likely to be made. Gas ranges with quarter meters are found provided at many camping parks. Sometimes wood stoves are at the service of the motor camper, and free fuel.
The question of water supply is very important. The municipal camping parks usually provide city water which is almost sure to be safe. The water from the wayside well with the old oaken bucket may seem safe, and may be cool and sparkling. But [[82]]farmers are entirely too careless about the location of the house or barn well with reference to the barnyard and the manure pile for such sources of water supply to be used without careful examination. Furthermore, the farmhouse itself may be a source of peril to health because the family well may receive the drainage of a leaky or overflowing cesspool. Or there may be no toilet within doors and the outdoor privy may stand on higher ground than the well with dangerous results.