What's up with the gate barriers at Walmart? Do they just not want me to drop by there with my trailer to stock up any more? If that is the case my dollar spends just as well at Target. Have they had too many semi's or overnight campers or something? The one here cannot put a barriar at all the entrances, because it is shared by too many other stores, but the one that only goes to them has about a 10 foot clearance overhead bar.
I had heard something about them doing this but I assumed only on the interstates and major highways. This one is not.
I used to drop by on the way out of town to stock up on groceries and such. Too bad, I'm gonna miss 'em.

Check with the powers that be in the community you live in and you'll likely find the culprit. Probably egged on by local RV Park owners. That's the usual case.
Dave
As to your comment in your signature, never has it been so evident as today, yesterday and probably tomorrow. What a waste of good oxygen.

Yes, it may be that the local municipality (town, county, whatever) made it illegal to park overnight at anything other than an RV park. We just ran into the same thing in Durango, CO... we've stayed in their lot before, pulled in a couple of months ago, went to sleep, woke up to a nice orange note on the coach quoting the new town ordinance... no more overnight parking anywhere but an RV park. At least they were pleasant and didn't wake us up and make us move! I always call first these days...

Brenda, of...

This may not be anything other than a safety issue. The WalMart near our place has a lot by itself, but with two driveways. One is at the bottom of a small hill and it has the same thing you describe - a height restrictive pipe structure. This keeps trucks and large vehicles out of this drive to avoid problems at the top where the drive enters the lot and levels out. It also keeps large vehicles from exiting at an intersection that would be unsafe for traffic on the main road.
In the fall and spring, there are a lot of RVs in the lot each night, but they enter from a light controlled intersection at a better location.

I sure would hate to see a great RV resource like Wal Mart disappear. We have to police ourselves to make sure we dont wear out our welcomes. Remember its only an overnight stop, not a campground.

Well if they're rated for 10', I can still slip in without a problem. Camper on the truck, I max out height-wise at 10. I've been known to go into parking garages frome time to time when driving around with the camper loaded if there's enough clearance.

quote:

Remember its only an overnight stop, not a campground.

The only time I have been in a WalMart lot with my rig is just long enough to purchase supplies. I once did repair my tow light connector plug (with parts bought in the WalMart) while parked in their lot. They are not the only game in town (any town) and if they want to place hanging barriers below my 12'6" clearance I can do my shopping elsewhere. I have noticed, either by chance terrain characteristics or intentional design, many of their new stores have parking lots that are extremely difficult for a rig to get into regardless of hanging barriers.

I think it has to be a local problem. Last I heard, WalMart was encouraging RV'ers to park there overnight. They figure (on average) that when an RV'er spends the night in their parking lot, they will spend an average of over $200 if they are at a SuperCenter.

I really doubt it is a local gov thing. There are no RV parks around that would benefit. I'm pretty rural with my fiver in a fenced field next to my house. Neighbors have various animals, motor homes, etc. So no HOA around here. The nearest place to stay is state park 30 miles away. So I have no idea what is driving Wally World.

ask the manager at the store.

its amazing what you can find out with a simple telephone call.