I can't really give you a reason, but I can share your pain. I had a man come to my campsite at 9:30p.m. last year and tell me that the light from my campfire (the only light in my campsite) was keeping him awake and I had to put it out. He then went back to his motorhome, with lights and windchimes hanging all over the awning, and continued running his generator till almost midnight to keep his air-conditioner and tv going. Then we were awakened at 7:30 the next morning, by his 15 point turn trying to get out of his campsite. Sometimes, I think the walls of my tent must be thicker than the walls of those motorhomes if what I'm doing is so annoying to them.

That's one of the reasons we prefer camps that have non-electric areas. We camp there instead of in the middle of lights and AC units and radios and TVs. Just personal preference.

Yeah, usually we camp in non hookup sites which keeps us away from the RV's. The camp trip where I saw the light so to speak was a last minute, throw the stuff in, lets go, kind of trip and we had to take what was available for sites. :0)

One time, we were camped at a camper show, on concrete pads, and our musical group was playing inside the local mall! We were standing around in front of one trailer, practicing, when some self-important goof started his large, noisy generator, which made it very hard to practice our music!
So, we asked him to turn it off, but got haughtily informed they needed the generator to cook and use the micro-wave and TV, and air conditioning!
Well, after several attempts to have him shut it off, we solved the problem! A large raw potato, stuffed up the exhaust of the generator, and pushed in further with a broom handle, served to discourage him, so he packed up and went home!
another "bore" came to a bluegrass festival, put on by the local fire company. He had a large 5th. wheel trailer, and in the front compartment, under the overhang/towing area, he had a large noisy generator, which ran most of the time! So, i put on my "dress up" firemens jacket from our fire company, not the one there, and went and knocked on the trailer door. I told them to either shut it off, turn the rig around, or leave! Didn't take very long to see the trailer being turned around, so that noise was sent out into a vacant farm field!
As for the trailer awning lights, wait until they are in bed, then go pull out the main plug! After several times of that, the guy will either get the message, or lose a lot of sleep over it!

Even at home, I keep all outside lights off unless I need them briefly for something I am doing or I am expecting guests momentarily.

There's enough light pollution around without lighting up--for god's sake--campgrounds. The night sky is disappearing almost everywhere, and it is a real loss.

There's a fad for the RV'ers, where they string Christmas tree type lights around the awning of their camper (called "tacky-lights"), I guess maybe expressing their joy of being camping, but irritate me when they leave them on all night. Another reason for wanting to find the more remote camp sites and camping areas!

I do use a kerosene lantern for after dark and setting around the campfire - just enough light to keep you from stumbling over something away from the light of the fire. The Coleman gas lantern is just too bright for use after the evening chores are done.

Dale

Cheers, all;

After tent camping in primtive sites for years, but after starting a family, we now have a popup. We specifically select electric sites. I do not use natural fuel lanterns anymore, which put out quiate a bit of light. We use tacky-lights to see around the immediate awning area. This is about 40 watts. We do not use the "porch light" built into the popup, and turn off lights wwhen we retire.

If we want it darker, we will go primitive or semi-primitive. In my opinion only, that what the sites are there for. I believe generators should be banned from modern/electric and semi-primitive sites. If you want the ammenities, go to electric sites or go in true primitice forests, away from neighboring campers.

With the trailer/MH explosion, lights are going to be a "given" in electric campgrounds.

Lights might be a "given" but they do NOT need to be left on all night, there's just no need.

I've camped both primitive and in electric campgrounds. My feeling is that in an electric campground, the "tacky lights" are just part of the culture, even left on all night. Of course there are some who go overboard. The campsite behind us on Memorial Day weekend was one - huge multi-colored tiki lights all along their RV awning, all night.

We just put a little strand of white mini-lights around our screen room. They dress the place up but don't put out a lot of light. I think that's reasonable.

Another way to look at it as security lights! Some folks aren't comfortable with darkness, which is why they light up the exteriors of their houses all night. We don't, but we do have motion sensor lights. That might be an option for security-conscious folk in campgrounds, but with all the raccoons and skunks around, might as well have them on all the time! :)

Oh, I had forgotten this one. We stayed at a campground a couple years ago while in another town for a wedding. At about 10 pm, a family came in and took the site 2 over from us. They proceeded to set up 3 large tents and hang tarps from one end of their campsite to the other. Completely covered it! Then they set up a table and put a 27 inch tv on it that they left on all night as a night-light. At least they turned off the sound. The next day, they tied their 2 dogs up, one in each of the neighboring sites, and left them there, barking, all day, in 95 degree heat, to discourage anyone from taking the sites beside them. I reported them to the ranger but it turned out they were cousins of the manager so nothing was done about it. And my husband prefers that my daughter and I go to private parks because they're "safer" than state parks. Ha!

I have never had trouble in the campground where I work and spend the summer! No electric after 11 pm and no generators allowed. Noise rules strictly enforced! Very very dark! For even more remote camping you could go out miles along the lake into a site accessible by boat only!

I agree that a lot of lights would bother me if they were lighting up my site. Tacky lights don't bother me but I don't use them either. I think a candle on the picnic table works great for us after dark! If we're playing games or cooking a propane lantern is fine.

I would have really bummed out if I couldn't have a campfire at 9:30, too. I like the idea of a time in the evening where everything ceases. Great idea.
I would think all those "tacky lights" would draw a lot of bugs, too.

My "beef" is with those who light bright Coleman lanterns and simply leave them on even though the light isn't really needed. These lanterns are incredibly bright! While that is nice when the light is needed for work, it is almost blinding even a few camp sites over.

Please feel free to use the lanterns when needed, but please turn them off when done!!

Well we are one of those RV's with "tacky lights" on them. I have white christmas lights that I use on my awning. I use them basically so that I can see at night time, but I have never left them on all night.

We leave ours on while we are outside cooking or eating, but when we go in at night to bed we always unplug them.

Personally I don't know what's worse, a noisy RVer or a bluegrass band practicing while I'm trying to enjoy the outdoors. That's why I only camp at backpack or hike-in sites. That way you get the full experience of being with Mother Nature. No music, no cars, no kids, televisions or microwaves. Just the breeze, the waves, the songbirds, and me. But to each his own.