Here in America, we like to toss around the word “freedom” a lot. We supposedly live in “the land of the free.”
In reality, we live in the land of the taxed and regulated — but that’s not such a catchy phrase.
Case in point: Maryland has BANNED ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION in state park campgrounds. No more frosty beer around the campfire. No more glass of wine with dinner. It may be five o’clock somewhere, but never in Maryland campgrounds.
There are a couple of exceptions. Apparently (and I am not making this up) groups can apply for a $35 permit to consume alcohol outside in a pavilion. If you have a motor home, you can cower inside with your beverage of choice; the booze gestapo stops at your door.
Sure, you may have served your country in Vietnam. Maybe you paid taxes for decades and retired after a productive career. But we can’t have you sipping a nice cabernet outside while watching the sunset, can we? No, not unless a government bureaucrat consents to sell you a $35 permit.
What’s the point of this ban? Every year, a few rude people drink too much, get noisy, and engage in boorish behavior. So instead of BANNING BOORISH BEHAVIOR, the government decided to punish everyone by banning alcohol entirely.
While we’re at it, why not ban kids? They’re noisy.
Pets? Bad for the environment.
Campfires? Too risky.
Swimming? Dangerous!
Maybe we should just go ahead and ban camping? The campgrounds would be much more quiet.
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Personally, I think the Maryland alcohol consumption ban is absurd and is another example of regulatory puritanism. If loud boorish behavior is a problem, BAN THE MISBEHAVIOR — not the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages by grown adults.
In many other nations, this sort of government encroachment on individual liberty would be UNTHINKABLE. But here in America? We just sit back and take it.
In my opinion, grown adults should be allowed to act like adults in “the land of the free.”
That’s what I think. What do YOU think?
Should alcohol be BANNED in campgrounds?
Does the law differentiate between a Motor Home and a Fifth Wheel or Travel Trailer or Truck Camper? Or is the term Motor Home inclusive of all RV’s where beer/wine can be drank inside? After all, if you are inside and have your wine, who outside would ever know about it? Unfortunately, it is just easier for politicians to make blanket laws for everybody instead of dealing with those few that are problematic. Our entire socitey has gone that way. If a few problematic folks got kicked out of camp a few times it might even teach them something about respecting the outdoors, each other, other RV’ers, etc. Wow, that would be bad, huh? I suspect this law will not be strictly enforced nor will it be limiting to those who want their alcohol at the end of the day and keep it under control. It is to target those boisterous folks and now there is a law rangers can cite. Probably no big deal for 99 percent of the campers. Sitting outside drinking beer out of a coke can, not since college.
I agree with Sean. Punish the guilty, not all. Passing a law does not make the problem go away, but it makes enforcement officials feel better about doing what they should have done in the first place; throw the inconsiderate, rowdy, rude people out of the park so the rest of us can have a pleasant outdoor experience with our family, friends, and adult beverage of our choice.
OMG!!!!! I live in Maryland I heard nothing about this…are you kidding me! The nanny state in full bloom! They tried this in the 1920’s yea……worked real good then too. Ya know Maryland is the only state with a cap and trade bill in law and you see haw well that has done for industry here too…..their running as far and as fast as they can.
Yes I do know some folks can get out of hand when drinking….a few yea but, lets not kill a good time for responsible adults . Next, you will have to equip your trailer with a hovercraft feature so as not to touch the ground you just stare in you tent or trailer and just peer through the window and admire the area. Don’t breath to much you might let out too much CO2.
Chalk one up for out lovely Gov!
Yeah, I don’t mean to be picking on Maryland, but that is the policy. As of November 1, 2009, the consumption, or possession of an open container, of an alcoholic beverage is prohibited in ALL State Park areas, including campgrounds. (A couple of exceptions — inside cabins and motor homes — so I guess they don’t do door-to-door searches yet).
Alcohol is allowed at designated picnic shelters through the purchase of an $35 “alcohol permit.”
Maryland says that several other states have similar laws. But just because one state has a dumb law doesn’t mean we want it to spread.
I’m not sure whether this is a simple money grab, or just some overanxious Barney Fife writing the laws… 😉
Hi Sean.
Me again.
Can’t really comment directly on the whole Maryland situation with any sort of “right/wrong/indignation”, or whatever.
Being a Canuck, not my place.
I do think though that those who come up with these rules don’t quite understand the relationship these days between the internet and the greater RV community. Seems like everyone and their dog is online, and if they can’t get online, then they’re all in snit.
But I’ll come back to that.
I can only comment on some of the observations I’ve made in Ontario. Never camped here in Europe, I’ve looked at some of the European idea of camping, and it seems a bit too much like “RV hell”, but maybe that’s just me.
In the Provincial Parks in Ontario, they do indeed have an alcohol ban, but only in the 10 days leading up to, and including May 24th weekend. It’s a big camping weekend, trust me.
So there must have been some boorish behaviour along the way to merit this rule. The rest of the time there are no problems. (and no ban) Maybe they figure the “regular” campers aren’t coming out then anyway? Not sure.
We also have these areas called “conservation areas”, and they can have some odd rules, one of which we encountered was “no camp fires”.
Huh? I knew ahead of time, so it didn’t come as a surprise, but since it was within the city limits of Hamilton, that was the rule. (boneheads)
We never went back. Instead, for that combination of “camping” and getting ones brains rattled, we went to Darien Lake. (there’s a water park in that Hamilton version)
It’s that whole, “voting with my pocket book” theory.
Most of the “conservation areas” have an alcohol ban, but I take along an empty cola can from the recycling, and set it right down next to my tumbler of beer, and nobody ever bothers me. Really. I smile and wave, mutter things under my breath, and take another swig of beer…(not keen on cola)
Because yes, I’m a hypocrite, and if necessary I’ll break a stupid rule. So sue me. For those who need acting lessons, they tend to stay away. More room for me.
So….getting back to the “RV people on line” situation.
A while back, the Province of Nova Scotia came up with a poorly worded law that caused quite the flurry of activity. Basically it said that even when I go and park on my brother’s farm in the Annapolis Valley, (for example) I would be in contravention of their goofy law. Seems the camp ground association (with the emphasis on the “ass” part) wanted to make sure every single RV that came into the province used their wonderful facilities.
Backfired.
RVers stayed away in droves, and took great delight in telling the Ministry of Tourism the reasons why.
Took a couple years, but they changed the law.
Pretty sure the RCMP weren’t going to enforce it anyway, but just the same, it was stupid and people stayed away.
This may happen as well in Maryland. Who knows? The purse strings are still a little tight in the recreation department, and if a family chooses to give Maryland a pass, and write to the Legislature telling them why, maybe just maybe it would be boorish behaviour that’s frowned on, whether the “demon drink” is involved or not.
Remains to be seen.
…and don’t even get me started about prohibition!
Keep those tumblers handy. Barney won’t know the difference.
Bob.
No.
But, bad behavior should be.
I agree wholeheartedly with banning / penalizing “bad behavior” (breaking quiet hours, littering, etc.). Those are separate issues, cases where individual behavior adversely affects others’ enjoyment of the campground.
It just strikes me as kind of crazy that in the United States in 2010, a responsible grown adult can’t simply enjoy a glass of wine or beer at a campsite. Thomas Jefferson loved wine — what would he say?
Having traveled overseas a bit, it’s always interesting to see how our government acts vis-a-vis other governments. While no one wants to turn campgrounds into Amsterdam (sorry, Bob ;-)) we’re talking about grown adults having the liberty to consume a beverage (and without purchasing a $35 “alcohol permit”). When you think about it, alcoholic beverages are already among the most heavily taxed goods. Now the state wants to tax for consuming also.
Of course, this law is so absurd that it may fall into the category of rarely enforced. But that’s simply evidence that the law shouldn’t have been enacted in the first place.