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Agree or Disagree? WiFi in Campgrounds

Read this article here.

Let’s get some thoughts on this.

Do you feel that wireless Internet should be available within camping grounds?

10 replies on “Agree or Disagree? WiFi in Campgrounds”

That is so lame. Get a life people. The earth will not stop turning if you don’t check your e-mails and favourite websites for a weekend or even a week. The whole point of going camping is to get away from all of that.

Michael Losier

The only point that I am willing to concede on are the ones surrounding the benefits of using internet for safety purposes, to be able to get weather information or contact the real world in the event of catastrophe.

For all other intensive purposes, this is feeding the perception that we need to be connected at all times, and that our absence from our emails is some how going to be paramount to a catastrophe. I think that everyone needs to take a minute and check their pulse, and while they are at it, become more humble about their contributions to the world. Besides, a vacation is supposed to be a vacation from work, and for those that don’t want it, there are many more of us out there that do.

I have to think, where would I rather be handling on call, replying to email’s, or IM’ing from?

I can do it at a desk inside, or I can go outside with Jennie (dog) and throw her toys around at the same time…

I definitely prefer to do it outside (like I do in my back yard/field on occasion), I don’t take the laptop out every time I go out back, but if I am doing something on the laptop that I want to finish, I like going outside to do it out there.

If I were at a campsite, and I have some time to spare, I would like to go online and chat with my parents from a camp chair in front of the water, to see how building the house is going.

My lame life aside, I think the point of camping for me is to relax and enjoy myself, not to get away from technology.

My pet peeve is when people bring their TV’s so they don’t have to entertain their children and then play it so loud that everyone in the campground can hear it.

What, did I see that right Matt? You don’t take your laptop everywhere!

You should go to the places I’ve been, Dial up is still the rage in some of these places!

I strongly believe that there is no place for wireless access in campgrounds. Imagine for a moment getting up with the sunrise, listening to waves running up the beach and echoing under a dock. Probably one of the most peaceful scenes you can imagine. Now imagine this scene being interrupted by a distinctive “uh-oh”, indicating an incoming message, followed by incessant clatter of keyboard typing.

What we are encountering now is what some might call a new form of pollution. Much like an old rusty can of pop on the ground is an indication that you really haven’t gotten that far away from people and civilization, the wireless access points serve as a constant reminder that you really aren’t cut off from the world; there is no escape from the so-called civilized world.

I’d also like to bring a counter-point to the argument that internet can be used in emergency situations, or to get some vital information. The word (or words of the day) is Frequency-modulation and Amplitude-modulation. That’s right, the old AM-FM radios can broadcast this information much more efficiently than the internet, specially if we are talking about a world-wide catastrophe since the internet will most likely become flooded with people seeking information and useless in these occasions. In the odd chance that there are no radio transmission in the park, that’s where there’s an information booth. It is the job of the park officials to ensure the safety of all campers. They can inform you on weather reports or warnings.

As for Matt, I understand where you wouldn’t want to have your movement restricted when on call, but then again, I don’t want YOUR work to interfere with MY vacation.

…..that’s all I have to say about that.

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