Archive for March, 2005

>JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Campground owners here want the city to outlaw free overnight camping for recreational vehicles at the Wal-Mart parking lot, city parks and elsewhere.

The Police Committee voted unanimously on Thursday to recommend that the City Council draft an ordinance to regulate RV parking.

Charlie Tanata, owner of a 60-space campground, complained to the committee about the number of RVs parked in the Wal-Mart parking lot each night. He said that hurts business at private campgrounds.

Tanata said the Buffalo Mall prohibits overnight parking. Mall officials outlawed overnight parking after Tanata and another campground owner complained about the practice.

“We asked Wal-Mart to do the same and they laughed at us,” Tanata said. Full Story…

>L.H. Boots, a retired Oklahoma rancher and oil man, enjoys traveling to Wyoming rodeos and Arizona horse sales in his $350,000 motor coach and he isn’t about to let fuel prices of more than $2 per gallon spoil his fun.

“At my age, I’m going to do what I’m going to do,” said the 90-year-old Boots, whose motor home was among about 6,000 parked at this week’s Family Motor Coach Association’s 73rd International Convention.

RV enthusiasts like Boots are one reason spiraling fuel prices have yet to put the brakes on the sales and use of gas-guzzling recreational vehicles. Full Story…

>Federal regulators said Wednesday they are investigating more than 3.7 million Ford Motor Co. pickups and sport utility vehicles because of a defect in a cruise control switch that already has led to a recall.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it would examine Ford F-150 pickups from the 1995-1999 and 2001-2002 model years, and Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators from the 1997-1999 and 2001-2002 model years.

Ford said the cruise control switch could short circuit and cause an engine compartment fire when the vehicle is parked or driven, even if cruise control is not in use.

Agency officials said they have received 218 complaints of engine fires from the cruise control switch in those models. No injuries or fatalities have been reported.