It's been a really long drive. The kids have been alternately driving you crazy asking, "Are we there yet?" and fighting with each other.  You're tired, you're cranky, and all you want to do is get to the campground, find your site, get set up, and then kick back and relax before you lose your sanity completely.

Finally, you arrive at the campground - woo-hoo! - and after registering, you start the search for your campsite.  You're excited, because it won't be long, now, until you can kick back and relax and let the kids go and run off some of their pent-up energy.  So, when you finally get to your site, the last thing you want to have to deal with is the noisy neighbors you hear blasting their music and partying like it's 2099.

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It's unfortunate, but this kind of thing happens all the time - especially at the start of long weekends.  The lack of respect for other campers really puts a damper on the whole visit - and it doesn't make the campground managers look very good, either, especially if it happens a lot.

We've lost count of how many times our campouts have been ruined by rowdy and disrespectful campers, and with the camping season about to officially kick off in less than a month, we figure the time is right to give you a crash course on camping etiquette.

1.  Remember that not everyone likes your music. Turn it down so you can hear it, but the rest of the campground - including your neighbors - won't.

2.  If you really must drink, have at least one non-drinking person around to monitor noise and initiate a reasonable cut-off time for the booze.

3.  "Quiet time" starts at 11pm - no exceptions.

4.  Dispose of your garbage properly - don't just leave it laying around outside the bin for someone else to dispose of. No one who's stuck camping near those bins appreciates being hounded by wasps and hornets that found that garbage and decided to extend their feast.

5.  Think about how you would feel if the tables were turned before you start blasting your music and getting wasted.

6.  Don't let your kids go wandering through other people's campsites. That's just plain rude, not to mention disrespectful.

7.  Don't let your dogs, cats, or other pets wander loose. Not only is that disrespectful to other campers, but there are some people (kids included) who are terrified of certain animals, and an off-leash pet - no matter how friendly they are - can cause real trauma to someone who's afraid of them.

8.  If you see your neighbor having trouble with something, offer to help them. You don't have to become best friends; just be a good camping neighbor and help them out.  You would want the same treatment if you were in trouble.

9.  When having a campfire late at night, keep your voices down when you're talking with your friends or family members.

10.  Last - but certainly not least - never, ever leave your campfire unattended. Just because it's burned down low doesn't mean it's safe for you to go to bed or take a walk, or anything else that means leaving it.  PUT IT OUT!  It only takes a good gust to catch sparks and pull them into the trees or drop them onto dry grass and set things aflame.  So, PUT IT OUT!

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Camping is supposed to be a fun-filled, relaxing adventure for everyone. So, be good campers and follow the Campers' Golden Rule:  If you don't want it being done to you, don't do it to anyone else.

This has been a public service announcement from The Camper. Thankyou for your time.