More Interesting RV Poll Results

Several months ago I put an article together showing the results of our weekly e-newsletter RV polls. I find it interesting to review these poll results occasionally, and think many other RVers find the poll results of a targeted RV audience interesting too. Of course the outcome of any poll depends on several factors like what type of poll it is, how the questions are presented, who is asking the questions and of course who does and does not participate in the poll.


Our weekly RV poll is not a scientific poll, a political poll or a marketing poll. It is basically used to give me some idea of what our newsletter readers are interested in, how they use their RVs and just for the fun of it.

So, here is a look back at some past polls and how the participants responded.

■ 30% of the participants have experienced problems with rodent control in their RV’s and 70% have not.

■48% have spent a night in a Wal-Mart parking lot and 52% have not. Of those, 58% asked permission to stay in the Wal-Mart parking lot and 42% did not.

■68% connect to the internet every day when traveling by RV and 32% do not. 82% experience trouble getting an internet connection on the road and 16% do not. 58% of the respondents depend on free Wi-Fi to connect, 27% used a wireless card to connect and 15% relied on other methods like paid Wi-Fi, cell phones and satellite service.

■When asked who drove the most 92% responded male, 5% female, 1% female traveling alone and 2% male traveling alone.

■74% said their RV came with a spare tire and 26 % did not get a spare when they purchased their RV.

■84% make campground reservations in advance and 16% do not.

■9% of respondents see closing state parks as a way to decrease state budgets and 91% do not.

■ 55% are currently financing their RV and 45% are not. 51% of those financed think they owe more than the RV is worth and 49% do not think they owe more than the RV is worth.

■85% of participants have an Emergency Roadside Service (ERS) plan and 15% do not.

■18% travel 200 miles or less per day during RV trips, 47% average 300 miles per day, 26% average 400 miles per day and 9% travel 500 or more miles per day.

■54% own motorized RV’s and 46% own towable RV’s.

■94% use rest stops along the way when traveling by RV and 6% do not.

■At one time or another 35% of respondents have had a damaged RV holding tank waste valve and 65% never have. Of those with damaged waste valves 58% repaired it themselves and 42% did not attempt repairs.

■36% use some type of digital line monitor to monitor campground electricity and 65% do not. 40% always test the campground wiring prior to plugging the RV in and 60% do not.

■82% check the tire pressure before each trip and 18% don’t.

■58% use checklists to perform maintenance and routine tasks on their RV and 42% do not.

■12% of the respondents have work camped before and 88% have not.

■90% said they use environmentally friendly holding tank chemicals and 10% don’t.

■63% use their RV in the winter and 37% don’t.

■70% have stayed in a friends or relatives driveway before and 30% have not.

■19% frequently stay at state or federal campgrounds, 34% stay at private campgrounds, 5% stay at public campgrounds and 42% stay at a combination of all three.

■67% use a pre-departure checklist when they RV and 33% don’t.

■98% have one or more slide outs on their RV and 2% don’t have any slide outs.

Well that brings us up to date on the poll results. When we gather more results I will keep you posted.

Happy RV Learning,

Mark Polk
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