“What it means to be part of our Club”
Comments
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TW, I hadn’t really took much notice until this thread, flashing Avatars are all over the place, on page 1 there is-Johnny 57, Peedee & Cholsey Grange. Is it just the speed or the brightness too?🤔. I see/hear warnings on TV programmes of flashing lights I guess that’s a similar issue to these animated Avatars.
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I’m not sure if it’s the brightness combined with the speed, Rocky, but certainly I find CG’s avatar intolerable. I don’t mind the others too much as they’re slower but other folk may find them a problem. There’s another of a reversing lorry (Keith & Margaret?) and that, too is pretty fast.
I would expect in this day and age with warnings of flash photography frequently carried on news items, that people would be a little more aware of the problems encountered by some and act responsibly.
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I have changed my picture to a simple one. I hope it works and apologise to those I have upset.
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Thankyou, Ted. It’s not so much upset as a health hazard.
I’m still seeing the flashing images and will have to clear my cache to be rid of it.
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I think anyone who has been around the ‘club’ for any length of time, and that probably applies to most on here, realises after a very short time that the ‘Clubs’ priority is the Club and the money making ventures they are involved with. I have no problems with that because that’s what businesses do- all I ask is for a bit of honesty.
The regular readers of the forum will know that I am a 100% off grid caravanner and as such, use non EHU sites such as Newton Grove- Johnny57s site. To do so, and to be able to use the full range of kit on board, I have invested in certain technologies that permit me to do that.
Last February, I met with a representative of the editorial department, swapped phone numbers etc after I had been informed that the club would be very interested in interviewing me and doing a photo shoot and writing an in depth article for the ‘benefit of the members’ It was to be out in September. I waited!
Recently I checked with the reporter involved as I thought the time was pushing on. I was told that it was all done and dusted- that the reporter herself had gone off grid for....wait for it.... 6 days- yes -SIX days and had got all the information she required! Really?? The point I am trying to make here is that instead of an in-depth article covering, exploring and explaining the use of modern batteries, electronics and power sources such as SPs and refillables, we are now to be subjected to the same old same old that no doubt all of us have done at sometime in the past! So who loses out here? I think certainly from an interest point of view for the average reader but also I have to say- non EHU sites have lost out and at a time when the loss of them is quite disturbing.
Now one can argue that most people wouldn’t go down the road that I have chosen and I would heartily agree- but some will look at the possibilities and possibly want to try it even if it’s not the full monty that I have done . Is that the reason the article hasn’t been published as promised?? I have said for many years that the ‘Club’ is not an all inclusive club and the non EHU members miss out in particular. That doesn’t worry me- what worries me is the fact that the ‘Club’ could do so much more to try to ensure footfall to non EHU sites. After all, it was the CL network that attracted me, and no doubt thousands of others, in the first place.
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Merve, good honest helpful post as usual. It is a missed opportunity to wear the ‘inclusive’ badge with pride-sadly missed☹️
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Hi David. Thanks for your reply. Already done mate. Email went off yesterday. If the CMHC can’t see what they have in the enthusiasm of their members then someone else will. I’m not trying to ‘convert’ anyone but if the knowledge is not there in the first place how can people make educated choices? It amazes me, the people I meet and talk to. I don’t wish to be derogatory here but the level of ignorance about their hobby is amazing! The folk on the forums are far more knowledgeable than the average Joe. They are the ones that seek out knowledge through others and offer knowledge to others- long live the forums!
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Is Off Grid what the Motorhomers in the lay by call Wild Camping?
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Thanks Rocky- I find it so frustrating at times that the very instruments that are there for the very reason of imparting knowledge, like the Mag , are not utilised to the full. I do hope they don’t title this excuse of an article’Back to Basics’ - that would be the final insult!
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Thank you for your feedback. Certificated Locations (CLs) are very important to both members and the Club alike. We give regular coverage to these small gems of sites in the magazine each month, not least in the 9-page main UK touring article where three CLs are featured along with four Club sites. You may also have noticed that we regularly recommend CLs as places to stay in the 'Activity Breaks’ articles. We also hope to publish a special article on CLs in a forthcoming issue of the magazine – so watch this space!
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Merve, I'd disagree with ETs 'definition'....
and apart from someone having a cuppa, I've never seen a MH overnighting in a layby....why would they?
if a MHer doesn't want to use a site, there are many other, much nicer places to stopover (some expensive, some cheap, many free) without parking in a layby.....a woody glade, a seafront area yes...laybye, no thanks.
and let's face it, the U.K. has some of the nicest, cleanest, well cared for, well set back from the roads laybys in Europe....not.
You (and we) have plenty of off grid camping experience and I'm sure none of it has anything to do with laybyes...
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I’d disagree with Andy from RoadPro’s comment. Lithium common? I’ve not heard of or met one single Motorhomer with a lithium battery. Anyone here got one in a MH?
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"and apart from someone having a cuppa, I've never seen a MH overnighting in a layby....why would they?"
Sorry to have to disagree with you BB (well I did agree about something the other day so just to restore the natural order of things!
) We travel frequently from home down to Cornwall, leaving home at 6 to arrive down here at 9. Several of the lay bys on the A30 have more than 1 MH parked up on them and clearly not just stopped for a cuppa because they have those silver windscreen covers on!0 -
Good to hear this is proposed, but I hope the article includes some basic long established CLs, as well as those with lots of facilities. By basic I mean the hook up and one tap variety, or even those without hook ups. There are still an awful lot of folks out there using such sites and happily enjoying caravanning as it used to be. We know because we meet lots of folks like us, of all ages, and it’s a regular conversation about how fancy (and expensive) CLs are becoming.
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M, perfectly fine to disagree (have ones own opinion)....
my question remains....why? when there are (almost always) other much nicer (non site) spots to rest up .....
im sure 'wild campers' would have selection of places to settle down, from similar sources, again, that doesn't involve laybys...
i don't doubt you seen folk using them, but unlikely to be those 'in the know', merely somone pretty desperate for a break, perhaps?
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You're asking the wrong person that question. For many years now we've used CLs to break our long journeys - that's towing obviously. I was just pointing out that there are clearly many MHers who choose to park up in those lay-bys; just an observation - there are also a few vans doing likewise. Can't think of anything worse, personally!
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Maybe, but as M says, not for us...especially when there are so many other (free) options available...
I'm sure God didn't create MHs to park in laybyes...
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We have used one or two cherry picked lay-bys in the last thirty years of touring, the sort set well back off road in an ox bow. But never fully overnighted, just done a few hours shut eye. Horrendous now, full of huge HGVs who frankly have little respect for anything other than fellow HGVs, it no longer something we would do. There is however quite a nice pull in just off the A30 heading South, at a place called Temple. It’s a proper pull in, not a drive through, so rarely gets big HGVs. It used to be our last break heading to Marazion with van, but never a sleeping place. Good little stop for giving dogs a leg stretch and having a cuppa. It used to have a resident Greasy Spoon that was ok, but we haven’t used this route for last five years or so, so not sure if it is still open.
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Simple, times.
Went to Cornwall Saturday, stopped overnight Chapel Lane CMC arrived 1.30 pm, Sunday onwards at 8am.
Return trip, layby. Leaving Cornwall 6pm, pulling in around 11pm. Onwards to York 6am. Cant use LNA, gone before we can pay!
Plus already picked a suitable layby, why not, have a caravan, its equipped.
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And we've seen the same on our recent tour around Scotland.
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