The future of the whole Industry
Comments
-
Actually my MH is 5m long - the same as a Land Rover and nowhere near 28ft. A MH of 28ft, or about 8.5m, is a big van. 🤷🏻♂️
0 -
It certainly isn’t a competition but when someone starts a thread seeking views on a topic of which they have opinions, I expect them to post rational statements and facts to support their views. Instead, I’m getting comments of no substance and no facts are forthcoming. You seem to have a fixed idea based on nothing more than supposition and certainly aren't provoking any convincing thoughts.
For instance, tell us why we should accept what you say about LA thinking on caravans. Why then categorically state an incorrect fact about MH sizes? You’re not helping your cause by making sweeping and inaccurate statements.
2 -
Cyberchat
You need to get out and about more. I have had caravans with on-board water tanks since 1996 and it is no trouble to use a grey water container and empty it. Not having electric hook up for a night or two is no problem either. In the 1970s we would often spend the night in a convenient spot on route like many, many others. In my opinion people try to complicate their holidays with chosen pieces to try and outdo each other, particularly with Solar Panels and huge Batteries ,Gas Cylinders ect spending a lot of money to save a bit of money. . One site I use in Cornwall 75% of the Motorhomes/Campervans don't move from when they arrive to their departure, just sit in or around their vehicle depending on the weather. As I have said before there is no right or wrong way, just do it your way.
0 -
WayToGo, I'm not asking the Club to do anything. I'm asking if you, or anyone else, consider it unfair to caravanners that no provision is made for safe parking while journeying to your chosen destination, (even if that means a short overnight stop en-route), but Motorhomers are allowed to park in certain areas and overnight if need be.. Did I not make this clear ? If I mislead anyone I appologise for my lack of straighforwardness.
If I get the right responses then it may be worthwhile making my voice heard, but if not then ... I give up. It's the priniciple of the thing, ya know ?
For those with Roof Tents and those who sleep in a converted car I don't see a problem. Tenters have their own issues with taking up ground space, other than a car parking space(s)..
and ADP1963. I couldn't agree more with your attitude to caravanning. I have the caravan I chose because of what it enables me to do. Not to show off to others..
I don't envisage ever using an overnight spot in a car park en route. but I may need to park up to visit an interesting shop or a museum as we pass through a place.
It would be nice to have somewhere to park the car/caravan while we spend time there,
What I WAS asking the Club as a whole to do is reassure me that there will be enough spaces on sites for us to enjoy and not having to book it a year in advance just to make sure we have a pitch.
0 -
"What I WAS asking the Club as a whole to do is reassure me that there will be enough spaces on sites for us to enjoy and not having to book it a year in advance just to make sure we have a pitch."
That certainly did not appear to be the main point of your post, BE. It is a point that can only be addressed by the club.
0 -
It sounds to me as though you simply need to do more in terms of planning your towing journeys busyelf. We had absolutely no problems whatsoever undertaking long journeys towing our caravan from South Yorks to Cornwall, from South Yorks to Scotland, etc….. we often hopped to such places with two or three overnight stops, as well as dog walking breaks, lunch stops, and stopping off to look at something of interest. Many places of interest, NT, EH etc, have very big car parks, perfectly capable of taking a car and van with care. Supermarket car parks are easy, another good place to stop off.
Then of course there is the CL network.🤷♀️ Sites of all kinds are particularly busy at the moment, it doesn’t matter what you tour in, tent, van or MH, you might have to book an overnight stop if required. That’s not the fault of those who don’t tow a van, or the LAs.
0 -
According to Brownhills https://www.brownhills.co.uk/campervan-differences.html. there is a difference between Motorhomes and Campervans.
0 -
Brownhills? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
0 -
" I don't envisage ever using an overnight spot in a car park en route. but I may need to park up to visit an interesting shop or a museum as we pass through a place.
It would be nice to have somewhere to park the car/caravan while we spend time there"
There are hundreds of places where you can safely do just that - they're called CLs - we used to use them all the time to break long journeys. Hope that solves your dilemma!
3 -
We are the same, a very small MH we call a camper, but like you, we still have a caravan. And we even used a tent up to 2019. Managed overnight stops and lunch breaks and sight seeing with every outfit. We started with a micro camper…….🤣
0 -
You are obviously not aware of the history of the Brownhills companies.
Good point from WTG above.
1 -
I had no idea they had written the Janet and John Book of Touring🤣
1 -
Same here and still evolving.😁 Didn’t do the VW splitty, but we currently have a nice AS VWT4. It’s doubled up as a day van when we stay in cottages as well……and, we had the caravan in tow when we stopped in a log cabin at Carradale. That took some parking🤣
Yup, you don’t look for problems, you sort out solutions when touring👍
0 -
It's not that, WTG, I said if there was enough to go on I would pursue the matter further. Obviously you are all content with the Status Quo so I will not need to take this any further. .
I never said caravanners were 2nd Class Travellers, It just seemed to me that we are treated as such by the fact that Motorhomers/Campervanners get the priviledges.
Yes you are right, TW I don't know about Brownhills. We did look at motorohoimes when we considered getting back into the 'Great Outdoors', but were put off by their compactness, for our budget, and none of the layouts were suitable for our needs. so we never got into that area. A Caravan offered us much more scope for the money. I only quoted them as a 'Leading Dealer' of Motorohomes and Leisure Vehicles. Or so I thought.
0 -
Although we are all caravaners, motorised or otherwise, we must acknowledge the fact that each variant is subtlety different and brings with it a potential for slightly different approaches to usage. These differences amount to the choices and compromises we make in and about our much loved pastime. Some of us find solutions to the compromises and some will see that niche market in providing opportunities to profit from our needs. This is not a question of one section being treated unfairly or given special privileges, it’s about us weighing up the advantages and disadvantages of each, making a choice, paying your money and going on to make the most of ‘it’!
However, I really do think the future of the industry as a whole has much bigger considerations and fish to fry beyond this which will in my opinion alter the pastime radically.
1 -
"I never said caravanners were 2nd Class Travellers, It just seemed to me that we are treated as such by the fact that Motorhomers/Campervanners get the priviledges".
As many have said we all 'camp' in a way that suits us and personally dont see the type of stopover you describe as being a privilege.
Its easy to get a bit of tunnel vision when considering what does, or may, suit ourselves, but when others view things its most likely not from the same perspective you had and can appear to be just a lot of negative comment.
0 -
You make very valid points AD. We certainly didn’t feel discriminated against when we towed. It’s somewhat unrealistic to expect parking to be as easy with a 12 metre long rig as a much shorter MH. You just plan round it.
In our case we find the advantages of the MH far out way the extra space, use of a car etc. As you say it’s all about personal choice.
Brownhills is OK for a look see. Although there are other places locally I would go to buy.
0 -
ADP wrote "You need to get out and about more. I have had caravans with on-board water tanks since 1996 and it is no trouble to use a grey water container and empty it. Not having electric hook up for a night or two is no problem either. In the 1970s we would often spend the night in a convenient spot on route like many, many others."
I thought one of the main complaints about caravans was the paltry payload. Water whether fresh or grey weighs and hiking a full wastemaster into the van/car would probably entail an on-board osteopath.
AD mentioned a bucket but it still requires emptying. I was under the impression that the discussion initially was about parking up where there were no facilities at all. Having gone through the thread I'm now not entirely sure what anyone is on about.
0 -
Why do you own a caravan or motorhome/campervan? It is to have the freedom to go places and visit attractions that match your personal preferences. I think it is fair to say, that in the UK, a caravan facilitates this far easier than a motorhome/campervan because the biggest problem of owning a motorhome/ campervan in the UK is the lack of parking spaces to do so. The caravan owner, once pitched, has the towing vehicle to easily visit local places and attractions, the motorhome/campervan owner does not unless they tow a car or the van is small enough to avoid height barriers and fit in car parking slots.
So who is really being favoured? I would suggest it is not the motorhome/campervan owner. It is the motorhome/campervan owner who is actually being treated unfairly.
The opening up of parking areas to motorhomes/campervans (the creation of aires) will actually help relieve the pressure on campsites for pitches and, along with increased policing of parking policies, help prevent inappropiate parking. Managed correctly, this should be a win win situation for both the local areas and the van owners.
peedee
0 -
Cyberchat
like all vehicles depends on the size and their payloads .I don't fill to the top with water . As you were a seafarer like myself you will know what a a Zodiak MK1 GT and an Evinrude 25 HP weighs, that also went in the caravan and was legal. My caravan ? a Lunar Delta .......others are available. All about planning and distribution = stability. When I was younger and a Sales Rep, I was not able to choose an appropriate car, those years are long ago and so my car is a large 4x4 that can tow my caravan and pull Motorhomes/Campervan's off pitches they have become stuck on and happy to help as it is not us and them.
0 -
I agree SteveL, it's not easy parking a car+caravan in a car park. but I have done it a few times while we went for a meal at the nearby Pub/restaurant. No one objected either. But parking overnight might be a different situation, on a private car park.
Sleeping in a car is not illegal on the public road.(local parking restrictions aside), and I can if needed park my car+caravan sensibly by the side of the road and sleep in the caravan legally as long as it's still attached to the car and I don't put a leg down or put a chair outside my 'van.(it's the difference between being 'parked' and 'camping').
I reality I would much prefer to be on a site, or special place set aside for such parking much the same as a Motorhomer.
What annoys me is the fact that provision is made for Motorhomers and campervanners but not for Caravanners.
Better still, I'd be on a proper caravan site with everything hooked up and in running order.
0
