New rule regard'g caravan parking either way round
When I parked on site and set up my caravan, awning and chairs, we sat down to relax and within half an hour a caravan pulled up on the next pitch and set up facing us with not a care in the world.
Unlike our opposite we like our privacy and did not sit out for the rest of our week.
This has also happened to my brother and family and another caravaning friend.
As we all do not agree with this new rule except on certain sites with beautiful views, we will be reviewing our membership for next year.
Other opinions on this please.
Comments
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It’s not a new rule, it has been the case since before we joined in 2005. Although I believe there were a few sites where it wasn’t permitted. I assume you would have those with continental vans always put them on hitch first. Difficult if they don’t have a power mover. Our MH is a continental design and although we normally put it on nose first, as it generally aids levelling. On those pitches that slope the other way, we welcome the fact we are able to reverse on and don’t have an issue in facing our neighbours.
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It's not a new rule, I can't recall exactly but certainly five years old plus, or even 10?
It doesn't bother me, in fact hasn't bothered me, in the slightest. With respect I can't understand this privacy angle (pun intended) at all but if it's important enough for you then the only thing is to avoid club sites as it's very unlikely it will change nor are privacy hedges going to spring up. At least on club sites you'll be at least 3m from some part of your neighbours and 6m from their outfit.
Having said that it's often posted that non club sites are even less rule bound in regards to pitching and it might be worse somewhere else. You would have to find a site that fitted your requirements somehow?
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I can't see what you are on about from your description. With so many caravans, especially motor caravans, having doors on what some consider the "wrong" side there is no way any one individual can avoid having to look at the caravan next to them - unless, perhaps, you persuade the Club to arrange sites so that caravans are pitched nose-to-tail.
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Hello E9, I have seen-‘vertical privacy screens’ 4 metres x 2 metres. On sites in use so they are out there. Check on line & you will find them. I perfectly understand your need for privacy, caravanning is not just for those who want to holiday cheek by jowl with their neighbours. Good luck with your search & don’t give up on the hobby you love👍🏻
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We nearly bought a Carlight Caravan back in the 1990’s. That had two doors, one either side. Mind blowing for some if we had and took it to a Club Site. Nowadays with the MH, it all depends which is the flattest, drive in, or reverse in.
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While parking a certain way around is up to the individual, it's often the case that, due to the position of the peg, there is more space on one particular side and to 'enjoy' that space, it make sense to have your door on that side...
deciding to go nose in with a continental van (MH or caravan) usually achieves this....
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As others have said it's not a new rule. Some owners do not have a mover and own a van with the door on the "wrong side". They may have a pitch with a less than favourable view. It is not a cut and dry situation.
In an ideal world this scenario could not arise if sites were planned to allow a cross pitch location of the van, but I cannot see that happening.
Caravanning is about being outside and not cosseted in a hermetically sealed 5 star hotel. A certain amount of compromise is to be expected. As an example I for one do not believe it is in any way acceptable to have dogs barking on site. It is a sign of poor animal husbandry and a lack of respect for your neighbour, but that's just my opinion. I have to accept the situation as I do a radio or TV a little loud occasionally, or the smell of fish on a BBQ.
The space I rent on site is not mine and I'm sure my actions and yours are not perfect all of the time.
Colin
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Morning
I'm in year 14 of working for the club. In all that time it has been perfectly acceptable to pitch nose in or nose out, the decision purely down to the member. That's not changing just yet.
At times we do get the odd request for a pitch with some privacy and we try to advise of available pitches for that like an end of a row of vans or a corner where you'll only get one neighbour, so a word with the site staff might help.
It does seem a bit harsh to leave the club because of lack of privacy though. Why not carry a windbreaker?
JK
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On some Club sites, in some situations, there is no hope of privacy. Choose carefully.
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We aren’t bothered if someone parks up facing us, but in terms of Club Sites, we switched to CLs years ago to get some space.
Camping is about toleration though in many respects. It’s something all sorts of folks do under all sorts of choices, and in all sorts of accommodation. The Club is very much at the regimented, pitch up by certain rules end of the spectrum, so hardly requires much more in terms of “thou shalt do” type of management. All for that that keeps folks safe, but let folks bring their own barriers, mental or physical.🤷♀️
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In your photo I can only see one unit parked (a motorhome) so their door and possibly awning are facing their neighbour, the only one with no respect of their neighbours personal space, unless they are together in which case I find that perfectly acceptable and there is nothing in that photo that should offend.
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I can’t agree with the thought that parking with doors facing is having no respect for one's neighbour, Arch. Respect is surely more to do with how one behaves around the unit than which side one enters and exits the van.
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The OP and some supporting comments make me realise why I prefer to use CLs.
We returned from our last CL last week where 2 of us were parked sideways with another unit between us parked nose in with 2 others parked normally opposite the 3 of us. Everyone was exceedingly friendly. It's like that a lot of the time.
Is it just that the clientele that use CLs regularly are more laid back? Maybe. I do tend to see a slightly more reserved attitude on club sites.
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It could be argued that some might prefer to face a neighbour's awning rather than their car exhaust fumes.
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There are so many assumptions being made in many of these posts.
Primarily the assumption that it is a new rule to allow, it isn’t, there are many sites and individual pitches across many sites where it is commonplace and always has been in my knowledge. But the assumption that by going in nose first will cause issues is quite faculty taking the biscuit. It’s not the presence of an awning, or a car, or a caravan next to you which is a potential discomfort is it!1 -
I agree, WN.
perhaps the specific way vans on a club site have to be parked to maintain spacing regs yet maximise the number of pitches, requires a certain discipline.
Folk park to a peg(s) and everyone gets around the same amount of (precious) space.
on many CLs, with a max of five vans in usually a decent amount of space, each can be placed better to suit the owner yet still maintain required spacing.
parking to maximise sun, or shade, or indeed privacy is a simpler job with more room and less required 'regimentation'....
does this make visitors more relaxed?....I would say it does and less likely to be concerned about how their neighbour has pitched.
Less formality, more space....works well for many.
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The criteria for a cl is a minimum of half an acre of reasonably level ground. Half an acre for 5 vans which roughly equates to 400 square meters per van. The average size of a club pitch is 90 square meters. Hardly comparable to any campsite really.
JK
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Hence why so many love 'em...🙂👍
loads more space, less formality, loads cheaper and relaxed neighbours... what's not to like?
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"what's not to like?"
…..quite a bit if you read some of the reviews. Like everything, there’s good and there’s not so good.
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I agree there's lots to like. But you were comparing cl's with club sites which I pointed out that there is no comparison at all.
JK
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We much prefer the space and relaxation of CLs, particularly well established older CLs. Occasionally, depending on the layout, even some of these can feel a tad tight.
Not sure how old the Club’s recommended pitch sizing is (both Club Sites and CLs), but we started to notice how tight some Club Site pitches started to feel down at Marazion. Late 1990’s, early 2000’s saw larger caravans come onto the market, and if you got a huge deep awning, occasionally with bedroom extensions next door to you, it could feel very tight on certain pitches there. Some of the older Club Sites can’t cope with big outfits well either. We were pitched next door to a huge MH at YRP last time, warden made him park in on a slant, so the roadway wasn’t impeded. That said, it didn’t bother us, we happily got along fine.😁1 -
But isn't that the same as reviews for club sites, some good and some not so or worse?
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That’s why I said "Like everything, there’s good and there’s not so good".
I was attempting to bring some balance to the discussion. I’ve been to some awful CLs and to some crackers as I’m sure you have too. Likewise, there are some club sites I would never visit again and some I will miss.
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I apologise, as I took it that you were replying to YT/BB's post regarding CLs.
As you well know I have reviewed some not very good CLs and "Club" sites, ones that we would not return to, as well as many that we have visited on numerous occasions.
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