Great Big Green Week
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Peedee
It doesn't actually surprise me. We have an ex works pensioner group and I run the email comms for the group. We have about 120 members who have email accounts with varying degrees of competence as you might expect. I think our group probably reflects what was said in the report with younger members being more able to understand things. We then have a group in the wider ex works pensioners who won't even think about using the internet. They find it alien, they are frightened of it. This includes people who I would judge as being pretty intelligent and held down important jobs when they were working but probably before work became fully digitalised. What we have to be careful about making judgements is that in the over 75 category our ability to learn new things do start to diminish and if you have not been used to using much in the way of technology its probably a bit late to start. I would judge myself as being pretty confident with computers but there are events that stump me sometimes. Perhaps the difference is that I have an idea where to start looking for the answer, before phoning my son who works in IT, not everyone has that sort of backup?
David
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It would be interesting to know how many bookings of members are made online and how many are still made wholly via the call centre? The same with how many members join online?
That would give an idea if too many members have insufficient knowledge on the use of computing devices or perhaps simply like having a hard copy of the magazine...
Of course the question is how many of those in that survey are members of the club?
Personally, perhaps wrongly I suspect the vast majority are made online, but I suppose that if you have ended up owning a outfit, usually quite costly if you look at the outfits on a club site, then you probably have good skills in using IT, bank accounts....
And again booking online is the way forward, when I first joined you could post off your booking coupon to book a site and presumably got a written response back? Who would think about doing that now even for a second - having to wait for a good few days to see if your booking is confirmed? And having to enclose a stamped address envelope as well!
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Many of us who retired about seven or eight years ago will have used IT in various forms at work, some more so than others. We kept up to dat with what was needed at work and probably used those skills in our private lives. We then left work. No automatic updating of skills, and maybe no one to ask. So you begin to get a digital divide, not between those who do and those who don’t use IT but those who don’t know how to use mor up to date aspects. I am reasonably competent with what I know but some of the IT comments on this and other forums go straight over my head. I remember trading schemes many years go to help teachers get to grips with word processing, web use, email etc. someone now, in what ever walk of life, who was ignorant of such things would struggle to find such train8ng. There is a societal assumption that we all know how to use computer and mobile phones. But if you don’t, finding an idiots guide is very difficult.
we dont opt for digital mags for this club or digital membership of the CCC. We still find the handbook useful and we both flick through the magazines. More difficult unless you both use the CAMC website. Most booking is done via the website. I know quite a lot of older people who don’t like buying anything on line.
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1998…….email was certainly around then, but not embraced by Club. You just telephoned back then if I recall correctly. Those were the days, when someone answered the phone🤣 We used to use Marazion every Summer around then, so we normally called site to see state of bookings, as you could usually just turn up on the day. But it did start getting full, so we did send off the paper trail a couple of times😁
Then we found a fantastic CL, quarter of a mile away🤩🤩
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I’m not sure I completely agree with Hja. I left work 28 years ago and my only use of computers at work was with the company's own systems which were little more than accessing databases. I had no online access at all.
Realising the benefits of being online, I bought my first computer soon after leaving work and found my way through with the help of internet searches, Dummies Guide books and talking to friends. Once you’ve got that foot in the door, it’s relatively easy to move forward as technology progresses. What you don’t know, can easily be learnt.
Techie stuff - I love it!
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I have always been interested in computers since ZX81 days. I did use them for work and for that some training was provided. However, since retiring 13 years ago I haven’t really found any problems staying up to date, despite vast changes in that time. Devices have got a lot easier to use and set up over the years, my iPad or our iMac for instance lead you through it and individual programmes and Apps have tutorials. I remember some of the early computers I bought being a complete nightmare. Just getting it to talk to a printer was a major undertaking. To some extent it is a case of folk just won’t try or don’t want to know. That was certainly the case when at work, even amongst those younger than myself.
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I like a handbook, but we don’t receive the mag. All our tech skills are from work or self taught, hence not that deep. But we do try and embrace technology as much as we can, particularly after COVID.
I taught Mum and Dad how to use Nokia mobile phones, calls and texts, so that we could keep a look out for them, in their 80’s. Neither struggled at the time, but I think smart phones wouldn’t have worked, too much to learn. Mum used my old IPad at one bit with my help, in her 90’s. Both were interested and happy to embrace learning something new.
High tech cars are our learning curve. I don’t think we have found everything out that our Jeep can do yet, but happily embraced the basics such as linking phones, music. It still surprises us. We knew it adapted to where you were driving, ie the auto gears adapt after a day to the terrain you are driving over primarily, so if we go to Dartmoor say, it learns that, then has a bit of a day hunting gears for our normal drives when we get home. We had a surprise the other morning though, OH had got some sort of German techno music on all week, and he got into it and it woke up and the display was in German🤣🤣🤣🤷♀️ Spooky.
I think being environmentally friendly starts with upbringing as well as informed up to date learning. I come from a home where nothing was ever wasted if it could be re used, food waste was a sin. A lot was grown on allotments, in back gardens, clothes were made by Mum (superb seamstress, knitter), Dad made us things, even resoled our leather school shoes, they decorated themselves, baked, meals were never anything wholly out of a tin or a box. I walked to school and back 3 miles all through my secondary years, and that was after late sports practices. We all walked miles as a family growing up. OH was same, so we took to proper getting away from it basic camping easily, and it’s still like that for us with a few comforts now. No TVs, can easily do three weeks without hook up if we choose our sites carefully and it’s warm. We know how to get by with just a tiny fridge (luxury after a cool box), can use onboard shower no problem, and just love being outside in fresh air whenever we can be. I’d happily embrace the no frills side of a Club site if it ever happened, but it won’t, and the price will never be right now. Genie of having all life’s extras, comforts, requirements, little effort required is out of the box now, never to be found again on Club Sites sadly. On the upside, it allows folks to tour easily much later into life and with lots of health conditions, so it’s a trade off that’s there when required. We still meet Members in their 80’s though on CLs, in older outfits, no hook up, just doing it the same as the old days😁 usually like us, grumbling mildly about Club Site prices🤣
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Same as Steve here and remember buying the ZX81 from Dixons (remember them) in Hull and being the envy of my friends as I also got a 16kb RAM pack. A friend across the corridor bought the cheaper kit where you had to put the computer together yourself. I've still got it in the loft somewhere together with a BBC electron and B computers. And recall using a tape cassette recorder to load in programs that usually took some time to load.
And yes with Windows I remember many nights staying up till the early hours trying to get either a printer or some other hardware/software to work. It wasn't plug and play but plug and pray.
We bought a new printer last week and it took minutes to get it to work.
And yes as with TW I love all this new technology.
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It would be interesting to know how many bookings of members are made online.
The answer is 80 percent Corners according to the last AGM minutes but that does not mean to say those 80 percent have a lot of IT knowledge. There have been and still are many social media posts to indicate struggles with the technology.
I am in 100 percent agreement with TW's and SteveL's posts. I am not IT trained although I have a techinical background and have worked in an IT department. Much like Steve my first home computer was a Commodore 64 which I upgraded to an Apple Mac when I retired nearly 30 years ago. I later realised the latters short comings and changed to Windows PCs. Every thing I know about IT (still very limited) is self taught, it is not that difficult to seek out information as it is required. I started off by reading bits of the GCSE O lever computer course and have added to that knowledge as required. There are local organisations who offer free courses in our area for those who find it difficult to educate themselves or need more help and I would be very surprised if this was an exception.
peedee
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The answer is 80 percent Corners according to the last AGM minutes but that does not mean to say those 80 percent have a lot of IT knowledge.
Thanks PD, but they have enough to know how to book and pay (online banking probably covered) for club site, and that is all that necessary, and not the 60% you mentioned as having trouble? Again I think two different populations in many different ways.
Also if you can book a club site then they can almost certainly turn off receiving a paper magazine, which isn't always the 'greener' option as you suggested anyway. I think 80% proves my point, if only 3-3% opt out it can't all be from the 20% who don't use the online booking eve allowing for not knowing what the real numbers are I would say?
There have been and still are many social media posts to indicate struggles with the technology
Where? on CT? And if they can post on social media that is all that is necessary?
Maybe if we really want to make the club greener close down the call centre booking system? Just a joke of course, then again postal bookings have gone.
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I posted a question recently asking if CT was passed it's Best By Date. The response was that CT was a friendly place where members happily exchanged hints and tips on our hobby. In this thread we have been asked by the club to do just that and so far not one response has been made that that fits the criteria Rowena asked, it has all been club bashing yet again.
So does anybody have any hints and tips that may be of benefit to other members.
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I like to thumb through my Club paper magazine when eating my breakfast or lunch. We have to read our ex works and pensioner magazines on line and its not the same. Its a bit like people preferring to read a real book rather than on a Kindle. For some "incentives" might be seen as being forced to accept the magazine in digital form?
David
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1. Consider a solar panel of some sort, either roof mounted, or free standing.
2. Lighten your load where possible, only carrying what you really need to be happy and comfortable. Saves fuel, minimally, but still a saving.
3. Some E bike batteries can easily be used to power up iPads, phones if you go off grid, otherwise charge up when travelling, particularly if you tour around daily in a MH/Camper.
4. Put any spare hot water boiled into a flask, then re use when required, saving on gas usage.
5. Keep a throw blanket in outfit for cooler Summer nights that don’t really need heating on.
6. Consider some one pan meals to save on gas usage.
7. Use curtains and blinds in Winter to keep warmth in.
8. Take your own torch, then Club can keep site lighting to a minimum. Even better, if you have a bathroom, use it!
9. Ban heaters in awnings.
10. Ban non breathable groundsheets and “awning carpets” from grass pitches. Ensure they are lifted to preserve grass pitches, including moving things around in awning, so that “sour” patches are avoided.
11. Lower ampage from bollards. If they can’t use it without tripping things, then users will learn new behaviour!
12. Don’t add more “dog washes/bike washes” to sites. Use a bucket!
All above are good camping common sense, thinking about others, being prepared. The more the Club provides, the more visitors will expect and there won’t be a change of mindset. The loss of the no facility sites is coming back to bite the Club now, and all they are left with are not so environmentally friendly, we don’t care what it costs we can afford it (if lucky) sites. Camping used to be about the great outdoors, doing something different, but Club Sites for some are just taking the TV, the multi gadget kitchen somewhere else, and doing almost the same as being at home……but not metered for energy consumption. At the prices per night, it’s no wonder some just fill their boots as much as they can, vicious circle🤷♀️
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What about taking a personal incentive helping to be greener? That's in all our interest or do we only do that if there's money reward?
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+1
I do not like reading magazines, newspapers, or even instructions manuals online. Kindles are great and really are the same size as books but likewise there is nothing like having a real book in front of you. Especially if it's older/first edition. Some books I have both Kindle and book versions. My late father-in-law's first edition Wainwright's are one of my most treasured books and not because they are now worth a bit.
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I like to do both, book and IPad. Digital to save weight and space, but I love old Ward Lock guides, and find paper OS maps very interesting.
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Agree with you Ttda OH has the satnav in the car and I have the maps UK and French.
OH is ex IT so most things are done online just the way he works.
The club need to invest in more Solar panels for refurbishment of toilet blocks and more heat source pumps rather than relying on gas boilers.
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Vehicle washing on site is already banned PD, and has been for a long time unless safety is compromised as below or in a specific wash down are, which I've never seen on any of my visits.
8b.
Guests are not permitted to carry out a full scale washdown of their outfit on site, unless there is a specific wash down area. However, we do permit day to day mirror/screen/lights/windows cleaning with a bucket, sponge and very light detergent i.e. to make the outfit road safe, providing the water from the bucket does not get thrown over the outfit onto the pitch.
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Totally agree PD, rare for us to do a wash down other than windows, and that was only on CLs. As for showering, OH and I do share if it’s a unisex, pay as you go shower. 😁
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Really? I've never noticed but I assume you have?
Of course there are always rule-breakers but your suggestion of ban is already in place. If it is noticed then the wardens should be informed asap.
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Really? I've never noticed but I assume you have?
Indeed I have otherwise I would not have raised the subject. When I have engaged said owners in conversation, usually with the jovial comment, "You can do mine next" it turns out the outfit is kept in storage and it is convenient to clean it on site. Others just want to keep their pride and joy sparkling.
peedee
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There are pollutants in the road grime picked up on a vehicle and also from the vehicle itself. Of the latter, one of the worst is break lining dust. I wasn’t aware but the levels of polluted water produced by commercial car washes is significant and toxic. They recycle, treat and remove pollutants before the water is used again, replaced and finally disposed of.
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The contaminated water from washing a vehicle is not like rain water at all, it’s polluted. Sadly the previous legislation and recommendations regaining commercial car washes was, forgive the pun, watered down some what 14 years ago. It was far more robust than this, the latest, which remains in place at present. Things may change!
https://www.netregs.org.uk/media/1882/guidance-for-pollution-prevention-13-2022-update-v2.pdf
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