Caravanner of the Year - An Alternative Thread
Comments
-
Effectively it would be a travel(without the posh hotel rooms)/wildlife/countryfile type programme . That is what caravanning/motorhoming faciltates. Mobile accommodation is NOT an end in itself, merely a means to an end. Generally caravanning programmes
focus on the caravan itself which has all the idiosyncracy of stamp collecting which forgets that stamps are to facilitate the despatch of letters.0 -
+1 CY. I think the club missed a real opportunity, they could have centred on how to help beginners, i.e. towing courses, what to expect on club sites and CL's i.e. meet the warden, facilities, pitching and social side of camp life. Visit a rally and maybe visit the national. As you say CY what we do when we get to site
0 -
To me the problem with any sort of competition regarding caravans/motorhomes is that the hobby is not competitive. It's social. About the only aspect that could be called a skill, and therefore could be tested, is that of reversing a trailer. Cooking is
another area, on the limited equipment available. That's about it.Most aspects of our nomadic lifestyle are pretty much slightly adapted versions of living in a normal home. What does change is the scenery, as we are able to set up camp in virtually any place we can think of. That is the part that could be highlighted
in a TV program. Of course that is more of a travel show rather than a competition.If a competition is the idea, then mixing the various outfits doesn't work either as the skills required vary. We could have speed aqua roll filling? Competitive BBQ cooking?, Three course dinner in a caravan oven? Speed wine bottle opening?
0 -
CY, I think you've said it all.
0 -
Good post DD, the best PR would be to use a family to ensure engagement with a better cross section of potential LV'ers. The social & fun side of visiting different parts of the Country & Europe. Nothing interests folk more than watching others have fun,
it could prove to be aspirational. The younger children the better(post toddler stage), they make fun, they don't expect it to be given to them.0 -
I know I am in a minority.
My caravan is a simple vehicle for travel, but I know that for the majority a caravan is a well equipped bungalow they like to live in at weekends - not too far from home. The Club knows that is their market so they publicise caravans rather than travel.
0 -
The competition should have started at the home, with safe loading, nose weight and tyre checking and towing mirrors etc, then secretly filmed pitching up at the site, reversing, leveling, water fetching etc, see how couples, family work together, another
element could be eating and entertaining, and maybe finish with a quiz. It would not ba a competitive competition but a chance to show a true caravanner in his/ her true enviroment.0 -
Ok lets be positive Poor G Chamberlain has in his opinion presented a programme which he thought was indicative of the caravanners who are customers of the CC.
What must have caused his confusion is that he probably only comes in contact with the tiny minority of CC members involved in Rallying. Both committees Regional and District.
He therefore based his programme on exactly the activities that happen on CC rallies, the dressing up clothes and the pretty van competitions Etc Etc.
He was probably unaware that over 90% of the CC customers have no interest in taking part in rallying and in all innocence did not understand that normal caravanners dont do any of those weird activities found on rallies.
Had he entitled his programme of activities "Rallist of the Year". It would have been accurate and would not have offended the vast majority of his customers.
Being kind I would say that he should get out to CC sites and meet normal real caravanners who use their caravans as a means to enjoying their holidays.
K
0 -
Some great suggestions above, and I'm definitely drawn toward the idea of some sort of caravan version of "Wish You Were Here". It'd be a way of showing that the caravan is (to most people I assume) merely a means of staying right in the heart of fantastic
destinations from which you can explore the 'touristy' bits, rather than being a "gin palace on wheels".0 -
My main objective in caravaning is like eurotraveller the ability to travel and see the many sights the UK and other EU country's have to offer.
So I suppose a safety and maintenance aspect should be followed by manoeuvring and then on to how to set up your vehicle for site use. Highlight the facilities on offer and how the wardens should handle and help differant situations that arise.
Then show how families and your couples and retired folk can utilise there days and evenings in the many various forms.
We all have different views to paradise, lets advertise some of them.
0 -
My motohome is a vehicle enabling me to do other things such as exploring away from home independently. So was my caravan except I couldn't take it out for day trips! To others, as the programme showed, it is a way of life and a very sociable one if you
rally.0 -
I love my van, it's great. But sadly, but none of the ideas above will make good TV. It'd be so dull. You think a TV show showing you how to load a caravan would be given a prime time slot? Maybe, the "Countryfile" type programme would work, but it's hardly
going to inspire young folk to take up vanning. (Granted neither will COTY). Good TV doesn't come from "normal" life, (I don't include Rallies as normal - to me they really don't sell the Club and should have been left out of the programme also - they won't
inspire young families to join the club). I went to the pub last night, it was quite busy. An ex colleague of mine and I drank, laughed, caught up on stuff like you do, the pub was busy - there was a quiz night going on in the background, would it have made
great TV? No. It was just "normal" life. However, "darn the Queen Vic", or in the "Rovers", this week there will probably be a row, murder, affair etc - cos that's TV.Speaking from the heart, the best we could ever hope for is all the above wrapped into an hour long weekly programme, but I doubt it would ever see a prime time channel, but maybe someone like Discovery could take it on?
0 -
Great idea for a thread and I've been thinking hard but I've reached the conclusion that, to me at least, caravanning is just too normal to make good TV.
It's just where I stay when I'm doing other things and this might be sightseeing, a festival or a dub meet. The only consistent thing is that I sleep in my van. The caravan or the site is not the destination or the purpose of the holiday
0 -
My main objective in caravaning is like eurotraveller the ability to travel and see the many sights the UK and other EU country's have to offer.
So I suppose a safety and maintenance aspect should be followed by manoeuvring and then on to how to set up your vehicle for site use. Highlight the facilities on offer and how the wardens should handle and help differant situations that arise.
Then show how families and your couples and retired folk can utilise there days and evenings in the many various forms.
We all have different views to paradise, lets advertise some of them.
Write your comments here...I agree with you and with CY.A travel type programme would find an audience-viz Henry Cole's series on Travel Channel "World's Greatest Motorcycle Rides" he did one on "Riding Eastern Europe" and "Riding the Romantic Road" and
I found them both very interesting.Scope for an enterprising motorhomer/caravanner to do an "Around Europe with an ACSI book" or similar?0 -
...and following the sun with our ACSI book in hand: and the interesting folk we meet; and the different food; and the wine, and sitting outside in the evening having cooked al fresco on the BBQ etc. The odd bit of fun could be included like folk religiously following a satnav as it directs you up a narrowing mountain road - hands up who have done this!
0 -
Knowing that the standard of accommodation is always going to be up to scratch; the ability to up sticks and move on if a location doesn't suit; the friendliness (or mostly) of the caravan fraternity; the great outdoors to enjoy in whatever way we want.
Loads of things really why we have caravanned for nearly 40 years.0 -
I feel its a great shame the BBC don't have a Country File like series that covers our hobby and also similar hobbies like canal boating/sailing/walking/cycling etc where the subjects could be treated with seriousness. The trouble with sorts of programmes
which has caused so much unrest it that it just reinforces stereotypical views of our hobby rather than reinforcing the many positives.David
0 -
I feel its a great shame the BBC don't have a Country File like series that covers our hobby and also similar hobbies like canal boating/sailing/walking/cycling etc where the subjects could be treated with seriousness. The trouble with sorts of programmes
which has caused so much unrest it that it just reinforces stereotypical views of our hobby rather than reinforcing the many positives.David
Our 'hobby' extends beyond the narrow envelope of countryside leisure pursuits. It provides the accommodation for us to do anything we want.
I wouldn't be interested in anything similar to Country File. It's too limiting. I'd be interested in something that expanded all the narrow views and showed the vast range of things people use their vans for
0 -
from the many 'vanning' publications we get, i like the technical stuff but OH seeks out the recommendatons on where to stay..
we now have a bulging folder sorted by county, for the uk, and by country for the rest of Europe...
its the ability to feel at home wherever we put on the handbrake that is the attraction, taking time to explore the local scenery, food and wine wherever that may be....
a great hobby....nothing to do with reversing round a tree or scraping the dirt off my number plate...
0 -
I feel its a great shame the BBC don't have a Country File like series that covers our hobby and also similar hobbies like canal boating/sailing/walking/cycling etc where the subjects could be treated with seriousness. The trouble with sorts of programmes which has caused so much unrest it that it just reinforces stereotypical views of our hobby rather than reinforcing the many positives.
David
Our 'hobby' extends beyond the narrow envelope of countryside leisure pursuits. It provides the accommodation for us to do anything we want.
I wouldn't be interested in anything similar to Country File. It's too limiting. I'd be interested in something that expanded all the narrow views and showed the vast range of things people use their vans for
We often use ours for accommodation when going to concerts, either indoors or picnic style. Much cheaper than the hotels and often more suited to our needs, and we don't have to dress for breakfast at the crack of dawn.
0 -
Good thread DD. We have used caravans mainly as somewhere to sleep while we see places of interest, perhaps make enjoying a hobby or activity easier, (for example horse riding on Dartmoor) and also because how we tour is very cheap and means we can get away every other week, and of course when circumstances permit for extensive periods, moving our location when we feel like it. We started with a camper van in our mid 20's, and have never been without a touring vehicle of some sort since. Because we like older, quirkier vehicles, we have had a great deal of fun and satisfaction in renovating and rebuilding stuff to make it how we like things, but it has never been a competition. I want to use our tourers as a base for visiting craft fairs when I get the chance, another great use for a caravan!
0 -
There have been several programmes on TV about canals and boating which have obviously been well received as there have been more than one series. In fact there is series 2 of John Sergeant's Barging Around Britain starting tonight on ITV. This type of
boating is obviously quite similar to caravanning but we with caravans are not so limited in our destinations.A new series of programmes could be made combining the 'technical' side of caravanning together with the information about sites and the places that caravannets get to both here and overseas. This might help alleviate the fear that some people have about
being able to tow and cope with the requirements of caravanning. I bet we have all met many people who have been scared of even contemplating having a go at our hobby. A programme like this might also help change the attitudes and views of the many of the
non-caravanning public.0 -
I like the idea of combining caravanning with a travelogue type programme. I suspect that outside of our 'community' people are unaware of the places to go and see that are somewhat off the beaten track. We love France for example and it's great dropping
into a Camping Municipal in the middle of nowhere and discovering gems. Making a prog like this to appeal to the mass market would be difficult. As someone posted previously, perhaps it would end up on the likes of Discovery channel.0 -
I feel its a great shame the BBC don't have a Country File like series that covers our hobby and also similar hobbies like canal boating/sailing/walking/cycling etc where the subjects could be treated with seriousness. The trouble with sorts of programmes which has caused so much unrest it that it just reinforces stereotypical views of our hobby rather than reinforcing the many positives.
David
Our 'hobby' extends beyond the narrow envelope of countryside leisure pursuits. It provides the accommodation for us to do anything we want.
I wouldn't be interested in anything similar to Country File. It's too limiting. I'd be interested in something that expanded all the narrow views and showed the vast range of things people use their vans for
I very much doubt the BBC would invest in a programme on such a narrow interest as caravanning. However if other hobbies which are not so far removed from our own, like the ones I listed, they might actually have the making of a series. I mentioned Country File as a possible type of format with each topic header being lead by an expert in that particular field. I am just trying to be realistic is suggesting a way forward that might be achieveable.
David
0 -
I understand your point David but I don't see walking and cycling in particular as being similar to caravanning.
Except its all about the Great Outdoors and many of us cycle and walk whilst enjoying our hobby. My listing wasn't meant to be a definitive list but just a basis of possible hobbies that could be gathered together in order to make a series worthwhile.
David
0 -
You could do a nice series of programmes based around different types of touring:
Conventional caravanner on Club type sites, different types of location
Motorhomer/caravan touring abroad
Vintage tourer holidaying in style, perhaps taking in Classic Car Shows, including a bit of restoration
Young family, buying their first caravan, doing it up, holidaying with children, all the fun, home and abroad.
V-dubs and all their thousands of followers, the festival scene etc.....
Thats five programmes for a start, only the ideas and basis, but experts could pad these out with lots of stuff to fill an hour a programme. This is the touring scene today, in all its many forms, nothing like what was portrayed earlier in week.
0 -
My caravan is my holiday home which I take with me.
0 -
That is my main issue with the way caravanning is marketed by both clubs. It's not about the 'Great Outdoors' for me at all. In fact i don't see anything outdoorsy about staying in a fully equipped leisure vehicle - many with central heating.
0
