Lack of rules
Comments
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.... and HUGE EXPENSE where moving hard standings was involved
Well, huge expense has been no problem for the Club hierarchy this year - why should it be a problem in the future?
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" The world does not descend into chaos when there are no pitching rules or staff called wardens, 35000 plus sites in Europe and it is only deemed necessary on UK club sites. "
I'm not sure why you single out club sites, David. We have stayed at two very good non-club sites recently and the pitching arrangements were exactly the same as at club sites. In fact, at both the pitches were smaller and we were closer to neighbouring vans than at the two club sites we've used this year.
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I don't understand why some members are so keen on lack of rules in regard to pitching. Particularly with defined hedged pitches, this can lead to units being unacceptable close, both in terms of privacy and safety requirements. Whilst I accept that privacy is only a relative concept on a caravan site, I don't particularly want to shake hands through the window with the neighbouring van. Fortunately due to pitching rules, I have not experienced anything this extreme on a UK site.
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I do agree, but also has anyone really been put out by any rule on a club site? has any rule really spoilt your stay there?
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yet facing awnings (certainly can happen with the increasing volume of continental vans on sites these days) are allowed to be only 3m apart, with guy ropes almost touching.
you cant get a lot closer than that with any sort of hedge in between.
with kids sometimes sleeping in these 'extra bedrooms' i would have thought this is a particularly dangerous anomaly that needs addressing.
generall, with large hedged pitches Ive been on, it matters not where/how you pitch (as long as youre on it) you will always be much further away than 'touching' distance.....at least as far away as awning to awning would be.
id rather have a hedge than an open pitch, this was one of the best bits about the Hillhead pitches.
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What we have found, where there is no guidance (otherwise known as rules) on how to pitch is that it leads to selfishness and lack of thought for others.
It is quite normal many places for the first arrival in a pitching area to pitch right up to the boundary of the pitch, or even a bit over it where pitches are not clearly defined, to get maximum space for their own awning and sitting out area,
So the next person to arrive has to move well over if they wish to avoid being really close to the next unit, thus all the spacing is coming from their pitch, which is not fair.
It can also work in reverse.......we position our unit sensibly, not too close to the edge of the pitch, and along comes the next unit and parks right up to the boundary.
On another occasion, we returned from a day out to find a van parked in what we had thought was our car space!
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are these hedges inflammable then?
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BB, I can assure you that even on a hedged pitch you could very easily be much closer than 3m!
I recall one site where a continental van had parked virtually right up to the hedge, so had we done similarly, we could have easily been less than 1m apart.
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Yes again I agree with you. As I said if everyone behaves in a reasonable manner or thinks of others before themselves then rules are not necessary. A good chap doesn't tell a good chap what a good chap ought to know sort of thing. If everyone is a good chap then you don't need rules, or a good chap (warden) to tell the non good chaps what they ought to know. Apologies for the sexist language, please insert chapette if necessary.
Going back to my teaching experience in schools, when you're teaching a top set you wouldn't think there are any rules, and in effect none are needed.
But as you say not everyone knows what they ought to know and hence the need for rules.
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Even with rules in place, some people seem to think they do not apply to them, or must be too stupid to understand simple instructions.
On one Club site we saw a hardstanding which was left unused as the vans on the pitches either side were incorrectly pitched, one too far left and one too far right. Did not understand why the warden had not made them move! Especially as the site was quite busy.
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compared to the majority on CT, David has a wealth of knowledge about sites overseas, 24 sites across 8 countries in a year is far more diverse understanding of 'rules' (or not) 'over there' and, as we all know what the rules are 'over here' it gives him (and folk like Chas, Val, DD, K&M, Kjell, and (dare i say it) myself) sufficient experience to make a comparison.
Now, I realise that all things 'continental' are banned from any discussion that doesnt appear in 'chat' or the overseas section, yet, time and again, geniune comparisons are valid.
the OP went on to clarify their position to ask about positions of cars and caravans...
"The pitches were defined but you were not restricted to car, caravan, awning in that particular order. I started this thread to show the difference between some sites being regimented and others being far more relaxed. It was a comment about a site I'd been to that I found most enjoyable with few rigid rules."
....and how they found it more relaxing without regimentation and rigid rules.
they did originally comment about an independent they were on, but the further posting (above) seems much more like an open question.
so, relating similar experiences, whether on CL/CS, THS, commercial, Haven etc, continentals sites or anywhere.....) are surely valid.
they are the experiences of those who post and if they make them feel 'more relaxed' due to a lack of regimentation and rigid rules, then why cant they post?
obviously, its equally valid for those who feel 'not relaxed' when on sites that dont have such pitching rules, to say so.
isnt this what a debate is about on CT?
perhaps the thread could be moved to 'Chat' so that posting 'rules' arent breached.
hard to say which set of rules make me the most/least 'relaxed'
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Yes all your insights into over there are valid and welcome. That is not the point of my post.
I wasn't the one who introduced the idea that his personal view based on a (highly statistically insignificant) sample of 72 can be applied to all 35000 sites across Europe, which is what he was trying to say by:
The world does not descend into chaos when there are no pitching rules or staff called wardens, 35000 plus sites in Europe and it is only deemed necessary on UK club sites
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Agreed, did the warden know though? or maybe the warden did know, ie the pitch would be empty that night?. But yes you are right
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From experience, I find it more relaxing where there are some basic rules on how to pitch, then you know you are not going to find your car space nicked, or a new arrival within touching distance after a day out.
However, we are aware that different places do things differently,so make allowances, and only holiday in the low season to hopefully avoid overcrowded sites.
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my humble apologies to Tammygirl and 'OH' who i missed from my (not definitive) list.
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Pitch sat empty for the full 5 days we were there, shame as it was otherwise a nice pitch, well placed for the facilities.
Several people stopped to look at it as it was the only empty HS, then drove on. A MH might have been OK on it, but seemed to be mainly caravans arriving.
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no more so than adjacent awnings, that may contain sleeping occupants.
not seen too many folk (even over 'there') sleeping in hedges on site
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"based on a (highly statistically insignificant) sample of 72 can be applied to all 35000 sites"
Seems about the same sample size as The Caravan Club uses for surveys with their "members' represenative committees"
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so, if as you say if they are as capable of spreading a fire as well as awnings then a fire could spread to the hedge could then still spread to the next outfit. Or are you saying these hedges are a form of safety barrier? You know to give time?
I assure you this fire safety is no laughing matter BB, sad that you can make jokes out of it
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Since the thread seems to have become yet another diverted down the all too familiar "it's so much better over there" route, might it be relevant to return to the OP which I assumed was about an independent site "over here". The particular statement "pitch how you want" is extremely uncommon on sites "over here" club or otherwise in my experience, even on many CLs.
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Indeed Moulsey. I have in fact just re read the Op and there's a line in it which I hadn't fully noticed:
If you have a booking please refer to the envelope attached to the notice board for pitching instructions.
How does this square with the pitch how you want? Did the pitching instructions state there wasn't any? Did these instructions merely give the pitch number (that's a big instruction isn't? you're not free to pick your own).
Very few rules so there were some? also what is a few rules to some is different to others. i really consider the club to have very few rules (pitch to the peg, arrive and leave times)
I may have missed it but did the OP give the name of this site? Or any further details as to what rules there were?
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No not at all. A campsite here is (it appears) vastly different to a campsite over there.
This was a UK site discussed in the UK section. We have to compare it to other UK sites. If you (or one rather to avoid poor English) wants to discuss UK v over there then start a new thread in the appropriate place?
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Well that's a rather curious interpretation of my post David! This section is for "UK touring" and I was simply pointing out that the pitching arrangements used on club sites are pretty much common on most sites in the UK, sites which you yourself were honest enough to say you have very little experience of.
It's beyond me how that can be interpreted as "stifling debate" - perhaps you could elaborate?
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