Late night arrivals
Comments
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There may be no physical barrier but the thing which should stop the abuse and incorrect use of LNAs should be the fact that a fellow member may just have an unfortunate and real need for it.
I can only hope that the clarity freely offered in my post is helpful and relevant to those who are unaware of their (LNAs) function. Also, I do believe that today the cost of both pitch and persons are applied to their use.
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Information under how to book a site, seems to indicate the pitch fee is not paid. Also that prior arrangement should be made.
Arrival times
You can arrive on Club sites from 12 noon on your day of arrival (please be aware there are a small number of sites with later arrival times due to narrow access roads and entrances). If you have booked a pitch and intend to arrive after 6pm, please inform the Warden. If you do arrive late and stay on the late night arrivals area, the per capita fee must be paid, but not the pitch fee.
Late night arrivals
Arrivals must be before 8pm, unless you have made a prior arrangement with the Warden. If you arrive late and stay on the late night arrivals area, the per capita fee must be paid, but not the pitch fee (please be aware these pitches may or may not have electric hook up - contact the site direct for this information).
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Whilst I recognise it is primarily an emergency facility, that being the case, a time extension of only two hours seems a bit unrealistic. I appreciate that wardens don't want to be doing night shifts but at least 9pm would, IMO, be better. Until this thread, I had not realised that there was even a cut-off time although I would have expected perhaps a time of say 10pm. The current time of 8pm is hardly enough to justify using the LNA on the basis that it disturbs those already on site. That's hardly the middle of the night. Vehicles that have gone out for the day might well be returning at that sort of time.
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Cheers Steve, now enlightened! Had heard, or so I thought, that pitch fees were now to be included in the charge in order to discourage those few folk who were abusing LNA as cheap overnight transit pitches without any prior bookings, or contact, at the site for the day in question. I think the important thing is that mention of 'prior arrangement', it all hinges on that.
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I don’t think there is a cut off arrival time for LNA areas if provided. You can certainly arrive up to 8pm and get onto your booked pitch, we do that regularly in Summer months if we use Club Sites. In the past we have had the odd problem and had to use LNA area very late, trying to contact site if we could. Most LNA areas are situated before site barriers, so you just pull in and sleep. Some have EHU, some don’t.
If this arrangement has changed, and you have to get onto a LNA before 8pm, then I agree, it’s pointless having one. 8pm in Summer is early evening.
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It's all sounding rather restrictive, but there are some sites here in Cornwall with room for people to arrive at midnight or even in the small hours of the morning after a night time journey.
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Agree EuroT. Lovely site we used for 15 years, outfits arrived, very quietly at all hours. Part of problem is barriers, having been on a Club Site during an invasion by undesirables who were nasty and in one instance violent, they have become more of a necessity. Mixed blessings.
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We are after all members of a TOURING CLUB, not a private commercial semi residential group of sites, unexpected delays en route can happen to any of us, knowing that the Club has an emergency area which we can use, in an emergency, rather than be forced into a layby overnight, is very reassuring, and another reason why I am a member. Some other members seem very negative towards this provision ? why.
ps I have only once used a LNA in 20 years of membership, but was grateful it was there, and NO i hadnt booked previously...it was an emergency.
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Totally agree, though I think rather than some being negative towards the provision they just wish to 'use' it when it suits rather than when it's a necessity.
I've never had the need to use one but as you say it is reassuring, when available, that they can provide a safe haven in times of 'adversity'.
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We’ve used twice in 30 plus years, once due to fog total journey up to Yellowcraig, once due to traffic holdups on way to White House Beach.
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LNAs are for use by members who are booked on the site and have had a "problem" on their journey making it later than the 2000hrs cut off time for getting on to pitch,and a call to the site will also advise the site staff you are running late which would stop your booking being cancelled,a call to the site might also give access to the LNA if you need it because of an emergency on your journey else where
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I think the arrive by 8pm is restrictive, I also appreciate that wardens don't want members arriving later than 8pm however problems outside the members control can happen and it can be stressful trying to arrive by 8pm when delayed.
In August this year we called a club site on route which we had booked to advise them we would be later than the 6pm previously stated on the booking form,we were delayed due to a longer than expected hospital appointment.
We were told if our arrival time was after 8pm we would not be admitted, I felt this response was unhelpful as it was possible if no delays were encountered we would arrive around 7-45pm but there was little flexibility shown.
This resulted in a very stressful journey and deciding whether to continue or go home.
We did continue and arrived at 7-40pm to be met at the barrier with a pass key and told to chose a pitch and call in the office in the morning to pay, this handover took 2 minutes.
We were disappointed with the initial response however on arrival the warden was as usual friendly and helpful.
I think 8pm is too early to not accept members on site and procedures should be investigated to allow later arrivals when necessary.
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Just think, if wardens are to stay on duty until, say, 10pm or even later, it’s going to impinge on working hours resulting in either less work being done earlier in the day, or employing more staff with the result being increased fees.
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If the site had a LNA area I can't understand why the warden didn't inform you to use that instead of stressing that they could only admit you until 8pm. I personally believe 8pm to be more than reasonable but would happily use the LNA if an emergency arose.
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yes +1
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I phone Martin Mill site at Dover, reserve and pay, and they give me the gate code so that I can go in after the reception office has closed. Can't other sites do that?
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Doesn't the nearby Club site Black Horse Farm do something similar? The last couple of time I have stayed there I have had to pay in advance for an overnight stay and pitching information is posted on reception.
David
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Thanks David. Problem solved. It just needs other sites to follow suit.
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great idea, just don't pass that code on to anyone, or hope rather that someone doesn't know the code when you're staying there and gets to cause mischief
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Is there a big problem with late arrivals? On most sites on a long stay I see perhaps one van there per stay, most times nothing. What is all this fuss about?
We used the LNA once and eve then the wardens came out and let us on, but we did of course rind and let them know
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The difficulty with club sites is getting a warden to respond to a phone call, as they're busy sorting out those that have pitched up in the LNA area.
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The Dover sites are clearly out of the ordinary insofar that they cater for members using the cross channel services.
I would expect them to have a freer attitude to arrivals and departures.
Similarly with those sites near Pompey.
As for ordinary sites I see no problem with the current system although it may inconvenience some members occasionally.
After all Wardens have to knock off, get their evening meals and relax just the same as us.
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