Even on Mumsnet ....
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Yes absolutely!!!If one is bored enough to look at social media one will come across numerous posts from "newbies" asking where they can wild camp for nothing,which pub car parks will let them stay for a few nights for the price of a pint,which car parks will be suitable to let them erect an awning etc.etc.The only upside as far as I am concerned is that they will soon be flooding the market with little used recreational units and prices will plunge and there will be increased availability of camp site pitches.
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I have family members who use & love Mumsnet & they refer to it as-‘the paramilitary wing of the WI on steroids’😂😂. I don’t know if it’s true but it’s a great description👏🏻
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I suspect what is not realised by many is that there is a group of people out there that many wouldn't recognise a motorhomers. YouTube is full of couples who have converted vans into living accommodation and tour the country staying in car parks, beauty spots and even roads alongside the sea. If you want to have a look check out "Camper Vibe" or "Those Happy Days" They live full time in their conversions so probably using campsites every night would not be possible? OK there are hobby motorhomers who sometimes like park up in places near to something rather than a campsite miles from anywhere. Just saying there is a wide spectrum of people who may, either all the time or occasionally wild camp. BTW, its not always stress free if you read some of the accounts. I am not supporting it one way or another but it is a fact of life for some.
David
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‘Those happy days’ are just moving into a newly converted removals truck😊. Motorhomers they ain’t but Vanlifers they are DK?. THD solve the waste & water issue with periodically staying a night on a recognised site👍🏻
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In some ways it could be argued that CAMC particularly add to the problem by a) refusing a 'dump and fill' facility and b) insisting that you have to buy the 'full package' - EHU, facilities block at a not insignificant price when often these are not required. At least C&CC offer 'dump and fill' and give the option of non EHU to reduce non-essential costs.
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I think this topic was done to death many moons ago, and i for one got a slating for pointing out how unreasonable many of these so called people living the dream were, soiling our beaches and carparks, the downside to all of this is that our local council have now put height barriers on most beachside carparks, erected very large notices words to the effect no camping no overnight sleeping etc,
but the real down side for the local population is that they have made all of the carparks pay and display, and the whole of the promenade, previously they had been free. This is not good for the local old people, who are unable to walk to the beach car park, but can drive have a short walk, morning coffee from the local shack and read the newspaper whilst enjoying the air, something they could do for free but now have to pay for, plus the council have had to take on extra staff and vehicles to police the carpark, and guess who pays , however, it has worked, there are far less motorhomes/converted transit vans ,in the area as a whole and only small campervans that can get under the barrier.
You can buy a season ticket for £80 which in the grand scheme of things is reasonable, fortunately i am still able to walk or cycle
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It goes to show that you need to be careful what you wish for, Rufs.
I remember your earlier posts when you caused issues by complaining about MH-ers in general, not just the irresponsible ones, and that's why the discussion became heated. Whether intentional or not, you demonstrated motorhomeophobia back then. I think you've realised since that most of us are reasonable people 🙂
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"It goes to show that you need to be careful what you wish for, Rufs"
far better this, than having to confront a MH owner who was buring his toilet cassette contents on the beach, and before the restrictions it was difficult to decide who were the responsible ones and who were not, unless you caught them doing something objectionable.
It is also very pleasant now to be able to cycle or walk along the prom and enjoy the area, rather than be confronted by a row of MH's
It will be interesting to see during the summer months how much trade the area has lost/or not as a result of fewer MH's etc, I seem to recall that one of the key elements of allowing MH's free range camping was the amount of business they brought into the local area.
I should also add that the council have spent a great deal of money also hammering in wooden posts around just about every square foot of green area that was also used by MH owners.
was never intentionally "motorhomeophobia" just dont like free loaders.
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Rufs, I'm pleased to see your more rational stand point than in days of yore👍
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Nothing new is it. Some of my family live alongside converted vehicles, vans and caravans in central Bristol, they never know who'll be parked up near them and for how long. It's a lifestyle choice, it's semi free although local toilet facitilities have been opened up to prevent unhygienic practices. Tolerance has become the key word in their area as long as it doesn't impinge on everyone's normal enjoyment of the area (it does sometimes when people can't park up for a walk or get home easily.) I expect this is a perennial debate solved in different ways by those who share and live in these places.
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It is not necessary a lifestyle choice, the cost of housing is forcing people to look at alternatives for a roof over their heads. The canal and rivers of the UK have also been effected by a big increase in house boats over the last 10/15 years. Oddly I haven't read or heard about problems of waste disposal from them although I suspect not everyboat visits a disposal point.
peedee
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I agree, I think it is cost of housing, be it buying or renting that drives many people to follow the van conversion/narrowboat life style. We have just had a new Marina open in MK, about 100 boats I think. When we drove by yesterday it was absolutely full and I doubt the mooring fees are cheap? You don't seem to get the same vitriol about boaters as you do about people living in vans. Probably a case of out of sight out of mind and its quite normal for people to moor there boats against the towpath. At my age its not the sort of lifestyle I would want to follow but if I was in my twenties it might have more appeal. Those that have YouTube channels will of course earn money from their vlogs, perhaps not enough to sustain a more conventional lifestyle but probably enough to keep them going?
David
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I don't agree, quite a few van dwellers are older and their "lifestyles" are varied. Some will be letting out properties, it's surprising what's people do. The pressure on inner city moorings is similar and it suits some to go down this route if they can afford it, it's not always a cheap option and probably more costly than road side van living. But I suppose we all have our own views on this and if it affects us directly like it does with some of my family its a case of living with it and sharing the space available with maybe a converted removal lorry outside your home? But not all the van activity is above board and that's when things can go wrong.
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Reminds me of the time i stayed in Portugal, all sorts of motor-homers. wild camped on the streets and during the hours of darkness emptied their toilet cassettes down the nearest manhole in the road, then raided the public toilets for a top up of free water etc.
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Hi David
The difference between motorhomes and boats is that there is a large licence fee for boats, depending on the size of the boat, a sort of council tax for boaters. It is far more expensive to live on a boat than most people think, especially in a marina where fees are upwards of 2,000, depending on the length of your boat. There is a YouTube blog called Foxes Afloat and one of their blogs gives a very thorough breakdown of their expenses, although obviously many will manage for less. You can moor for free, for up to 14 days on most towpaths, except in London and many other town and city areas but many people contravene the regulations and/or don't pay their licence fees.
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As a previous small boat owner, a long time ago, I am aware that narrowboating is not a cheap pursuit. Not only in the cost of the boats or the licence but also moorings. I live fairly near to the Grand Union so am able to make observations and it seems there are many living in boats which have probably seen better days but they move on every so often. I think I would prefer to live on a narrowboat than a small Transit Van on a full time basis!!! I have watched several of the Foxes Afloat videos and a few others as my interest in canals dates back over 60 years.
David
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I have watched several of the Foxes Afloat videos and a few others as my interest in canals dates back over 60 years.
Bit off topic but as I subscribe to 'Foxes Afloat' and eagerly awaited their new narrowboat build, I was disappointed to hear they have given up narrowboating and purchased an acre of land on the shore of Loch Brora. Still going to VLOG but about their smallholding instead.
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Following on from Rufs post, the aforementioned season ticket doesn't guarantee a space in the car parks. It's not impossible to pay out and get absolutely nothing back. The parishioners at St Mary's in Portchester Castle are now faced with a £2 charge to get to church, many of them being a bit long in the tooth to walk. It's cranked up costs for the members of the sailing club as well with those coming to work on their boats faced with a £6 per day charge.
There being a set of public toilets and a tap, I did suggest a 'motorhome night stop' subject to a 24 hour max for a nominal £10 but that was ignored.
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That’s a great idea and reminds me somewhat of the Shetland community campsites set up in village hall car parks, marinas and the like.
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Irrespective of whatever clever and innovative schemes are created, there is a fundamental problem here - population density. What works in, say France, (118 per sq km) isn’t necessarily going to work in the UK (272 per sq km) We are an overcrowded little island and there isn’t enough space or natural resources for everybody to live the lifestyle promoted by all those glossy adverts and celebrity tv shows.
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