Services
Hi all, although I’m not new to caravaning I am new to long distance travelling could anybody out there tell me what I need to be aware of when stopping at services for a break, I heard that a lot of vans are stolen or broken into at these, has anyone got any advise please
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Simple, don't leave the unit unattended.
If there are 2 of you, visit the facilities one at a time, or use your own. You can even make your own snacks and drinks too.
If it becomes essential to leave the van unattended, use your hitch lock to lock it to the car's towball but never drive with it locked on.
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You do hear stories like what you suggest and we have never left a caravan or motorhome unattended at a motorway services. I usually stay with the van as Margaret goes off to get the coffee and anything we might want to eat. Whilst I am with the van I often see people leave their units and wander off to the services. When I notice that I tend to keep a watching brief and have never witnessed anything unusual but it does happen. Just seen a post on Facebook about a motorhome being stolen from someone's property where the thieves actually shunted parked cars out of the way in order to give them access to the motorhome so anything is possible. If its just a comfort stop why not use the facilities in the van?
David
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Parking up can be a bit of a nightmare, as few motorway services have dedicated caravan/motorhome areas, and if they do, they are generally busy. Suggest doing some research prior to each journey, until you get to know the stops. You are often in with the HGVs at some services, so be aware when stepping out of vans and take extra precautions for children and pets. Scotch Corner at the A1/A66 junction does not allow caravans, it’s simply too tight. Tinny has offered very good security pointer.
If you look at your whole journey, take note of any none motorway route, and see if there is a supermarket, or lay by on it. It can often be far easier, cheaper and relaxing, using your onboard facilities, than stopping off at services.
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You can use Google maps street view to 'drive' into the services to get an idea of where the caravan/motorhome parking is. If in doubt use the lorry park, there is usually space there.
I always put my hitch lock on the caravan when using the services and, if not taking the coffee back to the car, try to sit so that I can see the unit whilst drinking.
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We just lock our motorhome up and go into the services, like we would with our car. If it looked a dodgy area would probably move on. If leaving it parked for a wee bit longer I would put the disclok on.
I searched for any information on thefts from services and could find none. All the articles about caravan and motorhome thefts were about them being stolen from home and usually to order.
I wonder if this is a myth about high level of thefts from services? It would have to be opportunistic and unless it was when the car park was quiet there are likely to be plenty of witnesses.
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A slightly different tack - Services, unfortunately, are a necessity when traveling a distance and being unsure of an alternative, try to pick those who have a separate area for caravans. The stench of urine around the areas where the lorries park is disgusting! Trying to get the dog out for her comfort break and then sitting having something to eat with the car isn’t pleasant 🙈 We’ve been more inclined to use the Toll near Birmingham when going south 😂
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I don't think it is a myth but, regardless, it makes,sense to take security precautions.
The OP has a caravan and they are more vulnerable to being stolen than motorhomes.
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We left caravans at services, home and away, for over 50 years without any problems - and at supermarkets too. We even left them unattended on caravan sites as well.
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Just an alternative to consider - if you are towing a long distance, why not break your journey by stopping overnight at a CL en route? Much more secure and pleasant than stopping at services for a short break, you'll arrive at your final destination more relaxed and possibly discover the delights of parts of the country you might not otherwise consider visiting.
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Just watch out for the pot holes in the HGV area on the services - they are much larger than on the open highway. Local services has traffic cones in some of them as they are large enough to do harm to to lorries!
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The lunch break for HGVs is the most challenging time to arrive at services especially in the main summer holidays. The HGVs are under a legal pressure to stop and you may find them overspilling into caravan areas.
Other than that if you are leaving your van don't leave any valuables or documents on board. Make sure your outfit is in good running order and not overloaded, spot checks from traffic police often take place during busy summer travel.
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The legal break of 45min for HGVs must be taken after a max stint of 4.5hrs at the wheel ,as we have found as posted elsewhere when trying to find somewhere for a PNB mid morning ,so HGVs may well fill services and laybys at any time of day
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Personally, I never use motorway services in the UK - they are congested, dirty, expensive and take away food is not for me.
I always plan my journey to exit the motorway at a convenient superstore where I refuel and take a comfort/meal break, top up on shopping and then re-join the motorway to continue on my way.
The same system works very well for travelling long distances on the continent too, although I have been known to stop at the excellent Aires des pique-niques in France.
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At first, I thought that caravans might be a tad more vulnerable; but, actually, on further thinking I thought, are they? There must be a lot of trouble to go to to get them unhitched and re-hitched.
Anyway, whatever is true, I confess to never having worried about leaving my motorhome unattended at motorway services any more than I worry about my car at such places. Imagine how the services would perform if everyone thought like some here do. The risks are small.
I prefer motorway services to alternative stopping points for exactly the reason that you know what you are going to get and they are numerous, convenient and easy to access. On the whole I find them perfectly satisfactory - with the odd exception. Usually there is dedicated parking - although it can often be hard to find - and, sometimes, though admittedly rarely, this is even monitored by a live human being. I do pick my times and always avoid peak periods. The food is expensive, true, for obvious reasons, but I usually confine myself to coffee and biscuits or a cake and usually at Costa (I avoid Welcome Breaks if I can). I completely disagree and reject the claim that motorway services are dirty. The lorry park can certainly get mucky but that is to be expected. I have never been subjected to a smell of urine. Perhaps I have been lucky. A surfeit of Willi Betz drivers might give cause for concern, but otherwise your average lorry driver, and I know a few, has the same respect for hygiene and decency as the rest of us. The muck in the lorry park is more about diesel and oil than anything else and this is largely unavoidable. If you can, do not park there.
The food areas are generally just as clean as any decent café or coffee shop in my experience. I do have my favourite services, but at any place, I do not get concerned. There's always a first time, but I have not had an issue yet and, at the end of the day, you decide how much trouble you want to go to or how much inconvenience you are happy to subject yourself to, in exchange for avoiding risk. For me, I'll take my chances; I see the risk as slight.
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If we are on a motorway, and need a lunch break or comfort stop, we use the services. Parking can be hit and miss, we often end up with the HGVs.
For lunch, we try to stop before 12.30, makes finding a space a little easier.
What we do not do is use the toilets or eating places, why would we when we have all we need in the caravan?
On other roads, we look for a lay by that is not too close to the traffic, usually not a problem.
When we are travelling with our young grandchildren, they think it is great fun to have a "picnic" in the caravan, and find all the lorries very interesting.
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With an overall length of just under 13 meters for the Land Rover and caravan it is bigger than many of the commercial vehicles on the road, so I would never consider trying to fit it into a car park area. Truck bays are so much easier to access.
Taking turns to visit the provided facilities one at a time allows me time to do the necessary running checks on the Land Rover and caravan as well as stand up straight and move my lower limbs about a bit. As well as have a craick with some of the other drivers.
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we stopped at Strensham northbound and it wasn't until we arrived on site we discovered someone had tried to prize the door lock. Since then we've taken turns and left one minding the van. My problem these days is more about finding services with enough caravan spaces. We've driven straight through and out the other side on more than one occasion lately. Seems our beloved pass-time has become too popular!
Speaking of which, our next trip is to Troutbeck and I plan to stop twice, around the Stafford and Lancaster areas, any recommendations based on recent experience of parking spaces would be appreciated.
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