Aggressive takeover by motorhomers
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Rufs, we stayed at Los Madriles so cycled into Porto de Mazarron. On our large ebikes 😁 didn't see any huge packs of folk on there's. We did however have a lovely slow cycle around until we found a nice place to eat. We don't like the site you mentioned, far to busy and cramped.
The German law came out years ago, one of the reason lots of Germans sold their villas and apartments in Spain and bought MHs instead.
Sorry for going off thread.
I'm sure as time goes on we will see some large MHs in this country but I doubt to the degree you see over there.
The CAMC sites we have visited, we've seen 5th wheelers, big big concord. Most have been parked away in a corner so no issue with other campers.
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That’s an interesting comment about German taxation of second homes and the linked possible rise in motorhome ownership. Around us several councils are considering additional taxation for second/holiday home owners. Also an article I was reading recently about those adopting a ‘VanLife’ in order to reduce cost of living, remove house ownership commitments and alleviate that difficult first step home ownership obstacle. Maybe these will have an influence on the ‘rise’ of the motorised caravan.
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I'm sure as time goes on we will see some large MHs in this country but I doubt to the degree you see over there.
There are already quite a few, they can usually been seen at the shows, especially the Western Motorhome show at Malvern where the large Americans gather. My guess is you won't see too many on Club sites because of their sheer size.
peedee
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The huge 5th wheeler caravan I mentioned earlier also had slide out sides which I’m sure made it difficult if not impossible for owner or staff to pitch correctly using the clubs two peg method. Both it with its wind out sides & canopy and huge tug truck must have been a head ache for the staff to find a pitch to fit it. Still no suggestions why such caravans are called 5th wheelers? Can anyone enlighten me?
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I personally have noted a twofold increase(2022) in Moho’s along the East coast to north of Whitby. Rarely during Spring/Summer when I’m out is the road devoid of Moho’s, Cvans not so much🤷🏻♂️
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It’s always been a divisive issue, WTG, and I’ve never understood why. Most of us with MHs have moved to them from caravans and realise each have their pros and cons. Why some folk are so down on MHs is a mystery to me and I can only think it’s that deep seated dislike that makes some label the rise in MH numbers as "aggressive".
As you and Rocky say, MH numbers have increased and I noticed several on the road here yesterday but only one caravan. Those MHs really didn’t strike me as making an "aggressive takeover" - it’s laughable.
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Could be anything WTG🤷♀️ Fear of the unknown perhaps, inability to share anything with anyone who doesn’t share the same likes/dislikes, misplaced envy, grumpy person syndrome, inability to cope with change. Could be any or all🤷♀️
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I’m suspecting most Cvanners want a Moho WTG but are in denial due to cost, parking, size/driving confidence to name but a few. I’m a campervan lover but if I had to I’d go Moho. I had a Cvan for 3yrs & used it maybe 6 times & just didn’t take to it. It just didn’t go with my view of holidays. I know folk who adore them & i’m good with that but not me🤷🏻♂️
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for the area i live in it is none of the above, as i have stated many times i live less than a 10 minute walk from the beach, and area that streches from Gosport in the east to the Hamble in the west, most of our beach side car parks were free as a result during the summer months we were unindated by MH,s, they would arrive during the night and then take up most of the car parking space, some stayed for days, they used the public toilets or the sea as chemical waste disposal places plus a lot of other antisocial behaviour, some of it aggresive, that was just not acceptable.
As a result the local council, at great expense to the local rate payer, installed height barriers, sunk bollards in to grass verges, introduced car parking charges, the up side was we now see very few motor homes, the down side is that we have an aging population, many of whom used to drive down to the beach to have a walk along the prom, to do this direct from home for many is not possible but of course they now have to pay where previously it was free.
this might well have been the few spoiling it for the many, but the few was growing and i dont think my particular area is unique in this experience,
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Your area is far from unique, Rufs, but how does you oft repeated experience explain the strange comment made on TP that…
"…..they seem to be forgetting the 'caravan' part of the Caravan and Motorhome Club with what seems to be an aggressive takeover by motorhome owners."
How does your experience reflect what the reviewer perceives is happening in CAMC?
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I think the problem is waiting to happen, as more and more councils make it very difficult for MH's to wild camp then they will have to move onto recognised sites some of them to CAMC sites and i think you will see a gradual build up of MH's on CAMC sites, this may be true today not a great user of club sites then i would not know, and gradually you will see the uptake of larger MH's, after all who would have thought 10 years ago that we would be seeing 8ft wide caravans, then the club will have to sit up and take note, probably having to provide bigger pitches for bigger Mh's, and at whose expense. ?
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We have had 2 trailer tents, 4 caravans, 1 Motorhome and currently own a PVC registered as a motorhome but more like a campervan in width. As been said many times before there are advantages and disadvantages with each, yer pays yer money and takes yer choice. Our main reason was to store the unit at home and as we have a narrow driveway it had to be the campervan., it also means its easier to prepare for journeys loading up from home. Near us by the beach we had the same issues with lines of Motorhome/Campervans taking a large amount of the parking spaces, however the council did not ban them or put a charge on parking only put up signs advising no overnight parking and this seems to have reduced the numbers to more on a par with the car visitors, which I think is fair and the council commended for not imposing charges which affect all. We have never wild camped, choosing either sites or overnight pub stops but do not object to others that wild camp as long as they leave no mess.
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That’s not a unique situation to be honest Rufs, lots of other that are considered pretty, interesting, worth a day out, have had to concede to all sorts of spending of local monies and inconvenience to locals. This sort of issue plagues all sorts of areas and activities, and isn’t limited to the parking up of Motorhomes. Wild camping, unofficial green laneing, motorcycle and quad trespass to name just a few. Sadly, it’s rife everywhere. But it doesn’t mean all folks who take part in such activities are doing thing’s illegally.
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"…this may be true today not a great user of club sites then i would not know"
OK, so in other words you can’t explain what might have prompted the reviewer to talk of an aggressive takeover by MH owners of CAMC because you don’t often use club sites and are only speculating that MHs will get bigger and be forced off your seafront onto sites, including club sites. 🤷🏻♂️
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A '5th wheel' is what they call the grease plate on the back of a HGV tractor unit. 5th Wheeler caravans are attached to the tow vehicle by means of a smaller version of grease plate & not a 50mm ball like a conventional caravan. It also means that the tow vehicle will be some kind of pick up eg Ford Ranger or Mitsubishi Animal where the grease plate/5th wheel is fitted to the load area.
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Illegal Wild camping isn’t confined to MH’s and campervans, we have seen plenty doing it with caravans as well, and often in the strangest of places.
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Mine was a summation, yours is the assumption.🙂
Tbh, I don’t much care what happens in future, I’m struggling to help WTG keep her thread on track in the hope of discovering what made the TP reviewer make the statement about aggressive MH-ers taking over CAMC and so far there have been precious few opinions that are CAMC related. I suspect we'll never know what strange idea led to his comment.
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I don't support your view. As someone who closely follows the activities of CAMpRA, I think the opposite is happening with councils and other organisations being interested in providing facilities for motorhomes and campervans. Councils who take the stance you outline will lose out on the benefits of motorhome tourism and will be denying businesses additional income. What your council should have considered is the provision for motorhome parking for a fee and using the income to police illegal parking. South Hams and Northhumberland to name two coucils ran trials this year. South Hams have deemed it sucessful and will continue to provide facilities and I am waiting with interest to see what are the resuilts of the Northumberland trial.
The way I see it, this aggression referred to, in all probablity refers to the demands motorhome owners are making on the likes of councils etc and with the rise of such owners in the Club, now probably over half the membership, perhaps there are concerns about the future direction of the Club. While I personally would like to see more effort from the Club to encompass motorhome touring, I think the concerns are right now are unfounded. The Club is not going to change anytime soon.
peedee
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