Fast lane? No thanks!
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I remember another thread about this subject several months ago with an almost facsimile OP, bemoaning the onward march of technology and supposed lack of human contact. Hummmmmm!
The wardens are still there, and you can still chat, but at the right time, which is most certainly not when booking in with a queue behind you.
If I thought someone was talking about the weather, his journey, and the pros and cons of pitches, whilst I was in a long queue behind, waiting to book in, I would be pretty annoyed.
Maybe if there's no queue, it is acceptable; but, otherwise, just book in and get on with it please.
I think an automated system to enter the site would be absolutely marvelous.
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I agree re the "chatting with the warden" bit.
OH was commenting the other day that when out shopping, especially in this heat, and with frozen stuff in the trolley, there is far too much chatting with the check out person if the 2 appear to know each other.
Her other annoyance is ending up in the queue at Aldi or Lidl behind someone who thinks it is OK to pack a huge trolley load of stuff into bags at the check out, despite the big sign saying to pack at the packing shelf. No way can anyone pack as fast as the check out person can scan!
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Your post made me smile K.😁 We are big users of Aldi, and you have to be very organised to pack your bags at the checkout. We have it down to a T now, and even I can pack quickly on my own. On the rare occasions we have to use a check out at another supermarket (always use scan and shop if we can), it’s soooo slloooowww waiting behind anyone. Blip, pause……blip…….pause. I have been known to politely chivvy things along a bit if there’s a long drawn out conversation happening after someone has paid🤭
There will probably always be a need for a long while for staff reception interaction at Club Sites, but the option of a quicker flow through is a good one.
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It's a shame how intolerant the world has become.
JK
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I don't think that you have given your idea enough thought. Here's why, say that you have 10 arrivals due today and there are 5 pitches free for an early arrival, do you a) invite 5 people to arrive early, how would you chose them without ignoring a club ethos that all members are equal or b) invite all 10 and create a race to the site and then what do you do with the last 5 to arrive who now have to wait until 13:00 before they can check in. I would think and quite rightly those 5 would be very unhappy to be invited to arrive early and then potentially being turned away.
More thought needed.
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The only point I see in being made to visit a site reception is to establish whether they will sell you a pint of milk!!!! I long ago passed my "Theory test" on what to do on arrival at a Club site and I have to say it becomes pretty boring and almost a Ground Hog day experience to go through how you should pitch etc, etc. In reality we have had "fast check-in" on some sites for a few years where the site staff meet you at the entrance, establish you have a booking and them tell you to go off and find a pitch and report back later where you decide to pitch. ANPR is only a slight step forward from that.
David
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Agree with having the option, a quick chat is acceptable and courteous, but some don't know when to stop chatting.
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+1, Humans have been designed by the evolutionary process to be gregarious, to work together for the common good. Social intercourse is a big part of that yet there are increasing numbers of all age groups becoming isolationist. They do so at their own peril.
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I’m sure most of us will happily chat away to fellow humans given the chance and perfect opportunity, helping if we can. You can usually pick up on those who might need a bit of help getting through the day, but sometimes it has to be weighed against things like safety, timing, appropriateness, etc…. and might need polite postponement to a better time and place. Both parties will enjoy the interaction better then. We have a coterie of pass the time of day chums we see regularly on our dog walks, including very elderly folks who live alone, and we know we are part of a little “team” who check on welfare, any signs of problems, a bit of social interaction. I do it seven days a week for my own Mum, and fit an elderly Aunt in there as well. It’s a balance of timing and appropriateness, not disinterest in others.
We have done too many long awkward journeys down the years to want much more than getting settled on a pitch, getting sorted, having a rest, a chill out, a cuppa, then pass the time of day happily with anyone who wants to. If reception is empty, staff not busy then fine, we will chat. But not if there’s a line of other weary travellers behind us. Given that we are seasoned travellers, we will be happy to use a faster check in where we can.
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Agree there TTDA. Unless we have had a long journey, in which case we will have stopped en route for lunch, when the arrival time is 1 pm all we want is to get on our pitch and have lunch as soon as possible. When we arrived here a little after 1pm yesterday, it was coming up on 2pm before we were ready to eat.
All depends on whether I need to level the van side to side and line up the wheels to fit the AlKo locks. OH usually has lunch on the table before I have finished my tasks, so sometimes leave things till after lunch.
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yes +1
Also those not allowed to go on as there won't be a pitch free will then probably then cause the approach roads and even public roads to get very congested and upsetting the locals (yes it does happen) as some sites only have a limited number of outfits that can wait.
I think the present system for those that use club sites works well enough and can cope if people arrive after 1pm.
The 'fast lane' will make it work even better.
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The C&CC certainly use that system and it seems to work well enough. However, they show you to your pitch / choice and know which one you end up on. In the case of the CAMC they find out when you go back for your barrier card.
I suppose also the cards are a little more secure than a code that could be more easily passed on to others. At one site this tour the card had to be used for exit before it would let you in again, or so we were told. Our MH tends to stay on site for the duration.
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The wardens do hang up the key cards (now out of site) to show which pitches are free and (from experience in another setting) it's amazing how codes are learnt by those not supposed to know them while a key fob is more secure.
Both codes and key fobs suffer from the same disadvantages, namely having to do with slowing down and stopping then opening your car window to use the code/fob and probably a fob is slightly faster and doesn't require such precise positioning of your car?
It's just the system that is there at the moment really on club sites and it would cost something to replace all the current machines with a push button code systems on all sites, but in any case I think the idea is that ANPR is going to replace fobs anyway and will make using a fast lane for those that have prepaid even faster.
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I am sure there are a number of reasons why entry fob is preferred over a key code. As mentioned key codes are less secure and will need to be changed at regular intervals. Another would be ease of access with an entry fob where it can be placed on the reader rather than having to struggle to enter a code, particularly from a vehicle like a motorhome?
David
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Key code pads are very unreliable and, as has been mentioned easy to spread that code around. Cards or fobs can be managed better and can be blocked or timed very easily. ANPR is the best way forwards only needing a correct registration number that coincides with a booked pitch. They can also block and time numbers.
JK
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