Yet Another Trial

Linksdale
Linksdale Forum Participant Posts: 32
edited March 14 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

For years a simple single peg  marking the centre of your pitch was easily understood. Then came the moving of it to indicate the rear offside (or front nearside) of the van. Again simple. The third system - two pegs came and was used at some sites. People again adapted after it was explained that all sites are different! Now, wait for it, we have the fourth system being trialled. Two pegs, one 1/2 a mtr inside the rear of the pitch, the second 5.5 along from it, leaving 3mtrs to the other corner. Instructions are---park anyway you wish as long as you are between the pegs. Who in HQ is paid to come up with these ideas?

Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 14 #2

    Has anything changed? You’ve always been able to park either way around providing the fire spacing was maintained. The diagrams on your site plan are examples of pitching between the pegs and it all looks straightforward to me.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,425 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 14 #3

    When the first pitch to the off centre peg came in with its strict car+caravan+awning rule it rather upset some who wanted the freedom to pitch caravan+awning+car  and there were many posts on here on about that lack of freedom.

    In fact my preferred way till then was caravan awning then car but as I wanted to use club sites I just accepted it and it never spoilt my time away.

    Now it appears that is now possible on certain campsites again so surely it's a good move. If one wants to pitch the 'old way' it's still possible so there's little if anything to complain about.

    I assume it is only on those sites where the 6m rule between adjacent walls of the caravan/MH is possible.

    A good decision by the club in my view

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 14 #4

    Perhaps with a motorhome its a bit easier as we only use the wind out Fiamma during the day and put it in at night and we have no second vehicle so the two peg system for us is easy. It should also be fairly fool proof? I don't think I have every arrived at a Club site without the pitching system being explained, often in a bit too much detailwink Now having said that I have still seen unit parked on the wrong side of the peg when there was only a single peg. It is very difficult to mis-park with the two peg system. As I have often mentioned before I think when you do get issues its because the person driving and parking the vehicle has not been into the office and its often debateable whether person who has been in the office relays the information to the driver?

    David

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 15 #5

    I think it was the Wardens at Sandringham that explained that these new systems were to accommodate people with increasingly larger (wider) awnings.  Can someone tell me how that works.  Ok - so it may give you more room to erect the awning - but where does the car go?

    The space on the pitch remains the same, however you place the various 'bits'! I must admit, I was even more confused - which isn't difficult, these dayssmile.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 15 #6

    Does this new system apply to all sites or is the ‘trial’ only on a few, if so which? I think the main issue are those campervan tunnel like drive-away awnings. They can take up much more width space than ordinary caravan awnings causing some confusion and complication. 
    Not all in between pitch grass fingers are three metres in my experience, that must be taken into account. There are always those few sites where no system can be universally applied to all pitches, are they ‘exempt’?

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383
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    edited March 15 #7

    I am also confused, is the OP saying, if your van is small enough you can now park sideways?

    peedee

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,299 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 15 #8

    I suppose it will work well  for lone Motorhomes with large drive away awnings and connecting tunnel. However, as you say, I can’t see how it works for a caravan / large awning unless the pitch is deep enough to put the car across the front.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 15 #9

    You could before, providing the warden agreed the spacing was sufficient.

  • Linksdale
    Linksdale Forum Participant Posts: 32
    edited March 15 #10

    AHa!, do I detect a faint whiff of sulphur  in the air as the Devil’s Advocate arises from the flaming fires of Hades? Thankyou Tinwheeler for clarifying the point I failed to do, ie. “Has anything changed? You’ve always been able to park either way around…..”

    I suppose at least this has kept the club Graphic Designers and Printers gainfully employed for the moment pushing out the latest guideline leaflet.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 15 #11

    You are welcome but there’s no devil's advocate at work and I'm not in Hades. I’m simply happy to help when there appears to be ambiguity.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 15 #12

    I’d be both surprised and impressed if the Graphic Designers and Printers can keep up to speed with the changes let alone understand what they are printing and the implications for us mere mortals..

  • eribaMotters
    eribaMotters Club Member Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 15 #13

    Notice the wording, Parking Guide. Guide to me does not mean an instruction that must be obeyed, but then again I'm being pedantic and I would argue the toss with a warden. If somebody gives me a bit of paper then what is printed on it must be clear and unambiguous. 

    As the owner of a small van I have parked across the pitch at Brighton, Winchester and Hastings, where spacings were large and I took advantage of the fact. I was not asked to alter my pitching.

    Colin

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 16 #14

    I think it is a case of it being a guide purely because there are so many pitching permutations and possibilities which are conceivable. The only hard and fast rule about it is that whatever you do the firebreaks must be maintained. The new system allows for most orientations and configurations but the only issues I can see is that there will be those specific pitches, some sites and a minority of units, like 5th Wheelers for example, which will still need a degree of ‘management’.

  • eribaMotters
    eribaMotters Club Member Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 16 #15

    I must admit I have been approached once about how I pitch in my not so many site visits. On a wide pitch at Durham I was about 100mm out of line with the peg and asked to move across. The other warden then came over and apologised, telling me all was fine.

    As you say the one thing we cannot ignore is the fire break. 

    Colin

  • eribaMotters
    eribaMotters Club Member Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 29 #16

    Just a thought, how far apart are the two pegs. Are they a standard distance across all sites or does it differ from one site to another?

     

    Colin

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 29 #17

    As we’ve heard in the past, Colin there cannot be a simple one fits all rule/guide. I’d be very surprised if there aren’t still those sites out there which differ even between pitches themselves. 

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,425 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 29 #18

    The one thing that hasn't changed is the 6m spacing between adjacent caravan/MH walls, so (I assume) the pegs ensure that it will be 6m from one peg to the adjacent peg (left or right), for example the left peg on one pitch to the right peg on the adjacent pitch will be 6m, so providing that is adhered to then the spacing between the two pegs can vary?

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 29 #19

    Colin

    Having used the amended two peg system at Ferry Meadows recently the spacing between pegs is enough for either a car and caravan in the traditional formation or caravan/awing between the pegs and the car next to the awning but still within the pitch if on a hardstanding. From a motorhoming point of view it makes sense as otherwise you have a lot of wasted space on your offside. I think it gives all members more choice. I am sure some won't be happy because if a caravan continues the traditional pitching arrangement we will get complaints that their awning is facing directly out onto the side wall of a motorhome or another caravan?

    David

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,425 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 29 #20

    I am sure some won't be happy because if a caravan continues the traditional pitching arrangement we will get complaints that their awning is facing directly out onto the side wall of a motorhome or another caravan?

    We haven't had that type of thread for a while, take me backsmile

     

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 29 #21

    No we haven’t, I suppose the message got through to the few that it was never a rule and that now you can do what you like, pitching wise, as long as you are somewhere between those pegs and those fire breaks are maintained. It’s so much better and simpler in my view but I’m sure some will over think it with some still needing help and some management from staff will still be required. Hopefully much reduced now.😉

  • bandgirl
    bandgirl Forum Participant Posts: 440
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    edited March 31 #22

    We’re currently on a hardstanding pitch at Rookesbury Park where this new system is being “trialled” according to the leaflet provided.  As we didn’t intend to put up our awning, we chose to pitch with the offside of the caravan to the left marker and put the car on the nearside.  The neighbour on our offside has pitched his caravan nearside to the nearside marker (on the pitch, this is about where the caravan would traditionally be positioned).  The benefit for them is that they aren’t sitting out next to our car and, although our caravans are slightly closer, the required break must still be there.  The occupants of the pitch on our nearside have also pitched in the middle, with their car on their offside, next to us, and their awning the other side.  There are people with various permutations of the ways you can park and it all appears good.  I like it.

  • eribaMotters
    eribaMotters Club Member Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 31 #23

    Sounds like a good result for all, with the added visual benefit of the site not resembling a regimented car park.

     

    Colin