Site speed limits
Comments
-
DS3
I think I get the point "cannot do 5MPH", but it is wrong. Most cars are autos these days so sticking it in 1st is not really an option, even in manual mode. The car will still auto shift up to 2nd to keep the revs within the engine's requirements.
In my case, my car will not crawl at 5mph even with foot off throttle. Its natural tickover is circa 8mph, so I drive around sites with foot constantly on the brake to keep to 5mph. And so should others.
Just to put this in perspective, I am a member of my village speedwatch team. Our results echo what is said above re arrogant, entitled drivers. We are a village on an A road with houses both sides and a 30mph limit, a 2 mile stretch. We average around 25 speeders an hour, mainly in the 40's, some in the 50's and an extreme one last week doing 92mph - yes, you read that correctly. We get loads of abuse from drivers, both gesticulations and shouted at. We have kids hanging out of windows telling us to f*** off. What kind of parenting is that.
2 -
One year we were at Lakeside not long after it had been revamped, we were driving solo off site, were were overtaken by a car towing a pop up camping trailer, they drove over occupied pitches overtaking both us and the vehicle in front.
We assume they must have been in a hurry.
0 -
Apart from the cars we also have children on bikes and more recently electric scooters going well above the 5MPH speed limit and quite frequently going the wrong way round the sites one way system, this is seen by wardens on numerous occasions and I have yet to see any of them having a word with those involved.
1 -
I agree you do see this and my own view, if controversial, is that electric scooters should be banned from sites. These are an absolute menace in my opinion – and not just on caravan sites. But moving around the site on push bikes or a push-scooter is a big part of the fun the children have and stopping them going the wrong way is pretty difficult; I know people will say it’s up to the parents, but how much harm does this really do?
Travelling too fast is the bigger threat but, on push bikes, young children are not going to be going at “well above” 5 mph very often – except perhaps when they have races!
What I take from Broxmeister’s post is that these things are all the more reason – indeed one of the principal reasons – why motorised transport should always stick to the 5mph speed limit.
1 -
I think all motorised scooters, except mobility buggies, are banned from club sites.
0 -
I agree about banning electric scooters, but in reality how much difference is there between an electric scooter and an electric bike? Both are capable of going well above 5mph with no effort from the rider. I'm not sure why one is banned and the other not? Neither have insurance. Neither need a licence to ride. Both cause damage and injury if they hit a pedestrian or other object. Bikes do tend to have lights but so do some scooters. Both are capable of going well in excess of 5mph and often above 30mph. So in reality both are equally dangerous.
The only difference I can see is the type of person riding them. E Scooters, younger riders and e bikes, older riders. Younger people tend to take more risks so are more likely to use the e scooter in a reckless manner. But that is tarring a whole group of people as being reckless and foolish, and the other not which I'm sure is not wholly deserving. A bit of both I'm sure in reality.
But all this is taking away the point of my original post. How do we, and by we I mean the Club as a whole including it's members, try to encourage people to drive or ride at 5 mph or less while on site? Nobody has come up with a better idea than speed bumps every 10 yards which in my view is impractical and probably more costly than my original idea.
Someone said that flashing signs don't work. I disagree they do slow people down. We also have one in our village and I often see people braking when the sign flashes up that they are going faster than 30mph. Okay not all will abide with the speed limit or take any notice, but I'm sure the majority would.
Although I can see kids maybe trying to speed past it to see what speed they are doing and see who can go fastest.
But on the whole I'm sure they would have an overall positive impact on the speed of drivers and riders.0 -
but in reality how much difference is there between an electric scooter and an electric bike? Both are capable of going well above 5mph with no effort from the rider.
Not quite true, for the vast majority of (legal) ebikes the bike has to be pedaled for the motor to kick in help and the motor is limited to 250W and will not help once past 15.5 mph.
There are twist and go throttle ebikes legal from 2016 but these are limited to 3.7mph without pedaling and after that unless you are pedaling then the motor will not help. Any twist and go throttle bike bought before 2016 are still legal but I've never seen one in all my bike travels.
See here
E-scooters, unless hired in certain places, are illegal on UK roads and anyway banned on club sites
But to go back to your point. The club does take action against those going faster than 5 mph, at least with motor vehicles, Serving wardens post to say they do take action and I've seen notices on club sites that state that those caught will have to park in the car parks. There are also many notices on site in various places, on site leaflets, and online too.
I fully support all these measures.
0 -
Chew valley affiliated site has solved the problem.
There are no cars speeding round - they are all in the on site car park.
There are no children speeding around - they are banned.
Do some members still complain? Yes of course.
0 -
Why not try a digital speed sign placed 50 m before the barrier linked to the rising barrier.
Anyone approaching the barrier, driving in excess of 7mph, would cause the mechanism to lock. This could then only be opened by the Warden. Three occasions by the same vehicle could result in a ban from the Club.
0 -
What about sites without a barrier? There are a few of those on the network. Although it would only work in the approaches to the barrier not while driving around the rest of the site, and most people slow down as they approach the barrier anyway to allow it to open.
I don't think there is a one size fits all to this conundrum and clearly different solutions would fit different sites and their layout, but I still think a visual indicator of a persons speed would be a good way of educating many what 5 mph feels like.
1 -
Ah, OK, thank you Tinny; I didn't know that. I have, nonetheless, seen them on sites.
0 -
Yep, Rule 13 but, like every other breach of site rules, the wardens can’t be all seeing.
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/uk-holidays/uk-sites/club-campsites/club-site-rules/
1 -
This season alone I have encountered bikes going well over 5mph the wrong way on a one way system, the electric scooters doing the same, a waste master just being tipped out onto the grass, footballs being kicked off vans, 2 VW campers on the same pitch, people just walking across your pitch, cars going the wrong way on the one way system, Motorhomes filling up at the normal service point and of course cars both solo and towing and motorhomes speeding. All of the above were witnessed by wardens with the exception of the emptying of the waste master and absolutely nothing was done by the wardens, but I did see them pulling up some people for not being parked properly between the white markers. I think with the ever increasing prices we are all paying it isn't too much to expect wardens to try and enforce the rules of the club. Maybe it's time for warnings to be issued with membership cancelled on receipt of the 3rd warning.
As others have said it's not easy but something has to be done.
1 -
To be honest I’d be concerned if we all witnessed staff members admonishing perpetrators in full view and earshot of all others. That polite ‘correction’ may be far more effective than a publicly observed confrontation. In fact I’d go as to say the staff would need to witness such misdemeanours first hand and then deal with them in both a timely and discreet way. They cannot be omnipotent nor can they police all instances of antisocial behaviours. But yes, serial offenders do need ‘sorting’ out! I’m sure more goes on behind the scenes than we appreciate.
0 -
Some years ago on an English owned site in The Loire, that is in the C&MC site books I encountered a very irate UK caravan owner in reception. The site owner had a name and shame board just outside reception and if you were speeding your registration number went on it. The UK owner kicked off in reception at which point the site owner politely informed him to leave if he did not like it. He quickly shut up and left the reception.
Colin
1 -
I came across a speed awareness sign in France. It displayed your speed and registration number for all to see. I confess I was caught, pure carelessness, but I was very shocked to see my number up there in big numbers and letters and very hurriedly slowed down. I was very careful for the rest of my trip wondering if my number had been recorded as well. So I think sign blindness didn’t happen.
0 -
Currently on a seasonal pitch in Central Scotland and have witnessed people diving in the excess of 20MPH, yeah they slow down to pass children but accelerate when past. The caravan sites are full, there are kids playing. Your towing a caravan which means you will take longer to emergency stop. Don’t ruin your holiday or others by your irresponsible driving.
0 -
Maybe solar powered signs showing your speed might be a good idea?
0 -
A good idea Cornersteady. This post was started nearly a year ago, but nothing has changed.
In the second post by Dave Nicholson he said "I fear the CMC will do little to reduce the problem."
He was spot on. The Club have no incentive to do anything about speeding. To do so would cost money. But something needs to be done. I made a suggestion, others made suggestions. Was anything done? Not that I've noticed.
Waste of time making suggestions if noone is listening.
0 -
We have just had a long discussion on this subject which was closed by the Community Manager and you can see her closing comments in the final post of this thread. Rather than have yet more duplication I will close this.
David
0
