Fast lane? No thanks!

And so would I !

One of the benefits I see with ANPR is that the barriers could be configured not to open until 13:00 and stop the early arrival problem.

I wonder if there will be a 5 minute delay between the barrier opening to let the next vehicle through if not I can imagine the chaos of letting this queue of vehicles through (that you all seem to get stuck in) all them vying for the prime pitch.

Will be fun to watch if you are already on site  and pitched up

I've never been in a queue of more than a couple of outfits, until yesterday. 

We arrived at a very popular site in France that does not welcome arrivals until 13.30. We had tried and failed at 3 Aires to park up for an hour or so, as we had a site booking and knew there would be a queue.

It was chaos, over 15 outfits trying to get into the site, many parked up on the road outside. Some MHs decided not to bother and drove off. Others had parked on the road and then both driver and passenger walked to wait outside the office.

Once some had gained entry this left big gaps in the queue, whereby those arriving later jumped the queue of those who had abandoned their vehicles. The site owner was working the desk, his wife making sure that you booked in, in order of vehicles. While their son took you to your allocated pitch.

All worked fine until a few 'other nationalities' got a bit upset as they had been standing queueing for awhile yet not being allowed to book in. Yes they were the ones parked out on the road that had been queue jumped.

Madam insisted that she would only allow those vehicles that were next in line to be the next to book in. 

In the end it took a lot of explaining and raised voices to those drivers, that they should stay with their vehicle and move forward in an orderly way.

Madam then said the British know how to do it properly 😂 well I never. She also said its like this every day they just don't get it that leaving their vehicle just causes problems.

So having a fast lane to book in would definitely be a yes from me.

We use an aire system in France that works very well, arrive, tap card on bollard. Barrier lifts and in you go. When it's time to leave repeat the process. Tap card, barrier lifts and off you go, paying on the way out with your card. It's such an easy system. 

Ok, fair comment, I accept that we are a mixed bunch, although I'm not sure I like being called a "groopy"!

I don’t think the idea of familiarising yourself with the site plan a very good one. Some sites have dead ends and complicated layouts and it would be difficult to remember  those. Although you can download it for offline use, on anything less than a pad would be very difficult to see. Stationing a person to hand them out would rather defeat what they are trying to achieve, but what’s wrong with a box near the barrier with maps that can be taken if required. We always refuse them if we know the site, so they wouldn’t be required by everybody,

Any such system would presume those in the fast lane understood the sites rules or had read them beforehand. Such as dogs on leads and children on bikes keeping to the one way system and speed limit.

Even those in the slow lane who are handed leaflets sometimes fail to grasp those concepts so I doubt it’ll make any difference. Information overload takes place at traditional check ins.

We recently stayed at our local Bearsted site . Turned up and one of the wardens was standing by the barrier clip board in hand . Said they were expecting a busy afternoon ,so ticked us off his list ,asked if we'd been there before , answer yes  , great he answered , opened barrier and said pitch up get settled in and pop to the office later to sort paperwork. Who needs fast track when you have professional staff.