Motorhome facilities and rules

jb99 replied on 16/09/2021 12:05

Posted on 16/09/2021 12:05

We've just returned from a tour of mid and south Wales in our motorhome.  We stayed at a number different locations: pubs, public car parks, private camp sites and one night at the C&MC site in St Davids.  We have paid our membership fees for many years, but in practice we haven't stayed on a Club site very often, and not since the name change and rebranding.  So we expected great improvements for motorhomes. 

We arrived rather early, but were warmly welcomed by the lady on reception who unexpectedly checked us in before the official time. 

I was rather confused by the parking rules, but looked at the way adjacent vehicles were arranged and tried to imitate them.  Since our motorhome is less than 2.5m wide, versus a car/caravan/awning measuring maybe 7m, it was easy to maintain the 6m separation from our neighbours.  However, apparently I had picked the wrong corner to go next to the white post.  This was explained to me that evening, but since we were leaving the next morning the very friendly warden said not to bother moving.  Fine, I'll be more careful if we visit again.

The next morning, there was a queue of motorhomes at the only grey waste point, so we decided that, as we only had a small amount of waste we would empty the toilet cassette at the service point then just fill up with fresh water and leave.  So, I pulled up next to the adjacent service point and attached my hose connector to the threaded tap.  Shortly after, a  different warden who was maintaining the grass, came along and said that motorhomes weren't allowed to use the service points and indeed there was a notice that said this that I hadn't seen.  He said that this was because filling a motorhome takes a lot of time so other people would have to wait.  I asked why I had to wait rather than other members and although a 100 litre motorhome tank will obviously take longer than a 50 litre rolling caravan tank, there were three other service points on the site.  No! Jobsworth was adamant and claimed that it was a health and safety risk (which is hard to understand). 

According to various comments on Facebook, these is just a couple of many petty rule enforcement incidents that are alienating motorhome owners.  I really think that if the Club wants to encourage this massively increasing sector of the market, they need to learn the differences between motorhomes and towed caravans.

So, the rebranding was clearly just a marketing exercise and we will have to seriously consider whether to renew our membership next year.

SteveL replied on 26/09/2021 13:24

Posted on 26/09/2021 13:15 by Tinwheeler

I wish I’d taken a photo now! The one I described was placed at the end of a facility block and there was no need for any pedestrian to set foot on it 👍🏻

Another good one (possibly the very best) is on Wood Farm AS where a whole area is set aside near the entrance as a whopping great easy to use MHSP.

Posted on 26/09/2021 13:24

A private site we stayed  on at Pitlochry had a really good one. A large dished area of concrete with drains at the centre. Capable of taking two large MH’s at a time. There was no conflict with filling fresh as each pitch had a fresh water tap.

JVB66 replied on 26/09/2021 13:27

Posted on 26/09/2021 13:16 by SteveL

I wouldn’t have thought the dished sort would be significantly more expensive to construct than the grid type in DK’s photo. I suspect the main reason they are not used is there positioning, often close to or outside the facilities. If the lease is short replacing the solid covers with gridded ones would be a cheap justifiable fix.

Posted on 26/09/2021 13:27

The club did that at Commons Wood , then were taken to court  by a member who  won their case when she broke her ankle when she as said, they were to small to be noticedundecided

It seems if there is space, it could be done on sites that the cost can be justified , as it seems is happening ,but as posted before many sites on the clubs network are quite old and  when Motor Caravans were not as sophisticated as now ,so not as popular, as is also noted with the size of pitches on some sites when pitch's were much smaller as were LVs that used themsurprised

SteveL replied on 26/09/2021 13:32

Posted on 26/09/2021 13:27 by JVB66

The club did that at Commons Wood , then were taken to court  by a member who  won their case when she broke her ankle when she as said, they were to small to be noticedundecided

Posted on 26/09/2021 13:32

Well they have got one at Lower Wensleydale. Perhaps because it’s only managed. I not really sure what extra risk they pose over a solid cover, unless your wearing stilettos. I would have thought the handle bit of those solid covers, which is often left up, more of a risk.

JVB66 replied on 26/09/2021 13:38

Posted on 26/09/2021 13:32 by SteveL

Well they have got one at Lower Wensleydale. Perhaps because it’s only managed. I not really sure what extra risk they pose over a solid cover, unless your wearing stilettos. I would have thought the handle bit of those solid covers, which is often left up, more of a risk.

Posted on 26/09/2021 13:38

I can only agree but that is  where common sense and some members collide surprised

ADP1963 replied on 26/09/2021 14:00

Posted on 26/09/2021 14:00

Believe me, it's not nearly as much a pain as faffing around with water containers. In fact, it’s a doddle but there’s always room for improvement.

TW. that is exactly what I am saying it all sounds like a pain to me, running around with containers to top up and then lining up to discharge. With a Aquaroll and a Wastemaster( similar makes are available laughing ) it is a straight forward job.

 

Tinwheeler replied on 26/09/2021 14:05

Posted on 26/09/2021 14:00 by ADP1963

Believe me, it's not nearly as much a pain as faffing around with water containers. In fact, it’s a doddle but there’s always room for improvement.

TW. that is exactly what I am saying it all sounds like a pain to me, running around with containers to top up and then lining up to discharge. With a Aquaroll and a Wastemaster( similar makes are available laughing ) it is a straight forward job.

 

Posted on 26/09/2021 14:05

You are saying the opposite, ADP, but as you have a caravan, the MHSP provision won’t affect you. 

JVB66 replied on 26/09/2021 14:06

Posted on 26/09/2021 14:00 by ADP1963

Believe me, it's not nearly as much a pain as faffing around with water containers. In fact, it’s a doddle but there’s always room for improvement.

TW. that is exactly what I am saying it all sounds like a pain to me, running around with containers to top up and then lining up to discharge. With a Aquaroll and a Wastemaster( similar makes are available laughing ) it is a straight forward job.

 

Posted on 26/09/2021 14:06

And as noted that so many MC owners are starting to realise, a couple of watering cans is then so easy to keep the tanks and aqua rolls topped up ,

JVB66 replied on 26/09/2021 14:08

Posted on 26/09/2021 14:05 by Tinwheeler

You are saying the opposite, ADP, but as you have a caravan, the MHSP provision won’t affect you. 

Posted on 26/09/2021 14:08

But they are very handy if closer to our pitch than a standard service pointcool

ADP1963 replied on 26/09/2021 14:30

Posted on 26/09/2021 14:30

TW .

      I am not saying the opposite at all. It all seems a lot of hassle compared to what I view as a straight forward job. My Lunar Delta has a holding tank of approximately 1.5 Aquarolls full of water. When I have used it I just refill..............where is the problem? The same with the Wastemaster when it needs emptying I screw the cap on wheel it to the disposure point empty it and wheel it back empty, nothing easier in my opinion.

SteveL replied on 26/09/2021 14:37

Posted on 26/09/2021 14:30 by ADP1963

TW .

      I am not saying the opposite at all. It all seems a lot of hassle compared to what I view as a straight forward job. My Lunar Delta has a holding tank of approximately 1.5 Aquarolls full of water. When I have used it I just refill..............where is the problem? The same with the Wastemaster when it needs emptying I screw the cap on wheel it to the disposure point empty it and wheel it back empty, nothing easier in my opinion.

Posted on 26/09/2021 14:37

We did it when we had a caravan, if we couldn’t get a service pitch. However, now we just fill up with 100 litres as we enter and discharge on exit, after 2 / 3 days. As long has the site has a MH discharge grid it’s a doddle, much easier than when we had a caravan.

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