When is a rule not a rule?

A few weeks ago I arrived at 12.30pm at Chapel lane site having encounted non of the usual and expected traffic delays. I did not expect to be admitted but was quite happy to wait until 1pm, I was approached by a warden( I was the only outfit there) and told very rudely to go away and return at 1pm. My outfit is 40ft long, I know the area well and there is nowhere in the vicinity to legally park up. I went away.

I contacted the club regarding this and was told arrival times of 1pm would be enforced. No apology for the very abrupt and rude way I was spoken to by the site warden. Firstly the 1pm arrival time was I thought bought in during Covid to enable wardens to deep clean facilities. I was under the impression Covid regulations had now been abandoned so why wasn't arrival times reinstated to 12md? In a further reply from the club I was told 'The Executive Committee' had decided to carry on with 1pm arrivals to assist wardens to prepare the site. Did the committee ask members opinion on this decision, certainly no one asked me! So as well as site fees going up we also loose an hour of pitching time.

For the 36 years I have been a member wardens have managed to complete their duties and have sites open at 12md. I asked the question.....on whose behalf is the club run, members (customers) or wardens, obviously the answer is not members but wardens!

 

Once again the crux of the issue is arriving early. Why arrive at 1230 not expecting to be allowed on site, Blue? Arrival time is just that. It's not booking in time but the time of arrival at the site that matters.

If the warden was rude, you have every right to complain but you need to accept the original error was yours. 

 

My outfit is 40ft long, I know the area well and there is nowhere in the vicinity to legally park up. I went away.

Well there is the the motorway services at Hopwood Park, all of 4 miles away, where I would have stopped if early.  Or you might have been able to find room at Becketts Farm shop at the roundabout and go for a coffee. One thing is certain more than a few 40 foot units queuing at Chapel Lane will cause a blockage. Information on earliest arrival times, is available on the website.

"Hence the proliferation of “do not harass or mistreat our staff” notices in many public services."

I too worked 'with the general public' and as you say most are appreciative of the efforts you were making to help them.

There is no room for abusive behaviour however, my experience has been that in many places what such signs are actually saying is "Do as I say, and do not question it".

It can be quite surprising the response one gets, after being told some implausible or unreasonable explanation for 'bad service', to the simple question 'why?'.

I am sorry, but I still think most of the grumbles, complaints, disagreements that folks mention on here about turning up early, and let’s face it, not getting their own way, are simply down to not understanding things from the point of view of the Club. If the Club has asked staff to keep new arrivals off Site until 1pm, and have used a variety of communication methods to try and ensure Members are aware, then it’s unfair to blame the staff for doing what they have been instructed to do. Likewise, some staff might be using their initiative in preventing what might turn into a difficult safety situation, by allowing the odd unit on Site, so they get damned for this as well🤷‍♀️ Personally, it’s not the easiest of “rules” to apply, because it ends up pleasing no one really, and I think is a step too far at slack periods. But it is a rule and as such should be respected.
As for staff not being overly welcoming to those who find the arrival time information challenging…… members perhaps need to consider they might be the umpteenth person that day that the staff have had to inform of their “mistake” and try to move on until the proper arrival time. I am not saying rudeness should happen, but if it’s a constant issue, then I think my smile would slip a little. Staff are human, and as such being caught between Club expectations and Members playing the system is not always a happy one.

In thirty plus years of Membership, only had one very poor welcome, and I sorted that personally. Every other visit has been good, including a medical emergency where onsite staff were frankly marvellous, and lots of help with mechanical issues. I like the staff generally, they do a difficult at times task, generally very well. I don’t need my boots licking clean, or a cap doffed. Just efficiency and that usually what I get.

+1, why not aim to get there at 13:30hrs🤷🏻‍♂️. I think attitude of others is down to our personal perception👍🏻. I’ve been talked to abruptly, that bothers me not one iota👍🏻. I’ve been talked to as if I was a child-‘what is wrong with you are you stupid?’ To which I complained(our raised voices summoned the manager). It transpired-The lady was having home issues, add to that I walked into an area that had a wee sign(no admittance). In the end we both accepted joint responsibility & the area was later cordoned off. . .Result👍🏻. Moral of the story-We all have bad days🙂

It is very well known that since Covid and Brexit, numerous employers are finding it difficult to find and/or keep staff, so perhaps that is why the decision was made to change all sites to a 1.00 pm, earliest arrival time.

I prefer the new arrival times because:

1. We never arrive before 13.00 anyway, but

2. More importantly the new  departure time of 12.00 noon is much better. Leaves plenty of time to pack up on departure day, rather than having to start the night before.

On a recent stay at New Forest Centenary, we were rather surprised to see folks arriving mid morning. The wardens quite rightly did not allow entry until 13.00. When we arrived, around 13.15 there was long queue waiting to check in - guessing that many of those arrived before the allotted time. 

If the club is turning away early arriving outfits then I fully support that.

We drove past the Troutbeck Head site last week at about 12.15 there was a warden with radio and clipboard right the site entrance on the main road which is quite a way up the approach road from the reception. I couldn't work out why but now maybe it was to stop outfits even coming onto the site?

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