# Glen Etive. No Parking



## RSD7a (Jun 17, 2022)

One of my favourite Glens is now littered with new No Parking signs, several of these spots are on our POI database. Some of the passing places  had enough space for several parked vans without impeding traffic flow and many had space for one. Now there are brand new signs on every passing place.. must be getting on for a hundred .. I've just stayed for two nights, underneath one of the signs and no-one bothered me tho.


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## mistericeman (Jun 17, 2022)

I've seen places like that before and given them a swerve on the basis that others may view us parked directly next to a sign like that just doesn't look good to others


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## Obanboy666 (Jun 17, 2022)

Amazed that a poi is located in a passing place to be honest. It’s for passing not parking up.
As Previous post ive never stayed in any location that has a no overnighting sign be it legal or not.


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## alcam (Jun 17, 2022)

mistericeman said:


> I've seen places like that before and given them a swerve on the basis that others may view us parked directly next to a sign like that just doesn't look good to others


To be honest wouldn't have a problem parking next to an illegal sign .
Would be reluctant to park in a passing place


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## mistericeman (Jun 17, 2022)

alcam said:


> To be honest wouldn't have a problem parking next to an illegal sign .
> Would be reluctant to park in a passing place


Each to their own as ever.... 
Just personally don't think it's great publicity to be seen parked next to such signs.


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## alcam (Jun 17, 2022)

mistericeman said:


> Each to their own as ever....
> Just personally don't think it's great publicity to be seen parked next to such signs.


Many of the signs in the north of Scotland were proven to be illegal some years ago .
 Tourists parking in passing places has been one of the big bones of contention . Makes me think , rightly or wrongly , that creates much more bad publicity . Probably why the signs have gone up 
I do appreciate the OP wasn't talking about the tiny passing places .


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## jann (Jun 17, 2022)

I would never park in a passing place in the day,certainly not overnight


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## RSD7a (Jun 18, 2022)

To be clear, I'm not advocating indiscriminate parking in passing places. In Glen Etive the passing places are beautifully tarmacked to allow two vehicles to pass each other ... then to the side there can be rough ground which isn't part of the set up ... or even needed to enable vehicles to pass. Where I parked on rough ground to the side of the passing place (see 2nd photo) in no way impeded or affected the proper use of the passing place. I'm not sure if technically I was actually parked in the passing place and whether the sign even applied to the bit of ground I occupied. I do appreciate though, that despite all that justification, parking in the shadow of such a sign may not be a good look for some.


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## caledonia (Jun 18, 2022)

There’s a lot of forestry work going on and timber wagons take no prisoners. Park at your own risk but never in a parking place. They may look big enough to park in but two 44ton artics take a bit more room to get past each other.


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## Wooie1958 (Jun 19, 2022)

You are advertising the fact that it`s ok to park up in a Passing Place to all the knobhead staycation renters out there


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## davep10000 (Jun 19, 2022)

Also a new hydro scheme at the end of the glen, so a lot of very large vehicles (excavator trailers etc) need to get in and out.


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## Boris7 (Jun 19, 2022)

The signs mean nothing, they are the wrong shape and actually contradict themselves, a lay-by is not a passing place, a passing place should be surfaced as the road, but the Glen has had major issues with mis use by wild campers and the locals are trying to stop it.

I have a house (second home) quite nearby and believe me 2020/21 bought some real scum in, just like the NC500 some of us lot haven’t done ourselves any favours, that said there’s no reason why locals wouldn’t welcome good wild campers who behave properly, but vans parking on private property and using the hedges as a toilet while throwing rubbish in the grass really don’t deserve a second chance.


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## RSD7a (Jun 20, 2022)

Boris7 said:


> The signs mean nothing, they are the wrong shape and actually contradict themselves, a lay-by is not a passing place, a passing place should be surfaced as the road, but the Glen has had major issues with mis use by wild campers and the locals are trying to stop it.
> 
> I have a house (second home) quite nearby and believe me 2020/21 bought some real scum in, just like the NC500 some of us lot haven’t done ourselves any favours, that said there’s no reason why locals wouldn’t welcome good wild campers who behave properly, but vans parking on private property and using the hedges as a toilet while throwing rubbish in the grass really don’t deserve a second chance.


Very sad indeed to hear about the recent disregard for the locals and the environment in such a beautiful spot.
I'd been puzzled myself about the use of Layby and Passing Place on the same signpostas if they were interchangeable. It would have been less ambiguous to say no parking in the passing places and leave Layby out if it. (There aren't any lay-bys). 
As a matter of interest what do you mean "wrong shape"?


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## Boris7 (Jun 20, 2022)

RSD7a said:


> Very sad indeed to hear about the recent disregard for the locals and the environment in such a beautiful spot.
> I'd been puzzled myself about the use of Layby and Passing Place on the same signpostas if they were interchangeable. It would have been less ambiguous to say no parking in the passing places and leave Layby out if it. (There aren't any lay-bys).
> As a matter of interest what do you mean "wrong shape"?



A square sign is simply information, not an instruction. Basically you can ignore it and the authorities can do nothing.

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/learning-to-drive/the-highway-code-uk-road-signs-and-meanings/


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## caledonia (Jun 20, 2022)

Boris7 said:


> A square sign is simply information, not an instruction. Basically you can ignore it and the authorities can do nothing.
> 
> https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/learning-to-drive/the-highway-code-uk-road-signs-and-meanings/


Do as you please, go ahead and ignore the signs but I can assure you there’s a lot of wood to come up that road and timber wagon drivers can get a bit upset.


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## Wooie1958 (Jun 21, 2022)

caledonia said:


> Do as you please, go ahead and ignore the signs but I can assure you there’s a lot of wood to come up that road and timber wagon drivers can get a bit upset.



Agreed, logging drivers have a different mindset to the rest of us and not just in Scotand.  England, Wales and France they are all the same       

I have no experience of Ireland so cannot comment on them


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## Wooie1958 (Jun 21, 2022)

The majority of Joe Public including an awful lot of motorhomers will not even notice the different shaped signs and just see the words *PASSING PLACE    *

Then particularly if they`ve seen it posted on forums like ours will just see them as a place they can park up be it for a brew, free overnight pitch or worse still several days worth camping     

So, if the logging drivers who have a very important job to do get a little miffed with these inconsiderate perpetrators then so be it


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## RSD7a (Jun 21, 2022)

Boris7 said:


> A square sign is simply information, not an instruction. Basically you can ignore it and the authorities can do nothing.
> 
> https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/learning-to-drive/the-highway-code-uk-road-signs-and-meanings/


Thanks for the link Boris. However it includes pictures of  rectangular signs as enforceable instructions not to park.


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## trevskoda (Jun 21, 2022)

Wooie1958 said:


> Agreed, logging drivers have a different mindset to the rest of us and not just in Scotand.  England, Wales and France they are all the same
> 
> I have no experience of Ireland so cannot comment on them


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## Rolyan57 (Jun 21, 2022)

I suppose everyone who parks up in a passing place has their own reasons. But they all contribute in some way to the difficulties that wildcamping and general motorhoming is currently experiencing.


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## Boris7 (Jun 23, 2022)

caledonia said:


> Do as you please, go ahead and ignore the signs but I can assure you there’s a lot of wood to come up that road and timber wagon drivers can get a bit upset.


I’m not suggesting people should park there overnight, simply suggesting that the local authorities have done a carp job of stopping them, locals have had bad experiences with wild campers.


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## caledonia (Jun 23, 2022)

Boris7 said:


> I’m not suggesting people should park there overnight, simply suggesting that the local authorities have done a carp job of stopping them, locals have had bad experiences with wild campers.


There’s something fishy about that post?


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