# Dirty Motorhomers



## spigot (Jan 3, 2014)

Returning home from the Ribblehead bash on new year's day we decided to break our journey & stay the night at the Dog & Gun pub in Carlton Minniott near Thirsk, there were a few other vans there.

Yesterday morning as it wasn't actually raining we decided to go for a stroll, as we passed a posh new van the dirty ba$tard shot the contents of his waste tank straight out onto the car park where it ran across several car spaces onto an already muddy approach road.

There was a drain only 20ft away!, with idiots like this about, is it any wonder that we are not welcome in many places?


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## suej (Jan 3, 2014)

I would have knocked on his door and told him he was out of order. But there again that type of person doesn't give a stuff as probably won't go there again. I'd certainly note his reg no and let the landlord knpw though.
Sue


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## Tbear (Jan 3, 2014)

Have you got a picture with their reg number showing

I know that I have failed to shut the valve off. I tend to leave it open when not in use to help prevent smells building up but you very soon realise your mistake if you are parked on tarmac. I am out there shutting it off very quickly with an earfull from the better half. How anyone could just sit there and pollute the area they and their peers are living in intentionally beggars belief.

Richard


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## Campermad (Jan 3, 2014)

We don't really use our sink a lot at all , we barbacue  and keep the pots to a minimum and use wipes to clean up , we leave our waste tap open but only ever put small amounts of usually just water down it but emptying a whole container of waste and possibly washing up liquid straight on to a pub yard is just wrong


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## sparrks (Jan 3, 2014)

I would certainly taken some photos of the incident in case they were needed.


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## Rockerboots (Jan 3, 2014)

I was parked on Skeggy seafront during the summer last year & a guy with a newish motorhome who was parked a dozen or so vehicles infront of me was having a fag while his little pooch was having a **** on the pavement. Granted he picked up the crap in a bag, but rather than bin it he threw the bag under his van.
Being the height of summer there were a lot of people about.
 Hopefully they saw him as a careless dog owner rather than a disrespectfull motorhomer.  :mad1:


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## wineciccio (Jan 3, 2014)

You may have started a good post, I have seen many many times waste water let out by Italians/dutch/ French and yes even germans, but in my mind the worst are the british, I used to park up almost every year in Marsellian plage  a little square, where opposite you could fill up with water and empty your loo, (open public toilets), I met and made friends with some people from Hastings  who never never shut the waste water valve, cutting it short, we met again in france and headed for the same spot and guess what? it had high barriers,  no more entry to campervans because the locals had witnessed various campervans doing the same, and yet these people were the first to moan and complain as to the closure of such a lovely spot, dare I say it that we are no longer friends because I let it rip and lost my cool with them. trying to explain to them that they were the first to complain and yet they would let the waste water out with out even thinking about the locals, shame on them where ever they may be.:camper::mad2:


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## Martin P (Jan 3, 2014)

I think it is important to be sensitive about emptying your vans waste "grey" water tank but it is interesting that on a canal boat this water (shower waste sink waste washing machine waste) is emptied quite properly directly into the canal


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## Siimplyloco (Jan 3, 2014)

Martin P said:


> I think it is important to be sensitive about emptying your vans waste "grey" water tank but it is interesting that on a canal boat this water (shower waste sink waste washing machine waste) is emptied quite properly directly into the canal



We have no holding tank on our boat for any type of waste, and there is no requirement in France so to do. It would be pointless anyway, as working pump out stations are few and far between!
John


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## Rodeo (Jan 3, 2014)

Hmmm...interesting this. So if you have a waste water tank on the van,what is the _correct_ procedure for emptying? France/Spain,same as UK?


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## maingate (Jan 3, 2014)

I just expect motorhomers to be a pack of dirty b******s these days because I see it so often. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised as well.


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## Martin P (Jan 3, 2014)

maingate said:


> I just expect motorhomers to be a pack of dirty b******s these days because I see it so often. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised as well.



So what are your thoughts on the emptying of grey water


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## wineciccio (Jan 3, 2014)

I have been doing this since 1974, enjoyed every minute of it with my kids and now just me and her indoor, I can solemnly swear that I have never ever left as much as a cigarette paper behind wherever we have been, foot prints in the sand  and names on trees perhaps yes, that is the beauty of having a camper its the outdoor experience that it gives you and every time we go somewhere its always a new adventure, for us anyway. :cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::cool1::camper:


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## RoaminRog (Jan 3, 2014)

Hi spigot, sorry to hear your journey home was not uneventful, I quite agree that this type of behaviour doesn't help the motorhoming cause, and you were right to bring this to our attention. It was such a shame that you didn't have a camera with you, and then wherever he parked, people could express their views to him personally until he got the general idea.

Best wishes to you both.
Regards Rog and Chris.


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## maingate (Jan 3, 2014)

Martin P said:


> So what are your thoughts on the emptying of grey water



I spend more and more time on Temporary Holiday Sites with the C&CC. I carry a bucket and chuck all the waste water in the back of the hedge as per the site rules. The majority of motorhomes never do this, they just dribble the water out of the tank under the motorhome. Then they move on and a Caravan pulls in to that spot and he sets up his awning and Safari Room over a stinking piece of grass.

When wildcamping I ensure that I get rid of the waste water where 1) It is away from people. 2) It will soak away and not drain into a watercourse. 3) It is NOT done in full view of passing members of the Public who think it is human crap I am depositing. Perception IS important.

I do not regard waste water as highly toxic and dangerous. Worse things are deposited in this fair land. Anyone with a grain of common sense should have no problem disposing of grey water. It is contained in a tank, if it is not appropriate to dispose of it where you are, you can always carry it to a more suitable place.


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## GinaRon (Jan 4, 2014)

When we went to Ilfracombe last year on Wildmans site - a new and novel idea was shownto us, we had a little camper then and a bottle to empty waste into.  We were show how to put a plastic carrier on to the end of the waste pipe, filling it with grass first, then making a few holes, then when you washed up and emptied your waste the water went directly into the field and the waste was collected in the grass in the bag and put in the dustbins later.  I appreciate it is not something you can do all the time but if you are wildcamping in a field or somewhere where the waste water can drain away it is certainly a solution.  :camper:  we certainly do not leave any waste or litter where ever we park - I wouldn't like it so I don't do it.  :rulez:


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## TWS (Jan 4, 2014)

I tend to agree with Maingate on this one ! The waste water tends to be dirty dishwater etc so a bucket under the outlet & in the hedgerow seems like an ok way to deal with it ! Sadly some MH owners have no discretion at all and they just dump it anywhere ! Me personally I tend to catch the very little I do have in a bucket & dump it ! TBH I don't tend to use much water in fairness I'm pretty tight with it especially when wildcamping ! Well I'm off to the London boat show for a few days ! Have a good weekend everyone.


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## Tbear (Jan 4, 2014)

I too am with Maingate. Our tap is a little low to get a bucket under it but we can with the aid bit of pipe do it. However its not normally a problem to find a suitable hedgerow to water. On five van sites we have been asked to dump our grey water along scrubs in dry weather.

Richard


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## wints (Jan 4, 2014)

GinaRon said:


> When we went to Ilfracombe last year on Wildmans site - a new and novel idea was shownto us, we had a little camper then and a bottle to empty waste into.  We were show how to put a plastic carrier on to the end of the waste pipe, filling it with grass first, then making a few holes, then when you washed up and emptied your waste the water went directly into the field and the waste was collected in the grass in the bag and put in the dustbins later. :



Seen lots of caravans doing this, on C&CC rallies, but never seen motorhomers doing it. Looks a good idea.
My wife, & occassionally our daughter think I'm verging on the autistic with the effort I put into 'pre-cleaning' our dishes with wipes prior to washing up. I don't think they need washing after I 'wiped' them !
I collect all grey water in a bucket and it gets dumped daily.
I always leave the bucket under the drain valve which is usually left open, unless it's dead hot. This alleviates smells in the van.
All grey water then disposed of in correct manner, never in a pub car park or anywhere resembling that. We're usually on rallies, so it's the nearest hedge, but not too close to  fellow ralliers.
I would've made that guy aware of what was happening, then bollocked him proper !

regards
Allen


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## muttfunk (Jan 4, 2014)

Just take 2 labradors with you,they will lick every cup/plate/saucer/knife/fork/spoon/pan/bowl clean after every meal and no waste water is produced


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## stonedaddy (Jan 4, 2014)

*Same as*



GinaRon said:


> When we went to Ilfracombe last year on Wildmans site - a new and novel idea was shownto us, we had a little camper then and a bottle to empty waste into.  We were show how to put a plastic carrier on to the end of the waste pipe, filling it with grass first, then making a few holes, then when you washed up and emptied your waste the water went directly into the field and the waste was collected in the grass in the bag and put in the dustbins later.  I appreciate it is not something you can do all the time but if you are wildcamping in a field or somewhere where the waste water can drain away it is certainly a solution.  :camper:  we certainly do not leave any waste or litter where ever we park - I wouldn't like it so I don't do it.  :rulez:



Yes Gina I was on the same meet and Wildman was very keen on keeping his site clean. He even chucked one van off for not following rules. He had dog waste bins, bottle bins, rubbish bins, the lot. I was catching my washing up in a black plastic container under the van ready to dispose of. He came along and showed me the plastic carrier bag method with the grass filling it up and holes in the bottom of it. He says all the bits of garbage that gets through gets trapped in the grass and just the water gets through and that just helps the grass grow in summer as he also puts his animals on it to graze. I have been using this method ever since on grass and like you say put the bag in the rubbish bins when finished. On hard standing we have to go back to catching it and finding some hedge or like to dispose of it. 
.... Tom ....


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## Siimplyloco (Jan 4, 2014)

muttfunk said:


> Just take 2 labradors with you,they will lick every cup/plate/saucer/knife/fork/spoon/pan/bowl clean after every meal and no waste water is produced



That reminds me of an old joke about Rednecks' washing up and a dog called 'Clearwater'!


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## tommytli (Jan 4, 2014)

I dont belive for one minute that you lot have never forgot to close the waste valve after draining down the waste. I  forget all the time, have a shower etc then notice its open when ive seen the water then close it. Its a simple mistake to make.


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## RoaminRog (Jan 4, 2014)

I like the sound of the grass in the bag trick, could someone tell me more about it? The more specific the better please.

Regards Rog.


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## steveuk0 (Jan 4, 2014)

I personally don't have a waste tank just a washing up bowl which gets emptied in a hedge or down a nearby drain, however whilst trying a remote spot on the POI  from this site the other day on my return from Edinburgh hogmany,I could not believe the amount of rubbish that had been dumped over the wall and being so remote can only assume its been dumped by members of this site


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## spigot (Jan 4, 2014)

wints said:


> I would've made that guy aware of what was happening, then bollocked him proper !



I automatically shouted out "Dirty Ba$tard" as we passed the van, I don't know if he heard me.

Looking back, a foolhardy thing to do, it was quite a flash van which might have contained a shaven headed, tatooed thug who might have come out & beat me up.

I just didn't think, I had my iphone & could have videoed it & posted on a rogue's gallery somewhere.


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## Sky (Jan 4, 2014)

spigot said:


> posted on a rogue's gallery somewhere.



I think that's a fine idea.  Why don't we all take pictures of offenders like this if we see them and do just that?

Anyone want to start a website that would allow it?

Personally, I've yet to see someone do such a thing.


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## n brown (Jan 4, 2014)

I really don't like the sound of ''naming and shaming'' at all ! taking a picture of somebody's van doing something you don't agree with is just asking for trouble ! what if they have permission,what if you misread a situation ? then you've unfairly judged someone who now is in this ''rogues gallery'' for all to see,but never had a chance to put his side.that's a lot wronger than a bit of dirty water

  there was a similar thread not long ago,some people took offence at campers in other countries having chairs out,washing on lines etc. might be frowned on in the uk but fine abroad. I don't agree with this vigilante stuff


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## barryd (Jan 4, 2014)

n brown said:


> there was a similar thread not long ago,some people took offence at campers in other countries having chairs out,washing on lines etc. might be frowned on in the uk but fine abroad. I don't agree with this vigilante stuff



Yes!  Bloody people turning Aires into Gypsy Camps!  Its a disgrace.  Just look at this yobbo.


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## n brown (Jan 4, 2014)

this is what I mean about perceived offence.this might very well be offensive in uk,though hardly a gypsy camp. I see nothing to annoy me here,the guy has a bike,fine. he hasn't deflated his boat,understandable,his wahing is on the line,where else should it be ?,he's playing a guitar. how is he a ''yobbo'' ?


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## barryd (Jan 4, 2014)

n brown said:


> this is what I mean about perceived offence.this might very well be offensive in uk,though hardly a gypsy camp. I see nothing to annoy me here,the guy has a bike,fine. he hasn't deflated his boat,understandable,his wahing is on the line,where else should it be ?,he's playing a guitar. how is he a ''yobbo'' ?



Trust me.  He is a Yobbo!


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## K9d (Jan 4, 2014)

I think you may have missed the irony of the picture.


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## Tezza33 (Jan 4, 2014)

barryd said:


> Trust me.  He is a Yobbo!


I bet his name is Barry


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## barryd (Jan 4, 2014)

tezza33 said:


> I bet his name is Barry


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## maingate (Jan 4, 2014)

barryd said:


> Trust me.  He is a Yobbo!



Yes, he is just the kind of riffraff I was talking about. :mad2::mad2:


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## maxi77 (Jan 4, 2014)

There are two problems here grey water and black. Many of the public and it seems our highly paid and trained council officials cannot differentiate between the two, probably because in buildings the two are treated the same and end up in the sewage works thus to then in their ignorance grey water is as bad as black. It though is not that long since, in times of drought, householders were being advised to collect grey water to water their gardens and allotments. Now if the stuff is good enough for that does it really matter that much where it ends up. Now I am not advocating dumping a whole tank in Tesco's car park but see no problems with discrete disposal (I did like the idea of the grass filter). Perhaps there is a need for a re-education programme for council officials and perhaps elected representatives alongside the present overnight parking campaign

Black on the other hand is very different and needs to be properly disposed of. Many years ago we had a holiday cottage with no sewage system and all dishwater and bath etc water was disposed of outside, and the contents of the Elsan were buried in the next field (recommended disposal for such stuff back then) If any one else remembers Elsan fluid was pretty revolting even before you used it and lugging a five gallon bucket of the used stuff down the hill to the disposal field was not the most pleasant of tasks. Modern cassette type toilets are by comparison a delight to use


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## barryd (Jan 4, 2014)

maingate said:


> Yes, he is just the kind of riffraff I was talking about. :mad2::mad2:



Shurup Maingay or ill come round and dump me waste (and me loo) on yer drive (again).


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## Tezza33 (Jan 5, 2014)

The idea of grass in a bag is something I have seen before, at the Stratford Show in the mid 90's there was somebody selling a round tube that looked like a drainpipe with adapters on one end to fit on your drain hose, the other end was sealed with slots in the end, you unscrewed the end of and stuffed grass in it then connected it up to your waste pipe then just left it open, it all drained under your van but it was surprisingly clean water.
I didn't buy one because I am a tight Yorkshireman


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## n brown (Jan 5, 2014)

K9d said:


> I think you may have missed the irony of the picture.


 you could possibly be right !


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## antiqueman (Sep 17, 2014)

RoaminRog said:


> I like the sound of the grass in the bag trick, could someone tell me more about it? The more specific the better please.
> 
> Regards Rog.



bright yellow bag 7 smallish holes in bottom edge and suitable grass variety I believe :rolleyes2:


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## antiqueman (Sep 17, 2014)

n brown said:


> this is what I mean about perceived offence.this might very well be offensive in uk,though hardly a gypsy camp. I see nothing to annoy me here,the guy has a bike,fine. he hasn't deflated his boat,understandable,his wahing is on the line,where else should it be ?,he's playing a guitar. how is he a ''yobbo'' ?



people on boats do washing rigging is natural line if his music offends none I see no problem, better to wash than smell but we do not know location or his circumcisers maybe he is on holiday and enjoying life. I would certainly say hello to him.:blah:


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## Jennet (Sep 17, 2014)

tezza33 said:


> The idea of grass in a bag is something I have seen before, at the Stratford Show in the mid 90's there was somebody selling a round tube that looked like a drainpipe with adapters on one end to fit on your drain hose, the other end was sealed with slots in the end, you unscrewed the end of and stuffed grass in it then connected it up to your waste pipe then just left it open, it all drained under your van but it was surprisingly clean water.
> I didn't buy one because I am a tight Yorkshireman



Tight bu**ers response :  Having been a shed tugger for many years, we used small piece of hosepipe to go over drain end on van, into a used milk carton with grass in after slashing the base a bit with a kitchen knife.   If site was hot/dry, no problems; if site was already not draining well, used a large washing up bowl under the milk carton and regularly emptied it into hedge.   Now have a lovely flexi muck bucket which does same job as washing up bowl used to.... still use milk carton and grass/hay method.


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## maingate (Sep 17, 2014)

antiqueman said:


> people on boats do washing rigging is natural line if his music offends none I see no problem, better to wash than smell but we do not know location or his circumcisers maybe he is on holiday and enjoying life. I would certainly say hello to him.:blah:



Barry was probably up an Alp at the time.

At the moment he is up a Pyrenee. :lol-049:

He very rarely parks up where there are other human beings (especially motorhomes). He has the uncanny knack of finding quiet places. Personally, I think he likes Mountain Goats (not sure if I have spelled mountain correctly ).


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## trevskoda (Sep 17, 2014)

muttfunk said:


> Just take 2 labradors with you,they will lick every cup/plate/saucer/knife/fork/spoon/pan/bowl clean after every meal and no waste water is produced



yes there is its yellow.:lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:


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## n brown (Sep 17, 2014)

i don't know if this qualifies us as dirty folk,but when we were living in an old van in the pre-Alps,we used to put the baby's stinking potty outside,at night, to be sorted in the morning. to our surprise,the poo fairy used to clean it to a sparkling finish by morning !
the village dogs must have had terrible halitosis !
a really badly burnt saucepan of carrots came up like new !
my mate's dead donkey disappeared in days !
I like dogs sometimes


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## Deadsfo (Sep 17, 2014)

Sky said:


> I think that's a fine idea.  Why don't we all take pictures of offenders like this if we see them and do just that?
> 
> Anyone want to start a website that would allow it?
> 
> Personally, I've yet to see someone do such a thing.



Lets be carefull now,rogues corner or whatever you want to call it smacks of becoming judge and jury,as has been said accidents do happen.


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## bluejet (Sep 17, 2014)

Earlier this year whilst on tour we decided to use a Britstop location called Rhug Estate.(a farm selling bison burgers).
It was very busy & the only place left was between two large & very expensive looking late model motorhomes, so I very carefully reversed between them & parked.I intended to stay till morning.
Then, about five minutes later, both vans drove off leaving trails of grey water onto the road.
I went outside to see that our van was now sitting in a puddle of the grey stuff as big as our van!
Charming & thanks a lot I thought. 
I was so embarrassed at the look of it I drove off & overnighted elsewhere. 
Rude b@£?&rds!


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## Tezza33 (Sep 17, 2014)

n brown said:


> i don't know if this qualifies us as dirty folk,but when we were living in an old van in the pre-Alps,we used to put the baby's stinking potty outside,at night, to be sorted in the morning. to our surprise,the poo fairy used to clean it to a sparkling finish by morning !


We stayed at Roses in 2001 with our 18mth old Granddaughter, we left her nappy out one night in the awning and the next morning it looked as if you could use it again it was that clean, I walk my dog regularly on a Countryside track and see where dog owners don't pick up (I have a policy which is if I am walking there anybody could be so I pick up everywhere) and you would be surprised how many times it disappears overnight, obviously eaten by something


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