How to park at John o groats

Fisherman

Fisherman

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I can empathise with the driver of that Roller Team as my own van has a long overhang. The last time I 'did the decent thing' and parked in just two bays (i.e. the minimum into which my van will physically fit), all 4 adjacent parking spaces were filled by the time we got back to the van. We couldn't even use the habitation door and there was no way we could leave as our overhang would have hit a car if we'd driven out forward, or the cab would have hit a car if we'd reversed. We ended up waiting over an hour until one of the car drivers turned up. Ever since then, I'll park on the periphery if possible but I'll take four spaces if that isn't. Ironically, that means we no longer shop at Tesco since they now fine you £70 if you don't/can't park in just one of their inadequate bays!
 
Nabsim said:
Can’t understand why people continue going places like John o Groats, just rip off places to my mind
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I have spent £3.50 for a full days parking in a motorhome parking bay, by donation. Enjoyed a great coastal walk to Duncasbay lighthouse. Took great photos of Duncansbay stacks. Sorry but where’s the rip off.
 
GeoffL said:
I can empathise with the driver of that Roller Team as my own van has a long overhang. The last time I 'did the decent thing' and parked in just two bays (i.e. the minimum into which my van will physically fit), all 4 adjacent parking spaces were filled by the time we got back to the van. We couldn't even use the habitation door and there was no way we could leave as our overhang would have hit a car if we'd driven out forward, or the cab would have hit a car if we'd reversed. We ended up waiting over an hour until one of the car drivers turned up. Ever since then, I'll park on the periphery if possible but I'll take four spaces if that isn't. Ironically, that means we no longer shop at Tesco since they now fine you £70 if you don't/can't park in just one of their inadequate bays!
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They have motorhome parking bays, my van is parked in one. There’s a 7m roller team next to me the same size as his. Also he had end bays available to him.

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Fisherman said:
I have spent £3.50 for a full days parking in a motorhome parking bay, by donation. Enjoyed a great coastal walk to Duncasbay lighthouse. Took great photos of Duncansbay stacks. Sorry but where’s the rip off.
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John o Groats is the rip off, probably why you stayed away and only used the parking


Edit: to be fair, so is Lands End, I am not picking on Scotland lol
 
Nothing wrong with that. I would do the same in a supermarket or half empty car park providing it was free. As already explained above you need the space to get out with a big van with the overhang. I would generally park as far away as possible though from everyone else and preferably on one of those long ways slots you sometimes get.
 
barryd said:
Nothing wrong with that. I would do the same in a supermarket or half empty car park providing it was free. As already explained above you need the space to get out with a big van with the overhang. I would generally park as far away as possible though from everyone else and preferably on one of those long ways slots you sometimes get.
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Barry there were motorhome parking bays, why would you take up 4 spaces. I took up one space, so did the guy next to me with the same van he had.
 
barryd said:
Nothing wrong with that. I would do the same in a supermarket or half empty car park providing it was free. As already explained above you need the space to get out with a big van with the overhang. I would generally park as far away as possible though from everyone else and preferably on one of those long ways slots you sometimes get.
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Must admit Barry, that's the important bit - 'half empty'.

I'd still tend to go in a corner somewhere though I can usually fit in one space there.
 
Fisherman said:
Barry there were motorhome parking bays, why would you take up 4 spaces. I took up one space, so did the guy next to me with the same van he had.
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You never explained that. Both those vans should be in them then really. As the car park is clearly half empty though I don't see the problem.
 
Nabsim said:
John o Groats is the rip off, probably why you stayed away and only used the parking


Edit: to be fair, so is Lands End, I am not picking on Scotland lol
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I didn’t stay away I was parked in their free car park. But I decided to pay £3.50 voluntarily. We are in a campsite only 12 miles away and thought it would be nice to visit. The toilets are free, you can visit John o groats for free, and enjoy views like the one below as part of a 6 mile coastal walk. There’s no comparison between John of groats and lands end, were I am told you have to pay for everything even having your photo taken at the mileage post. Sorry nabism but I don’t understand how something which is free is a rip off.

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barryd said:
You never explained that. Both those vans should be in them then really. As the car park is clearly half empty though I don't see the problem.
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I did in post 8 Barry. I was just getting ready for a six mile walk when this guy came in. I should have pointed this out. He could have parked in a peripheral bay taking up two places. Sorry Barry but it’s this kind of selfish behaviour that blights us, I witnessed people looking at the van shaking their heads. Also the car park was quiet early morning but when we left it was almost full. I take geoffs point about being wedged in, but he could have parked more considerately but decided not to. It simply looks bad, and we have enough issues up here without this kind of stupid behaviour.
 
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If you get the weather up round John o groats this time of year you’ve knocked it off especially before the main holiday season. That Roller Team van is more than likely a hire van with a driver that’s only ever drove a fiesta. There’s a company that has 40 vans mostly that model that constantly drive round the NC500
 
Wully said:
If you get the weather up round John o groats this time of year you’ve knocked it off especially before the main holiday season. That Roller Team van is more than likely a hire van with a driver that’s only ever drove a fiesta. There’s a company that has 40 vans mostly that model that constantly drive round the NC500
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There were no decals on the van Wullie, but now you mention it I have seen a lot of them with numbers on their dash boards, and this one had a number on theirs. Since we left home on 22 April the weather has been great. 👍
 
GeoffL said:
I can empathise with the driver of that Roller Team as my own van has a long overhang. The last time I 'did the decent thing' and parked in just two bays (i.e. the minimum into which my van will physically fit), all 4 adjacent parking spaces were filled by the time we got back to the van. We couldn't even use the habitation door and there was no way we could leave as our overhang would have hit a car if we'd driven out forward, or the cab would have hit a car if we'd reversed. We ended up waiting over an hour until one of the car drivers turned up. Ever since then, I'll park on the periphery if possible but I'll take four spaces if that isn't. Ironically, that means we no longer shop at Tesco since they now fine you £70 if you don't/can't park in just one of their inadequate bays!
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Ah! Fined for spending money at Tesco - ripp-off Britain anyone?
 
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