Has anyone ever been told to move on from a lay-by??

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Nope, never been moved on either.
Similar to a previous post though, my son was woken at 6am on two consecutive mornings by a Park Ranger when wilding on a climbing trip. This time at Stannage Edge in the Peak District. He did however tell my son that the Ranger patrolling his neighbouring patch wasn't as keen as him and he recommended some car parks where he would get away with wilding.
 
No, we`ve never been asked to move.

We are however particular about where we park especially if we intend to stay the night.

We never use a layby that is not separated from the road by a verge or something similar.

We never park up on a bit of a hardstanding at the side of the road like some seem to do ( we have seen this on several occasions ).

We also never park up if there are any signs saying not to no matter if they look legal or not.

I don`t want to get into arguments with someone that a sign isn`t legal because there is a comma or something missing from it rendering it illegal.

I`m sure some will disagree with me but this is how we " play this game " and it works for us.
 
Wife thinks it's going to happen EVERY night but nope it's not happened yet !

We were once the ONLY wild campers on Drigg beach, near Sellafield and a police car turned up at midnight with blue lights flashing (Thank God it wasn't sounding its siren as the wife would have had a heart attack !) but they just looked at us, then turned round and sped off. :sleep-027::sleep-027::sleep-027:
 
Normally it is fact but there will always be the exception. The differences between the status of various bits of tarmac are legion but in basic terms:

Council car parks, shopping centre delivery areas or car parks are usually private land and will not form part of the adopted highway, the RTA's will not apply, thus no lights required.
Tarmaced laybys adjacent to the A,B or C classified roads, separated or not by a verge, will normally be part of the adopted highway maintained by the local highway authority and subject to RTA's.
Main roads designated as Trunk Roads and their laybys are slightly different in that they maybe managed by the local highway authority under agreement with the Highways Agency but remain in the ownership of the Crown, RTA's apply.

I was just pointing out that you cannot always assume that you are immune from the law because of the physical appearance of the layby.

As for National Parks, I think all of them have bylaws preventing overnight sleeping in vehicles. As another post has indicated, some rangers take a more robust attitude than others. I can understand that in peak season the number of vehicles trying to overnight might, in some areas, detract from the very countryside that we are trying to enjoy, but I have always thought that such a blunt bylaw could be refined. Possibly by seasonal variation or designated areas but heyho that is complicated and requires original thought so they do nothing and rely on a blanket ban.
 
The fact of the matter is that they are part of the highway and all laws are the same whether in a layby or not. Lights are not required for lighter vehicles if the speed limit is not in excess of 30 mph.
 
I have been driving 'heavies' since 1976, parking five nights a week in lay-bys and I have never been asked to move on or display lights. I doubt anything will change now. Worst thing that ever happened was a numpty blowing his horn outside, but he decided it wasn't such a good idea, after I emptied my wee-bottle out of the window and onto his car!

Regards Rog;)
 
I didn't realise you could empty those wee bottles,i thought they were designed to be hoyed out the window !
 
whens the last time anyone saw a car parked on the road overnight with its sidelights on? i dont recall ever seeing one... its pretty pointless anyway as any moving vehicle will have its headlights on, its a throwback to when the majority of traffic was unlit horses and carts.
 
I would avoid staying overnight on a lay by without a separator. If I pull up for a brew or little rest, I'd leave the outside parking light on
 
I have never stopped the night there, too close to home, but I know it well. Just past RHS Wisely, I studied in Worplesdon, not far away. In fact got fuel there a few days ago on my way to visit my sister, who is unfortunate enough to live in Waterlooville. lol
 
i see loads of trucks in seperated by island type l/b,the oddd one has lights on,do any of you think this my draw att to you,just a thought.
 
We were at Marsh Farm, North Hullbridge, N51degrees 37.903' E0degrees 36.802' a few days ago. The entrance sign did say that the gate will be closed at 6pm, but as it was very rusty, we thought that it was not used. Wrong. At 6pm a gent arrived and asked us to move. We said we did not mind being locked in as we were not early risers, but he said NO the site must be cleared. We asked where we could stop for the night nearby as we were no locals, he pointed to two laybys just outside the gate. We thought this would suit us as it was at the end of a no thorugh road. Lovely peaceful night, only woken by the early dog walkers at 8am, also when the gates were unlocked. This part of the country lack wildcamping spots so dont pass this info on to others.
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:camper::have fun:
 
In 2012 I wild camped in Whitby. A few hundred yards up from the pavilion on west cliff
I was not knocked up In the full sense
A police car stopped asked me if I was alright
There are. No sleeping in vehicle. Signs along this road
I said I was staying a few hours and showed my disabled blue badge
They said it us ok and would let others know I was there to keep an eye out for me
I slept sound in the knowledge the police where about
Had similar on the Hadrians wall Near Househeads on the B road just above the A69
Well worth a visit.

If you stop in a safe area they normally let you stay one night in most places
 
ha ha ,as you know most drivers are from england or further afield here,just a thought on the lights on c/vans might draw att from undisirables at night.
 
I have been driving 'heavies' since 1976, parking five nights a week in lay-bys and I have never been asked to move on or display lights. I doubt anything will change now. Worst thing that ever happened was a numpty blowing his horn outside, but he decided it wasn't such a good idea, after I emptied my wee-bottle out of the window and onto his car!

Regards Rog;)

I was 'done' on the A66 at Penrith for it. They have a purge every now and again.
Must be when the coffee jar gets low!!!
 
Tying a hangman's noose to wing mirror or roof rack usually keeps undesirables away. :)
 
I was 'done' on the A66 at Penrith for it. They have a purge every now and again.
Must be when the coffee jar gets low!!!

Thanks for that reply. I have never had a problems with parking without lights. In the 1950s our local policeman was very hot on this and regularly threatened my brother with prosecution for parking our old Hillman Minx outside of the house at night without lights. We had a tiny light with a white and red lens in a torpedo shape that clipped onto the window and that satisfied him. Later I parked coaches in the same place without any problems. It is in the Highway Code, but then there are many laws that are not enforced although still on the statute book and are available for use if they want to have a purge.

I simply pointed out in my reply to the OP that it COULD be a reason for a knock on the door.
 
I've been moved on from Lake Road in Keswick, shouldn't really have parked up, but two stealth vans and needed somewhere to park and sleep ASAP (long hard day on the hill and let down by a campsite), so we acted like lords of the manor drove down and parked up.... A warden moved us on at 8:30am and said "Don't do it again...."

I've had other people tell me I shouldn't overnight in layby's or certain carparks etc. One women told me "I park here every Sunday to walk the dog, you've no right to park here" I told her "it's good job I am cooking breakfast and not parked then" she wasn't happy about that!

I've been sleeping in cars and vans for 15+ years several times a year and those are the only times I can think of right now that I've been moved on. Of course had the doggers / swingers knocking (why aren't they ever stunningly attractive?) and lots of noisy neighbours, with loud music, partying etc etc.
 
Nope, never been moved on either.
Similar to a previous post though, my son was woken at 6am on two consecutive mornings by a Park Ranger when wilding on a climbing trip. This time at Stannage Edge in the Peak District. He did however tell my son that the Ranger patrolling his neighbouring patch wasn't as keen as him and he recommended some car parks where he would get away with wilding.

I must ave met the same bloke, he told me to go to ladybower resevoir. Or get there after dark so if he came along inthe morning he cant prove that you had slept there overnight
 

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