I know it has been done before but it keeps nagging at me.

[Harrytherid]

I know it has been done before but it keeps nagging at me. I wish we didn't call it wild camping, I don't think of it as camping at all; any more than I think of living in my house as camping. When you see news of wild camping sites in our national parks it is demeaning to be associated with such destructive and polluting activities. I am no more messy than the average car in a supermarket car park and possibly less so as I tidy up my close environment of the waste of us and others. Can we please find another and better name for it. I have failed or I would be suggesting it.

Harry

 

[jacquigem]

I am tending to agree given current publicity . We know what we mean but do the general public?

 

[campervanannie]

I tend to call it wild parking or off grid parking because that’s basically what I am doing parking in the wild.

but I don’t support a name change on this forum.

 

[Sharon the Cat]

Yes, I don't like it when people call our motorhome a campervan because we don't camp.
Campers need loos & showers, we don't.

 

[runnach]

The site owner has stated in the past the term wild camping is staying, each individuals definition is different

 

[number14]

@Harrytheid. I know what you mean and agree. To me wild camping is carrying your tent in a backpack into remote areas accessible only on foot and leaving no trace when you move on. What we do is self contained overnight parking.
Trouble is, it seems to me, there is no distinction for most lay people between that and camping here in the UK. Do we even have a legal definition of camping?
In mainland Europe I believe that if you have anything outside your van you're camping, otherwise you're parking even if you're sleeping, cooking or whatever (!) inside.
In the light of this year's events the description of our activity does need a PR makeover. 'Off grid parking.co.uk' doesn't have quite the same ring though.

 

[izwozral]

Wild camping has always suited us and if people can't handle it, that's their problem. I can't see me changing words for people who have nothing to do with MHing, who probably suffer MH envy anyway or are just miserable sods who peer too deeply up their own rectum.

 

[Robmac]

Wild camping has always suited us and if people can't handle it, that's their problem. I can't see me changing words for people who have nothing to do with MHing, who probably suffer MH envy anyway or are just miserable sods who peer too deeply up their own rectum.

I tend to agree Ral.

It doesn't bother me what the forum is called, but I would rather it didn't change as I've become kinda used to it. If I had my way we would still have the same format/layout/smileys as we had when I joined but I appreciate things have to move on with the technology.

I also wish some of the members we had years ago were still about.

 

[GeoffL]

[...] Do we even have a legal definition of camping? [...]

For much legislation in the USA, Camping means erecting a tent or shelter or arranging bedding, or both, for the purpose of, or in such a way as will permit, overnight use; or parking a trailer camper or other vehicle for the purpose of remaining overnight. I suspect that most courts and other authorities in this country would use the same definition unless an applicable statute or bylaw defined it otherwise.

 

[Robmac]

I think we're splitting hairs a bit here.

Everybody knows the difference between 'camping' in a tent or a motorhome so it doesn't really matter what it's called. It's just words.

 

[Harrytherid]

The general public do not know what we mean.
Off Grid parking is the best I have come up with but I am not happy with that either
I agree with the campervan comment I usually correct them. No it is A Motorhome, not a campervan.
No It is not what people or can or can not handle. It is how they view us, ME.

We once took our folding chairs down to sit by the side of the Rhine and got told off by German motorhomers as that constituted camping in their eyes. and they were afraid the police would clear us all off, Well they are a bit fierce, the German police.

Who is Ral? and who cares what the yanks do, they call buoys booeys (don't have the perception to realise that it comes from the same root as buoyancy) and aluminium alooominum even though the write aluminium some of the time and most other more recently named metals end in ium . Mind you we do it with tantalum, I don't understand why.

Not just words Robmac it is perceptions and they matter.

Harry

 

[Robmac]

...Not just words Robmac it is perceptions and they matter.

Harry

Sadly I don't think that perceptions of campervanners/motorhomers will change if you simply change the name of this forum.

I think perceptions are more likely influenced by images in the media than words.

 

[Robmac]

Who is Ral? and who cares what the yanks do, they call buoys booeys (don't have the perception to realise that it comes from the same root as buoyancy) and aluminium alooominum even though the write aluminium some of the time and most other more recently named metals end in ium . Mind you we do it with tantalum, I don't understand why.

Not just words Robmac it is perceptions and they matter.

Harry

Ral is the person who I was replying to in my post as in Izwozral.

 

[izwozral]

@Harrytherid Who is Ral?

I think it is the hunk in the sparkly mankini/

 

[izwozral]

Geez, for an old man Rob yer fast typer.

 

[mark61]

Campervan, bus, truck, motorhome, camper or The Beast, I don't care what people call my van, as long as they don't get in my way
There is no distinction between a camper van and a motorhome. The only correct term is Motor Caravan.

I like the name Wildcamping for the forum, but rarely use the term myself, "We stopping ere or there" covers most situations.

 

[Tookey]

I know it has been done before but it keeps nagging at me. I wish we didn't call it wild camping, I don't think of it as camping at all; any more than I think of living in my house as camping. When you see news of wild camping sites in our national parks it is demeaning to be associated with such destructive and polluting activities. I am no more messy than the average car in a supermarket car park and possibly less so as I tidy up my close environment of the waste of us and others. Can we please find another and better name for it. I have failed or I would be suggesting it.

Harry

Destructive and polluting activities does occur by campervan and moho owners as well. Responsible tent wildcampers will be just as upset by the behaviour of the minority as our community is. Wildcamping has a bad rep at the moment and we can only do our part as individuals to improve it.

 

[caledonia]

I know it has been done before but it keeps nagging at me. I wish we didn't call it wild camping, I don't think of it as camping at all; any more than I think of living in my house as camping. When you see news of wild camping sites in our national parks it is demeaning to be associated with such destructive and polluting activities. I am no more messy than the average car in a supermarket car park and possibly less so as I tidy up my close environment of the waste of us and others. Can we please find another and better name for it. I have failed or I would be suggesting it.

Harry
[/QUOTE
Why not just enjoy what you do? Life’s to short to worry about what people think of you and us. It wouldn’t mater what you call what we do people will still complain and find fault with it.

 

[Robmac]

Destructive and polluting activities does occur by campervan and moho owners as well. Responsible tent wildcampers will be just as upset by the behaviour of the minority as our community is. Wildcamping has a bad rep at the moment and we can only do our part as individuals to improve it.

A very good point.

I have tent camped for most of my life and it has always been a minority of spoilers.

 

[Robmac]

Geez, for an old man Rob yer fast typer.

Oiiii!