Motorhomes clubs doing enough???

[tulsehillboys]

Am increasingly frustrated that none of the caravan/camping/motorhome clubs are really championing motorhome issues.
Lots of rallies, providing sites etc
No real action on parking in towns, height barriers and support for sensible wild camping.
This site (and other sites) do sterling work but the whole thing is not joined up or organised into an organisation championing motorhome issues.

 

[Deleted member 775]

hi and welcome, read your post and i think you will find that this site is one of the best in giving good advice on where it is safe and where it is not safe and or not appropriate to stay overnight with a van. we do have a poi download that gives good places to stay , ok it can be difficult to park up in some areas but all in all the uk is ok

 

[Deleted member 3802]

hi there i have also read the post your first on here and think it's a bit of a cheek, you have never introduced yourself or taken part in any threads on here,are you on any other forums ? under what name? whats in this for you,you have made youself a full member and post this as you first post strange.

 

[Firefox]

Clubs and magazines are in bed with the industry in the form of converters, dealers, and campsites.

They've a vested interest in not promoting self builds, wild camping or extra parking etc. Because this would lose their partners income. The sites and dealers provide them with material for the magazine and free vans to review. Many clubs and orgs make money from rallies or their own sites. It's all a closed shop where everyone knows everyone.

(It may be a first post but it's a spot on point!)

 

[Deleted member 775]

hi there i have also read the post your first on here and think it's a bit of a cheek, you have never introduced yourself or taken part in any threads on here,are you on any other forums ? under what name? whats in this for you,you have made youself a full member and post this as you first post strange.

now then you old devil wats t wether like up north in sunny donny , tis sunny and warm in sarth wales lad , all the best to my old yorkshire home folk

 

[wildman]

motorhoming issues are fought for by all clubs, a new one won't help. However a federation of motorhome clubs and forums would provide a combined membership that could really make a differance. An added side effect would be that anyone who is a member of one club could stay on the CL's of another club without becoming a member, thereby opening up the whole scope for everyone.

 

[maingate]

Maybe the clue is in the names of the clubs.

ie; The Caravan Club, The Camping and Caravan Club.

Actually, the C & CC has done nothing whatsoever to help or promote camping.

Any change that will benefit us will come despite the big clubs, who will fight it to the bitter end.

What I want to see is a large group of travellers setting up camp on a CC site. I would laugh my a**e off.

 

[Firefox]

motorhoming issues are fought for by all clubs, a new one won't help...

I'd have to disagree there. Not all issues. You can hardly imagine the CC or the C and CC fighting much for aires or wild camping rights can you ?

Of course not, they want as many people as possible to pay them top dollar to stay on their sites. A simple conflict of interest.

 

[Deleted member 3011]

hi there i have also read the post your first on here and think it's a bit of a cheek, you have never introduced yourself or taken part in any threads on here,are you on any other forums ? under what name? whats in this for you,you have made youself a full member and post this as you first post strange.

Good post tulsehillboys -and thanks for becoming a genuine fully-paid-up Full Member.

As for Old Arthur's post, I guess you can figure out the reason for his rudeness to a new member. Hint - it is part of his name.

 

[Deleted member 967]

motorhoming issues are fought for by all clubs, a new one won't help. However a federation of motorhome clubs and forums would provide a combined membership that could really make a differance. An added side effect would be that anyone who is a member of one club could stay on the CL's of another club without becoming a member, thereby opening up the whole scope for everyone.

The main activity of all the Clubs and some forums is rallying. The CL and Site networks of the big two are restricted to "members only" by the club themselves not by law. They want to keep membership high by forcing you to join to use the facilities. The Motor Caravaners' Club also seem to be rally orientated with a small number of CLs. One part in Northern Ireland has fought for Aires but the rest of the divisions seem only to want to rally.

Some forums claim high membership, but how many are active members. How many so called members belong to more than one forum.

The Association of Caravan ans Camping Exempted Organisations (ACCEO) represent 200 or so, of the 400+ exempted clubs. They are again rally orientated. ACCEO have told me that they think only the big clubs should have the right to set up CLs and they were positively hostile when a club that I was the exemption holder for was granted the right to set up 5 van sites. ACCEO secretary actually contacted DEFRA and tried to get the decision overturned. At that time we were the 6th club with that ability now their are about 15.

ACCEO and the big clubs regularly meet with DEFRA (Natural England) and set policy that all other clubs are expected to comply with, with no consultation for those not in the clique. Many of these agreement are then put forward as if they are law, which they are not.

 

[Pollik]

Maybe the clue is in the names of the clubs.

ie; The Caravan Club, The Camping and Caravan Club.

Actually, the C & CC has done nothing whatsoever to help or promote camping.

Any change that will benefit us will come despite the big clubs, who will fight it to the bitter end.

What I want to see is a large group of travellers setting up camp on a CC site. I would laugh my a**e off.

Well, yes, but there are also a fair number of motorhome sites which, while giving a lot of useful information, do not, as far as I can see, do much to change attitudes towards MHs in the UK. I don't agree with an earlier post (Mandrake?) that things are more or less OK in the UK. The feeling not being wanted or not being seen to be good enough so by so many local authorities is enough to push me abroad.

Changing attitudes, though, will be a long process - in the UK we seem to like our jobsworths and prohibition rulebooks.

It is odd - when we say that someone drives a hard bargain, or finds bargain, we listen with respect and admiration. Change the adjective to "freeloader" and we become scum. /shrug But they are essentially the same thing - people trying to get the best deal for themselves and refusing to buy things they don't want (camp site pitches).

Polly

 

[Dezi]

Am increasingly frustrated that none of the caravan/camping/motorhome clubs are really championing motorhome issues.
Lots of rallies, providing sites etc
No real action on parking in towns, height barriers and support for sensible wild camping.
This site (and other sites) do sterling work but the whole thing is not joined up or organised into an organisation championing motorhome issues.

Hi, I cannot speak about other clubs, but I have been a member of the Motorcaravanners club for many years. I know that the M.C.C. promotes all aspects of our pastime including lobbying Towns regarding height barriers & providing Aires, contacting foreign embassies to supply free travel literature for members, etc etc. This is on top of providing reasonably priced sites throughout the UK. I am not really sure what else a properly regulated club can do.
As a wildcamping enthusiast I accepted that my style of life was the exception rather than the rule & therefore simply went my own way. Using the quote
“Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints” as a guideline.
The last bit of the quote “Kill nothing but time” does not really apply in my case, so I substituted it with "Do not be conspicuous & P**s people off”
Dezi
:beer:

 

[Deleted member 967]

Hi, I cannot speak about other clubs, but I have been a member of the Motorcaravanners club for many years. I know that the M.C.C. promotes all aspects of our pastime including lobbying Towns regarding height barriers & providing Aires, contacting foreign embassies to supply free travel literature for members, etc etc. This is on top of providing reasonably priced sites throughout the UK. I am not really sure what else a properly regulated club can do.
As a wildcamping enthusiast I accepted that my style of life was the exception rather than the rule & therefore simply went my own way. Using the quote
“Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints” as a guideline.
The last bit of the quote “Kill nothing but time” does not really apply in my case, so I substituted it with "Do not be conspicuous & P**s people off”
Dezi
:beer:

Hi Dezi

I was a member of the MCC for a year. I used one of their CLs and found it disgracefully. The place had hardstanding but was covered in liquid mud due to potholes full of water that vehicles were driving through. There were about a dozen caravans on the site as well as one other motorhome. Some of these vans seemed to be residential and one had a Transit pickup loaded with scrap outside. Further on there was a clean clear hard-standing which was not being used.

I checked the MCC website regularly and read the magazine each issue. Not once did I see any reference to any activity other than rallies and holiday sites. No campagning or reports of meetings with DEFRA (Natural England)

I contacted the secretary when the "Your Freedom" government website was active and I had put something in about motorhomes. I received no response and nothing was mentioned about this during the time of consultation. Another MCC member also contacted the club and as far as I can tell he also got no reply.

The Tourist board meeting in NI in April was supposed to have a rep attending. So far no report on what occurred has been published, even informally.

I don't think this group is doing motorhoming any favours with the wider issues affecting motorhomes and recognition.

I have not renewed this year because I though membership was a total waste of time and money for us.

It seems that each division is an entirely separate club and that there is no real joined up management. NI division have done some good work over there getting Aires but the rest do not seem to be interested in anything but rallies and Holiday events.

 

[Dezi]

Hi John, I know that the work does go on, because for several years I was one of the ones doing it. Individual c.ls I cannot comment on because I rarely use them, but if that was the case in this instance then if reported to Colin, the then Sec, he would have done something.
With regard to wider issues I have just checked out the clubs website & noticed this :-
Club Response to Department for Transport's Consultation document: Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) and Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) motorway speed limits: A Consultation Document (Department of Transport-2010-06)
Followed by several pages.
Another page clarifies the London congestion charges, & I could go on. So it is trying to do something. The M.C.C. like every other organisation has its problems, but at least its run by motorhomers for motorhomers. Bit like this site will be when Phil stops stashing his ill gotten gains under the mattress & finally buys a motorhome !!

Dezi:hammer:

 

[Deleted member 967]

Hi John, I know that the work does go on, because for several years I was one of the ones doing it. Individual c.ls I cannot comment on because I rarely use them, but if that was the case in this instance then if reported to Colin, the then Sec, he would have done something.
With regard to wider issues I have just checked out the clubs website & noticed this :-
Club Response to Department for Transport's Consultation document: Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) and Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) motorway speed limits: A Consultation Document (Department of Transport-2010-06)
Followed by several pages.
Another page clarifies the London congestion charges, & I could go on. So it is trying to do something. The M.C.C. like every other organisation has its problems, but at least its run by motorhomers for motorhomers. Bit like this site will be when Phil stops stashing his ill gotten gains under the mattress & finally buys a motorhome !!

Dezi:hammer:

The site was reported to Colin and no response and it is still going.

 

[Dezi]

Hi John, That is odd to say the least. If you pm the CL to me then next time I am in the area I will check it out. If it is as bad as you say then I will post it on the club web site, that should generate some action.

Dezi :hammer:

 

[Aethelric]

We have just started using our bongo for touring and have stayed at a couple of C&CC sites. (Moffat and Glencoe). Moffat was expensive but we felt really ripped off at Glencoe. We had to pay for a hook up when we don't use one, we had to use hard standing so could not use the awning, and they lock the gates at 11pm at night so precluding us going out for a meal or quiet drink. (Glencoe site is miles from anywhere) Neither were we impressed with we and our van being on their database even though we are not members.
These appear to be universal C&CC rules. If they are not even camper friendly on their own sites I don't think we can expect any campaigning.
Needless to say we are not joining.

 

[Canalsman]

We have just started using our bongo for touring and have stayed at a couple of C&CC sites. (Moffat and Glencoe). Moffat was expensive but we felt really ripped off at Glencoe. We had to pay for a hook up when we don't use one, we had to use hard standing so could not use the awning, and they lock the gates at 11pm at night so precluding us going out for a meal or quiet drink. (Glencoe site is miles from anywhere) Neither were we impressed with we and our van being on their database even though we are not members.
These appear to be universal C&CC rules. If they are not even camper friendly on their own sites I don't think we can expect any campaigning.
Needless to say we are not joining.

Welcome to the site

You are obviously minded to try wild camping, and after your experience I can understand why ...

Here comes the sales pitch!

If you sign up here as full member, you can download the Wild Camping POI files - these list over 3,000 spots throughout England, Wales and Scotland. The information can be viewed using Google Earth and Streetview whilst online, and you can download POI files to a sat nav for use when you're on the road.

Taking Moffat and Glen Coe as examples, there are lots of places near there that you can wild camp ...

Anyway, it's well worth considering, and will save you a huge amount in site fees.

Regards

Chris

 

[Yorkshirepudding]

There comes a time in the development of ALL clubs when the club grows to such an extent that the needs of the club come before the needs of individual members. They are large commercial organisations.
They recruit more members every year but the number of pitches does not increase pro rata. I would like to see an enforcable link between membership numbers and pitches.
After all it is MY club (I think not).

 

[sujiro]

I think the question would be..Do members of a club doing enough to build unity in the organization? Its all about the members of a club. If the members have its unity, the club would be strong and they will do much more. I was once asks by my friend when the time we've got a rally for we have something to stand for. He asks me "how strong we are standing here?" I answered, how strong are you? I hope others realized that.

Sujiro Heiku
passenger carrying vehicle