Spain ? no-way.

noody

Guest
I'm only one year old as a motor-home owner, on buying our van my dreams included Spain, I love the food, the history, the weather, in fact everything about Spain and the Spanish gives me a warm-feelin. though my only experience of Spain and the Spanish has been North Majorca and the Canary-Islands.

After hearing all the stories and reading post from people who will never go back I'm resolute not to subject myself to the thieving targeted at motorhomes from other countries.

How is it that the targets are tourers from out of Spain and rarely the Spanish ? Are the police blinkered and tolerant of this thieving ? How come I don't hear any stories of a thief being cornered and given a pasting ?

Are these thieves, Thieving Spanish or do they belong to the traveling public of Spain and another ethnic group or groups ? Maybe visiting Spain for the summer and thieving from the tourers is a world-wide 'thing-to-do'.

So, what's your story and what's your view ?

Richard.
 
Richard ,I like you have read the posts about robberys etc but i have also spoken to a lot more people who have had no problems( and do know someone who has ).I have had a motorhome 4 years and not been to Spain but do go twice a year to France and have been Belguim and Holland with no problems.If it is your dream DO IT. Just use common sense and if you dont feel safe move on to where you do.I'm sure theres as many scumbags over here as in Spain that would rob you given the chance.(I consider myself pretty streetwise and can spot a scumbag from miles away but am always alert to an area.)
Rob
 
Thanks for those kind-words Rob, yes I have also read reports and know people who haven't had problems though the balance is heavily in the one direction.

A few days ago I spoke with a retired couple who had a 'follower', they ended-up leaving their van with a guard in a compound. This couple illustrated so many thieves of east-european traveling type that the thieves were everywhere and sometime walking round in pairs making it obvious they were looking for targets.

Ok, its just one amongst many stories but it begs belief that the Spanish don't seem to bother.

Last year I thought the stories emanated from nervous old couples, a year-on I realise that most of the stories are coming from those who love Spain, they go-back regardless, in some cases they go-back 'tooled-up'.

What a shame, unfortunately my partner has picked-up on the stories, she figures there are far to many places to go where your less-likely to get picked-on.

I had wondered if the Spanish police regard this problem as travelers stealing from travelers so its Ok.

Richard.
 
We are Spanish (from near Barcelona), we spend our normal weekends in Spain, we never had an incident in our country, although we don't enjoy being in crowded places.

We don't feel unsafe in our country, although we love going northwards, spending all our long week-ends in France, and our long august holidays varying between Norway, Finland, Island, Switzerland, and for august 2009 we are planning Ireland.

You should go wherever you feel like going to.

Spain is not as polite and evolved as its northern neigbour countries, but it is not so dangerous as to be afraid, either.
It is a corner in Europe (southern, but Europe at the end).
 
Thanks to everyone's positive input, I'm saving these post for my partner who needs more encouragement that me.

I felt a little embaressed that ***** had to point-out the Spanish were lovely people. Can I make this clear, I have absolutely no-problem with the spanish people or any race. The reason for my post is that my dream was to visit Spain and that Spain is taking a lot of hits from people who won't go back.

My partner is in Spain right-now whilst I prepare for our trip to the Republic of Ireland, we buy Spanish food from a delicatesan (In Wales, Bizarre) and in fact after my supper I have at great expense, a, Tarta de Almendras to wade through. All alone.

Yes, I agree, you should go where you want. I don't want to go to Spain and can't sleep at night, I don't want to go to Spain with a baseball bat by the door and yes, everywhere has its ass-holes. Right now Spain is suffering a lot of poor public relations because of the thieving and it appears the police don't bother dealing with the problem as it escalates, consequently it seems to be escalating.

Yes, thanks for the very positive input. Please keep it going, I need help.

Richard.
 
My wife and I spent about three months 'wilding' around Portugal and Spain last winter with no problems at all. The locals were all friendly and we often camped in remote spots with no-one else around.

It'd be a shame to cross Spain from your list based on a few experiences of fellow campers, after all, the internet can be a great source of mis-information and one person's idea of a 'dodgy scumbag' may differ greatly from yours.

Just chill out and do it. As others have said, just be sensible about where you stop, but don't get paranoid as you're probably as much at risk in the UK as you are in Europe, if not more so.

Happy travels.
 
yes I have also read reports and know people who haven't had problems though the balance is heavily in the one direction.
Click to expand...

Not at all in one direction

The great majority of people who don't have any problems don't bother going around telling all that will listen about the non-problem they had in Spain/UK/WhoopWhoop or wherever.
It is just the very small minority who do have problems or know someone's aunties third cousin's mother who (supposedly) had a problem who scream loud and long.

To help balance the lopsided view, we did not have any problems in Spain --

or Holland or Belgium or France or Germany or Denmark or Sweden or Norway or Iceland or UK or Morocco (well except for the scammers) or Portugal or Australia.

And we wild/bush/stealth/free-camp as much as possible.
 
just back from 11 weeks wilding in Spain without any problems though we were broken into near Benidorm 5 years ago. Most things are common sense, would you leave your 'van unoccupied in an undesirable area of the UK? so why do it abroad. This year we were with a couple that had stuff stolen out of their van BUT if you leave the doors wide open and you are both out of sight of the van who is to blame?
Spain is no worse than most other countries for being broken into, yes it even happens in the UK

bertie
 
I really-really appreciate this barrage of positive views, seems like I only paid attention to negative feed-back and yes, I agree, happy campers come-home and say nothing.

The really worrying re-occuring message was that the '*****s' were consistently picking on UK and German vans, the guess was down to the police doing nothing because tourers go-home, end of problem.

I'm looking forward to my partner reading this thread when she gets back from Spain, I need the help so thanks-everyone but keep it coming.

Better make myself a cuppa and wade into that Almond-cake. Very expensive but fabulous and only the Spanish do it right.

Richard.
 
Remember a story being in the news a couple of years ago,occupants of camper were woken up during the night by someone being very sick outside.Went out to find they had tried to syphon the contents of the fuel tank only they had placed the tubing into the wrong tank and digested the contents of the grey water tank instead:eek:poetic justice me thinks,Andy.
 
messenger 2.5td said:
Remember a story being in the news a couple of years ago,occupants of camper were woken up during the night by someone being very sick outside.Went out to find they had tried to syphon the contents of the fuel tank only they had placed the tubing into the wrong tank and digested the contents of the grey water tank instead:eek:poetic justice me thinks,Andy.
Click to expand...

Pity it was,nt the Black water tank:eek::D:p
 
My grandson is doing Karting and if it is of any consolation to you I have just got back from a weekend in Wigan with a trip two weeks previous to the north of Wales, Cambridge and York. Now I must have passed through some scary areas but managed to get back to bonny Scotland unscathed.

Unfortunately I have not managed to get to Spain with the MH but have had many package holidays in Spain with absolutely no problem.

Karting is taking us to Belgium and France this year for the first time and I am really looking forward to it.

The point of my posting is don't believe all you are told and as indcated in previous posting use common sense to park up in sensible areas.

Roll on France, once I have passed through the "Auld Enemy" zone!!!!!!
 
We had an attempted break in (2007), I stupidly ignored advice from other wilders not to stop on any motorway service areas around Barcelona or along the Costa Lots, we got done while trying to have a meal in the restaurant - not even overnighting.

The common view among other wilders was that the thieving is specifically targetted at tourists for a few reasons - 80% wont speak the local language fluently enough to report to Police; the thieves are unlikely to be locals - illegal immigrants got the blame; If you catch the culprits at it you are less likely to take the law into your own hands if you are a tourist; most tourists have travel/vehicle insurance so the the thieves dont see it as a crime.

We also got warned off the Gothenburg to Oslo road - and took the advice - immigrants from the Baltic states got the blame in Norway!!

I might add that I saw plenty of thieving when I worked in youth hostels in the UK in the early 1970s - the thieves back then would target overseas vistors and try and take all of their ID so that they could not cancel their travellers cheques until they got a new passport. The thieves that we caught (about 6) were all from the USA and were avoiding the draft for Vietnam.
 
I have travelled all over france and never had a problem, I have felt safer anywhere in france from Marseille to Brittany, than I would walking down Lord st in Southport at 11pm at night. I am on my own as well. Having said that, God I have seen some nerds at times. Dont dress like a tourist, dont be a nancy, have confidence, your outcome is in your own hands. LEARN the language and look like you mean business. I have stayed on many of the motorway aires, and always park near the lorries. You are also a lot less likely to get scum on a tolled motorway, even if you just go on to use the aire. I havent been to Spain except in the Pyrenees cos the scenery is just to brown for me but all people are the same and all scum are the same, wherever you are!
.......Bob
 
I must admit I intended visiting Spain last year on my travels and decided to stop in France.

In Moliet et maa I came across two Spanish Families and asked the question.

They were of the opinion it was Morrocan immigrants that were the problem. And their transient lifestyle made it difficult for the police.

I was told that From Perpignan to Barcelona on the autoroutes was the bad part. Due to the proximity to the Ports.

Again i met others who had break ins but nothing out the ordinary if that makes sense.

But I agree with others, you have to do what is right and just excercise common sense.

I spent 9 months abroad last year and have lived in my camper for 12 months and the only place I had hassle was on a CL in my home town of Doncaster upon my return !!! and that was in an idyllic little village on the outskirts of town.

Ironic ? perhaps ....I would like to think that there is an underlying moral in jumping to conclusions on hearsay.

Channa
 
Thanks again to everyone for sharing, I shared your posts with my partner, she also appreciates the positive views you-all present.

Richard.
 
Don't be put off

Just back from a 7 week wander down through France, Spain & Portugal as far as Sembrisa (smashing place) just south of Lisbon staying on Aires or friendly car-parks all the way. Just 10 Euros well spent for 48 hours on a Bairritz Aire with electric for the whole trip.

Having not taken a van on a long trip abroad for 25 years (where we were robbed twice in two days in Rome by bag snatching gypsies) I was quite apprehensive for all the usual reasons – plus being 25 years older and on my own – but the trip was a joy with only one town Aire that didn’t ‘feel’ right so I moved on.

I think the best advice is to stick near other vans in towns and avoid motorway stops like the plague –ESPECIALLY where there is the old road running alongside a toll motorway. Many times I noticed unwholesome types pulled over on the verge admiring the scenery!

I turned back before reaching the overcrowded Costas’ so can’t speak for those areas.

My advice………Fit a good loud alarm to the van and just do it.

BW

Afterthought: For people really worried about possibility of overnight break-ins have a ‘panic’ button wired up to an air-horn and that should see them off.
 
Baggins said:
only one town Aire that didn’t ‘feel’ right so I moved on.


Afterthought: For people really worried about possibility of overnight break-ins have a ‘panic’ button wired up to an air-horn and that should see them off.
Click to expand...

Interesting post point paragraph one ....good advice if it dont feel right odds are it isnt move on.

Paragraph two you can wire a nuclear bomb no use when you are gassed.??

My alarm is a German Shepherd that although tranquil and has been known to even wag her tail, Still succombs to gas.

Opportunists will try the quick break and grab routine, however the more sophisiticated assailant seems a bit more savvy.

I did think of buying my hound an NBC suit any idea who may be selling one ?

Before anyone gets too offended at my lack of literarary style ..I am attempting to point out, If you are unfortunate to be in the wrong place at the wrong time..very little you can do ...however I think it would be fair to suggest that these circumstances in the grand scale of things are pretty rare.

Channa ( and the hound in full gas mask )
 
It would take a gas-attack to keep me sleeping through a break-in and-though I'm quite prepared to defend myself I'm really very unused to the whole idea of having to prepare to defend myself.

It was only after buying a motorhome that we realised they were such targets. Our van is fitted with a safe, an external Fiamma door-lock and removable steering wheel that gets locked to the steel seat frames.

Richard.
 
Paragraph two you can wire a nuclear bomb no use when you are gassed.??

do you ACTUALLY know of anyone that has been gassed in a motorhome? i know of someone that claims to have been gassed but that was only for insurance reasons, if you tell the insurers that you were robbed because you hadn't locked the door they aren't going to pay out so tell them you've been gassed, something that cannot be disproved, and you get paid for the claim. when we were robbed in France, on a motorway aire, everyone said that we must have been gassed but seeing that the 1/4 light window had been cut out i am sure that any gas put into the van would have gone out just as quick.

bertie, a very very sceptical gas attack believer
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top