Spain ? no-way.

[noody]

bertie, a very very sceptical gas attack believer

(Smile)

Last year when I first joined a motorhome forum I read about gas-attack and read about gas-attack in magazines selling sensors. A few posts have suggested that no-one actually knows anyone who has ever been attacked using gas.

Using gas to disable someone is very dangerous, a lot of older people could easily stop breathing. You don't need to be old, if you already take certain drugs for pain-relief someone administering soporific gas to swipe your wallet could end-up on a murder charge.

Bertie and Richard,
Very sceptical gas-attack believers.

 

[Dezi]

Hi,

Just returned -tuesday- from six weeks touring down through France, spain & northern Portugal. Porto & returning via the Douro valley,central Spain & France. Only paid for sites in Santiago,Porto,Madrid. The rest we wild camped & in places & also stayed for 2/3 days. Not so much as a smidgeon of a problem, except the LPG garage in Porto does NOT sell LPG, but a Shell garage down the road does. I will update stopping places & LPG when finally unpacked.
Dezi

 

[Channa]

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

Starblazer if you re read my post I hope you can appreciate it was scribed a little bit toungue in cheek.

I dont know of anyone who has been gassed, but then again I dont know many people, I dont know you but you have had an experience in France you claim so I could ask the same question was it fact or fiction or an insurance scam.?( I promise I am not trying to be a clever ) If I were to relay your experience to others no different to the gassing analogy ? and others as you are may be sceptical of your tale. I hope you get my point I mean it in the most respectful way.

My main point was that one can find oneself in the wrong place at the wrong time in a global sense.And it is easy to 'pidgeon hole' that place has a bad place.

You had a bad experience in France, I lived there for 9 months and never had a problem. I have documented earlier the worst experience I have had is when I returned back to my home town ..so thats England a no no ??

In respect of the OP's original question of course he should question. However as I have alluded to and hopefully demonstrated crime and being a victim of isnt restricted to a border.

Fwiw the Op should like the rest of us visit where we want ..but perhaps it is prudent to be mindful of localised problems.

I am sorry if I have offended in some way but hopefully have given clarity to my opinion albeit thats all it is

Channa

 

[noody]

Hi Dezi.

I though LPG was almost unobtainable in Spain but I'm talking Auto-gas, what's the Auto-Gas situation ?

Richard

 

[Channa]

Hi Dezi.

I though LPG was almost unobtainable in Spain but I'm talking Auto-gas, what's the Auto-Gas situation ?

Richard

Hearsay I am afraid Richard, bu ti have heard LPG is difficult to obtain in Spain.

I arrived on the continent with a calor bottle almost impossible to replenish.

A lot of advice suggested camping gaz was the answer. Ha sit turne dout i thought that was pricey to.

I simply visited a supermarket for 25 euros I got a calypso gas bottle complete with regulator...problem solved..

Moreover where ever I travelled there was always a supermarket selling Antargas ...I believe that this brand is readily available in Spain too...although I think Repsol is probably more prevalent.

Perhaps our Spanish colleagues can impart their wisdom

Channa

 

[noody]

.although I think Repsol is probably more prevalent.

Perhaps our Spanish colleagues can impart their wisdom

Channa

Repsol is Spanish Auto-Gas presumably ? I find it difficult to understand that Spain doesn't pander to LPG users yet a huge contingent of motorhome users from all over the continent holiday in Spain.

They use hook-up ?
BBQ's ?

I'm a novice, I'm asking questions that initially didn't need an answer. Spain, Italy, Germany, Croatia to name a few all produce motorhomes that use LPG.

Richard.

 

[Channa]

Repsol is a major brand in Spain, so when the need arises to replenish it shouldnt be a problem.

As for what is the most flexible product, Our Spanish contributors can impart more wisdom

Channa

 

[walkers]

Noody follow the golden rules, try to stop where there are other motorhomers (safety in numbers), don't park up for the night at a motorway service or aires where you are the only motorhome and the most important if at any time you feel uncomfortable move on. Loads of motorhomes tour this country (Spain) with no problems if you are really concerned then maybe for your first visit use sites.
Now get over here and enjoy!!!!

Tony

 

[noody]

Thanks Tony, with all the positive responses I feel much more comfy about a visit to Spain. Our first trip will be to Ireland for 12 days on Friday then After summer holidays and dependent on my partners work commitments we will first try France/Germany.

 

[alanval]

We are just back after spending 5 months in Portugal and through Spain.We have been there the last three winters now and Not one bit of bother.I honestly sayI hav`nt spoken to anyone who has but have heard through others about others who have been robbed! But no actual fact.I know it does happen as they say you have to be carefull.You dont go out and leave the windows and doors open we wouldnt do that at home .By the way heard also about someone getting broken into and everything taken that was in Ireland...We also wild camp all the time very seldom go on sites..And we dont frequent the costas much.....It was reported in the English/ Portugees pape rthat ther were 60000 motorhomes in Portugal over the winter some of the wild camping spots had around 100 on them at a time. So the fear of theives can`t frighten that many .

Val

 

[Guest]

We are just back after spending 5 months in Portugal and through Spain.We have been there the last three winters now and Not one bit of bother.I honestly sayI hav`nt spoken to anyone who has but have heard through others about others who have been robbed! But no actual fact.I know it does happen as they say you have to be carefull.You dont go out and leave the windows and doors open we wouldnt do that at home .By the way heard also about someone getting broken into and everything taken that was in Ireland...We also wild camp all the time very seldom go on sites..And we dont frequent the costas much.....It was reported in the English/ Portugees pape rthat ther were 60000 motorhomes in Portugal over the winter some of the wild camping spots had around 100 on them at a time. So the fear of theives can`t frighten that many .

Val (/quote)


Hi Alanval, very nice to hear that motorhomes are not been targeted and fabulous news
however when I was trucking, I have been robbed once and another attempted robbery on the same day. I disturbed him as I returned from the Guarda Civil.
Not hear say as this happened to me
This happened at Nules (Casteleon)

By the way, I love Spain and the Spanish people

 

[noody]

Oh-yes.

I'm aware there are scum-bags everywhere, I had my flip-flops swiped from the beach twice here at home. I'm also aware I could be vulnerable in Ireland in much the same as being vulnerable anywhere though the reports of theft and break-ins in Spain seemed to come thick and fast and on a more regular basis together with no interest from the police on the basis it would be a problem in a week or two because visitors go home.

I'm still mystified how anyone can sleep through a break-in to find the culprit inside the van searching through personal possessions, is this to do with the size of some vans ? Our van has two doors, both are vulnerable to attack in daytime though only one at night because one is covered by the pull-down bed.

How could someone break-in without disturbing me sleeping two foot away, and then we have a dog, not a guard-dog but she makes noises.

 

[alanval]

Oh-yes.



I'm still mystified how anyone can sleep through a break-in to find the culprit inside the van searching through personal possessions, is this to do with the size of some vans ? Our van has two doors, both are vulnerable to attack in daytime though only one at night because one is covered by the pull-down bed.

How could someone break-in without disturbing me sleeping two foot away, and then we have a dog, not a guard-dog but she makes noises.

I agree I dont understand how this can happ.en I am a light sleeper I hear every little sound.
They must make some noice breaking in .We also have a dog a lazy Corgi but she would still grumble a bit ..Might be with a little to much of the local vino they sleep sound...lol..One story I heard the lady woke to find someone rummaging under the bed.He ran away with her handbag.. We do have a safe for passports money etc might not stop anyone but would take them longer.
Val

 

[noody]

A break-in whilst we're away is possible but I think I made it improbable, habitation door has a Fiamme door-clasp and the near-side door would be chained to the passenger seat, the steering wheel is removable and is locked to the chain so anyone thinking of driving my van away would need to consider how to do it without a steering wheel.

The chain that I use is actually a motorbike lock that consists of a steel cable with hardened steel rollers over the cable, you would need a grinder/cutter to get through it. Who is going to make all the noise necessary to get through that ?

The only other vulnerable point is one sliding window on driver-side, you cannot even force this open because I leave a length of timber wedged between the glass and the front of the van.

 

[John H]

Just come across this thread for the first time and would like to say that we have spent four winters touring round Spain, wildcamping and on campsites, and have had no problems of any kind. We have met others (a small handful) who have been robbed and - although any incident is, of course, dreadful - they seem to fall into two categories: 1. Motorways and 2. Supermarket carparks. We are retired and in no hurry so we rarely use motorways (and especially do not stop overnight at motorway service stations). If you do need to use motorways (especially the one from Perpignan to Barcelona, which seems to be badly affected) then the advice from the Spanish police is not to stop for any unmarked car and, if confronted by someone claiming to be an official, only agree to speak to him if he accompanies you to the nearest police station. Also, leave the motorway before settling down for the night. Criminals are lazy buggers and concentrate on areas where the pickings are easy - they rarely search through small villages or remote coves looking for victims. As for the problem of supermarket carparks (another rich-picking location for the thieves) we now shop alternately, with one of us in the van at all times (admitedly this is a problem if you are travelling on your own but perhaps you could team up with another traveller for shopping). The basic message is the same as for living in a house - be vigilant but not terrified. In seven post-retirement years of motorhoming we have only been broken into once - in a museum car park in Budapest - and that was our fault. We have met people who have been robbed on campsites (probably by other tourists!) so nowhere is perfectly safe. If you listened to all the scare stories you would never leave your house (and that's not the safest place to be, either). So, be sensible, be vigilant, be happy and travel wherever you feel like travelling - life is too short to hide away from it. We're going back to Spain next winter and are looking forward to it - as we always do.

 

[Belgian]

Hi John
You spoke the truth, nothing but the truth and the only truth
It all comes to 'common sence': if you don't 'feel' safe: leave from suspected spots and avoid highways, hypermarkets and very frequented places. Take the way-off villages and remote places; criminals don't got here: it's a too much effort for them to get there
Be vigilant, but without trauma
Happy wilding in the wild

 

[guerdeval]

I spent last winter in Benicassim which is a pretty up market Spanish town and I was talking to a local resident (not motorhomer) who told me most of the crime in the area was Eastern Europeans, he had a friend whose ear was half removed by a Romanian in Alicante trying to rob him so there are crimes against the Spanish too. I did notice that in general Spanish fear big dogs, they would cross over to avoid my Doberman who was only a baby at the time, he's 29" and 50kg now so they'de probably fill their pants!, forget the baseball bat get a Doby!I've trained him to carry a baseball bat for double insurance.

 

[vwalan]

every body blames east europeans now. what happened in spain 40yr ago when handbags were grabbed by passing scooter drivers /passengers .there wernt any east europeans then. nicking from campers as been going on for ever. its easy give em 3 pints of larger n a packet of crisps then rob their van. oh we were gassed .yes i,m sure. dont forget they do cut the window rubbers and remove your windows . its happened to me . how do you prevent it i dont know. dog on front seat may help but have seen vans that have been broken into with a rotwieler sat in the front. cant believe it myself but it happened.

 

[John H]

every body blames east europeans now. what happened in spain 40yr ago when handbags were grabbed by passing scooter drivers /passengers .there wernt any east europeans then. nicking from campers as been going on for ever. its easy give em 3 pints of larger n a packet of crisps then rob their van. oh we were gassed .yes i,m sure. dont forget they do cut the window rubbers and remove your windows . its happened to me . how do you prevent it i dont know. dog on front seat may help but have seen vans that have been broken into with a rotwieler sat in the front. cant believe it myself but it happened.

This is getting worrying - I'm now agreeing with both you and Derek!!!!!!

 

[vwalan]

john are you off to spain this winter?
i ask s i am around all winter there i hope. we might have met you never know .it is a small world. always amazes me how many you can know on these forums but not actually put name to a face.
i used to pull my artic trailer with V W lt .now use a mitsubishi canter. you may have avoided me lots do.sometimes travel with a few mates in big n noisy trucks. with loud horns.