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Quote: Originally posted by LobeyDosser on 23/4/2014

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...and whilst I am sure that some Travelling Folks are genuinely nice and well mannered people who would never dream of encroaching on other people's land or overstaying their welcome anywhere, we came away with the feeling that if you tow or drive a camper, we were all tarred with the same brush and unless you drove directly from one caravan park to the next and did not stop anywhere, then you were not welcome.

I do not like being labelled as a Second Class Citizen but that was the feeling that Ireland left me with.
Now whether this is a problem for a change in government policy or a change public attitude, I know not, but it is a problem and Height Barriers are the physical signs that tourists first see that all is not as it should be when they tour there.

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Off Topic,sorry..but..

I think we do have to accept that it is not always "Travellers" that have caused these barriers and restrictions to be put into place........

Unfortunately there are many cases where the "Motor-homers" have and are still being, their own worst enemy... (.e.g Scarborough, Huttoft Car Terrace etc). 

..and here's a current example...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-27128430

http://www.tmcto.org/index.php/motorhome-news/item/72-campervans-motorhomes-abersytwyth

I does none of us any favours......

...there's a "discussion" on the *MMM forum (outandaboutlive) at the moment, concerning the Aberystwyth MHers...and one of the chaps who had been staying there(4 days) in his "stealth camper", is actually on the thread(..and had posted photos)

..and...wait for this...during such "stays", he sees nowt wrong in routinely defecating into bin plastic bags and then disposing of  it in the dog bins..or (as is the case in New Quay, where he moved on to), the ordinary bins, in which you can put dog mess!

(As he says..    .."..it's no worse that dog pooh..." !?   )

I kid you not..and he's not a wind up, because he's posted similarly before now..

And they wonder why we get a bad press?!

People eh!.....I'd ban the bl**dy lot of 'em!

(*Mods: Sorry about the reference to another forum..but the fact that some MHers/campervanners behave in such a way, does need getting out there). 

Hi CHALE(Pudsey)...

You've got quite a difficult task on your hands to be honest..

Okay, so let's say you/they find some parking locations(P&R or existing car-parks that are large enough etc)

So....How many spaces do you "allocate" for MHs?...5?..10?..15?

What happens when word gets out(via forums)of how "motorhome friendly" you are and you get more turn up, all "expecting" a space and there are none available?(maybe because some have refused to move on and set up camp?) ...Where will those vehicles end up?

(*and boy Oh boy! do some people "expect"!...they've, "paid their road tax!"..."it's their right!" etc  )

Unless there are plenty of alternative options(..that are nearby and clearly indicated),  you'll end up with them **lining your streets, if you're not careful(** see links above)

I'm not meaning to sound negative on this, it's just that, if done at all, you need to be sure you'll have the capacity, "just in case"...?

Otherwise you may just be opening a can of worms...

This may sound odd but I see this a bit like cycle lanes...in so much as, if they're done at all, they need doing properly!....and not just some half ar*ed attempt by way of a few cheap white lines, encroaching on/into existing road space(..or as may be the case here, existing roadside parking...).

That would be one route to take Lobey...

Unfortunately, as we know, it's not the Mhers that'd use a 'site, that cause the problems, it's some of those who'd refuse to use/pay for a 'site, no matter how close in or how good the public transport links were...

And a lot of touring MHers do just want to be able to roll in/onto a town square/sea-front, prom' and just park up there, even if it is only for a 24hrs "stopover"(...parking on the outskirts just doesn't appeal to them, if it did,they'd be using out of town 'sites or P&Rs etc already...)

Although you do raise another interesting "grey area"..the one of being "Drunk in charge"..?

 On a "gated" 'site, where you'd obviously be "pitched up", you'd be okay but how would things pan out if you were "overnighting" in a designated bay, in a public carpark?..on in a designated, road side "bay"?  ....

These are the sorts of issues that would need ironing out ...

Quote: Originally posted by LobeyDosser on 29/4/2014

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Being "drunk in charge" is enforceable when you are not clearly pitched on a recognised camping park.
So roadside overnighters cannot drink. Simples. 
  

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I agree Lobey...But what I mean is, by being on/in a  "designated" overnighting space (and not just parked up in some "unsanctioned" layby).would some see it the same as being on a 'site?....

I think it's certainly something that would need making clear on any 'park signage...just in case....

It would've been interesting if plod had knocked on a few of those Aberystwyth  "prom' campers" windows...to see if any of them had had a drink or two(..as some had reportedly been there for weeks at a time, I dare say it would've been a fair bet..)